《Another Chance To Love》


 Chapter 1 - Pain and Regret

    A woman sat in front of a mirror combing her hair. It was once long and shiny but now it was dull and brittle. Her skin was ashen white. She gazed at the television behind her through the mirror and laughed bitterly.


    When she first arrived in this world, she thought she could do it. Have her happy ever after. She was once the richest CEO in the country but now she was in this shabby old room living in poverty.


    Bai Jihai....Bai Jihai took everything away from her! If she could reincarnate, she will never let him off! Not after what he had done! He betrayed her and married the bane of her existence, Shen Mengqi!


    "Chunlan, you have to eat something, this can''t go on. It has been five days now. Please eat." Her best friend, Su Menxiang''s voice was hoarse.


    "Its okay, I am not hungry." She touched her sunken cheekbones, trailing her fingers across her face gently.


    "Please, eat. After the abortion, you haven''t eaten anything substantial. Do you want to die?!" Meixiang started crying.


    Before she could relent, the door opened. A woman in her mid twenties stood in front of them, her hair tied into a bun. Her makeup was done intricately, making her appealing and elegant. But beauty can''t hide a person''s evil soul.


    "Shen Mengqi, what are you doing here!" Her eyes turned cold.


    Shen Mengqi smiled and sat on a chair, crossing her legs. "I will be going back to Australia with Jihai, and I wanted to talk to you before we went."


    "In your dreams!" Menxiang stood up angrily.


    "Please give us a moment." Chunlan coughed lightly.


    After a moment of hesitation, Menxiang finally left. After the door closed, Chunlan turned around to face the lady. She too, had some words for her.


    "Talk." Chunlan spat out.


    "I came to convince you to give Jihai back the shares you owe him for buying Starlock from Wen Honglin. After what you have done to him, surely you can do that much?"


    "After what I did to him?" Chunlan laughed hysterically. "Mengqi, did you hit your head? I will never give you those shares."


    Mengqi stood up angrily, banging the table in front of her. "TANG CHUNLAN! Are you still a human being? After what Jihai did for you, have you ever treated him fairly? Tell me Chunlan, you were married to him for six years do you even know his favorite color? What he likes to eat? Do you even know his allergies? When he needed you the most to believe in him, you didn''t. This is your retribution."


    Chunlan clenched her fists as her heart turned cold. "Mengqi, your self righteous act isn''t going to work on me. If that is all you have to say-"


    "Chunlan do you know, the night you caught him and I in bed that he was drugged? Yes, I drugged him. He pleaded and begged you to believe him yet you betrayed him. You aborted his twins." Mengqi laughed coldly.


    "W-what?"


    "If you still have a heart, give him those shares. You know they belonged to his mother." Shen Mengqi stood up and closed the door.


    "Shen Mengqi! Come back here! Explain yourself!" She stood up quickly and rushed to the door as it closed in front of her face. Numbly, she fell to the floor.


    "Chunlan, what happened? Why are you on the floor?" Menxiang rushed to her and helped her to sit on the bed. "Drink this."


    Chunlan raised her head and drank the glass of water. After drinking, she put the glass on the side table and called Mexiang over.


    "Menxiang, please help me find out where Jihai is. I need to talk to h-" she suddenly felt a surge of pain overtake her entire body. Her throat hurt and her head was split into two. Finally her lungs couldn''t take it and she spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Menxiang. What did you give me?" She panicked and gazed at her friend whose eyes had turned cold.


    "A taste of your own medicine. Chunlan, don''t blame me. I trusted you and defended you from the whole world, we had shared weals and woe together! Yet, you snatched the only man I love, Wang Qishen! You never firmly rejected him neither did you tell him who was the owner of the satchel was! Chunlan, anyone who trusts you and wholeheartedly loves you is bound to suffer! So just die, Tang Chunlan!" Tears of misery rolled down Menxiang''s cheeks.


    As her vision blurred, Chunlan wondered, was she really that bad in everyone''s eyes? Did she really do everything wrong this time?


    With one last breath, her heart was filled with pain and regret.

 Chapter 2 - Build your empire.

    ? A young girl stretched her long and lean body on the bed as the sun rays touched her pale skin. Her eyes flickered as she rubbed her forehead which was throbbing in pain. Her eyebrows furrowed as she finally opened her eyes.


    Tang Chunlan was reborn again.


    She sat upright and scanned her surroundings. Which era did she enter this time again? Was she cursed? Why was she bound to transmigration every time she died?


    But this room looked so familiar.....


    Her heart froze when a male figure came inside the room. He was devastatingly handsome, his chiselled face was all high bones and sharp angles highlighting his masculinity. His dark and deep eyes stared at her for a while.


    "B-Bai Jihai..." She looked at him in disbelief.


    Bali Jihai sighed helplessly as he picked up a chair to sit in front of her. His domineering, cold aura was all over the room silently oppressing her.


    "Did you really have to jump into the pond? You know you can''t swim, are you trying to kill yourself?" He gritted his teeth.


    Jump? Water? Her big brown eyes grew large as her mind fixed everything in place. She......she was reborn?


    "......don''t ever do this again, Chunlan. You win, I will marry you after our graduation. As for other matters, we will talk about them slowly." He brushed a strand of hair back in place on her forehead. "Are you okay?"


    Tang Chunlan gazed at him and felt the slight burn of tears in her eyes. She was back!


    Around this time, she was just 21 years old and Jihai had just turned 24. She had wanted them to get married, like every female lead is supposed to. Weren''t they supposed to get married first and then, build wealth and families together? But Jihai wanted to travel abroad and build an empire first, because of his poor background. Back then, she had thrown a fit and treated him coldly thinking he just didn''t want to be with her.


    "No, Jihai. I don''t want to marry you." She shook her head lightly.


    The room turned so cold Chunlan could see icicles form on the window. She saw him holding a deadpanned expression.


    "What did you say?"


    "Jihai." She took both of his hands and placed them on hers, rubbing his long slender fingers making him stiffen slightly. "Go and live your dreams and build your empire. I don''t want you to lean on anybody, I want to be the strongest."


    She took a deep breath as she tried to continue with her speech. Right now, the most important thing she could give him was his freedom. "And when you come back, if you still want me, I will be waiting right here. Always, Jihai."


    When she received no reply, she looked up to see his face holding a complicated expression. He removed his hands and folded them in front of them and said "Don''t say rubbish, Chunlan. I am not unreasonable. Everything I am doing now and will do in the future is just for you."


    Chunlan sniffed lightly. She had the sudden urge to cry when she heard him. She had really wronged him before.


    How did she become so ruthless and selfish before?


    Suddenly, she embraced him and ignored his frozen expression as her voice turned hoarse.


    "Bai Jihai, I am sorry for all the times I never said sorry and I was always grateful even though I never said thank you.


    In this life, I will fulfill your dreams and sacrifice my own willingly.. I will only be good to your family and friends and will be ruthless to your enemies.

 Chapter 3 - A doting wife.

    ?Chunlan walked out of the library after finishing her morning classes when she heard a familiar voice.


    "Tang Chunlan!" Su Menxiang ran towards her and grabbed her arm, interlocking their arms together.


    "Menxiang!" Chunlan gasped.


    "Chunlan, I missed you. Where have you been? I haven''t seen you for two months! We have never been apart for so long." Menxiang wh?n?d.


    Chunlan fell quiet trying to think of how to deal with this situation. To be honest, she wanted nothing to deal with Menxiang anymore after what happened in their previous life but she couldn''t forget all she had done for her back then.


    ".....I have asked my dad if there is any internship in the company. After my persuasion, he finally spoke up! If you want, you can give it to Jihai. I know he needs it." Menxiang poked her playfully.


    She sighed. Even though she was betrayed, she knew she was the one at fault. She should have never given Qishen that satchel or allowed her friend to marry that brute! She have known the misery her friend was living in.


    "Thank you, Menxiang." She said quietly.


    "There''s no need to be this formal among sisters." Menxiang waved her off but observed her closer. "Hey, why are you sad? Don''t worry, everything will be okay. Wait, isn''t that Jihai?"


    Chunlan followed her gaze and was entranced by what she saw. Jihai was sitting in class, wearing a light blue shirt blending with his alabaster skin. He gave out a cold piercing aura, making him unapproachable, but a delight to look at with his red rosy lips and strikingly sharp nose. Most of the girls in the room were looking at him but all he concentrated on was the book in front of him, ignoring his friend who was trying to disturb him.


    "Jihai!" She frowned and walked over.


    He turned his head at the sound, his face brightened as he saw her approaching and taking a seat beside him. Luckily, there was no teacher yet. "Are you through with your classes today?"


    "Not yet. Hi, Longwei." Seeing his friend frozen with shock, she decided she wasn''t going to get an answer so she turned to Jihai.


    Opening her bag, she took out a jacket and scarf and placed it on the table. She wrapped the scarf around his slender neck and whispered " Jihai, what is wrong with you? Don''t you see it is winter? Why aren''t you dressing warm? Jihai, you need to learn to take care of yourself."


    When she leaned back, she heard a pen drop on the floor. Cai Longwei was staring at her with his mouth open. Flustered, she felt multiple eyes on her as she looked at Jihai. He was looking at her with adoration in his cold black eyes.


    She felt herself shrink with all the attention. When she replayed all she said in her head, she noticed she sounded like a doting wife.


    Shit.

 Chapter 4 - Looking for you.

    Jihai stared at the girl in front of him, his heart swelling with different emotions. She was very beautiful, her fair skin was delicate and smooth and her brown eyes were clear and bright, giving people a sense of comfort and tranquility.


    "I forgot my jacket back in the dormitory, because I was late." He smiled, as he observed how uncomfortable she was.


    "Oh, I should get going now. Your class is about to start now."


    He caught her hand and skimmed through her fingers. "Wait for me."


    Longwei coughed lightly and tilted his head towards the direction of the teacher looking at them with a grim face.


    "Bye, Jihai." Chunlan rushed out of the class room.


    "Bye." He whispered.


    After classes, he went around looking for Chunlan with his friend, Longwei. Did she forget about him again? Where did she go this time? He felt a little worried after the stunt she pulled yesterday.


    "Jihai, did something happen between you and Chunlan? Why is she behaving like a loving girlfriend?" Longwei said, gauging his friend''s expression.


    "Not your business." Jihai said indifferently.


    Longwei scratched the back of his head. "Could it be that both of you.....have finally sealed the deal? Ow!" He ?r??n?d, after receiving a light kick from Jihai.


    "Get lost!"


    Jihai finally stopped and looked around. It seemed she had gone to her dorm to retire. His eyelashes lowered in sadness. He had wanted to spend some quality time with her, something that they hadn''t done recently but she didn''t wait for him. Could it be that this morning was just a dream and now this was reality?


    He checked his watch, soon he had to leave for his part time job. Turning around, he started walking to his own dorm until he heard someone call his name.


    "Jihai!" A boy ran up to him, huffing out of breath.


    "What is it?"


    "The vice chancellor is looking for you."


    Jihai''s eyes narrowed coldly."Got it."


    Longwei turned to face his friend. " Jihai, this-"


    "Leave this to me." He followed the boy.


    When they reached the vice chancellor''s office, the boy who accompanied him turned around to leave. Jihai knocked lightly, waiting for a response.


    "Come in." A sultry female voice rang out.


    He stepped in, a lady coming into his view. Her wavy hair was let down, her red full lips puckering. She had opened the first two bu??ons of her red shirt, showing her ample cleavage out of her black suit.


    "Vice Chancellor." He sat down, sighing internally. What did she want this time?


    "Jihai, I told you to call me Wenyi." The woman frowned slightly. Hearing no response, she got up and stood in front of him leaning back on her desk.


    "What did you call me for?" His voice revealed a tinge of annoyance.


    "Colossus Co-operation called, asking you to start your internship in mid May. Have you started preparing?" She leaned in, playing with his crisp blue collar.


    He hit her hand away. "I am still deciding."


    "Deciding? About what? Do you know how many people dream to work there? Why are you hesitant?"


    She took out an envelope. "If its money, the school has already offered to help you."


    He made no movement to collect it. "I will have to respectfully decline, but I will thank the chancellor personally." He smirked, seeing her pale slightly.


    "Jihai, why do you still treat me like-"


    "Jihai!" A girl entered the room, abruptly carrying a bag of food. She was out of breath.


    Chunlan.

 Chapter 5 - The Vice Chancellor.

    Chunlan sat down beside Jihai after catching her breath. She had waited for Jihai but thought he might be hungry and went to buy some food for him before his part time job started.


    "How dare you enter this office without being summoned?" Liu Wenyi''s voice was scathing.


    Chunlan said innocently "I wanted to talk to you about something and the secretary said I could go in. Who knew I would meet my boyfriend here?"


    Wenyi struggled to contain her anger. How could she be looking for her when the first thing she said was Jihai''s name? She was obviously her for Jihai!


    Meanwhile, Chunlan was watching Jihai whose cold eyes betrayed panic and guilt. In their previous life, Jihai had come to this office alone when Wenyi threatened to cease his final result he needed to submit to Colossus in exchange for s?x. In order to give her a better life, her Jihai lost his v?r??n?t? to this scheming woman. In this life, no way!


    Unable to endure Chunlan''s eyes on him, Jihai turned to face Wenyi. "If that is all, we would be leaving now."


    Wenyi''s eyes burned with hatred as she tried to smile. This little girl tried to snatch her man! Who in this college didn''t know she only had eyes for Jihai? She had always given him the best benefits she could offer, hoping one day, he would finally see her efforts but Chunlan was becoming a thorn in her flesh!If it wasn''t for the Tang family backing her up, she would have finished her off.


    "But Chunlan has something to discuss with me." Wenyi straightened up.


    "I don''t remember what I came here for anymore. Maybe some other time." Chunlan said lazily, making Jihai''s lips twitch. Wenyi''s fists clenched.


    "We will going now then." Jihai wrapped his hands around her own and left the room.


    As they walked, Chunlan stopped and smiled brightly. "Jihai, are you hungry? I brought you food." She waved it front of him.


    "You....brought me food?"Jihai said in disbelief.


    "Yes! Come, eat quickly. Your part time job is starting soon." She dragged him to a bench and started opening each container and brought out a pair of chopsticks along with it.


    Jihai remained quiet for some time, staring at the food. "Thank you."


    Chunlan paused, seeing how touched he was. She sat beside him, smiling tenderly. "Jihai, don''t thank me easily." Because you have thanked me enough in our past life. Because I love you.


    Jihai froze.

 Chapter 6 - I love you.

    ?Jihai froze. "Chunlan, what did you say?"


    Chunlan felt her palms sweat as she stared at him. Did she say it out loud? What should she do? She had no plans of denying it but she was just too embarrassed to repeat it.


    Mustering her courage, she exhaled and said softly." Jihai, I.....love you." Her eyes darted around her surroundings as her cheeks turned into a beautiful shade of pink.


    She clasped her hands as she noticed the place turn silent. Finally she couldn''t take it anymore and turned to face him. "Jihai, I-"


    "I have to go. I can''t be late for my shift." He stood up abruptly, picking his bag from the floor beside him, his expression cold and stiff . "Thank you for the food, I''ll see you later."


    Chunlan stood up, intending to pack the food for him to carry looked up to see him already boarding a cab. She sat down, blankly staring at the food. What just happened? Why didn''t he respond? Could it be she was going too fast? She bit her lower lip, her heart sinking in disappointment.


    When she reached her dorm, her sour mood increased further and her best friend, Su Menxiang finally couldn''t take it any more.


    "Lan''er, tell me what happened. As your best friend I will give you only the best advice." She sat beside her.


    Getting no response, she coaxed further. "A problem shared is a problem half solved. Look, you are ruining your beauty if you keep frowning like this!"


    After a while, Chunlan finally responded. "I confessed my feelings to Jihai."


    "And?"


    Chunlan swallowed her discomfort."He rejected me."


    Menxiang stood up."Impossible!"


    Chunlan''s eyebrow arched." Are you saying that I am lying?"


    "Everyone knows Jihai''s love for you can climb clouds and soar through heavens! How is it possible he rejected you? Chunlan, this must be a misunderstanding." Menxiang shook her head firmly in denial.


    Chunlan sighed dejectedly."I know."


    "Why don''t you try again? This time, be more straightforward and don''t take no for an answer! Chunlan, I believe you can do it!"


    Chunlan chuckled softly. Her friend was still a hopeless romantic. "Okay."


    Chunlan gazed at her friend who was trying on different skirts and frowned slightly. "Where are you going?"


    "Wang Qishen is celebrating his twenty fourth birthday this evening. Are you coming?"


    Chunlan sighed. "Menxiang, must you go?"


    Menxiang stilled."What do you mean?"


    "You and Qishen aren''t meant to be together. You are already betrothed, and Bingwen is kind to you. Is it that difficult to love him?"


    "I have loved Qishen since we were children."


    Chunlan touched her friend''s shoulder in consolation. "What I am saying is give Qishen the satchel you brought for him. If he rejects you tonight, promise me you will give Bingwen a chance."


    "Okay."

 Chapter 7 - I have a question.

    "But how did you know about the satchel?" Menxiang turned, confused.


    "I saw it in your purse." Chunlan lied flawlessly, schooling her facial features in place.


    "Oh...okay. Well I will see you later. Bye." Menxiang grabbed her purse on the table and closed the door, quietly.


    Chunlan stood with determination. She was going to get an answer from him. In this life, she was his and he was hers. There was no room for escape!


    She finally arrived in front of a fast food restaurant. She got out of the cab, tipping the driver and stared at the entrance. Taking a deep breath, she walked inside, sitting at a corner of the booth.


    She spotted him, taking an order from a group of girls, his face a cold mask. She could see it in their eyes the love and admiration. She consciously checked herself. Why did she forget to make up?


    After taking their order, he moved to her table not looking up. He said huskily "What is your order?"


    She felt her throat close up, her heart fluttering. She leaned in slightly "Uhm, a plate of ham cheese omelet please."


    He froze and finally looked at her, his eyes filled with shock. "Chunlan."


    Gazing into his eyes, she gulped. "Hi."


    He closed the notepad, his other hand running through his hair. "What are you doing here?"


    "I wanted to pick you up. But I am also hungry, please feed me." Her soft voice wh?n?d.


    His eyes softened, full of doting and adoration. Finally, she was caring about him. He felt like this was a dream and was tempted to pinch himself. "Okay. Wait here."


    After taking the orders, he gave them to the chef. He rushed her, afraid to let Chunlan starve. He served her, hearing her faint voice. "Thank you."


    He saw her open her purse and bring out money. "Here."


    He pushed it back, his heart freezing. "I am paying, no need."


    She shrugged and closed her purse. "Okay."


    Satisfied, he continued working.


    Chunlan watched him work, her heart and body satisfied. After some while, she drifted asleep.


    She felt a hand tap her gently. "Chunlan, wake up."


    She rose up groggily. The place was now empty, the lights turned off except in the room they stood in. "Are you done?"


    "Hmm." He nodded slowly.


    She smiled and linked her hand through his. "Then let''s go."


    He wrapped his hand around her waist, his eyes gauging her expression. Seeing her smile brighter, he smiled tenderly. "In the future, there is no need to come here during my night shift. It is not safe for a girl."


    She paused, remembering why she was here. "Actually, I have a question to ask."


    He gave her a look. "Ask."


    "Jihai, do you love me?" She clutched her dress. "Have your feelings for me changed?"


    She felt her heart drown in despair and pain when he didn''t answer. She consoled herself, if this was the retribution for her past deeds, she was willing to pay it in full. "Its okay. This doesn''t change anything." Her smile was shaky.


    "I do, Chunlan. I love you so much my heart feels empty when you are not with me. I am willing to abandon my pride to see you smile at me and abandon my integrity to see you happy with me. I sometimes hate myself for loving you but I can''t stop myself. Everything I have done and will always do is for you. Because I have only you."


    A tear slipped off Chunlan''s cheeks as she gazed at his lonely back. She hugged him, her hands intertwining to his front. She rested her cheeks on his lean back. "I will never leave you."


    "Forever?"


    "Forever."

 Chapter 8 - Happy.

    Chunlan woke up, her heart full and fluttery. She stretched lazily like a cat, rubbing her sleepy eyes in a circular motion her lips curling upward into a tender smile as she recalled last night events.


    After the tender confession, they strolled around laughing. She took out a pair of scissors, her heart beating loudly. "In ancient times, lovers cut their hair and tied it together as they made a promise of eternal love. Jihai, are you willing?"


    He stared at her, taking the scissors from her as he snipped a strand of his hair and gave it to her quietly. She cut a strand of her hair and tied it together into a bow. "Keep it, Jihai. No matter where you go."


    He collected the hair and tucked it in his br??st pocket as he placed a kiss n her forehead. "Its time to take you back."


    Chunlan''s memory came to a halt as she heard someone sobbing quietly. Jumping up from the bed, she opened the bathroom door.


    "Menxiang, what''s wrong?" She frowned slightly.


    Menxiang curled herself and lifted up her face which was a mess with tears and mucus. "He rejected me, Lan''er."


    Chunlan grabbed some tissues from the cupboard and passed it to her. She stroked her hair gently. "Then it is fate, do not cry anymore. If he doesn''t like you, then Mingwen likes you. Just move on!"


    Menxiang snorted angrily. "How can I forget him so easily when I have loved him since I was a child?"


    "I don''t care! Menxiang, life is short you mustn''t make careless mistakes."


    Sensing Menxiang''s pondering, she continued. "After this semester, during the holidays give Mo Bingwen a chance. You have nothing to lose."


    "Chunlan, I will do as you say."


    Jihai closed his ??ptop, sighing. Finally he had sent an email to Colossus, accepting the internship. He was still reluctant to go but he knew it was necessary in giving Chunlan the life she deserved.


    Dialing a number in his phone, he waited until he heard a voice. "Jihai."


    "Chunlan." He closed his eyes, her voice floating peacefully into his ears.


    "I was about to call you." A tinge of shyness colored her tone.


    "What is it?"


    "I heard from a classmate that the deadline of Colossus is today. I hope you have submitted your reply?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay. Our holiday begins tomorrow, will you miss me?"


    Jihai fell quiet as his mind tried to process the question, trying to come up with the best answers to please her. He knew she hated the fact that he wasn''t romantic. He had tried to learn though.


    "Eh."


    "I will miss you too. Jihai let''s have a date before we go home, okay?" Her voice became livelier as she grew excited.


    He smiled. "Okay."


    "Jihai, I.....love you!" She smiled shyly at the other end.


    At met silence instead. Jihai was stunned, his heart beating frantically. He still wasn''t used to this side of her, that part that was warm and cuddly, caring and loving.


    After a while, Chunlan got impatient. Why wasn''t he responding? Hadn''t he confessed his feelings already?


    "Jihai, I love you. Do you love me?"


    Coming to reality, he nodded. Remembering it was a phone call, he said "Yes."


    Yes?


    She confessed to him two times and all he said was yes? Calming herself she said cheerfully "Oh, okay. I''m hanging up."


    "Bye."

 Chapter 9 - Home.

    On the holidays, Chunlan decided to go back to the Tang mansion. As she entered the limo ?ssigned to pick her up she made a mental list about what she had to do this time.


    1. Patch things up with her little sisters.


    2. Protect her family wealth.


    3. Kick Ke Mingze out of her house!


    All these three was very important to her. When she had first transmigrated to this world, she had identified her sisters as enemies fated in this world. They were ruthless, annoying and spoilt little brats dedicated to making her life a living hell.


    She rubbed her eyes as she sighed. What she had once again failed to notice was the fact that her father and her mother hadn''t planned to have other children after her. The elite society loved having only one child in a lifetime and her mother saw the twins as nuisances, leaving them neglected.


    She forgot that these girls were her little sisters. In her past life, she never held back in retaliating against them. Tang Chunhua, the firstborn among the twins died in a hospital after a shooting happened in the city. And Tang Chunying was arrested and sent to prison after murdering her husband, being diagnosed insane. It was her fault. She should have watched over them.


    "Young Miss, we are here."


    She stepped out of the car, her eyes wandering over the large building. The truth was while she really missed her family, her heart missed her matrimonial home, hers and Jihai''s.


    "Lan''er!"


    Tang Haifeng smiled, her eyes creasing in delight. She wore a peach colored dress, her beauty still not fading as time passed by.


    "Mother." She stepped in as she felt her mother place an air kiss on her cheek.


    "You must be hungry. Go and wash up then you can have dinner." She patted her daughter gently.


    As she passed by, she saw her sisters glaring at her. She smiled tenderly and walked to her room. When she came down, her family was already seated the maids serving and arranging the dishes.


    She sat down quietly, thinking about how to proceed with her plans. The twins were extremely stubborn and unreasonable, she would have to have endless patience in dealing with them.


    "Lan''er, I heard your graduation is coming soon. Have you made arrangements?" Her father, Tang Huizhong who said at the head of the table said gruffly.


    "Don''t worry. I have already informed V&K that we will be visiting them soon. This auspicious event must be celebrated in a grand manner!" Tang Haifeng said happily, gazing at her with pride.


    Chunlan looked at her sisters, who ate quietly their eyes filled with bitterness and hatred and suddenly remembered something. Coughing lightly, she smiled at her father. "Thank you, father and mother. Although my graduation ceremony is indeed something worth celebrating, we should not forget that Hua''er and Ying''er are also having their high school graduation this month. Let them come along and buy what they like."


    The sisters turned their heads sharply, their faces portraying disbelief and shock. Chunying gave her a side eye. "What are you up to now, Chunlan? Do we look like dogs begging for your scraps? Mind your business!"


    "Ying''er!" Tang Haifeng chided her daughter.


    Chunlan sighed once again, stirring her fork around the vegetables in her plates. Welcome, Chunlan.. Welcome home.

 Chapter 10 - Shopping.

    After the awkward dinner with her family ended, Chunlan decided to take a nap in her room. Meanwhile, the sisters, Tang Chunhua and Tang Chunying sat in the patio gazing at the birds chirping on the trees next to the windows.


    "Don''t you think Jie Jie is acting strangely? She invited us to go shopping.." Chunying asked, a little confused.


    Chunhua scoffed. "She is surely up to something!"


    How could Chunlan, their ruthless and selfish sister suddenly turn into an angel? Chunlan had always looked down on them, just because their births were unexpected. She never wanted to have anything to do with them, and now she wants to spend time with them? Unbelievable!


    "We should make plans. We should not allow her to ruin our graduation." Chunying said exasperated. She had important guests coming!


    "Don''t worry. We will attack before she does. I won''t allow her to make us a laughingstock!"


    Chunying then bit her lips and said "I think I have a plan...."


    The next morning, Chunlan and her mother went with the twins on a shopping spree. Entering V&K which was the most expensive and biggest fashion store in the city, the staff greeted them respectfully.


    "What do you think about this green dress, Lan''er? It compliments your eyes and white jade skin." Haifeng touched the fabric lightly, her fingers gliding over the bows on the shoulder of the gown.


    Chunying''s eyes lit up as she passed by the jewelry section. "Mother, what do you think about this pearl necklace..."


    "Ying''er! Don''t be selfish! Don''t you know that this trip is for your elder sister? Let her choose first." Haifeng''s red painted lips curled in distaste.


    Chunying bent her head, her eyes downcast. "I am sorry, Mother."


    Haifeng ignored her, tapping Chunlan lightly trying to gain her attention. "Lan''er, what do you think of this dress?"


    Chunlan sighed silently. If she wanted to patch things up with her little sisters, it seemed she had to take care of her mother first. "No, I don''t like it. Let''s look over there and decide slowly." She turned to the twins and said "Why don''t you shop by yourselves and let''s meet here later?"


    Chunying sneered "We don''t dare inconvenience Elder Sister."


    Before Haifeng could give her a scathing glare, Chunlan dragged her mom towards the shoes section. " Mom, this black and red design is exquisite. Let''s take a look."


    After buying some things, she tugged her mother''s hand. "The weather is so hot today, let''s go that and buy some ice cream."


    "Okay."


    Sitting under the umbrella, they started ???k?n? the ice cream, looking at the customers passing by.


    "Mum."


    "Lan''er?"


    "Why don''t you like Ying''er and Hua''er?"


    Haifeng became silent, her fingers clutching her purse tightly. "I don''t dislike them, Lan''er. They are my children."


    Putting her ice cream cone on the table, she turned to face her daughter.


    "Lan''er, I was weak. I grew up in the society and have always tried to conform to their rules. By the time I tried to correct things, it was too late. They despise me."


    Chunlan takes her mother''s hand into her own. "Don''t worry, they are a little stubborn, but they are still your daughters. As long as you are willing to change, they would change too!"


    Haifeng smile lightly.. "Alright."

 Chapter 11 - Let bygones be bygones!

    Chunlan hardly stepped into the mansion when Chunhua grabbed her hand, gripping it tightly.


    "Chunlan, what exactly do you want? Say it clearly! If you think you can bully me and my sister, just because you are back, then you are mistaken!"


    Chunlan pulled her hand back, her muscles cramping. She sighed heavily, repeating her mantra: They are your sisters! Your baby sisters!


    "Hua''er, I will admit today that I, Tang Chunlan have wronged you! I have failed to treat you and Ying''er well and I have no excuses. But from now on, I promise I will do better. Can''t we just let bygones be bygones?!"


    Chunhua laughs before her eyes comes alive with pain and rage. "18 years! I waited for you to say that for 18 years! You never wanted to have anything to do with us, and you selfishly took all the love that was meant for us! Listen, I and my sister want nothing to do with you. Leave us alone!" She walked away angrily.


    Chunlan tried to stop her but stopped, sighing. She walked in the hall passing by until she heard a door opened slightly a female voice laughing softly.


    "Don''t worry, I will find a way to introduce you to them during the party. I am sure they will like you!" Chunying giggled.


    She turned around, making sure no one was there before whispering "I too, cannot wait until I am finally your woman....."


    So this was how it started, she pondered. If she remembered correctly, Chunying married her boyfriend, Zheng Wei against her parents wishes. She needed to find out what happened to her sister in this life.


    And she knew what to do....


    .......but right now, she needed to call her hubby!


    She placed her dress in the closet and opened her ??ptop and started a video call. She hummed and started counting the number of boxes created on the ceiling as patterns as she waited for him to answer.


    Hearing a familiar beep, she waved at the familiar face. "Jihai!"


    "Hi." A soft and deep voice rang out, contrasting with his thin red lips that was pulled in a grim line.


    But that didn''t faze Chunlan who was too happy to see him. "How have you been? I just finished shopping for my graduation! What about-" She squinted her eyes. "Wait, who is there with you?"


    He was quiet for a while before he answered. "Our friends."


    Her heart stopped.


    "Chunlan! Where have you been?" Shen Mengqi''s face came in view. She wore a green long sleeve cardigan which matched perfectly with her eyes. Her pink full lips stretched into a smile. "All of us are here with Jihai, say hi to the rest of them..." The phone was tilted to the side, as it showed the rest of the people in the room.


    "Hello, Lan''er." A male voice rang out, his dark eyes slanted in p???sur?. He waved, his long thin fingers adorned with rings. His black suit fit his lean body, giving him the aura of a dark CEO.


    Tang Chunlan calmed her beating heart as she tried to smile. "Hi, Honglin. How have you been?"


    He smiled faintly. "Good. After you left Australia last summer, you didn''t contact me and Mengqi. Just now, I heard you brought your graduation dress?"


    "Yes. I just bought it now."


    "Not fair! Chunlan, are you sure we are best friends?! How could you go shopping without me!" Su Menxiang''s outraged voice came from behind Wen Honglin.


    Chunlan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course she would be there. "I went with my mother and sisters."


    "Hmph!"


    "Uhm, Lin-ge, can you give the phone to Jihai? I want to talk to him."


    Honglin narrowed his eyes and spoke flatly. "Sure."


    "Jihai." She looked up.


    "En."


    "I love you." Her voice reverberated across the room, making everyone quiet.


    Honglin tightened his grip on the glass he was holding his face darkening as he was in the mini bar while Mengqi''s lips pulled into a sneer.


    What kind of dog food is this?


    The brutal kind.


    Jihai''s eyes sparkled, full of adoration as he pulled himself from his thoughts.. " I love you too."

 Chapter 12 - Take That, White Lotus!

    "Aw, so sweet.." Menxiang drawled.


    "Okay, I have to go now. Bye, guys." Chunlan could hardly move her eyes from Jihai''s own. Her heart felt alive in her ?h?st.


    "Bye." Jihai stared at the girl in the screen, his fingers failing to end the call. He could remain like this all day, gazing at her.


    Unable to bear it anymore, Mengqi stood up plastering a smile on her face as she walked to his side. "See you later, Chunlan." Her slender finger pressed the red bu??on.


    Grabbing his sleeve, she wh?n?d softly. "Come, we are all drinking and you are the only one that is still sober."


    "Yet you didn''t invite Chunlan." He removed his arm from her hands.


    She stammered. "I-I f-fforgot, okay? And besides we promised to get together at another time. Why don''t you sit down and I will get your drink. Enjoy yourself, you are too uptight."


    Su Menxiang narrowed her eyes as she watched them interact. That bitch has started again! Anytime Chunlan was absent, she would try to make a move on Jihai. Not this time.


    Seeing Mengqi go get the drinks, she stood up and walked to Jihai''s side. Clutching her head, she shouted. "Argh, I think I drank too much. I feel dizzy and so nauseous."


    Feeling indignant, she shouted again. "It hurts! It hurts! My head hurts so much!" She secretly pinched his waist, glaring at him.


    Jihai jerked from the contact and looked her, thinking. After some while, he dropped his phone. "Let me drop you home."


    Finally! She really thought he was dense seeing that he had failed to get her message earlier on. She clutched her head dramatically."Well, if you insist."


    Getting up, she hung one arm around his shoulder leaning on him. He gritted his teeth, supporting her weight. He hated having physical contact with other women unnecessarily. But this was Chunlan''s best friend, so he tried to endure.


    As they almost reached the door, Mengqi''s voice rang out, surprised. "Leaving so soon?"


    Jihai turned and said "Menxiang is drunk, I am carrying her home."


    "But you just got here." Mengqi protested.


    "Myyyy h-heaaad hurts." Slurred words came from Menxiang.


    "I can take her away if you like. I have an early meeting tomorrow." Wen Honglin volunteered.


    "No need. I am Chunlan''s boyfriend. It is my duty." He opened the door.


    Mengqi stepped forward as Honglin fell quiet. "Then let me help you."


    "No need to trouble you. Lets get together again after my graduation." He dismissed her, leaving her speechless.


    As they stepped out of the door, Menxiang tugged her lips, feeling giddy all of a sudden. Take that, white lotus!

 Chapter 13 - Dreams.

    A small girl stood in the garden, plucking the sunflowers ruthlessly as she gazed at the gate impatiently. Where was he? He said he would be here! She stomped her feet in a tantrum.


    "Lan''er, what is it? Why aren''t you coming to play?" A small boy came behind her, dressed in a designer suit worth a small fortune not a thread out of place. He stared at the flowers on the ground solemnly, his little face set in stone.


    "Nothing, Lin-ge, just go back. I am waiting for someone." She sighed, her little fingers playing with the edge of her dress as she looked at the ground, feeling sad.


    Honglin''s face scrunched in confusion. "Who?"


    Chunlan was about to ignore him when she heard a sound at the gate, the stone landed on the ground with a thud. She became excited. "He''s here."


    She ran to the gate and jumped up to unlock the gate. She smiled. "You are here."


    The cute little boy gazed at the girl with amazement. She was like sunshine in his dark world. As young as he was, he understood a lot of things happening around him. And he always wanted to live in a house just like this before him.


    She grasped his hand and tugged."Come in."


    They walked to the middle of the garden, where a group of children were playing ball. Two girls tried to team up against one boy as they tried to cheat.


    "Hello, everyone. I have a new friend here who wants to play." Her soft tiny voice called out.


    They stopped playing, looking at the boy dressed in clean but worn out clothes. A girl dressed in a red dress and a red bow tied around her hair looked at him in disdain and muttered. "Oh, She found a beggar!"


    "Mengqi!" Su Menxiang chastised. She tilted her head in curiosity. "Lan''er, who is this?"


    "This is my new friend, Jihai." She looked at her friends with determination and threat in her eyes. If they refused to play with him, she won''t play with them either!


    Honglin who watched quietly recognized what that look meant and sighed in defeat. He walked forward and stretched his little hand in greeting. "Hello Jihai, I am Wen Honglin. Welcome to the family."


    ************************************


    Chunlan saw her world shift as she found herself in another garden. She walked around trying to recognize where she was. She finally saw a feminine figure sitting at a table in the middle of the garden pouring tea.


    "Oh, you are here. Come sit."


    Chunlan walked with caution to the table, shocked at the woman''s beauty. She wasn''t sure there was any woman who could compete with this one in front of her. "Who are you?"


    Gesturing her to sit, the woman pushed a cup to her. "I am Tamara, the goddess of Transmigration. I want to talk to you."


    Chunlan was shocked. "Transmigration?"


    Tamara chuckled at the sight before her. "Surely you didn''t think what was happening to you isn''t a universal phenomenon?"


    "I guess so." Chunlan finally sat down.


    "Well, here is the thing. My father gave me and my brother Talros, the god of Reincarnation an ?ssignment in order to make us grow a "conscience". She rolled her eyes at the word. "Whoever wins this ?ssignment gets a reward which I cannot tell you."


    "So what was the ?ssignment?"


    Chunlan asked.


    "Make a story of happy ever after."


    Chunlan felt her blood freeze. So she was just an experiment? Her whole life was whisked into another world and it was just an ASSIGNMENT?!


    Unknown to the reactions on Chunlan''s face, Tamara continued. "So I picked you and started your story which my father wrote thinking I was on the right track, right? Unfortunately, you messed things up in your former life! Completely messed things up! You were a failure!" Her beautiful face were in dismay.


    Happy that this woman wasn''t happy, Chunlan asked. "So that means you lost, right?!"


    Tamara''s eyes flamed up, before they became drowned in guilt. "Never! I have never lost to anyone, especially Talros. So I cheated, by using his powers without his knowledge to give you a second chance."


    "What?"


    Tamara narrowed her eyes. "Are you complaining? You have a second chance to start all over with Jihai! This time, make things right!"


    Chunlan became quiet."Alright."


    Tamara''s lips tugged into a smile. "Good. Oh! I forgot, you must remember, some things won''t change even though you try to change it and some things would change as you change them, maybe good or bad so be prepared, alright? Well, time for you to go. Good luck!"


    Chunlan suddenly felt something click and asked. "Wait, if your brother picked this same story, that means....."


    "-yes, someone near you is reincarnated. Someone near you knows about this story, other than you." Tamara explained.


    "What?!"


    "Bye!"


    With a faint headache, Tang Chunlan woke up.

 Chapter 14 - Congratulations!

    Tang Chunlan woke up with a gasp, her body covered with cold fear. If she hadn''t transferred into another world or reincarnated, she wouldn''t have thought this dream was real.


    But it was.


    As she placed her hand on the bed, she could feel that the sheets were damp. It would be a hassle to call a maid in the middle of the night so she took a bath, changed her clothes and the bedsheets. But unfortunately, she couldn''t sleep and began to ponder on the situation.


    If what that woman said....what is her name?? Tamara, she remembered. If what Tamara said is true, then she must not make the same mistake again.


    Slowly but gradually, she formed a plan and fell asleep again.


    "Miss! Miss! Please wake up!" An exasperated voice woke her.


    Opening her eyes, which was partly blinded by the rays of the sun coming through the room, she saw the outline of a female in front of her.


    "Miss, you are going to be late!" The maid said helplessly.


    Chunlan blinked and jumped from the bed. Oh right! Today was the twins graduation...


    She ran straight to the bathroom and came out going to the closet to bring out the dress she prepared. As she was about to wear it, her eyes caught a long cut across the back of the dress.


    She frowned. Was this how she brought the dress?


    Response in her past life: She decided to be absent for their graduation. (That was out of anger!)


    Response in this life: ....................


    " Su Wan!" She called out.


    The girl rushed into the room. "Yes, First Miss."


    "Where are the twins?" She asked, drying her hair with a fluffy towel.


    "In their room, Miss."


    "Okay." She put down the towel and secured the one around her body tightly. As she walked in the hall, she was cautious not to allow anyone seeing her. When she arrived, instead of knocking, she barged into the room.


    The twins always liked sharing things among them so they also shared the same room. Their beds were placed on both walls of the room allowing a huge gap in between. That was where the two vanity tables were placed.


    As she walked inside, makeup artists, fashion and jewellery designers, and hair stylists were running haphazardly in the big room. The twins ceased their activities as they saw their elder sister enter the room.


    "What do you want?" Chunhua asked coldly.


    "I need a dress. Please lend me one." Chunlan asked with a straight face.


    There was silence. The twins were shocked.


    Chunhua scoffed. "Chunlan, how can you so shameless? Don''t you have other dresses?"


    Chunlan managed to keep a straight face even though her neck turned red due to shame. Which elder sister borrowed her younger sister''s clothes? It was the other way round!


    "Don''t worry, I am not after your graduation dress. I just want to borrow a dress, is it so hard?"


    "We don''t have!" Chunhua retorted.


    "Really?" Chunlan pursed her pink delicate lips. "Its okay, I guess I will just have to go like this." She said in a sad voice as she dropped the towel wrapped around her, standing in her n?k?d glory.


    The staff stood flabbergasted, along with the twins. Chunying recovered faster and shouted "Close your eyes!"


    The male staff turned around, shocked at the sight. Chunlan was happy that she had worn her heels instead of her rabbit fur bathroom shoes. It showed she wasn''t joking.


    "Chunlan!" Chunhua screamed out of rage, making Chunlan wince.


    "So noisy! What did I do wrong?" She rubbed her ears.


    "You!-"


    " Go to the closet. Pick any dress you like." Chunying cut her off with her panic filled eyes.


    Chunlan''s eyes lit up. "Really? Then I won''t disturb you further." She walked into a room inside and grabbed a dress from the closet. As she was about to leave, she paused.


    "Chunying, Chunhua." She called out.


    Chunying raised her head, looking at her through the mirror. "En?"


    "Congratulations on your high school graduation. May your road to ?du?thood be peaceful and smooth. May you never know hardships or difficulties in life."


    Chunhua felt her throat choked up as she watched the sister she secretly admired, loved and hated wish her a smooth life.


    "Thank you.." Chunying said, her eyes tearing up.

 Chapter 15 - Where is Chunying?

    After the graduation ceremony that took place in the school, the elites decided to take the party back to the house. Waiters passed every guests, serving them while the parents and the two celebrants stood at the entrance welcoming the guests.


    Chunlan climbed on the stairs gracefully and turned to address them by hitting her glass with a spoon lightly.


    Having their attention, she cleared her throat lightly and said "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming to celebrate this auspicious occasion with us. The Tang family has always produced talents and scholars since ancient times. This has proved no different with the number of accolades my sisters have won during this graduation." She lifted her glass and smiled. "A toast to them, Tang Chunhua and Chunying!"


    The guests lifted their glass and murmured words of agreement and congratulations to the twins who stood bashfully.


    Chunhua stared at her elder sister intensely. What was she up to? She just couldn''t accept this sudden change. A guest came to her, offering to dance with her. She gracefully accepted, forgetting what was on her mind.


    Tang Chunlan had just supervising the servants with her mother when a man stepped beside her, offering her a hand with a smile. "Will you dance with me?"


    She gasped. "Lin-ge!"


    He chuckled. "That''s not very ladylike."


    "What are you doing here?"


    He had a puzzled expression. "Didn''t you not invite me? That''s what Chunhua told me."


    She sighed. Of course! Tang Chunhua had a childhood crush on Wen Honglin which was one of the reasons they didn''t get along. Later on, she got pregnant with his baby and they had a forced marriage. She probably knew of his love for Chunlan so she used her as an excuse.


    "Chunlan?"


    She turned to him. "Okay."


    They went to the dance floor, their movements were gliding effortlessly and smoothly. They painted the perfect couple in the room. Soon people started whispering.


    "Ah, such a perfect couple!"


    "I heard the First Miss of the Tang family was an exquisite beauty. It looks like its true!"


    " Yes, she is so compatible with the First Master of the Wen family. I hope they get married soon!"


    Unfortunately, Tang Chunlan was frustrated by the glares from her sister. She wished Jihai had come instead but she didn''t want to disturb him, knowing he must be working. She felt the hand on her waist tighten as her partner sensed her distraction. "Focus."


    "Sorry." She danced until the song ended. After he escorted her to her seat, she said "Why don''t you dance with one of the twins to congratulate with them? Look, Chunhua is so lonely..."


    She felt his eyes darken before they smoothen out. His intense gaze made her uncomfortable. After some while, he said "Okay." And left.


    She breathed out of relief and started searching for Chunying when she noticed she couldn''t spot her on the dance floor. When she couldn''t find her, she was anxious and ran to the party. She waited until Chunhua had finished dancing and stopped her before she could accept another dance.. "Excuse me, Chunhua. Where is your sister, Chunying?"

 Chapter 16 - Let go of my sister!

    Chunying followed her boyfriend, Zheng Wei shyly into the hotel room her heart beating loudly in her ?h?st. Her nervous expression changed to astonishment.


    "This-"


    Roses covered her feet from the door to the spacious bed with red curtains , the candles in the room giving it a romantic glow. The room designs were exquisite, fit for a queen. It was truly a grand gesture of love.


    "Do you like it?" Zheng Wei gazed at the girl beside him.


    Chunying smiled shyly, her heart moved by the sight before her. All her life, she had always felt neglected and unwanted. When he had first approached her, she was scared and frightened. But with his constant love and patience, she knew what love truly meant. She now had no doubts.


    "I like it."


    His eyes filled with p???sur?. "Good."


    She lowered her head, smiling. Her long black hair and pale white skin gave her an innocent aura, arousing him. She looked ravishing. Though she was not a heaven defying beauty like that First Miss, Tang Chunlan she was like a gentle flower bloom before his eyes.


    Taking a step after step, he cornered her making her inch towards the bed. He gave her space, letting her sit on the bed.


    "Ah-" she protested, her eyes filled with panic.


    "Don''t worry, I will be gentle." He whispered.


    "But..."


    His eyes flashed with impatience. "What is it, don''t you love me?"


    She was slightly flustered. "Of course, I love you!"


    "Then be good and lie down."


    She tried to calm her quavering heart and tried to be obedient as she laid down. Soon, her body became uncomfortable. He became wild, pushing her dress up to reveal her finely shaped legs. Was this how it was on the first night? Why was she so scared then? All the novels and research she had read, none of it had told her it would be like this.


    She could feel his bitings and rough touches on her skin as he peeled her dress off her shoulder. She tried to concentrate on her love for him and felt that this was all to demonstrate what she felt for him. His grips were tight and bruising.


    Soon, she felt her dress fall and his overbearing weight on her. She breathed slowly and closed her eyes. He parted her legs widely and finally she couldn''t take it anymore. She pushed him off.


    "What the hell?" He shouted angrily, as he found himself on the floor.


    She jerked up, surprised by his anger. He had never shouted at her. Was he truly angry?


    "I-I a-am not ready." She swallowed nervously.


    His eyes were full of hostility. "Chunying, what game are you playing at?"


    She was confused. "I am not playing any games."


    "Then why are you pretending to be pure? Don''t tell me you haven''t done this before?" His tone was mocking.


    She bowed her head in shame. Why was she so inexperienced? She had always wanted to be with her first love, she wasn''t that uptight to wait until marriage. But hearing him, she started to regret it.


    His eyes flashed disbelief. So it was true. Before he wanted to just play with her and boast about it after it was a feat to bang a daughter of the Tang family. But since she was a v?r??n, if she could get pregnant he would greatly benefit from this. No father would want the scandal to get out.


    He was still plotting when he heard her mutter "I am sorry, Brother Wei."


    He was about to reassure her when he heard a noise in the door behind her in the room, supposedly the bathroom.


    "What? She is a v?r??n?"


    "Whoa! Boss is the best, always thinking of us!"


    "Tonight is going to be a long night!"


    Chunying jumped from the bed, tugging the sheets to cover herself as she grew alarmed. "What was that?"


    Zheng Wei turned stiff. " Nothing."


    "I heard noises from over there. Who is that? Come out!" She walked to the door to open it.


    Soon, three men came out pushing Chunying on the floor. They were hefty men, effectively occupying the room. She turned her head to her boyfriend. "Brother Wei? What is going on?"


    His eyes grew cold. There was no path of retreat. "Chunying, don''t hate me. It is your fate. After this, I will take good care of you. We will get married, eh?"


    She was still a little dazed when one of the men sneered."Boss, why haven''t we started already?"


    "Don''t worry, the night is long. Do not lay a finger on her until I am finished."


    "Yes, Boss!" They chorused.


    Zheng Wei picked her up and threw her on the bed. As she hit the bed, a flash of pain hit her and she started screaming. He climbed over her. The men started laughing, their dirty and perverted nature upfront.


    He successfully tugged the sheets from her when the door opened with a bang. He sat up, when he saw a woman in black, standing like an angel of death. Her eyes were cold and vengeful.


    "Let go of my sister!" Tang Chunlan screamed.

 Chapter 17 - You are dead!

    Zheng Wei felt a cold chill down his back as he gazed at the figure by the door. She was vengeance and death itself as she seemed to be holding a........ stick?


    "Ha, ha!" He got up the bed and mocked her. "Its seem like we have company! The more, the merrier!"


    As he said this, the men rushed towards Chunlan intending to grab her.


    "Sis...Sister!" Chunying wailed pitifully.


    Chunlan smirked. In her past life, she learned how to fight due to some pitiful circumstances. Gripping her iron rod tightly, her eyes narrowed. "Zheng Wei, you are dead!"


    When they tried to touch her, she maneuvered her body and swung her rod to one of them. But she b?r?ly managed to avoid a fist coming at her face. Angry, this time she hit the man''s jewels making him yelp in pain. Running to the table, she grabbed the wine bottle and smashed it on her attacker''s head.


    But she felt her head buzz in pain. Turning, she touched the warm liquid running down her temple before she saw Zheng Wei holding a gun. Catching her breath, she struggled to get up her feet and lunged towards him. She felt her body become immobile as one of the men trapped her in his embrace.


    Zheng Wei''s eyes became bloodshot as he pointed the gun towards Chunying.


    "B*tch! How dare you?! Just die!"


    Chunlan felt her heart stop when she watched the scene play before her. Gathering all her strength, she stomped her captor''s foot as hard as she could. Running towards her sister who gripping the sheets hard with fear, she had b?r?ly hugged her sister when she heard the gunshot.


    Chunying was shocked, she opened her eyes. Trying to move her hands she touched her sister''s shirt, her fingers a little wet feeling her sister wince.


    "Sister........you are hurt!" Tears fell down her eyes as she glared at Zheng Wei. "YOU MONSTER!"


    Zheng Wei was also a little shocked. This was his first time killing someone! "I-I d-didn''t mean it! It was you who provoked me first!"


    One of the men rushed to him in panic. "Boss, the police have us surrounded in this building! What should we do?!"


    Hearing this, Chunlan gripped her sister harder afraid that they would take her as a hostage. She smiled weakly, finally she could change this person''s fate. It was worth it, she thought as she fainted.


    The sirens were louder and louder each second, with the heavy footsteps approaching the room.


    Before Zheng Wei could formulate a new plan, the door was kicked open leaving him pale.


    "FREEZE! PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!"

 Chapter 18 - Sisters Reunion.

    A scene from Tang Chunlan''s first life....


    Tang Chunlan had just arrived home, her bodyguards and her personality ?ssistant wearing gloomy expressions. They knew that Madame had just had a fight with Young Master again. Not that it was their business. But they were always the victims of the aftermath.


    "Has my things arrived in my room?" Tang Chunlan''s chilly voice echoed in the hall as she walked.


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "You may go."


    As Chunlan walked, she sneered in her heart. Indeed, men could not be trusted. Didn''t Bai Jihai promise her that she would never have to come back to this house? She was angry that he brought Shen Mengqi to the company to work after she had personally destroyed her family business!


    Was he trying to make me look like the bad guy? Then fine, I am the bad guy! Besides, didn''t the male lead always eventually stand by the female lead in every story? Why was hers different?


    "I would make him regret it!" She balled her fists. In this world, as she had read in most novels, as the female lead, she could not risk being soft hearted. Otherwise, they would always bully her. She knew they called her heartless and ruthless but that was to be expected. She refused to suffer like all the female leads she had read about. She had studied all their flaws and corrected it in this life.


    Then why was Jihai always looking at her with those sad eyes, like she was a monster? Why was her father always frowning at her, like he was disappointed in her?!


    She heard the commotion going in the family room. That is where her parents should be. She frowned as she heard the wailings and screams in the room.


    "What is happening?" She scowled as she found her mother.


    "Chunlan!" Her mother ran to her, looking haggard and old. Her wrinkled eyes were filled with tears. "Chunhua is dead! She was shot in a building that was attacked by some unidentified armed men..."


    Chunlan was shocked. She held her mother''s hands which were shaking. "Where is Chunying?"


    "She hasn''t come back home lately and we didn''t find her in her husband''s house." Tang Haifeng wailed loudly.


    She rubbed her mother''s back gently as she soothed her. Unfortunately, a maid came running into the room.


    "Madame! First Miss!" She bowed.


    "Speak!" Chunlan glared at the maid.


    "M-Miss Chunying has just been arrested for murder!"


    Her mother fainted.


    ************************************


    Chunlan woke up, sweating in fear. She was slightly dizzy and her throat felt parched. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and opened them again. So this was reality, she thought.


    She tried to touch her eyes, shielding her from the light when she felt a sharp pain at her left shoulder. She winced and discovered a another person beside her. Tilting her slightly, she saw a female was sleeping, resting her head beside her bed. She frowned, was it Chunying or Chunhua? They look so identical, she pondered.


    While trying to find out which of the twins was with her, the movements finally woke the person up. A bit disoriented, she looked around then finally checked on the patient she was supposed to be watching.


    She gasped. "Jie Jie...."


    Chunlan smiled faintly. "Chunying!"


    Chunying grabbed her hands with the in her eyes. "Jie Jie, how are you feeling? Should I call the doctor?"


    "No need."


    "Its all my fault! I thought you were going to die!" Her small pink lips started shaking.


    Chunlan felt her heart clench with pain. Her little sister had suffered so much at a young age, she was really useless in the past. "I am okay. Where is Chunhua?"


    "In the next room with Mother."


    "Can I get a glass of water?"


    "Okay! Wait a minute!" Chunying closed the door gently.


    Chunlan was still a little shaken by her dream so she sighed. It seems like since she reincarnated, she was getting a lot of nightmares.


    She tried to move, testing her body. It hurt a lot. She laid back on the bed gently. She hoped she would be able to attend her graduation in time to save Jihai. She wondered if she was destiny to be a hero in this life.


    The door opened gently. Chunying and Chunhua came in, one holding a glass of water and the other holding a bouquet of flowers.


    "What is the time?" Chunlan asked.


    "2:45 pm" Chunhua answered, putting the flowers in a vase before taking a jar of water to water the flowers.


    Chunying sat on the bed, gently raising her sister up to lean on the headboard. Chunlan drank the water slowly aware of her sore throat. "Thank you."


    Chunying shook her head. "Its me who is supposed to thank you."


    "No need."


    Chunhua sat beside her on the other side and took her elder sister''s hand surprising Chunlan. "Thank you, Jie Jie. We are so sorry for how we treated you in the past."


    "I told you I was my fault. I was not a good elder sister to you girls. This is my retribution."


    "Don''t say that!"


    "Jie Jie!"


    Chunlan felt her ears shrink from their piercing screams. "Okay, okay. I won''t say it anymore!"


    Chunying looked like she was about to cry. "Are you trying to curse yourself?"


    "......."


    Chunhua comforted her little sister. "Lets just forget our past misdeeds and start all over, okay?"


    Chunlan raised her right hand to her chin, in a thinking posture. "Only on one condition."


    "What?"


    Chunlan smiled mischievously. "Tickle time!"


    Chunhua''s eyes widened in horror. "No..."


    "Jie Jie!"


    Although she couldn''t tickle them to her heart''s content because of her arm, she really did get the last laugh on the twins......

 Chapter 19 - Graduation Party.

    Tang Chunlan felt her head throb due to the loud party music and this, staggered a little.


    "Do you want to rest?" Bai Jihai steadied her.


    She looked at the handsome man in a black suit who had pushed her from the house to the Graduation hall and to the party in a wheelchair and suddenly felt a cold chill down her back. "No need." She shook her head vigorously.


    Bai Jihai looked at the girl in his arms. She was in a black long gown which showed her milky white shoulders but covered her arms. She had curled her hair and pinned it up in a loose bun accompanied with golden hairpins but left some curls down near her temples making her look stunning.


    "Does it still hurt?" He stroked her arm cast.


    "A little." She inwardly winced at the pain on her right shoulder and gave a weak smile.


    She knew he was still a little angry at her recklessness, though he tried to conceal it.


    Before he could give her a cold reply, she spotted a young lady in a blue dress, making her look ethereal. "Menxiang!"


    The lady turned, her sad expression turned into a happy one. "Chunlan!"


    The lady ran to her and about to hug her when she was shifted aside. She glared at Jihai who was unconcerned.


    She then glanced at Chunlan, her eyes scrunching in worry. "Are you okay? Do you need to rest?"


    Chunlan in turn, glared at her best friend before asking "Where is your date?"


    "Over there." She pointed to a place where they were serving drinks. "Mingwen was worried I was thirsty so he has been there for over an hour trying to get me drinks."


    Chunlan smiled gently and turned to Jihai with puppy eyes.


    He stared at her for a while before saying "I will get the drinks for both of you."


    Chunlan was worried that Mingwen was not from their college and will have a hard time getting it. Jihai was very popular and with him there, they will come back earlier.


    She turned when she heard her best friend say "You were right, Lan''er. Mingwen is very cold and unfeeling but he is very nice to me. No wonder they are friends."


    Chunlan looked at the two men approaching them. Mingwen was dressed in a sky blue suit, the color matching his freezing aura while Jihai''s dark aura was eminent in the room earning the admiration and jealousy from girls and boys alike.


    "Thank you." Menxiang collected her drink from Mingwen, smiles shyly.


    "You are welcome." Tang Chunlan noticed that although he was expressionless, his eyes was focused entirely on her friend. It seemed he was just good on hiding his feelings.


    She felt an arm slip around her waist and pull her forward. She gazed at Jihai, before taking her own drink. "Do you want to dance?"


    "No."


    She pouted her lips. "Why?"


    "Do you want to dance in your condition?"


    "Oh...." She stared at her arm cast, cursing it in her heart.


    You ruined my dance, you stupid arm!


    Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt his cold lips touch her hair tenderly. "When you are recovered, okay?"


    "Okay." She gave a bright smile.


    "Congratulations on your graduation, Chunlan. You are finally a woman. Though I have to say, my graduation back in Australia was more exquisite than this." A lady in dark red said.


    Chunlan frowned at the voice that interrupted her tender moment with Jihai. She turned and said "Hello, Mengqi."


    Mengqi was dressed in a dark red gown, her black straight hair was falling down down a ??r?ss making her look like a seductress with her blood red lips. "Jihai."


    That one word alone expressed her longing and affection.


    Chunlan was about to reply when she saw who accompanied her. "Lin-ge."


    He was also dressed in a black suit with a red shirt carrying a bouquet of flowers. "Congratulations, Lan''er."


    "Thank you." She collected the flowers.


    Menxiang hopped beside her and carried the flowers from her after seeing Jihai''s freezing expression. "Of course, our party is more better than yours. Though Jihai won the most awards in our school, Chunlan also won more award and achieved more accolades than you did in yours." She smirked at Mengqi''s subdued furious expression.


    This is going to be a problem, she thought.

 Chapter 20 - Are you sure?

    She stepped in before Mengqi could reply. "This place is so hot and loud. Should we take this party somewhere else?"


    She turned to Honglin. "Why don''t we go to your nightclub, Dark Raven?"


    "No way." Jihai glared at her.


    "Bu-"


    "No buts. Nightclubs are crowdy and more noisy. You are just recovering, don''t stress yourself." He cut her off coldly.


    Chunlan was speechless.


    You stubborn man! Can''t you see I am trying to protect you?


    The doctors had advised her to rest but she has discarded their advice when she looked at the calendar a week ago.


    If I could change his fate today, she thought wistfully....


    She grabbed his sleeves with a tinge of desperation in her eyes. "Please."


    His raging eyes softened at her plea.


    "We are departing at 10 pm."


    "Okay."


    10pm? If possible, we will leave at 8pm!


    "Lets go." Wen Honglin tried to hide his annoyance at the love scene they were creating in front of them.


    They arrived at the VVIP lounge of Dark Raven, Honglin''s private lounge.


    It was well lit and furnished lavishly with a large bar at the corner with soft music in the background.


    Jihai seemed to also be reading something on his phone, his other hand swirling his glass elegantly.


    Finally, Honglin hit his glass with a spoon softly earning the attention of the people in the room.


    He said "Six years ago, we were just freshmen in college, hoping to achieve our dreams and make our families proud. It was hard for all of us mentally, physically and.." His eyes landed on Jihai briefly before he continued ".....financially. Now, I have taken over my family''s business in the law industry, Mengqi is rising to the top of the jewelry sector, Menxiang is now a medical doctor, Jihai is going into the finance world and Chunlan is going to be the head of her family''s hotel companies all over the world. We have taken a great step but this isn''t the end of our dreams. No, this is just the beginning because the sky is our limit. Cheers!"


    "Cheers!" They chorused.


    Chunlan felt Menxiang''s elbow dig into her ribs, making her inhale sharply in pain as she followed her friend''s line of sight. Mengqi was now sitting beside Jihai, talking to him in low tones. Jihai had a mask of indifference on his face with a tinge of impatience.


    She was about to stand up when she heard Honglin say "Since it is such an auspicious occasion, Mengqi and I got you little gifts to congratulate you three on your hard work and determination."


    Everyone knew Honglin ?ssumed the role of the father in their group due to him being the eldest by four years, followed by Mengqi and Jihai then she and Menxiang as the youngest.


    Chunlan felt her blood turn cold with his words. She was hit with anger, pain and indecision. She didn''t want to do this.


    Why did you do this, Lin-ge? I thought we were friends.....


    Honglin made a phone call and suddenly some men came with boxes wrapped in different colors and placed them on the table. Chunlan could already guess what was inside.


    Mengqi stood up, smiling. "This gifts were chosen by the both of us. We hope you like it."


    "Oh my GOD! This is a box set limited edition of Purple Crystal Petals (PCP) skin care products! This isn''t meant to be out until next year June! The price online is worth three million yuan! Thank you Lin-ge!" Menxiang screamed excitedly.


    Mengqi chuckled. "When you start your internship in the hospital, you would stop paying attention to your skin! This will revitalize and refresh your soft skin, protecting it from harsh weathers."


    "Mengqi, you are the best!"


    Chunlan received a box and opened it. "Thank you, Mengqi."


    Menxiang leaned over to peek at her gift and gasped "Is this what I think it is? A bottle of Herm¨¦s 24 Farbourg?!"


    Chunlan frowned at her. Is it not just a bottle of perfume?


    Menxiang continued to rant. " There is only 20 right here in China worth a million per bottle! Lin-ge spoils us the most!"


    Chunlan felt a pair of eyes stare at her from afar. As she turned, she felt Jihai''s eyes full of pain, shame and determination gaze at her as he whispered "Lan''er, one day I will be able to buy you a hundred of those......"


    He knew she was raised delicately and had never suffered any grievances growing up. He wanted to spoil her, protect her and make her proud, enough to stand in front of her family and friends as her man. He knew her friends sometimes secretly jeered at her for her "poor" taste in men. He wasn''t rich right now but he will be someday.


    Lan''er, please wait for me, don''t give up on me......


    Chunlan felt her heart clench in pain. She didn''t want perfumes or money. If she could decide her fate, she would rather live with him in a small house and live a small life with him.


    Mengqi poured her lips. "Jihai, its your turn."


    Jihai opened the black box and stared at it indifferently. "What is this?"


    Honglin gazed at him with subtle disdain in his eyes. "This is a car key to a Maserati. It is more convenient to drive around than public transport."


    Jihai kept the box on the table without a second glance. "Too expensive."


    Chunlan gazed at the black box like it was a gift from hell. How could she forget this cursed day, a day that helped delay Jihai from reaching his full potential?


    Wen Honglin, I am warning you....


    She smiled to diffuse the tension and placed her glass of wine on the table in front of her. "Lin-ge, Jihai would be leaving to UK to work for Colossus in a month. I think, it won''t be convenient to use it here in China. Even if it can be transported for him to use, the management there knows about his financial situation.. If he shows up with such a flashy car, it will portray him an untrustworthy individual and may even put a dent on his reputation. Lin-ge, are you sure you want to give him this car?"

 Chapter 21 - Karma.

    Wen Honglin was speechless.


    Shen Mengqi who watched everything from a corner suddenly laughed nervously and said "Chunlan, why don''t you let Jihai speak for himself? I am sure he didn''t mean to misunderstand Lin-ge''s intentions. Jihai, Lin-ge was always heartbroken when he saw you walking and toiling under the sun. We have been friends since childhood, is there any need to be this courteous?"


    Menxiang, who was hoping to restore the harmonious atmosphere agreed with her. "Yes, Brother Bai. No need to be courteous, just accept the gift."


    Chunlan glared at Honglin who seemed to have put a distressed yet quiet expression.


    "Forgive me, Lin-ge. We are happy with the gifts. Thank you."


    Honglin, don''t blame me for this.....


    "No need. Its just a gift of well wishes." His aura turned magnanimous.


    A gift of well wishes?! Honglin, this gift of well wishes put your friend, Bai Jihai in a coma for a year!


    He finally spoke. "Thank you for the car."


    Wen Honglin merely smiled, too lazy to respond to him.


    She leaned and rested her head on his broad shoulders, intertwining their fingers together.


    She lied through her teeth. "Lin-ge only means well."


    "I know." He rubbed his chin lightly on her hair. His eyes betrayed his deep thoughts. He knew this was his friends, yet he didn''t belong. He liked them, felt a strong sense of kinship with them and could even die for them yet he didn''t trust them.


    Except Chunlan.


    The rich society was a place of snakes hidden in sheep''s clothing. People who claimed to be your friends could slit your neck the moment your back was turned. The strong preyed on the weak and the weak pretended to submit only waiting for the chance to overthrow their superiors. It was a cold hard game of power.


    He stared at the girl in his arms who was yawning loudly. "Are you tired?"


    She snuggled into his embrace. "A little bit."


    "Let''s call it a night."


    They all said their good byes at the entrance of the club. Chunlan looked at the car parked in the club garage, a sleek black Mesarati.


    "You should drive your car back home and take Chunlan back too."


    Honglin opened his own car door for Mengqi.


    "Its dark. We will also take Menxiang. Why don''t you take Mengqi since you live in the same estate?" Chunlan suggested.


    "Okay."


    "What about my car?" Mengqi pouted.


    "You can just leave it here. My men will send it back to you." Honglin smiled faintly.


    As Jihai drove the new car, Chunlan inhaled the brand new car scent which was refreshing and soothing. It was truly a high quality car. Since it was a little late at night, Menxiang was sat the back seat snoring lightly.


    The car drove smoothly across the road, driving steadily in the road. Chunlan noticed Jihai had a solemn expression, his hand clutching the gear tightly.


    She sighed and placed her palms on his own. "Today is our graduation, smile a little for me, eh?"


    He spared her a glance and focused on the road, steering the car to another lane. She said "If you are still not satisfied with the car, you can leave it with me when you are going to UK. I doubt Honglin will investigate anything about a car."


    Menxiang stirred lightly as she turned to a more comfortable position.


    Chunlan heard her phone ring beside her so she picked it and answered. "Speak."


    A male voice spoke "Miss, we have followed your orders. We switched the power steering and transmission fluids in Wen Honglin''s car."


    She went silent. "I hope this one is safe."


    "Don''t worry, we changed all the fluids and checked all the parts in your car. It should not give you any problems." He confirmed.


    "Okay." She kept her facial expression neutral and her voice light, afraid to arouse the interest of the person beside her.


    "But this may not guarantee his death. Should we go and tie up loose ends?" Wang Yiyang asked.


    "Leave it to fate. Whatever happens is his karma.." Her soft voice was tinted with a tinge of brutality.

 Chapter 22 - Revenge.

    "What did you say?" Jihai turned to face her, curiously.


    Chunlan hung up the call. "Nothing. Just company business."


    He refocused his attention on the road. "You have started running the family business?"


    "Not really. Just a little surface work." She leaned to admire her boyfriend, letting his voice fade into the background.


    His hair is so curly yet soft......


    Why didn''t I know that his lashes are longer than mine?


    From this angle, he looks like a movie star!


    "CHULAN, ARE YOU HEARING ME?" His sharp voice pierced the thoughts in her head like an arrow hitting its targets.


    She snapped out of it and dazedly asked. "Huh, what is it?"


    Menxiang''s wavering voice was filled with fear and anxiety. "We just got a phone call from a hospital. Lin-ge and Mengqi have been involved in a fatal accident. We need to go right now."


    Chunlan was not really concerned with the victims at first, but after hearing the wailing of her best friend and seeing the speed of the car on the road she felt a nagging feeling of doubt and fear.


    Was I really too much?


    ** In the hospital**


    "They are out of danger for now. Unfortunately, Honglin was hit with a piece of glass, grazing the cornea of his right eye which may leave his vision impaired. And Mengqi just has some internal bleeding, a few broken ribs, some bruises and surface cuts. We will keep them in the hospital to monitor their progress but they are indeed lucky to have survived this accident." The doctor concluded.


    He was indeed happy to finish this conversation, since the girl in a blue dress whose hair looked like a bird''s nest and her smudged makeup made her look like a black witch had been crying severely, interrupting his speech multiple times.


    "Which is why we sent men to check the car and accident scene for more information. We also need your statements since you three are the only people that saw them before the accident." Detective Huo explained.


    "Are you saying someone-" Menxiang paused, then started sniffing again earning the silent groans and looks of horror from the medical staff in the room.


    Detective Hui interrupted. "Don''t worry, Miss Su. We will also take a blood alcohol test to make sure they weren''t drunk while driving. And post some men to guard them until they are awake."


    "Thank you, Detective Huo. Can we go and see them now?" Chunlan turned to the doctor.


    "Okay. Please be mindful of their conditions. They are in VIP room 203 and 204."


    Chunlan halted in the corridor after spotting the rooms of her friends. She said "Jihai, you should take Menxiang and go see Lin-ge. I will go and see Mengqi and call their parents."


    "Is it okay to inform them in Australia?"


    "Its best they know about their conditions." She sighed.


    She pushed the door open quietly and stepped inside. Mengqi had her eyes closed with her body wrapped randomly in bandages, her leg arm covered in a cast. As Chunlan peered closer, she could see her face covered with small cuts.


    Chunlan basked in the silence that interrupted periodically with the machine''s beeps.


    At that moment, all the faint remorse and fear was gone.


    She could only remember her pain...


    Her family....


    Her sorrows.....


    She was good to her when she first entered this world.


    Even when I knew you were my enemy in the beginning.


    She inhaled sharply, walking around the bed, touching her friend slowly. "You are lucky. You actually survived with minimal damage." Chunlan''s eyes darkened with hatred.


    "I am actually happy that you are alive. We have scores to settle and you have debts to pay." Her fingers dug into her abdomen, seeing Mengqi''s face distort with pain her eyelids fluttering.


    Chunlan laughed cynically. She didn''t reincarnate with the intention of being a saint. She was the woman who made her enemies bow their knees and her superiors bleed.


    She removed her fingers, blood slowly soiling the white bandage and staining her fingertips.


    "But don''t worry. This is just the beginning of your end.. This is my revenge."

 Chapter 23 - Ke Mingze.

    When Chunlan finally reached home, she told her family why she came home late. It was obvious they were concerned, judging from Chunhua''s expression of pain and fear to her mother''s look of anxiety.


    "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Tang Huizhong scanned her briefly.


    "No. I was in another car with Jihai and Menxiang." She noted the scowl on her father''s face when she mentioned her boyfriend.


    "You should rest. Its been a hectic day for you." Her mother advised.


    She could now feel the slight pain on her arm cast along with the exhaustion of today''s events."Goodnight, Father and Mother."


    As she lay on her bed, she felt strangely happy. In her previous life, today, she was crying and wailing about Jihai''s eyes. By the next month, she had gone searching for eye specialists for three years to heal him. She traveled around the world and faced many dangers. Jihai lost his internship with Colossus, delaying his ambitions for another two years.


    Now, he is okay. I changed his fate!


    She grabbed her phone and smiled, transferring money to a bank account. Soon, she received a text message.


    Wang Yiyang: Thank you, First Miss. Pleasure doing business with you.


    Chunlan: Make sure you leave town immediately. Follow the route I told you out of the city.


    She switched off her phone and climbed into her bed.


    The next morning, Chunlan came down for breakfast surprised to see the jovial atmosphere on the table.


    Her eyes narrowed at the woman who sat at the left side on the table, beside her father. She laughed bashfully, revealing her white pearly teeth with her nails covered in red polish stroking her father''s arm.


    Her mother who sat on the right side of the table had just cleaned the side of her lips with a napkin before waving her daughter over. "Chunlan, come sit. Say hi to your Aunt Ke."


    The woman smiled, playfully glaring at her best friend. "Stop calling me that. It makes me feel old, call me Mingze."


    Chunlan sat beside her mother. "Hi, Aunt Ke."


    The smile froze on her lips. "Chunlan dear, how have you been?"


    Chunlan simply ignored her, ordering the maid to bring the bowl of salad.


    Chunhua and Chunying shared looks before silently picking their glass of water.


    In an attempt to mend the awkward atmosphere, Haifeng praised "You are looking more beautiful since your trip from Paris. You have slimed down and your skin is glowing a lot."


    Chunlan ?r??n?d when she saw her father turn to the person beside him, examining her closely.


    Mother, why are you helping the enemy defeat your country?


    Ke Mingze blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I am sure its just the weather."


    Chunlan scoffed "Paris is known for it love for beauty and romance, its normal to come back looking more beautiful. I didn''t know you had such high cheekbones before, and even your skin looks tight and firm. Especially your lips that look extra full and plump. Its truly a miracle, since that was definitely not how you looked six months ago."


    Everyone''s eyes flashed with enlightenment as they stared at Ke Mingze whose face burned with embarrassment.


    Tang Huizhong finally turned his face away and spoke while cutting his pancake into small bits. "Sometimes, some things should be left natural, if not it rottens quickly."


    Ke Mingze''s face went from light red to dark red when she heard his final comment. "Not really, its just-"


    Chunlan gave her a look of sympathy. "Its not your fault, we women get insecure at this phase of our life. Don''t worry, I can give you some beauty tips I learned online."


    Ke Mingze nearly choked on her food. "But I-"


    "You should have met Mother first. Just look at her, her skin is firm but not too tight and her lips are still rosy pink even without lipstick. She is truly aging with grace." Chunlan pointed to her mother with the tip of her chin.


    She saw her father smile with pride and satisfaction when he gazed at his wife.


    Ke Mingze gritted her teeth as she gripped her knife with all her strength. This was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. She gazed at the mastermind responsible for her humiliation today.


    TANG CHUNLAN!!

 Chapter 24 - You are next.

    Tang Chunlan smiled subtly when she felt her eyes on her. "Aunt Ke, what is the problem?"


    Ke Mingze retracted her burning gaze. "Nothing."


    Chunlan stood up. "Well, I am through. I will like to visit the company today. Dad, let''s go?"


    Huizhong also stood up. "Well, I would get going then."


    "Bye, Husband." Haifeng kissed her husband''s cheek.


    "Bye, Huizhong." Ke Mingze tried to stand and lean in to peck him on his cheek.


    But she was howled in pain because when she was about to straighten her knees, the chair was ruthlessly slammed into the back of her knees. She sat down abruptly touching her knees.


    "Are you okay?" Haifeng rushed to check on her.


    "Oh, sorry. The space was too small to pass through. Are you okay, Aunt?" Chunlan asked in a bored tone.


    "My knees....." Mingze ?r??n?d.


    "Should we call the doctor?" Chunying furrowed her eyebrows in concern.


    "Dad, we should get going now. We will be late if we postpone any longer. I am sure Aunt will be okay." Chunlan grabbed her father''s sleeves lightly.


    "Wife, call the doctor. We will be heading out now." Huizhong stepped out.


    "Bye, Mum. Take care, Aunt." As her eyes stared at Ke Mingze''s, she made sure she got the message.


    You are next, Mingze. You are next.


    Mingze laid on the bed, three hours later. The doctor wrapped up the medical equipments and stood up, shaking his head.


    "Since it was an accident, she is fortunate that not much force was used. If not, her kneecap joints would have broken under increased force. I would prescribed some ointments and painkillers to treat her knees."


    Doctor Xie said at last, making her face turn pale with fear.


    Fortunate? My knees are in so much pain! That girl is after my life!


    "Thank you so much, Doctor Xie. The maid will see you out." Haifeng said.


    When the doctor left, she sat beside her best friend. She stroked her head gently. "You should rest."


    Ke Mingze''s eyes reddened. "I am not sure I can go home now. I am in so much pain."


    "But the doctor said-"


    "I know what he said. Its just that I can''t even stand up, it may take weeks before the pain subsides. Can I stay here, please?" She grabbed Haifeng''s hands and squeezed them tightly.


    Haifeng''s heart softened when she saw her friend in so much pain. She nodded. "Okay, I''ll-"


    *Ring Ring*


    "Wait, let me get that phone call." Haifeng stood up and went to search for her phone in the main bedroom.


    Ke Mingze smiled.


    Finally, she had succeeded in staying in the Tang family house. She gasped at the lavish decorations and exquisite furniture in the room.


    This was the life she was meant to be living. This was supposed to be her house, Huizhong was meant to be her husband and she was meant to be Mrs. Tang! Everything was taken away from her!


    "I saw him first. Why did he have to choose you? What is so great about you, Haifeng?" She sneered.


    "-Mingze!" Haifeng called her. She jerked.


    "What?" She composed herself quickly.


    "Chunlan just called from work. She said that she told your husband about what happened. He was so concerned and said he is coming back to pick you after work."


    Her face blanched. "W-what?"


    "Yes, isn''t he so sweet? He must surely dote on you." Haifeng gave her a knowing smile.


    Ke Mingze didn''t answer her, her mind was in turmoil. She gripped the sheets beside her tightly, her knuckles showing. She could feel blood rising up her ?h?st.


    Its that girl again! Tang Chunlan!

 Chapter 25 - Stress.

    Tang Chunlan sneezed lightly when she stepped into her father''s office.


    Am I being cursed by that old hag?


    "Do you have a cold?" Her father frowned.


    "No, Father. I am alright."


    She sat down.


    He brought out a bunch of documents and put it on the table, looking at her with slight hesitation.


    "You have not yet recovered. Are you sure you want to work now?"


    "Yes, Dad. Give me the account books please."


    She asked patiently.


    He sighed and gave her the books. "Don''t overwork yourself. If you feel tired just go home. No need to wait for me.


    "Okay, Dad."


    "I have to go. I have another board meeting."


    The account books were a little bit dusty but were kept and written in an orderly fashion. As she turned the pages, she felt her head ache from all the numbers she saw.


    I hate numbers, signs, anything related to Mathematics!


    That kind of thing is Jihai''s forte!


    Like a light bulb lit, her eyes widened as the idea sprung in her head.


    "Jihai!"


    She picked up her phone and made a call, waiting until she heard a beep. "Hi."


    She heard the sounds of plates being stacked.


    "Chunlan." He replied.


    "Are you busy?"


    "A little bit."


    "I need your help. I have sent you the details via email. If you are free, please help me." She felt guilty to be adding more to his workload so she decided to try reading them later.


    "Okay." He paused. "Have you heard anything about Mengqi and Honglin?"


    "Not yet. But the doctor said he will inform me immediately they wake up."


    "Alright. I have to go now. Take care of yourself."


    "You too. Love you, Jihai." She didn''t care that he didn''t respond. She just wanted to give him all the love she didn''t give him in her past life. Since she reincarnated, she felt choked with hatred, fear and pain. She felt she had really wronged him too much.


    The line went silent for a minute. "Me too."


    Three hours later, she finally leaned back and stretched her body carefully after closing the last account book. Her father walked into the room, loosening his tie as he sat down. His eyes betrayed his worn out state.


    "Has the meeting ended?" She walked to the dispenser and got him a glass of water.


    "Yes. The building of the hotels in Guangzhou and Chongqing has been put on hold. The materials were found to be of low quality, causing money to be wasted. Some of our branches are also complaining of low funds." He drank the glass of water and sighed.


    "Low quality? Have we talked to the suppliers?" She frowned.


    "The materials brought by the supplies was inspected before construction, plus they have been working with us for years now. Their credibility makes it hard for us to question them." He gave her a puzzled look.


    She kept quiet, twirling the pen in her hand. "Dad, how long has VK group been investing in this company?"


    "For nine years."


    "According to the account books, they invest 50 million dollars each year, which is distributed in several branches. But only our branches in Europe are bringing in low income." She tapped the books on the table.


    Huizhong''s eyes turned sharp."Really? VK group has been managing the hotels in Europe for years now since we have partial partnership, and recently they requested a large sum of money for renovations ."


    "We need to send someone to investigate. As for the materials, leave it to me." She comforted her father.


    Her father merely smiled. "Thank you, Chunlan. I hope you can conti-"


    *Ring Ring*


    "Hello?" Huizhong answered.


    "Husband." Haifeng''s nervous voice rang out.


    "What is it? Has Mr Ke gone to pick up his wife?"


    "Yes, they just left. I have a request.." She said softly.

 Chapter 26 - I will always be there.

    "WOMAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY?!"


    He thundered.


    "I-I-"


    "What are you stuttering for?!" He hit the table angrily.


    "I need it for a private number." Haifeng said weakly.


    "PRIVATE?!"


    "I will tell you when you get back home." She quickly hung up the call.


    Chunlan put the glass on the table. "Was it Mother who called?"


    "Yes." He pinched the area in between his eyebrows.


    She sighed internally. In her past life, though her parents split, she never knew the reason behind their divorce. All she knew was that in less than in a year, Ke Mingze had become her new step mother.


    That alone was a betrayal to her mother.


    In this life, she had to make sure her parents stayed together till death do them part. She grabbed her purse and said "I have to get going now. See you at home."


    Ke Mingze held her hand with a pitiful look on her face. "Don''t worry, everything will be alright."


    "I don''t know what to tell him."


    "Just tell him the truth. I know he will understand." Ke Mingze said.


    "You think so?" Haifeng asked hopefully.


    "Of course, he will."


    Chunlan entered the room and sat down looking at Ke Mingze . " I am happy to see Aunt Ke has now recovered. Its good to see the atmosphere is lively again."


    Haifeng sat up. "Chunlan, you didn''t come with your father?"


    "No, I left him in the office. Is there any problem?" Her eyes didn''t fail to notice the light shove Ke Mingze gave her mother.


    "Not really. I just thought he came with you." Haifeng smiled.


    "Okay. I am going to take a nap." She stood up.


    "Okay, dear."


    When Chunlan left, Haifeng turned to face her friend. "Why didn''t you let me tell Chunlan? Perhaps she would have helped me persuade him."


    "Things like this shouldn''t be discussed with children." Ke Mingze chastised her.


    Haifeng pondered and finally agreed. "Thank you, Mingze. You are always here when I need you."


    Mingze smiled. "Of course, I will always be here. I promise."


    After chatting about random things, Ke Mingze said "Well, I should get going now."


    Haifeng stood up. "Then let me send you off."


    "No need." Ke Mingze waved her off.


    When she got into the car, a man was already in the car waiting for her.


    "Have you finished the preparations?" She dug a pack of cigarettes from her purse and lit one of them.


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "Make sure there is no trace of this will link back to me."


    "I understand."


    "Has my husband called?"


    "Yes, he did. He was looking for you. Should we head back?"


    She pursed her lips, releasing rings of smoke in the air as she dropped the cigarette on the ash tray.


    "Let''s go somewhere else. I am sure he is busy having his way with one of his mistresses."


    "There are rumors that Tang Huizhong has plans to train Chunlan as his successor. What should we do about this?"


    She laughed. "There are 101 ways of dealing with this. Let me think of the safest way."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    Tang Haifeng, you have no idea what you have coming your way.

 Chapter 27 - Why did you do this?

    Huizhong sat down in his chair, his ?h?st puffing in anger. The study was in a state of disarray, books scattered everywhere, broken vases and antiques laying on the floor making a scrunching sound as a woman''s heels walked upon them.


    He turned around and said. "Did you finish the task I gave you?"


    The woman shivered in fear, b?r?ly able to speak, much less meeting his eyes. Why did she apply for this job? WHY? Oh...yes, she needed the money for her brother''s surgery. "Y-yes."


    Huizhong''s face became darker when he saw her quavering appearance. "Speak!"


    The woman flinched, swallowing her saliva. "Mr. Lu is indeed doing very well. He moved to Canada three years ago. Here are the reports."


    He looked at the reports on the table and gazed at her. "Where are the bank reports?"


    "The bank reports are coming in next week. But the bank statements state that there has been enormous withdrawals in the past nine months."


    His lips thinned as he felt his heart clench out of pain. How did this happen? Why did his wife, the woman who he respected and eventually came to love dearly betray him like this?


    His secretary took her leave and fled out of the room. He had spent the whole day going through the account books both at the office and at home and it proved that the tip was indeed true.


    When he arrived home in the evening, his wife happily stood to welcome him. Her eyes glinted cheerfully as she tried to collect his jacket. "Welcome, husband."


    His reflex action was to give a similar response. He clenched his fists and walked past her his head filled with so much rage.


    His wife detected his sour mood, her face full of confusion. She thought "Maybe, he had a bad day at work." She shrugged, used to his personality.


    She entered the kitchen, supervising the chefs and maids. Thirty minutes later, she went to their room to inform him about dinner.


    But as time passed, he made up his mind. He wasn''t going to have a boring marriage like his parents. He wanted a home where his children could live and play freely, free from the society. So he must find a way to change this fragile and dense wife of his.


    Later, he was elated to see her change. She wasn''t longer a prim, dense lady who only to be the perfect wife and madam of a rich household. Inside, she was a cheerful, shy and lovely wife that he had come to love.


    It seemed like that was all a facade.


    Inside, she was a conniving, vicious and heartless woman. She didn''t even look back, or hesitate even once as she broke his heart piece by piece.


    So now, he won''t be soft. She must pay dearly for what she did. He was Tang Huizhong, the head of the six families. He didn''t get to the pinnacle of success by being soft. He was also a ruthless man, his hands were also bathed in cold blood and his lips had ordered the death of hundreds of his enemies.


    He heard a woman talk and her touch a minute later. "Husband, dinner is ready."


    He stared at her, his mind going numb. This woman who had such a bewildered expression in front of him has been lying to him for fifteen years. Finally, she touched him again in concern. "Are you okay?"


    He flung her hand away.. He eyed he coldly. "How could you do this?"

 Chapter 28 - How was she going to solve this?

    Chunlan stayed awake all night handling company business. She had just stopped when she heard her alarm ring. She peeked out the window, the sky still a little dark and the sun just awakening.


    She felt her body shutting down and her eyes drooping so she went to fetch herself a cup of coffee downstairs in the kitchen. As she picked up the coffee beans and coffee maker, she stiffened at the sounds coming from the living room.


    She tiptoed lightly, afraid to alert the unknown person. She frowned when she recognized the person.


    "Mother." As she walked to her mother, she saw her wipe the tears and snot hastily trying to put on a smile.


    "Chunlan dear, why are you still awake at this hour?" She glanced at the clock. "Its just 4am in the morning."


    Chunlan didn''t answer, well aware of her poor attempt to change the subject that was silently hanging in the air. "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing. I am just having a little trouble sleeping so I am just looking at this." Haifeng gestured to the wedding album.


    Chunlan was now convinced that there was something wrong with her mother. Her mother hated the wedding album book because she felt she was looking weird in the pictures. What happened to her to make her cry over them?


    "Is this about Father?"


    Haifeng looked slightly shocked. "How did you-"


    "One day, I was in the office when I saw Father angry after you called him." Chunlan observed her, careful to detect any lies.


    Haifeng sighed, her lips trembling. "I-I d-don''t know what is happening with your father. I told him I needed some money and since then, he has been so cold and distant with me. I felt I was bothering him, so I told him to forget about it but it fueled his anger even more."


    "How much did you need?"


    "500 million yuan."


    Chunlan''s mind went blank. "What are you doing with 500 million yuan?"


    Her mother became silent, her eyes darting sideways. Chunlan felt her head throb. "The company is in a financial stomp right now, so I understand why Father is trying to save every penny. But I know you are not unreasonable, so please tell me the reason."


    Her mother relented. "I needed it to save a friend. He had helped my family when we were in dire need of money. I received a message that he needs my help to save the lives of he and his family. Originally, I helped him pay the debt in small installments but the mafia called to demand the final installment unexpectedly. I had no choice but to ask your father."


    Chunlan asked. "Does Father know this person?"


    Haifeng nodded. "I told him everything."


    Chunlan was stunned as she tried to piece the story together and comforted her mother vaguely . "Don''t worry. I will take care of this."


    By the time she arrived in her room, she had forgotten about the coffee as she thought about the new problem which just arose. Her mother was helping an unknown man? But then why was her father angry? Was her mother cheating on her father with this man? No way!


    Surely this was a very big problem to make her parents divorce, thereby helping ruining the family business and helping Ke Mingze in succeeding her evil plans. But how was Ke Mingze related to any of this? She sighed. She wished that stupid thug, Wang Yiyang was still in the city.


    Now how was she going to solve this?

 Chapter 29 - Disgrace(1)

    Two days passed, and Chunlan decided that she couldn''t wait anymore. She called Jihai. " Jihai."


    He answered. "Chunlan."


    She rolled her eyes, feeling a little bit disappointed. He still hadn''t given her a pet name, so she refused to give him any one either. "Did you find any thing?"


    "Yes, I did. The account books were tampered with since the beginning of March last year. A company has been investing money but has been harvesting far more." He said.


    Her eyes glistened. " Is this company called VK?"


    "Yeah. The company has multiple accounts crediting from different departments. Every year, when it pushes in a lot of money its hard to notice the amount of money coming out. Also with the different signatures recorded here in the main accounts, its obvious that the head accountant may be involved in this too."


    Chunlan grinned. "You are really a genius! I have high expectations for you in Colossus, I know you will not disappoint me!"


    His face remained rigid but his heart softened like bu??er, his body felt light-headed. He was really happy, when no one believed in him and was willing to give him an opportunity, Chunlan, even in the past always believed in him. "Okay, I won''t disappoint you."


    "You should start preparing. In two weeks, you will be going to UK." Chunlan cleared her throat lightly. "Is there anything you need?"


    He felt the fear and caution in her voice. He had always felt annoyed when she tried to help him with monetary gifts but now, he couldn''t get angry. "No."


    Chunlan heard his cold voice and shuddered. "I didn''t mean money! I meant I could help you pack your things, arrange your boxes or clean your room! Since you won''t come back for a long time, you should put things together."


    "Are you sure that is all you meant?"


    "Yes!" Chunlan nodded with enthusiasm even though it was a phone call.


    He smiled. "Alright. Before I go, lets have a date."


    "No!" Chunlan sniffed.


    "Why?" He sat up.


    "I won''t do any kind of farewell!" She could feel her throat itching her. Her eyes were tearing up. She wanted to be a big girl and say it was no big deal but in truth, she was scared to let him out of her sight.


    He sighed softly, ??r?ssing her ears. "I am going to come back. Why are you crying?"


    "I am not!"


    He chuckled. "Then laugh a little. I like hearing you laugh."


    Her cheeks reddened. "I don''t want to!"


    "You are too stubborn."


    "You like me that way!" She retorted.


    His voice deepened. "I do like you."


    Chunlan''s face was now as red as an apple. "I have to go now. Lets talk later."


    His last response was a light, charming laugh floating into her ears.


    In another home, a lady sat in an exquisite reclining chair rocking her body gently. A man sat opposite her, his eyes admiring her slim long leg that peeked through the slit of her dress. He said. " Are you sure that he won''t be able to suspect us?"


    The woman put down the magazine that she was reading. "Mr. Ke, don''t you believe in my abilities?"


    The man became impatient. "Mingze, don''t beat around the bush. How is the plan going?"


    Mingze eyed the man disdainfully. Her husband was one without brains, there was nothing special about him. He was just a brute. "Its going well. Haifeng does not suspect anything. What about the money?"


    "VK will send the money once the deed is done, don''t worry." Her husband''s eyes when he saw his phone vibrating.


    After a brief dialogue, he hung up. His wife picked up a glass of wine. "Who was that?"


    Mr. Ke was already at the door, wearing his coat and picking his keys. "That was Huizhong.. He wants to see me."

 Chapter 30 - Disgrace(2)

    Huizhong sat in the garden with his friend, a glass of whiskey in his right hand. He was hoping to get drunk, with today''s revelations. "I don''t want to hear it."


    His friend, Mr. Ke looked at him with pity. "There must be a mistake. Haifeng is not like that."


    "I thought so too." He would lick his wounds today. Just today. Tomorrow, he would be strong.


    "Haifeng was the most beautiful girl back in the old days. I was so happy for you, who knew....." Mr. Ke sighed.


    "....that she was a woman who seduced men with her beauty, right?" Huizhong grimaced.


    "I always thought that she was too close with that man, Lu Haitian. Even Mingze was a little bit suspicious of their relationship." Mr. Ke was indignant.


    "Women are always like that, covering for each other''s crimes."


    Mr. Ke smiled slightly. He didn''t mind sacrificing Mingze for this mission. "Yes, she confessed that she knew all along that something was fishy between them but she couldn''t betray her friend. Recently she said that Haifeng was making secret calls."


    "Secret calls?" Huizhong''s eyes became deadly.


    "Yeah, she couldn''t hear much but they looked like they were discussing business." Mr. Ke said.


    Huizhong froze, his hand gripping the glass tightly. "THAT BITCH!"


    "You need to do something. We can''t let her get away with something like this." Mr. Ke advised.


    "Don''t worry. I know what to do." Huizhong cracked the glass.


    Ke Mingze had just finished putting on makeup the next day when she got a phone call. "Speak."


    A young girl''s tearful voice rang out. "Auntie! Please save my mother!"


    "Chunying?" Her eyebrow rose.


    "My mother....my mother is in danger! Please come over and help her!"


    "I will be there soon. Hang on." She hung up. She suddenly felt happy.


    The plan worked.


    Huizhong must have finally made his move. Although he was kind and gentle in front of his family, the whole world knew he was a cunning and ruthless man who had made it to the top with the blood and tears of his enemies.


    "Haifeng.....today you will meet your end!" She sneered.


    When she entered the car, she told the driver. "Let''s first go to the salon, there is no need to rush." She must look her best for Huizhong.


    "Yes, ma''am."


    Thirty minutes later, she stepped into the Tang mansion. As she entered into the room, sounds of anguish and pain reverberated across the room making the servants tremble and hide. She saw her husband smiling slyly as the Tang family guards surrounded the vicinity.


    Chunhua and Chunying were on the floor,crying and begging beside their mother whose appearance looked haggard.


    "Father, please don''t do this!" They cried.


    "SHUT UP!". His face was dark with rage but his hand that carried a belt was held by Chunlan who was using all her strength to stop her father.


    "Husband....Huizhong, I didn''t cheat on you. I am innocent!" Haifeng said weakly.


    Her eyes brightened when she saw her friend approaching. "Ask Mingze! She was the one that brought me the letter...Mingze, tell them. Tell them I am innocent!"


    Mingze seemed very confused. "Which letter? I didn''t bring you any letter. Haifeng, what is happening here?"


    The whole room became silent.


    Haifeng was flabbergasted. "But you brought the letter! You told me that Lu Haitian was in danger nine months ago!"


    Mingze faced Huizhong and said with anxiety and concern. "There must be a misunderstanding somewhere.. Lu Haitian is in Canada with his family, healthy and safe. Haifeng, what have you done this time?"

 Chapter 31 - Disgrace(3)

    "Are you saying that you did not give her the letter, also, you didn''t tell her about Mr Lu''s misfortune?" Chunlan stared at her.


    Ke Mingze shook her head. "No, I didn''t. Huizhong, why are you treating my friend this way?" She glared at Mr Tang.


    "Your friend has been cheating on me! She took some money nine months ago from my bank account and sent it to her lover! Today, I must divorce her!" He roared, slapping Haifeng across the cheek.


    Ke Mingze felt that today was really Chinese New Year for her. Her expression turned from joy to horror in the snap of a finger. "Haifeng!"


    "Mother!" The sisters gasped.


    Haifeng laid on the floor, sobbing and groaning weakly. "I didn''t steal from you. I didn''t cheat on you....."


    Ke Mingze rushed to her friend when she saw her faint. Huizhong sneered mockingly and left the room, his friend on his heels. Ke Mingze shouted at the sisters "Bring a medical kit! Call the police!"


    Seeing the sisters leave the room, she looked around the room to make sure she was alone. She laughed to her heart''s content "Haifeng! I knew you never thought that this day will come. The day of your downfall!"


    She walked to a chair, gazing down at the body sprawled on the floor like a queen looking down on her subjects. "You may be beautiful but you are such a fool. You thought that you had it all but now, I have taken everything away from you!" She bent down on one knee with a vicious smile. "I will have your title, your children, your wealth and most of all....your husband."


    She quickly fixed her expression when she heard the door open. The sisters rushed to their mother, attending to her trying to wake her up. Few minutes later, Haifeng''s eyes fluttered. The police sirens could be heard approaching.


    She stood up, leaving the girls with her mother. Huizhong entered the room, being accompanied by guards.


    Ke Mingze put up a fierce expression. "Huizhong! Don''t you dare touch her. I am warning you, the police is com-"


    Huizhong snapped. "The police are indeed here but its not me who is going to jail."


    She looked shocked. "Don''t tell me you called the police to arrest your wife?!"


    She could already see the end of Haifeng''s reign and the beginning of her own era as the officers seized her friend....


    "Mingze, wait!" Haifeng called out to her friend who was already walking out on her.


    Ke Mingze turned with a sorrowful face, her heart rejoicing at the scene. "What is it, Haifeng? Don''t worry, I won''t leave you alone. I will-"


    PAH!


    Her head was whipped to the side as three ruthless slaps landed on her cheek. Her head buzzed as she lost her strength, falling on the cold floor.


    The room went silent.


    But was replaced almost immediately with laughter and cheers as the sisters and the servants nearby clapped for Haifeng.


    "Mother, that was beautiful!" Chunying cheered.


    "Impeccable!" Chunhua said.


    "Three slaps is not enough, Mistress! How dare she try to make a fool out of the Tang family?" A servant bravely shouted.


    Huizhong said with a solemn expression. "Officers, arrest her."


    Ke Mingze struggled to free herself."What is happening? Why are you arresting me? You have no right!"


    Chunlan smiled.. "This is the Tang family. So what if we just want to arrest you without reason? Who will defy us?"

 Chapter 32 - Disgrace(4)

    Ke Mingze was furious. "This is wrong !"


    "Wrong?!" Haifeng clenched her hands, itching to give her another slap. "You framed me for cheating and embezzlement, and you say that we are in the wrong?"


    Ke Mingze sneered. "I have already said that I didn''t give you any letter! Bring the letter! There is no way you can prove it!"


    Chunlan patted her mother''s arm, calming her. "Of course, there is no way to prove you are the one who gave her that letter since there is no other fingerprint on the paper, except my mother''s. Because lately you have been wearing gloves since you came back from Paris, claiming its the new trend. Luckily, Uncle Lu sent my mother a message asking if she got his letter which he sent through you. According to him, you were complaining about the ill treatment my mother was getting in the Tang mansion, asking him to take her away from the hardships she was facing."


    "That''s not true!" She denied.


    "You switched the letters, replacing it with a cry for help knowing my mother couldn''t refuse. Then you sent a tip to my father to turn him against her." Chunhua said, angry at how foolish she was in the past.


    Ke Mingze still shook her head. As long as she denied everything, she was sure she could escape.


    Chunlan made her mother sit down. "Are you not curious, of how I checkmated you? I simply realized that instead of just viciously scheming, it was better to say the truth, then scheme viciously." She grinned. "It was so hard, getting my parents together to talk, convincing my father of my mother''s innocence and even more harder tracking Uncle Lu''s number."


    "It was all Jie Jie''s plan to put up this act, just to see how ridiculous you will people behave." Chunhua said.


    "Right! If we had not already talked to Uncle Lu, my father would have believed all the nonsense your husband was spouting that night." Chunying spat.


    Ke Mingze started to panic. " Officers, don''t believe them. They are lying. Why would I go through all this trouble to plan all of this? For what? For wealth? I have money already!"


    "For the Golden Card." Chunlan turned to see Ke Mingze turn pale.


    The Golden Card was a card that could be used to request any land across the world for half the price, whatever the price. It was given to the Tang family which helped them acquire lands and made them powerful even since ancient times. It was what kept them above their competitors and it was their precious family heirloom.


    "I know you are aware that my father gave my mother the Golden Card when I was born. It was hidden along the presents and you saw it. You were planning to separate them, because not only will you have a chance to get my father but also, snatch the Golden Card from my mother." Chunlan smirked.


    "Think about it, if my mother and father had gotten divorced, she would have walked away with the Golden Card. But my mother doesn''t know anything about the corporate world and feeling wronged, she would never give it back to my father. So you would have planned to trick her to collect it, wouldn''t you?"


    Chunlan walked to Ke Mingze who was as white as paper. She had finally realized why she had struggled with the company in her past life. It was because of this vixen! " You made a deal with VK, didn''t you?"


    "This are all theories and made up stories, you have no proof!"


    "Who says so?" Huizhong finally spoke, his eyes signalling the guard beside him. A few minutes later, an unconscious man who was badly beaten up and tied was dragged into the room leaving a generous trail of blood on the polished floor.


    "Mr Ke!" Mingze gasped.


    "After the little chat we had, he confessed everything. Also, you also gave your own little speech a few minutes ago." He pointed to the expensive chandeliers which had little cameras installed. "The video and statements are enough."


    Ke Mingze finally understood that everything was over. The plan had failed. They truly just played along, making her the biggest fool in the room.


    "You won''t get away with this. My lawyers will-"


    "Law? Do you think that the law will save you from me?" Huizhong growled. "Making me act this little drama, hitting my own wife. Mrs Ke, you can be sure that I would return this favor a thousand times."


    Ke Mingze finally fainted.

 Chapter 33 - No mercy.

    As the police dragged Ke Mingze''s unconscious body away, Tang Huizhong sat beside his wife and touched her cheek with cold compress. "Does it hurt?"


    Tang Haifeng gazed at her husband''s worried face, her heart turning warm. Although she was a strong woman who didn''t like to show weakness, right now she just wanted to behave spoilt and dependent. "Yes, it does. My cheeks are aching."


    His eyes furrowed. "Its all Chunlan''s fault. We should have just gone about this the easy way."


    Chunlan secretly rolled her eyes at her father''s suggestion of killing both of them and dumping them in and ocean. "We needed more evidence."


    Haifeng defended her daughter when she saw her husband''s disapproving glare. "Don''t blame Chunlan. Its your fault for not believing in me in the first place." She pushed her husband away lightly.


    His eyes softened. "Right, its my fault. My fault. Let''s go and rest."


    Chunhua and Chunying almost made gagging sounds when they saw the scene but quickly straightened their faces when they saw their father''s stern face.


    They immediately ran to Chunlan. "Jie Jie, what now?"


    Chunlan blinked. "What else? They will suffer the same fate Zheng Wei did."


    They gaped. "WHAT?!"


    Chunlan walked away. "Did you really think that Dad will allow them to live peacefully in jail? That''s not Dad''s style....."


    As peace finally returned to the Tang mansion, another storm was brewing somewhere else as a patient in a hospital woke up.


    His once perfectly styled brown hair was now messy and his face looked haggard, stubble growing on his cheeks.


    One of his eyes was covered with bandage and when he blinked, it dawned on him what had happened to his right eye, he just remained calm, his fist clenched.


    He tried to talk but his throat was parched. His body felt heavy to move, his muscles aching. He sighed and relaxed.


    Maybe he shouldn''t allow anyone to know he was awake, it will give him time to process and plan things.


    So it seemed the plan failed. The car he gifted Jihai was rigged to fail but instead it was his car that was tampered with.


    His men will never fail a mission as important as this, and he was sure that Mengqi was not aware of the change in their plan, so it must be......


    Though he was the least in their group in terms of affluence and wealth, he was not to be underestimated. That lowlife stole the only thing he treasured the most, Chunlan.


    Chunlan was the only girl he loved and cherished in this world yet she never once looked at him. She kept pushing him to other girls, even her idiotic sister, Chunhua.


    Chunlan, you don''t know about all the things I did you...


    He smiled bitterly, his lips stretched. Did they think that this measly pain will stop him? He was someone who was always ready to sacrifice anything for what he wants.


    Even his body.


    He was never going to stop. He had waited for such a long time, painfully pretending that he was benevolent and free minded, just not to alert the enemy.


    There is no way, I will allow you to win, Jihai.


    He was going to destroy him, make him suffer with everything and everybody he loves gone.


    He will make him bleed.

 Chapter 34 - Your colleague.

    Su Menxiang stared at the person in front of her with admiration and confusion. They were at a restaurant, trying to keep a low key appearance though they were failing badly. Most of the attention and whispers were focused on the man in front of her wearing a pristine white suit, his hand which was adorned with a black Phillipe watch and a few alluring rings on his long fingers who was simply drinking a glass of water.


    "Mr Mo, are you sure that this is okay? I am sure you must be busy...." She said nervously. She never knew what to say around him.


    His icy blue eyes that reflected his demeanor, turned to her. "I am free today."


    She played with her hands. "So...why did choose this place?"


    "You don''t like it?"


    She was a little worried since it was so close to the hospital she was working to. She hardly ate much so she didn''t even know this place existed. "Its okay."


    She could already feel the stares of her colleagues on her partner. Bingwen was looking outside, his eyes on the busy road. He turned. "I just wanted to see you."


    She smiled. "Thanks."


    His eyes followed every detail on her face, his heart welling with different emotions. "No need to thank me."


    "Hello, Menxiang I didn''t know you visit this place. Oh, I see you are with a guest! I am Miss Li. " She extended her hand for a greeting, but felt embarrassed when the man didn''t even turn to her direction.


    Menxiang glanced at both of them and decided to ease the atmosphere."Tianyu, are you also here for lunch? "


    "Yes. I hear the food is great here so I wanted to try it out. I thought people like you will find this kind of place a bit too local, so I was afraid to tell you. Doctors should be modest and hard working, why are you so here early?"


    She said.


    Menxiang glared at the woman trying to embarrass her in front of her fiancee. Mo Bingwen called her on such short notice so she took an early leave and informed her superiors, afraid that he would make things hard for the hospital if she refused.


    She wasn''t calm and composed like he best friend, Chunlan. She was the only child of her parents, the heiress of Su Group which controlled the medical sector of the entire country, a girl who had never suffered any grievance in her life. How could she endure being called haughty, lazy and irresponsible?


    Before she could respond, Mo Bingwen looked at the waitress standby and said "Come."


    The waitress came to them. "Yes, sir?"


    His voice filled with imposing arrogance and nobility said "The reason why we came here was because we didn''t want unnecessary company. Is this how your restaurant works?"


    The waitress trembled lightly. "I am sorry, Sir."


    "Never mind. Just take your colleague along with you."


    Menxiang almost barked with laughter when she saw Tianyu gasp with horror. The confused waitress grasped her arm, berating her as she dragged her into the kitchen.


    Tianyu was shouting. "What are you doing? How dare you! Do you know who I am?!"


    The waitress persisted stubbornly, not wanting to lose her job.


    Menxiang felt a bit awkward at the stares the drama was attracting but seeing her fiancee''s calm demeanor, she felt at ease.


    After they finished eating, he finally took her hand. "Should we go?"


    "Where are we going?"


    He smiled, making her heart stop.. "To your empire."

 Chapter 35 - Welcome, Sir.

    Menxiang gasped at the large building when the car finally stopped. She had seen and entered larger buildings of course, but not one with such architectural designs and technology like this. It seems like the rumors of Mo Tech Corporation beating Google two years ago was true.


    As they entered into the building, the secretary''s eyes widened as she spotted her boss holding a woman in a white lab coat.


    They passed by her, talking and laughing affectionately. "Good afternoon, Sir."


    Menxiang smiled at the woman who had her head bent low, her hand grabbing Bingwen''s sleeve.


    Bingwen guided her to the elevator, smiling faintly at Menxiang who was fascinated with the inventions displayed and the robots who moved from place to place completing their ?ssigned duties.


    The secretary ran to the desk and picked the telephone. "The Boss is here!"


    In the elevator.....


    "Whoa! This place is amazing!" Menxiang giggled like a happy child.


    "I am glad you like it." He said, his icy demeanor back.


    Su Menxiang tensed and looked at him when she heard him. He was like an aloof angel, ignoring everybody and everything beneath him. She scratched her nose as she wondered what influenced his mood swings.....


    The whole place was in a pandemonium, the staff running haphazardly all over the place. The four chiefs were in a room, gathering documents and piling papers as sweats dripped on their foreheads...


    "Why is he back so suddenly? I thought he will be busy with his grandfather who came in angry last week." Mr Fang, the CPO said.


    "I heard that he is here with a woman." The CTO, Mr Yan wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.


    Mr Kang, the CSO paused. " A woman?"


    Suddenly they heard the elevator open, they looked at it with dread. Mr Dai, the CMO cried. "No need to know, he is here!"


    Menxiang was surprised to see the pin drop silence in the room as the employees worked like ants, typing furiously on their keyboards. Four chiefs stood like soldiers in front of their commander, their backs straight and their chins up.


    "Welcome, Young Master." They chorused.


    They eyed the woman beside him, wondering how to address her. This was the first time they had seen a woman by his side!


    He turned. "She is my fiancee."


    "Welcome, Young Mistress." They greeted.


    Menxiang blushed and hid beside Mingwen. "Thank you."


    Happiness pierced through his icy eyes. "Let''s go to my office."


    The employees pretended to be busy but their eyes trailed their boss, their minds full of gossip and speculations. The chiefs deflated out of relief, their hands trembling at the icy aura that left the room.


    Menxiang entered the office and sat down, admiring the place. It was modern, large and comfortable. It was simple yet opulent. She watched Mingwen remove his jacket and hang it on the wall.


    "Make yourself comfortable." He opened his ??ptop and started working.


    Menxiang left him alone and picked up some books to read. Sitting down for some minutes, she started feeling restless. She glanced at the corner of the wall beside her decorated with awards and plaques.


    Her eyes widened. "Is this award, the ALBERT EINSTEIN WORLD AWARD FOR SCIENCE?!"


    She happily ran to his side. "When did you get this?"


    Her smile fell as she saw him ignoring her, his attention entirely on his ??ptop. She pouted. Why did he bring her here if he was not going to accompany her?


    "Ming-"


    "Quiet. You must be tired, just take a nap. I will wake you when I am done." He said.


    "But-"


    A secretary barged in, her hands full of papers. "Sir, these papers need your sign-" She stopped talking, as she felt a deadly cold breeze down her skin.


    She looked at them, and turned back closing her eyes. No matter how important these documents were, they were not more important than her job.. She closed the door with a speed so frightening ."Sorry, Sir!"

 Chapter 36 - Will you heal?

    The couple became aware of the intruder who had slammed the door so abruptly. Menxiang became embarrassed and tried stand up, pushing him away but Mingwen tightened his arms unwilling to let her go.


    His hot breath landed on her face and neck as she looked at him. At the moment, she was in a spell unable to look away from his eyes. It was as if a pale light surrounded him, making him look so tranquil and tolerant, warm and gentle.


    His lips curved, when he noticed how entranced she was. "Are you okay?"


    She swallowed softly when she noticed how happy he was. "I want to go home."


    "So soon?" His voice concealed a trace of disappointment.


    "Yeah."


    "But I called the hospital to make sure you had free time today." He was still adamant.


    "I don''t feel so well." Menxiang was sure he could hear her beating heart placed in between them.


    He finally got the message that she wanted to be away from him but was still expressionless. "Okay."


    She could feel his disappointment which was heavy in the air, but she knew that she couldn''t bear to deceive him. Her heart was belonged to Wang Qishen even though he didn''t feel the same way.


    The car ride was driven in silence, the couple seating far apart. Menxiang looked at her hands, which felt empty when he didn''t even hold them as they stepped out of the building.


    It has been four years since he was informed that he has been engaged since birth. First came disbelief, then anger and finally refusal. He believed that it was because the Su Medical Group was in decline that''s why it was arranged.


    He knew Su Menxiang was living in a bubble, shielded from the true situation her family companies was in. She lived freely and was never denied anything.


    He fell in love the day their parents introduced them to each other. The girl was unwilling but smitten with his appearance, while he was annoyed with the situation he was forced in.


    He tried to act hostile, hoping she would call off the engagement. Unfortunately, his grandfather fainted due to dyspnea and it was only three of them in the room. She was also panicking and fidgeting until he reminded her that she was a medical student and she should know what to do.


    She finally knelt down and said to his unconscious grandfather. "I don''t know if I can save him but I will try my best!"


    Three hours later, he witnessed firsthand her courage, persistence and unwillingness to let her first patient die in her hands.


    He would never forget that day.


    Ever since then, he stalked her like a mad man not let her notice all the times he came to her university. He kept tabs on her and studied her analytically like the tech genius he was while trying to decipher the unknown feeling he got when he was near her.


    Today, he pulled a lot of strings just to get her to see him. He had even dropped his favorite eyeglasses and put on contacts which he was uncomfortable with!


    "Sir, we are here." The chauffeur said.


    "Okay." He said.


    Menxiang finally couldn''t bear with the knowledge that she had made this sweet guy unhappy. When she stood in front of the gate, she grabbed his hand.


    "Thank you. For today."


    He stood stiffly, looking at her like a she was a difficult maths problem. She spotted a guy coming towards them.


    Wang Qishen.


    She let her hand drop to the side, as she swallowed the soaring feeling in her ?h?st. "Brother Qishen."


    He looked surprised at her new makeover she got with the help of her best friend, Chunlan. "Hello, Menxiang."


    "Why are you here?"


    His cheerful countenance dropped slightly. " I am here to see Wan''er."


    Her heart squeezed painfully when she was reminded he chose her cousin over her. "Oh."


    "Do you want to come in? Let me escort you." He offered, eager to talk to her. He never knew that the spoilt heiress who was regardless as the least talented in the Su family was this pretty.


    She was just about to agree when she finally saw a figure dressed in white, standing quietly. She bit her lips, caught in a dilemma. She wanted to see Wang Qishen, her lonely heart delighted he was finally willing to talk to her. But she didn''t want to hurt this guy who had tried his best today to please her.


    She made up her mind.


    "No need. I have to talk to my fiancee." She said, looping her arm with Mingwen.


    The two men were shocked, one in disbelief that the girl who had always professed her love for him was now rejecting him while the other was surprised that the girl choose him.


    Wang Wishes finally looked at the man beside her. " You have a fiancee?"


    She plastered a fake smile. "This is Mo Mingwen, my fiancee."


    She looked at Mingwen whose face was stoic, unwilling to exchange pleasantries with her crush.


    Wang Qishen felt empty looking at the man who was undoubtedly not in his league. He smiled vaguely. "I should go inside, don''t stay outside for too long. It''s cold out here."


    Mingwen''s eyes turned red at the departing figure lecturing his fiancee but frowned at the girl who was clutching her ?h?st. "Are you okay?"


    Menxiang couldn''t get rid of the regret and pain that remained seeing her love leaving her. "No, I am not. I think I am sick."


    He seemed to have understood what she was going through, his eyes hesitating. His index finger touched her ?h?st. "Will you heal?"


    She looked at his eyes, blazed with worry and pain. The pain in her heart subsided and she wondered what this new feeling was. She inhaled and looked at Qishen entering the house.


    "You know what?"


    She smiled, finally understanding what Chunlan meant.


    "Maybe I will."

 Chapter 37 - Unlucky.

    Tang Chunlan turned her head sharply, making a cracking sound. She was exhausted spending her day in the boardroom with the shareholders.


    The cold, resolute CEO persona she developed in her past life was used to her advantage, bending them to her will.


    She was finally arranging things I the company and she could see the bright future of her beloved company....


    Ahem! Family business!


    If she could finish her affairs here, she could surprise Jihai by traveling to UK for the latest company project and accompany him. In her past life, this project was meant to be done in the next two years but she suggested it earlier for this purpose.


    Such a good plan!


    "Ma''am, you have a phone call waiting for you." Her secretary, Ziyi said from the door.


    She pushed her daydreaming aside and became businesslike. "Put him through." She picked the phone up.


    The line connected. "Hello, Miss Tang."


    Her eyes lit up. "Doctor Gao. What a surprise."


    "Sorry to disturb you. I bring good news. Mr. Wen is awake and requests to see you."


    Chunlan dropped her pen, her hand shaking.


    "Miss Tang?" A confused voice said.


    "What about Mengqi?" She asked, feeling cold.


    "Miss Shen is still unconscious but her condition is improving. We believe soon she will wake up."


    She rested her sweating cold palms on her black skirt. "We will come this evening."


    "Okay. I will inform the staff about your visit."


    "Thank you, Doctor Gao."


    She put the phone down and gasped out loud. Her heart was pounding with cold fear, memories of her past life flooding in.


    Why is he awake?!


    I thought I did everything to change things this time.


    What if he hurts Jihai again?


    Her phone vibrated, so she picked it up without looking at the name of the caller. " Hello?"


    "I just got a phone call that Honglin is awake." Jihai said.


    "Me too." She said absentmindedly.


    "Let''s go and see him." He suggested.


    She sat up, panicked. "NO!"


    Jihai, as well as the secretary who heard her scream jerked, surprised. He asked. "Why?"


    She struggled for a reason. "You are going soon so you should have many things to do. Why don''t you let me and Menxiang go instead?"


    His voice turned cold. "No way."


    She wanted to hit her head in frustration. "But-"


    "No buts! They are also my friends so its my duty to be there when they need me."


    Chunlan sighed. Jihai was born with a soft heart underneath his cold exterior, he truly valued friendship and family. "If you insist."


    "When are you planning on going to visit them?" He seemed to have relaxed, now that she had agreed.


    "This evening." She needed to see and evaluate the situation. Only then could she plan properly.


    "Okay. I will pick you up."


    "Okay. I will tell Menxiang about it." She smiled.


    ************************************


    They arrived with a car but stopped in front of the mall, a few blocks away from the hospital.


    "Lets buy some things for them." Chunlan suggested.


    Across the mall, a black car parked at the roadside two men in black suits were looking at some pictures.


    "Are you sure that''s them?" Number 1 asked.


    "Yes, I am sure. We have to complete the mission this time or else Boss will skin us alive." Number 2 complained.


    The two men agreed.


    The couple came out laughing, Jihai holding some bags. Jihai smiled. "Where is Menxiang?"


    "She had a late night shift today and couldn''t make it." Chunlan removed the lollipop from her mouth and pouted.


    "Let''s go." His eyebrow arched when he says her tug his sleeve.


    "Let''s walk instead. Its just a few blocks opposite us." She suggested. She didn''t feel good taking that car and according to her past life, she decided to avoid cars for now.


    Jihai looked at his girlfriend, feeling ominous for an unknown reason. She had been acting strange lately. "Okay, hold my hand tightly."


    Chunlan couldn''t resist the urge to flirt with her cold, stiff boyfriend. "Always. Just make sure you don''t let go of mine."


    Though the tip of his ears had turned red, he still said. "Always."


    The road was clear, the hospital opposite them was lit brightly people vcoming in and out in a busy manner.


    An ambulance was parked in front, the staff taking the patient in a rush.


    She said "Let''s hurry."


    As they crossed, she tried to take some of the bags from him. He stretched it far away from her reach. "Be good, stop fiddling."


    In a playful mood, she said. "No, let me help."


    "No need. The bags are not heavy."


    "But I-" Her eyes widened at the bright light approaching them, so fast she thought it was flashing through her eyes. Jihai still had his eyes on her, unaware of the danger behind him.


    She looked at him in a daze, unable to process the situation before her. Her body was rooted to the ground and she felt paralyzed, only able to see the car come closer and closer.


    Was this how they were going to die?


    "JIHAI!" A rush of adrenaline flowed through her as she pushed him forward to avoid the car


    .


    She closed her eyes tightly as her body collided with the car, throwing her away to the side.


    She laid there as her body racked with pain and anguish, her ears buzzing. Glass and rocks pierced her skin and blood flowed out of different parts of her body. She was a mess.


    Jihai and several doctors came into her view. She could feel herself getting sleepy. She tried to move but he body felt like lead when Jihai took her into his arms, his eyes full of tears.


    Her eyes leaked tears at his disheveled state.


    I don''t want him to cry.


    Why am I always making him sad?


    We were meant to be happy.


    She pushed all her strength into her busted lips, swollen with blood as she could feel herself drifting farther and farther away. "Don''t cry, its not your fault.......I am just unlucky."

 Chapter 38 - Goodbye.

    Chunlan woke up, pain flowing through her body as the stretcher rolled across the hall in a hurry. She could b?r?ly keep eyes.


    Maybe she should go to sleep. She didn''t want to stay awake.


    "CHUNLAN! Don''t close your eyes!" A voice roared.


    She opened her eyes abruptly. She saw multiple medical staff by her side, holding the bed. Jihai finally came into view, his clothes dirty and torn, and his face with several cuts and light bruises a blood trail on his lips.


    She tried to lift her hand, but the pain was overwhelming. Was it broken again? She could hear voices in the background overlapping the ones in her head.


    She saw Menxiang in a white coat crying in distress while holding a phone to her ear.


    Where was her family?


    She wanted to see them so she tried to turn.


    I don''t want to die without seeing them one last time.


    She turned to the boy whose knuckles were scraped, stained with dried blood. His eyes had turned red from holding his tears.


    Who will protect him?


    Slowly she could feel her strength dwindling and herself getting sleepy. She was scared to die a second time, afraid she won''t come back. That goddess will definitely be mad, torturing her soul.


    She sighed. Maybe this was it.


    Although she felt resentful, she was powerless in the hands of fate.


    As she closed her eyes, the last thing she saw was the panic and pain in their eyes.


    Goodbye.


    She felt a hand hit her with so much force, she gasped. An angry woman''s face was right in front of hers. She rolled her eyes and closed them.


    She was waiting for the angel who was meant to collect her soul.


    After a while, she heard no noise. So she panicked.


    Don''t tell me this goddess personally came for her soul? She was finished!


    Hey! Where is the ministry of heavenly justice?!


    "TANG CHUNLAN! OPEN YOUR EYES AND FACE ME!" Tamara''s face had undergone different shades of red at the imprudence of this mere mortal.


    Chunlan opened an eye before the other, her heart shaking in fear. She laughed nervously. "Hey....goddess. How have you been? Its been a long time."


    Tamara held her tongue, afraid she would cough out blood in anger and could only continue to glare at this stupid mortal before her.


    Chunlan felt the rage oozing from the woman so she tried to explain. "It wasn''t my fault! I just wanted to save him, who knew that it was a matter of life and death?"


    Tamara took a deep breath and gritted out. "Who was it that got distracted when crossing a road?"


    Chunlan blinked and lowered her he''d in despair. "It was my fault. Just take me to heaven to await punishment."


    Tamara felt her eyebrow twitch. Heaven? Was that a place to wait punishment?


    She obviously wanted to enjoy paradise!


    "Follow me." Tamara couldn''t be bothered to explain anymore and just walked away.


    Chunlan frowned but followed her. Together they walked out of the garden and disappeared.


    Chunlan gasped when they reached their destination. The place felt familiar but she continued to walk until she realized that this was the hospital that she had died in.


    In the hallway, she saw her father with a murderous expression hovering over a man who was surrounded by guards in black, bloodlust in the air. The place was quiet, onlookers shaking with fear at the scene before them. Doctors tried to persuade but couldn''t even say a word.


    She stared at the man who was in such a pitiful state, his face was bloodied to a point of no recognition. She glanced at the clothes, her eyes widening.


    Bai Jihai?!

 Chapter 39 - Make a choice..

    She ran to the scene, standing right before her father stretching her hands out wide to stop him.


    "No, Father. Please stop!" She begged. Jihai hadn''t even received treatment, how was he going to withstand another beating?


    She felt her heart leap when she saw her father pass through her and walked forward.


    "Its all your fault! My daughter is in a critical state due to your carelessness! If my daughter dies today, I, Tang Huizhong will make you accompany her to the afterlife!" Huizhong raged as he landed a kick to Jihai''s abdomen, making him spit out a generous amount of blood on the white tiled floor.


    She turned to her mother who was blocked by some guards. "Mother, please help him!"


    Realizing that no one could hear her, she rushed to Jihai who laid unmoving. She tried shaking him. "Jihai! Jihai!"


    Tamara rolled her eyes at the foolish woman before her. She clicked her tongue. "Alright, time to go. We have other places to be." She snapped her fingers.


    Chunlan cried as she turned to face the goddess angrily. "Why did you take me away? Didn''t you see Jihai was dying? Why didn''t save him? You are useless!"


    Tamara''s eyes narrowed. "Watch your tongue, mortal."


    Chunlan didn''t care anymore as she dropped on the floor. She glared at the goddess, her eyes full of tears but with determination.


    Forget it! Heaven or Hell, I am not going anywhere! I will stay as a ghost and accompany Jihai!


    Tamara sighed as she chided herself. How could she bicker with a mere mortal? "Stupid girl, you are not dead. You are merely in a critical state. Let''s go and see who is responsible for all of this."


    Chunlan raised her head. "Who is it?"


    "Just follow me."


    Wen Honglin sat down, his face stoic as he seemed angry with the person on the phone. Luckily, now she seemed to have acquired some sort of supersonic hearing making everything easy to hear.


    "This was not part of the plan. Why is she in critical condition?!" Honglin growled.


    "Sir, we planned everything to the last detail and prepared contingency plans. But we didn''t expect that she would risk her life to protect him." The subordinate said glumly.


    "Where is he?"


    "In the lobby, being beaten by Mr Tang."


    "We have to kill him now. We can''t let him go to Colossus. We will wait until she is out of danger before the ?ssassination commences." His eyes flashed with deadly intent.


    Chunlan clenched her fists. "So it was him. Again. It seemed like I shouldn''t have been lenient with him."


    Tamara looked at the man with complicated feelings.


    "You should decide what you want to do. You must get him out of this country at all costs. Don''t screw this up."


    "What do I do?" Chunlan asked with pain.


    "Make a choice. Make a deal with the devil." Tamara said.


    "A deal?"


    Tamara didn''t bother to explain, walking out of the room. Chunlan followed her, intending to ask more questions.


    "Have you found the person who is reincarnated like me?"


    "Not yet." Tamara said.


    "What about Mengqi? Do you know when she would wake up?"


    "Soon."


    Tang Chunlan: "....."


    Wasn''t this pretty goddess a little useless? She didn''t know anything, couldn''t even do anything!


    Tamara suddenly stopped. "We are here."


    Chunlan looked around. "What are we doing here?"


    "Its time for you to return."

 Chapter 40 - Cause.

    Tang Chunlan shook her head. "I want to know more about what they plan to do Jihai."


    Tamara made an exasperated sigh. "We don''t have much time! I intercepted your soul before the angel of death arrived. We need to get you back into your body before its gets here or Father will punish me."


    Chunlan wanted to argue but all words ceased in her mouth as she spotted an ominous shadow in the hall with black fumes surrounding it .


    Tamara''s eyes widened. "We need to go now." She waved her hands, making Chunlan disappear as she faded under the lights.


    The shadow finally approached her, gliding through the hall in fast speed that made her hair sway slightly. She felt her body stiffen when she felt the chill of death before her.


    The creature bowed his head. "Greetings, Goddess."


    Tamara raised her chin in a haughty manner. "What brings you here?"


    The creature made a screeching noise as its answered. "Work."


    Tamara knew it was annoyed as it never liked to socialize and was always busy. "Well, carry on."


    The creature bowed its head and continued to walk, searching for the soul that it was ?ssigned to pick up. It was a little confused as it was yet to see the soul it was looking for.


    Meanwhile, the doctors had just finished doing their rounds as they examined the patient, Chunlan. They meticulously checked her heartbeat, cleaned her wounds and wrapped them.


    The head doctor wiped the sweat on his forehead as he sighed. Ever since this patient was admitted into this hospital, the stench of danger and death had increased. Men who looked and surely killed like cold blooded ?ssassins were walking in the hospital, like it was their home!


    The highlight of the day was when the head of the six families, Tang Huizhong came into an exclusive board meeting and threatened to make the chairman of the hospital accompany his beloved daughter to the other world if she doesn''t wake up in three days!


    The doctors silently prayed from their lives since this was the third day. They kept staring at her unconscious body as if it could invoke life into her. The hard sounds of boots marching outside the door reminded them that once the clock strikes six in the evening, they would be meeting their ancestors.


    Finally, after much deliberation and inspection they decided to write a letter to their families since there was no progress. A female doctor had already broken down on the floor, crying loudly. She really didn''t want to die like this. She had just gotten a fiancee last month and she was really looking forward to her wedding.


    The leader''s hard eyes scanned the room before he said "Take them."


    The men grabbed the doctors who were screaming and shouting, some were even crying like babies out of the hospital and drove them to a secluded place.


    The doctors were asked to kneel as they saw their chairman arguing heatedly with a man.


    "Huizhong! What you are doing is a violation of basic human rights! You won''t escape retribution!" The chairman said with an air of righteous indignation.


    Huizhong scoffed. "You are only complaining because you think you are a human being. Allow me to correct that." He looked at a guard. "Smash his brain."


    The man paled.


    Haifeng who stood quietly behind her husband wished that she could stay in the car with her two daughters realizing that it was reaching a point of no return. Huizhong had always insisted that she accompanied him on these type of work, claiming that as the Madam of the Tang family her duty doesn''t lie on domestic activities only.


    She frowned as she felt the begging eyes of the doctors on her. Her soft heart wavered as she tagged her husband''s sleeves, earning his attention. "Huizhong, I am sure they tried their best. Some things are decided by fate, don''t overdo it." She whispered.


    Huizhong turned his stern eyes to reprimand her. "I don''t care. I don''t go back on my word. Let them just follow Lan''er to the other world so she won''t feel lonely, huh?"


    Haifeng closed her eyes tightly in guilt.


    "WAIT!"


    The voice reverberated across the room as Chunying ran into the room, her face frozen in shock as she saw the guns.


    Huizhong growled, making the guards hide the large guns behind their backs, a little anxious.


    "Ying''er, what is it? Didn''t I not say to wait in the car?" Haifeng scolded her.


    "Mom.........Jie Jie is awake."

 Chapter 41 - What?!

    Chunlan blinked her eyes as she finally woke up. Her body hurt but she was worried about the absence of light in her room. She tried to stand up gritting her teeth, ignoring the pain that spread through her body like a slow poison, hoping to locate the emergency bu??on for the nurse.


    "Chunlan just came out of danger. Don''t move so carelessly." A female tearful voice said.


    Chunlan turned to the sound, frowning. "Mum, please turn the lights on."


    Haifeng stopped sniffing, her body still as she looked at her daughter quizzically. "But the lights are on."


    Chunlan''s eyebrows furrowed. "I can''t see anything."


    Huizhong who was sitting on the couch quietly, froze. "What do you mean you can''t see anything?"


    A bolt of fear hit Chunlan as she finally came into realisation. " Mum, where are you?"


    "Right here beside you, Lan''er." Haifeng said.


    Chunlan lifted her hand and immediately put it down. Gritting her teeth, she tried lifting it again. As she lifted it in the air, she stretched out her forefinger touching air a far distance away from her mother''s position.


    A tear slipped out of her eye. "Mum, I think I am blind."


    "WHAT?!" Her parents were shocked.


    "What do I do?" Chunlan was very frightened with her new condition.


    "I will talk to the doctor. We will find a way." At all costs, Huizhong silently added.


    Chunlan felt reassured with her father''s response.


    Yeah, Dad will find a way.


    Two hours later.....


    "Her blindness is caused by corneal opacification which means loss of normal transparency of the cornea. It is caused by the inflammation of the cornea." The doctor paused. "I am sorry, the case is incurable."


    "NONSENSE!" Huizhong banged the table, scaring the doctor to silence.


    Haifeng grabbed the doctor''s hand in desperation, making her husband''s face turn dark. "Please save my daughter, do something!"


    The doctor''s heart sank in pity and regret as he looked at the woman then lowered his eyes. "Please forgive me."


    Huizhong finally grabbed his wife and left the room, dragging his hysterical wife to the hallway attracting the attention of passersby. "Stop struggling!"


    "Let me go! Huizhong, release me! Our daughter is now blind, what do we do? How are we going to save Lan''er?!" Haifeng broke down, sobbing.


    "I may have a way." He was relieved to see her stop struggling, getting her attention.


    "What is it?" At this point, Haifeng didn''t care if the method was legal or not, human or inhumane. She was open to all ideas, because all she wanted was to save her daughter.


    Chunlan was a girl with ambition and talent. She was the eldest, the heiress of the Tang family trained to lead the family to the pinnacle of success. Chunlan was strong and kind, beautiful and wise she didn''t deserve this kind of fate.


    "There are rumours about a young girl who is blessed with unparalleled medical skills. She normally travels a lot and is also skilled with stealth. Her name is Shen Ji."


    "Shen Ji?"


    "Give me time. I will find her and save out daughter." He said with determination. "Please go and comfort our daughter."


    Haifeng seemed to have calmed down and she nodded her head. "Okay."


    After seeing her walk away, he brought out his phone and dialed a number. "Call the secret guards immediately and issue a blue zone call across the world for a female physician called Shen Ji."


    After some while, he added. "You must find her at all cost. Whatever the price."


    Meanwhile, Chunlan stared at space even though she could not see anything. It was like being left in a dark room without knowing how the room looked.


    Was it now evening or was it just afternoon? How long did she have to stay like this? What did the doctor say about her condition? Why didn''t Tamara inform her about this new development before she woke up?


    She was scared. Very scared. She was so uncertain about the future, and she couldnt take preventive measures against the unknown. Was this also how Jihai felt?


    This must be her retribution. She was too selfish, when she cared only about her reputation and status not his feelings. She was too unkind when she criticized his shortcomings and failures secretly despising his poor background. She was too cruel, when she aborted his twins without an explanation, without his knowledge and consent.


    She closed her eyes and sighed.


    She couldnt control the tears that escaped her eyes or the pain in her ?h?st.


    Her babies, she gave up her babies for revenge! She didn''t deserve the second chance she had.


    Would he be happier if he was with a better girl, understanding and gentle?


    She sobbed.. "I don''t want to let him go."

 Chapter 42 - Different paths.

    Jihai was behind the door, looking for a chance to see Chunlan. He had come multiple times, but had been rejected ruthlessly by Chunlan.


    Does she blame me for the accident?


    He bit his lips harshly, until he felt his blood trickle down his chin. It was his fault, for not protecting her.


    His girlfriend was blind.


    If it was up to him, he would take her place in a heartbeat, in a second.


    Jihai, you are so useless.


    All his efforts was still not enough.


    His ?h?st felt constricted and his head was racked with pain. He coughed twice, covering his mouth with a handkerchief. As he tried to put it back in his pocket, he spotted blood on it.


    He still had not recovered, the doctors said so. But even though, the mere thought of seeing Chunlan in agony and confusion in the state she was in made it unbearable for him to sit still.


    He unconsciously straightened his body frame when he saw the door open. Huizhong stared at the visitor then his face darkened as he gave the intruder a vicious kick.


    Jihai''s strong figure was sent flying to the air, landing loudly on the ground. He ?r??n?d painfully, his shirt stained with blood.


    Huizhong stared at the figure who struggling to stand up. "I thought I had given you a warning."


    Jihai felt dizzy, feeling a little faint as he stood up. It was difficult to breath. "I want to see Chunlan."


    "Get lost!" Anger consumed Huizhong at the thought of his blind daughter. Since yesterday, she hadn''t stopped crying refusing to eat.


    "I just want to see her." Jihai repeated.


    "This is all your fault! I left my daughter in the hands of an irresponsible, uncouth pauper like you! This is all a scheme devised by you, decapitating my daughter to steal her wealth!"


    Jihai narrowed his eyes. "I have never had that kind of intention towards your daughter."


    "How do you intend to prove yourself?" A weak feeble voice said.


    Jihai turned to the source of the voice, his eyes widening. "Chunlan."


    "I find it too strange that I was the only one who ended as blind with sever injuries while you came with minor ones." Chunlan accused.


    "That was because you pushed-"


    "-yes, that was my fault. Now, my future is gone." Chunlan whispered.


    Jihai''s heart clenched in pain.


    Chunlan said. "Dad, please leave us alone. I will like to speak to Jihai alone."


    Huizhong wanted to protest but seeing the blank expression on his daughter''s face he sighed going back into the room.


    Chunlan didn''t dare take another step so she leaned on the wall, not seeing Jihai who was struggling to stand.


    She inhaled. "Jihai, I don''t like to beat around the bush. The Wen family has offered to help my father look for a cure on the condition of marriage alliance. I intend to agree."


    He froze. "What?"


    "What I am trying to say is let''s break up."


    "You are lying. Chunlan tell me you are lying to me." He shook his head on denial.


    "You are weak!" She shouted. "You couldn''t protect your own mother and now you couldn''t protect me! Look at me Jihai, I am blind!"


    Pain and anguish tore through his ?h?st, hearing her words. He stayed quiet in disbelief. Was this what she thought of him all along? She never....believed in him in the first place.


    He collapsed on the floor, feeling empty.


    She continued. "Maybe this world was not just for you. There is a reason fate put us in different social castes. You will never belong in my world and I in yours. I don''t want to ever experience this feeling of helplessness again, I want to be strong. You will only become a burden in time."


    She waited for him to say something but he remained quiet looking at her in shock. Unaware, she delivered the final blow. "So let''s depart and never see each other again. Goodbye, Jihai."


    Hearing that snapped him out of his dazed state. He ran and hugged her tightly. "Chunlan, its my fault. I am weak, I should have protected you." His voice cracked. "Forgive me. Don''t leave me. I will help you. I can fix this."


    Believe in me. Just this once.


    He brought out a piece of hair tied into a shape of a ribbon and placed in into her palm. "Look! This is our promise. We promised to be together forever. Don''t you remember?"


    Her heart pounded loudly as tears rolled down her cheeks. She struggled, loosing his hold and enabling her to throw the piece of hair away. "Get lost! We are done! Jihai from now, I Chunlan, don''t love you anymore. Our paths are no longer intertwined."


    She finally said.. "Don''t ever come near me again."

 Chapter 43 - The Strongest.

    Jihai continued to stare at the departing figure, his eyesight blurring and his heart aching.


    You are weak!


    Look at me Jihai, I am blind!


    You couldn''t even protect your own mother and now, you couldn''t protect me!


    He clutched his head in pain, unable to get rid of the voices that resounded in his head as they filled him suicidal thoughts.


    All his life, he has never asked for anything knowing everything must be achieved with determination and hard work. And so, he strived for Chunlan''s affection trying to cement his place in her heart.


    In her family.


    And in her life.


    His eyes became disoriented as he felt lightheaded.


    It is my fault. I deserve it.


    Chunlan took him into her home, gave him her friends and her heart yet he couldn''t even protect her. Recently, she even treated him nicely, more than she had ever done since they started dating.


    He was at fault.


    Unknown to him, a man dressed in black suit sat in the waiting lounge adjacent to his position smoking frivolously. His subordinate sighed helplessly at the stares and glares his boss was attracting yet he dared not say a word.


    That was the same as wishing for death.


    Rule no.3: Only speak when spoken to!


    "Ry¨­sei." He turned to hear his boss speak thoughtfully, flicking the end of his cigarette. "Tell me, what makes love so important to people?"


    Ry¨­sei clenched his hands anxiously behind his straight back, pondering on an answer. "I am unable to answer that, Master."


    "Call the doctor to his room. Tell him its urgent." His boss ordered, picking the boy and walking down the hall. Seeing his master walking in haste, he dared not slow down in his own pace running in the opposite direction.


    He only stopped when he arrived in front of a secretary, who was shocked at the sudden visit.


    "Get me the chairman." He ordered, rolling his sleeves to reveal a mark on his wrist effectively silencing the woman''s protests.


    The woman ran to the office shutting the door firmly. Ten seconds later, a man rushed out wiping his sweater with a white handkerchief.


    "Good day sir, we are very sorry to keep you waiting. May I ask......." He trailed.


    "My boss wants you in room 374. Bring your best doctors." Ry¨­sei said impatiently.


    "Oh...Of course! I will be there personally to supervise the situation." He laughed nervously and turned to look for his secretary when was still hiding his office. "Jing''er!"


    ************************************


    Chunlan finally managed to close the door and so she weakly fell on the floor.


    "Lan''er!" Haifeng rose in alarm to catch her daughter.


    Chunlan raised her hand, halting the incoming person. She was heartbroken and tired. She tried to contain the sobs spilling from her lips as she broke down.


    Haifeng and Huizhong looked at each other, their hearts aching. Huizhong cleared his throat and said gruffly "Enough! Lan''er, you are still weak and you still have the strength to cry over a boy?!"


    Haifeng chided him with fire in her eyes. "Huizhong!"


    He immediately conceded. "I am just doing this for her own good. She should be resting." He walked to his daughter. "Lan''er, I know you think I am being to harsh on that boy but he is not just fit for our world. Only the strongest survive and only then can they protect those they love."


    He sighed, helpless at her cries. "Stop crying, stop crying. One day, you will see everything was for your own good."


    Chunlan gripped her dress tightly. She hated herself for hurting him. She didn''t see the second ?ssassination attempt coming and she failed to stop it.


    Now she was paying the price. She steeled herself, saying it was better for them to separate than to see him dead.


    He must go to the UK at all cost.

 Chapter 44 - Father-in-law.

    "Congratulations, Mr. Wen. You have fully recovered and will soon be discharged if all goes well in the next tests. " The doctor hung his stethoscope around his neck, his eyes a mixture of doubt and shock as he scribbled something on his book. This patient must be blessed with extraordinary healing genes!


    Honglin leaned back on his bed, closing his eyes. "What about Miss Shen?"


    "There are still no improvements in her condition but there is no signs of deterioration either. No worry, sir."


    Honglin gripped the sheets as guilt entered his heart. If it wasn''t for Mengqi extending her body and shielding him, she wouldn''t have sustained this amount of injuries.


    That foolish girl....


    He sighed. "Thank you, Doctor."


    "It is my duty. I will be going now, please press the bu??on if you need anything." The doctor said.


    "Hmm."


    The doctor walked out of the room absent minded as he bumped into someone. He raised his head to apologize but instead gasped.


    A man with a scarred face and bulky shape twisted his face with annoyance. "Move."


    The doctor stuttered. "S-Sorry." But unfortunately he still couldn''t find the strength to move, staring at the man with a hideous face.


    The man sneered before he pushed the doctor away who couldn''t stabilize himself falling down on his bu??.


    He ?r??n?d before looking back to see the man enter a room, his vision blurry as his eyeglasses tilted in an awkward angle on his face. Sighing, he rearranged it before he picked his clipboard from the floor and stood up, walking in a fast pace.


    Rich people are so scary!


    "How are the preparations going?" Honglin''s face was grim with impatience.


    "Almost done, Sir. We are just waiting for the final phase." The man who just walked in stood at the door, afraid to come closer.


    Although everyone thought that his boss behaved in a gentle and approachable manner, the truth was that his boss detested anyone near his personal space. He was a ruthless and relentless man.


    "Give me a few days to recover. Then we can begin the next phase. Anything else?"


    The man paused before saying. "The Shen family had a brutal stock war with VK over the loss of 1.7 billion yuan invested in the Tang hotels."


    "Invest in their latest jewellery collection. Also block all VK connections in this city. But remember, do all of this secretly." He warned.


    "Yes, sir." The man exited the room not wasting any time.


    Unable to sleep, he walked out of the room and entered another room. His eyes swept over the room, landing on the only male sitting on the couch. "Uncle."


    "Honglin." Huizhong sat on the couch in a regal manner, his hands holding a stack of papers. "Why are you still awake at this hour?"


    "I couldn''t sleep." He eyed the two women on the hospital bed, wrapped under the blankets. "How is she doing?"


    Huizhong looked at his wife and his daughter entangled in an embrace, his heart clenching. "Walk with me." He got up.


    Honglin accompanied the man, walking in the hospital garden. They finally stopped, looking at the bright auspicious moon each in their own thoughts.


    Huizhong spoke first. "Honglin, do you know how many years of friendship our families have?"


    "Twenty-five years." Honglin replied. It was impossible not to know, since his father had drummed into him at an early age the importance of maintaining the friendship with Chunlan.


    Huizhong''s eyes sparkled with surprise and satisfaction. "Twenty-five years has gone so quickly in the blink of an eye. As the oldest and wealthiest of them all, it was my duty to protect and look after them at all cost. I have never regretted it nor will I."


    Huizhong walked further with his hands clasped behind his back , leaving Honglin rooted in the spot. He continued to talk. "But I was able to secure my throne because of my ruthlessness and possessiveness. Which unfortunately my Lan''er does not have. She inherited the sweeter and softer side of her mother."


    He turned around. "But you do. I have watched you grow up and I know you can sit on top of the business world if you wish. My Lan''er is meant to be living in ease, protected from the harsh side of power. You two will make a good pair."


    Honglin lowered his eyes. "But she likes someone else."


    "I know. Though I have never hated Jihai, I don''t think he is the best choice for my daughter. He is not ambitious nor strong enough to protect her." He shook his head in disappointment.


    Honglin tried to keep a neutral expression though he was very happy at the moment. He had already gained her father''s approval, so the rest should be easy.


    Huizhong patted his shoulder. "I know you liked Lan''er. When she recovers, I will look for an opportunity to suggest the engagement between the both of you."


    Honglin bowed, concealing his smile.. "Thank you, Father-in-law."

 Chapter 45 - It is my p???sur?.

    "How is he?" Ry¨­sei asked the leader of the group of doctors standing in a corner after a series of meticulous examinations.


    "He is still weak and suffers from hemophilia so he will need a blood transfusion. Also he lacks sufficient nutrients in his body and will be strictly monitored for now." The doctor slowly let go of his breath when he saw the man sitting beside the patient nod thoughtfully.


    "No need to look for blood donors. Take mine instead." The man said.


    "Okay, sir. We will take our leave." The doctor tried to be strong but he knew that everyone could hear his heart beating out of his ?h?st.


    Ever since this set of patients had been admitted into this hospital, it had only opened the doors of fear and pandemonium to everyone here. Scary and dangerous men entered in and out hospital like they were protecting the Mafia King. Not too long ago, even their dear chairman was kidnapped!


    He was slightly worried seeing the powerful families lodging here. He was worried about the other patients who could be casualties if a war broke out. The men were pleaded with to conceal their weapons but it didn''t stop the aura of death that followed them when they marched down the hall.


    "Go." That single word sent a shiver down his spine, spurring him into action as he and the other doctors left the room in a rush.


    After the men left, Ry¨­sei walked to his master''s side. His boss was staring at Jihai, ?ssessing the boy in deep thoughts.


    "Have you found anything?"


    Ry¨­sei answered perfunctorily. "We have investigated everything. We caught the men responsible and sent them to Black Coin. They were sent by Wen Honglin."


    The man lifted an eyebrow. "Wen Honglin?"


    "The Wen family has always been in charge of the law sector of the country. Even the Minister of Justice has give them face. They control every legal action in this country. They cannot be underestimated."


    "I see." The man stroked his black beard.


    "Master, what should we do?"


    The man smiled before he turned to face his subordinate. "We came here just to retrieve him and that has been accomplished already." He raised his hand when he saw Ry¨­sei about to protest. "However that doesn''t mean we should let this slide. Come closer, let me tell you how to proceed."


    After a while, Ry¨­sei stepped back only to nod. "I understand, Master."


    He turned his head sharply to the door, his eyes turning cold when he sensed an unwanted presence around him . "Come in!"


    The place turned silent until a young woman dressed in a white lab coat entered the room, her eyes widening at the two strangers in the room. "H-Hello, I am here to see Jihai."


    Ry¨­sei glared at the woman who was eavesdropping at their conversation. "Who are you?"


    "I am Jihai''s friend, Menxiang. I work here so I heard what happened to him." She said warily.


    Her sixth sense told her that the two men weren''t ordinary men. She ran here immediately she heard that some unknown men made a visit to Jihai.


    She was still wondering if she call the police but she tried to keep a calm expression. Growing up in a wealthy families, she had seen her own share of people in life so she could instinctively recognize this men as dangerous men.


    The man sitting on the bed smiled, gesturing her to a chair. Keeping her guard up, she walked to the chair and sat down staring at the man.


    The man seemed not to be daunted by the cautious look the girl had and continued to smile. "Its so nice to see one of Jihai''s friends."


    "Who are you?" She decided to be straightforward, shifting her eyes to the man beside him since she had never seen them with Jihai before.


    Ry¨­sei kept a straight face though he felt his heart skip. It was a reckless move, he chided his boss silently to reveal themselves so quickly without


    proper deliberation.


    If their enemies found out.....


    Ry¨­sei closed his eyes in dismay, quietly counting the bullets in his gun when he heard his boss speak. "We were just passing by when we saw him faint in the hallway so we brought him here."


    Menxiang seemed to visibly relax, a smile breaking through her lips as she held her hand out to shake. "Thank you so much for what you did. I have so busy, so I didn''t have time to visit. Fortunately you found him." She explained.


    The man took her hand in his own gently, making him look like an harmless elder. "No need. It is good to always give help when it is needed. It is my p???sur?."


    Ry¨­sei cringed inwardly.

 Chapter 46 - Cannot be Offended.

    Menxiang''s good impression of him increased further as she beamed at the man, feeling extremely grateful to him for his help.


    I have misunderstood him.


    She turned to Ry¨­sei and asked as she retrieved her hand. "May I have the honour of knowing this big brother''s name?"


    Ry¨­sei choked.


    His boss'' eyes flashed with dissatisfaction as he glared at his subordinate. "My name is Wang Zhong and this is my nephew, Fei Hong."


    Ry¨­sei''s eyes widened in shock as he felt a cold chill run down his spine, watching his boss looking at him in doting manner of an elder.


    Nephew? Boss, this title is too heavy!


    Menxiang nodded, trying to file their names in her mind. "Mr Wang, Jihai is an important friend of mine. Allow me to reward you to show my sincerity."


    Ry¨­sei''s eyes narrowed in irritation as he shouted. "How dare you!"


    Menxiang shrank back, clearly frightened as she looked at the man who waved his hand, standing up. "Enough, Fei Hong. Miss Su, it is enough that he is alive no need to make things so complicated. Please take care of him."


    Menxiang shook her head in a daze, still a little frightened about the earlier outburst. "Okay. I won''t see you out."


    "Hmm."


    The men walked out of the hospital, Ry¨­sei walking behind his boss like a scared kitten as he watched his boss change from a kind elder to a vicious villain.


    They waited until a black car arrived in front of them. A woman stepped out dressed in a black suit as she shifted aside, respectfully greeting. "Master."


    The man didn''t reply, entering the car as he sat on the back seat closing his eyes feeling the car move. After a while he called out. "Hisako, what about the task I ?ssigned to you?"


    The woman who was driving the car looked at her master through the rear mirror answered. "It has been done. It will be revealed tomorrow in the press."


    "What about that woman? Have you found her?"


    Both subordinates looked at each other, a silent message passing between them. "Not yet, Sir."


    The man sighed. "She was always good at hiding. Make sure you find her, otherwise Jihai won''t believe anything I say."


    They chorused. "Yes, Master."


    "It is good to see that he has such good friends. Ry¨­sei, you were too harsh."


    Ry¨­sei gulped at his master''s cold tone. "But, I just couldn''t let her insult Master like that!"


    Hisako shook her head.


    "She is naive, but kind to Jihai. Don''t be rash next time." His master opened his eyes, staring straight at Ry¨­sei.


    Ry¨­sei unable to withstand the overbearing aura quickly lowered his head. "Yes, Master."


    The overbearing aura disappeared, leaving a tranquil atmosphere. The man smiled with a distant and crazy light in his eyes. "Let''s go to Black Coin. I have something to do."


    The next day, Honglin coughed until he saw a red stain of blood on his white handkerchief. He felt that his ?h?st would burst from the amount of rage he was feeling right now. He glared at his men. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"


    The leader who had visited him the other day swallowed slightly, trying to his fear. Any emotion like that would only leave them in dire straits. " It was unexpected, someone attacked the secret headquarters and killed more than fifty of our men and dumped their headless bodies in front of the Wen mansion with a note saying saying ''First warning''. The news is all over the country."


    Honglin clenched his fists. Normal people won''t be able to recognize the bodies. They have always lived with a clean, untainted reputation but this will give their enemies something to attack them with.


    "How is my family doing?" His grandmother and mother must be shocked with this news.


    "Your father gave a press release saying it was normal to receive this types of threats as they were dedicated to preserving justice. He claimed that it was mostly likely from an unknown enemy." He recited.


    "Have you found out who did this?" He questioned.


    "Not yet. The men were skilled and efficient. They must be a very powerful underground faction, it is best not to offend them." The leader advised.


    Wen Honglin threw his porcelain mug at the leader which landed accurately at the target hitting him on his head and breaking into pieces.


    "I didn''t know that that my men were a bunch of cowards.... If you fail to find the person who did this, then forget about keeping your lives." Honglin''s low voice carried an ability to invoke fear and trepidation.


    The leader who now had a bloodied face still bowed, waking the other men from their dazed state. "Yes, Sir."


    "GET OUT!" He roared.


    The men left the room hastily, leaving him to his thoughts. Who was this person, he wondered that was bold enough to offend him and his family. It was either the person was too foolish and was just asking for death or this person was not afraid of him and was more powerful than him.


    Impossible.


    His family was the true rulers of the country, who could bend the constitution itself, to their liking. Though they were not the richest, they were also formidable in their own right.


    "Young Master, we have another bad news...." A man poked his head through the door.

 Chapter 47 - What really happened?

    Chunlan gasped, listening to Menxiang who was sharing her bed, lying down with a solemn expression. "Is it true?"


    "I am telling the truth! I heard that Wen Tianxiang, Honglin''s father accepted bribe from Romania in the Annual Crust Auction. We lost so many materials last month! The President was so furious, he had Wen Tianxiang thrown in prison!" Menxiang said.


    Chunlan shook her head. This didn''t happen in her past life. Wen Tianxiang is this country''s Minister of Justice, if anything happens to him, the Wen family will suffer a huge blow. Who is so audacious to go against the mighty Wen family?


    Chunlan froze. "Could it be that man has finally come?"


    "Who?" Menxiang was perplexed.


    "No one important. Is there anything else?"


    "Oh....Someone came to visit Jihai in the hospital..I think his name is...Wang Zhong!" Menxiang smiled. "He is Jihai''s savior. He found Jihai unconscious and called a doctor."


    "Wang Zhong?" Chunlan''s eyebrows furrowed at the unfamiliar name. Could it be that person?


    So frustrating! None of this happened in my past life.


    "How is he?"


    "Still unconscious and heavily injured." Menxiang sighed. "I heard you broke up with him."


    Chunlan lowered her eyes.


    "Chunlan, what exactly is going on? Did Jihai cheat on you?" Menxiang shook her head. "No...that''s impossible, he loves you so much! What happened, Lan''er?"


    Chunlan smiled emotionlessly. "I just don''t love him anymore."


    "Lan''er, I......"


    "Enough. Menxiang, I feel so tired now. I want to sleep."


    Menxiang sighed at her friend''s ugly expression. She looked as if she was b?r?ly holding it together.


    She thought. She already has enough problems, I shouldn''t add to it.


    "Alright. I will let you rest." She got off the bed, ?ssisting her friend and covering her with a blanket.


    As she walked out of the room, she spotted a guy in a peach coloured suit sitting on a bench with a tablet. She quickly hid in the room, shutting the door when she saw him raise his head.


    Chunlan turned her head to the source of the sound. "Who is there? Menxiang?"


    Menxiang felt her heart pound loudly, her palms sweating nervously. "Why is he here?"


    "Who?" Chunlan asked confused.


    "MO BINGWEN!"


    Selfish, spoilt heiress he cursed. He was so angry with the way she dumped him without a second thought. Hopefully, her friend, Menxiang wasn''t like that.


    He knew she had come here to see her friend so he was waiting outside the room. He tapped furiously at his tablet, engrossed in his work.


    His sixth sense alerted him of an unwanted presence, making him raise his head to see a pair of hazel brown eyes stare at him before they widened retreating back into the room.


    He smiled, amused at the childish act. He got up and hid in a corner, watching the door. Five minutes later, Menxiang stuck here head out of the door, looking left and right. After a while, she came out of the room releasing a relieved sigh.


    "BOO!" A voice boomed behind her, scaring her with a high pitched shriek and making her loose her footing as she tried to turn around.


    Mingwen caught her before she fell, his arms wrapping her waist securing her as she was in a slanted position, her face a mixture of fear and shock.


    He took his time to admire her pretty features, his eyes finally landing on her pink lips. Surely, this should be the right time to end the romantic scene with a kiss, he thought.


    As he closed his eyes, his lips pursing he failed to see the girl snap out of the shock replaced by anger.


    "You jerk!" She pushed him away with a strong force, making him fall on the floor with a thud.


    "Why did you scare me like that?" She glared angrily at the man on the floor.


    "Because you refused to come out." His eyes lowered on the floor made him look like a mistreated child.


    Her eyes strayed to the broken tablet on the floor and her heart wavered. She knew how important electronics were to Mingwen so she stretched her hand out to help him.


    His lips that was pouting suddenly curved into a smile as he grabbed her fair dainty hand. With a little hard tug, she was propelled forward, landing squarely on his hard ?h?st.


    Both of them were breathing heavily, looking into each other''s eyes. Her face was flushed, her heart beating erratically as her palms rested on his shoulders.


    Why did she always end up into this kind of scenes?


    Meanwhile, Mingwen was highly pleased with himself for what he had done. It seems like what Cai Longwei said was true.


    Cai Longwei: Always make her flustered. Always keep her heart racing for you!


    He decided to hit the iron when it is hot as he wrapped her lush waist, mending their bodies tightly. He lifted his head to kiss her....


    "What is going on here?!" A enraged male voice said.

 Chapter 48 - The fear of being rejected.

    Su Menxiang''s eyes widened as she looked up at the male figure forgetting she was on top of a another male body.


    "He Yuhan!" She gasped, quickly standing up.


    The male doctor looked at her coldly before he glanced at the person beside her. "Who is he?"


    Su Menxiang struggled to explain, her mouth opening and closing as she pointed in between the two men, tongue tied.


    Mo Bingwen''s face darkened when he saw what was going on. He gripped her hands tightly as he commanded. "Speak properly."


    He Yuhan coldly sneered when he saw the scene. "Release her now."


    Su Menxiang noticed the chilling atmosphere had attracted a lot of attention from the nurses in the background. She grabbed one of the men and said "Brother He, this is all a misunderstanding. He is my fiance, Mo Bingwen."


    He Yuhan kept a calm facade though he was surprised at the shocking revelation. The He family has always had a close connection with the Su family after the golden relationship with the Tang family. The He family were masters in the world of medical research which developed a close affinity between the two families.


    The He family had just finished buying the betrothal gifts for the Su family, hoping to pick an auspicious date to meet them but it seemed like that had changed.


    He finally took a closer look at the man as a realization dawned on him. "Mo Bingwen?" He was from the genius Mo family?


    Mo Bingwen didn''t even spare the man a glance, his hand wrapped around her waist and the other holding his tablet.


    He Yuhan glared at Menxiang as he saw her blushing cheeks, her hands fighting to remove the ones on her waist. "Menxiang, aren''t you not supposed to be working? Don''t you know we have a lot of patients who need our help? Have you forgotten the oath you took?"


    She hung her head low as she said. "Brother He, I now know my wrongs."


    Bingwen scoffed, a little disappointed and a little angry at the scene before him. He finally looked at the man. "Then what are you doing here, holding that plastic bag?"


    He Yuhan was flustered, his hand shaking as he held the bag of food. He had been worried that she would be hungry after working long hours but she was here instead, dilly dallying with a man. He suddenly felt embarrassed.


    Mo Bingwen walked away, not sparing his fiancee a glance. Su Menxiang tried to grab his sleeve but watched it slip past her fingers. Scared, she walked forward to catch up with him when she heard He Yuhan call her. "Menxiang, we have patients to treat."


    She stopped, halfway to the entrance. After a while, she sighed turning to face her senior. "Alright. Let''s go."


    After four days, Honglin stood in front of a full length mirror bu??oning his shirt sleeve. He had just been given the permission to be discharged and he was glad to be leaving.


    Only then can the final phase of the plan be completed.


    He was just smoothening his hair when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in."


    A girl entered inside, her hands stretched in front of her feeling and touching space. As he spotted her through the mirror, he turned and came to her immediately and grabbed her hand.


    The girl turned her head to her side upon the contact. "Lin-ge?"


    He smiled, seeing her confused face. "Chunlan."


    She smiled,wrapping her small hands with his. "Help me sit down."


    He wrapped his other hand around her waist, helping her sit down. Her eyes seemed to focus on a certain place but couldn''t see anything. She placed her hand on her ??p but her mind was filled with curiosity and uncertainty mixed with a certain fear.


    He sat down beside her. "What are you doing here?"


    She turned her head to the source of the voice. "I heard you were discharged so I came early to catch you before you leave. Are you sure you have recovered?"


    "I am well. But you should be resting." His fingers still tingled, as he remembered the feeling of holding her hand. Ever since she started dating Jihai, she didn''t hold his hand anymore.


    "I heard that we are getting engaged. My father told me about the proposal your family made between us." She said.


    He looked away. He had sent men to find scout for prominent doctors all over the world before he made his father give the proposal.


    "Was this your idea?" She asked.


    "Yes, it was my idea." He could never lie to her.


    "Is there something you want to tell me?" She waited for his explanation, calmly.


    "I am sure you already know about my feelings towards you." He replied.


    She smiled. They were really one of a kind. At least Jihai was humble enough to confess his love for her and he had loved her dearly. " I know."


    He leaned back on the chair comfortably, crossing his legs. "Then you would see that it is what is best for us, for our two families. Don''t you agree?"


    "No, I don''t." His body tensed when he heard her reply.


    "Why?"


    "Because you haven''t confessed to me." She retorted.


    He fell quiet, his mind running through different motions and different thoughts. Chunlan smiled inwardly, as she knew the reason why he was adamant on not directly confessing his feelings.


    Wen Honglin had a deep hidden fear.

 Chapter 49 - I miss my home.

    He still remained quiet, his fingers playing with his wristwatch. Chunlan''s voice finally brought him out of his deep unknown thoughts. "Since you don''t have anything to say, I will going now. Please forgive me for being unable to accept this proposal."


    Panic coursed through his veins as he unknowingly blurted the words she wanted to hear. "Chunlan, I like you."


    She paused, her back hiding her smile. "Really?"


    He nodded slowly, enchanted by her soft voice. "I have always like you since we were children. I have always wanted you to be happy and I want to be the one to make you happy. I know you don''t love me but its okay, I have enough love to last for both of us. I just want a chance, Chunlan. Just a chance."


    Chunlan''s hand trembled but she said nothing. She started walking till she felt her outstretched hands touch the door and opened it. Honglin''s heart sank.


    She cleared her throat. "So when do you want the engagement party to be set?"


    He failed to process the words coming out of her mouth, clearly stunned as his lips parted. Does this mean that she has accepted him?


    "Honglin." She called out, not hearing anything around her. "Are you still here?"


    "I am here. As for your question, it all depends on you." He gazed at her, trying to study her, looking for hints of deceit.


    "Okay. Well, I have to go. See you later." She walked out of the room, closing the door quietly. Honglin stood up, looking out of the window his hands tucked in his pockets.


    Was she being serious? Did she really want to marry me? Is she that desperate to see again?


    He picked up his black suit and wore it, his long fingers working on the bu??ons. He shook his head as he turned and opened the door.


    The man who he had thrown his mug at, had his head wrapped in bandages but still stood straight not daring to slack. "Sir, we are ready."


    "Lets go."


    Ry¨­sei stood in front of the guards in front of Jihai''s hospital room, hearing their oral reports of the day. As he listened, he felt a headache coming. It seemed like in order to protect Jihai, they had offended quite a lot of people. At the end, he could only say "Well done. Continue the good job." Bringing relief to the tense faces of the Japanese guards.


    But he couldn''t stop worrying that in time, it will bring more attention from unwanted people unknowingly hurting the innocents. Not that he cared, but he was concerned about Jihai''s reputation.


    So he started reminding them. " Remember that first comes courtesy, then persuasion, then brutality...."


    A soft body suddenly collided into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Brother Fei!"


    Ry¨­sei: "?"


    The guards: "?"


    One of the guards eyed the girl and looked at his leader. "Leader Ry¨­, who is she?"


    Su Menxiang''s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she turned to face Ry¨­sei, her hands still on his body. "What did he say?"


    Ry¨­sei glared at the man when he finally understood that the guard had spoken in Japanese. They had come under the alias of Chinese bodyguards so they could blend in. Luckily, she didn''t understand it or they would have been exposed.


    He finally pried her off his body and pushed her at a far distance, ignoring her pouting face. "What are you doing here?"


    She bent her head dejectedly. "I was hoping to invite you for dinner. In the hospital cafeteria. If you don''t mind. I just wanted to thank you for helping Jihai. That''s all. I was looking for your uncle but......"


    Ry¨­sei felt his head shrink from her excessive blabbering. She was still talking, her eyes downcast as she looked at her shoes.


    From his peripheral vision, he could see the guards snickering. He could just imagine what they were thinking.


    "I''ll go." He was already slightly exasperated but the woman''s face lit up like the sun. He suddenly wanted to go home.


    I miss Japan. He wailed silently while keeping a stoic appearance.


    Menxiang grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers together while giving a bright smile.


    Ry¨­sei''s eyes furrowed when he motives his heart stir at the sight.


    He thought.... What is happening to me?

 Chapter 50 - Welcome, Brother.

    After eating, Menxiang suggested they take a walk out of the hospital to help digest the food they eat. Not that he ate much. Just enough to accompany her.


    As they walked, the soft cool air made her shiver her eyes wandering to the bustling streets and crowded sidewalks. She was curious, very curious about his man in a black suit with a menacing aura chasing people away with his stoic face.


    She had tried to ask him questions about himself but he seemed evasive, answering some and ignoring the rest as if she had never spoken. She felt bad for dragging him around but she was avoiding He Yuhan ever since she found out that they were planning to propose a marriage alliance to her family.


    Mo Bingwen was so angry with her, not that she could blame him. He was always good to her but she was always letting him down. She didn''t want to rub salt to his injury by interacting with He Yuhan any further.


    She looked up when she felt a coat land on her shoulders, instantly warming her up. "Thank you."


    Ry¨­sei replied. "We should get going now." He was feeling uneasy, letting Jihai out of his sight.


    "Okay." They turned around, retracing their steps back to the hospital when they heard a gunshot fired from the building in front of them. Menxiang screamed from shock before she bent down, covering her ears.


    Ry¨­sei turned to her, holding her shoulders. "Stay here. Don''t go in the building." He took out his gun, checking the bullets inside then ran inside the building.


    The whole hospital was in a pandemonium, doctors and nurses running out of the hospital while some patients ran into their rooms, locking the doors. At a distance, someone hid behind the reception desk, trying to call the police. He ran past the elevators, taking the stairs until he reached the fourth floor.


    A battle had begun, two teams of heavily armed men shooting at each other. Some had engaged in knife fights, punching and kicking each other.


    The man in front of him, clearly the enemy aimed his gun at one of his guards who was busy fighting. Quickly, he took his gun which was modified into a silencer and shot him.


    As he passed the fallen guard, moving forward, he grabbed a knife from his boot and threw it at another guard .It pierced his carotid artery, making him wail.


    Ry¨­sei moved with sharp precision and deadly intent, his eyes cold as he took down the enemy guards one by one.


    He moved like a shadow, appearing behind another guard, his fingers arched like a hawk''s claw and clenched his throat. With increased strength, he snapped his neck like a twig.


    Soon, the whole place was quiet with a heavy smell of blood in the air. Ryosei looked unfazed, not a thread out of place and glanced at the dead guards who had nothing but a bottle of poison each in their possession. "Clean this up."


    He entered the room to check on Jihai, accompanied by a guard. He was surprised to see him on the hospital bed, unconscious. "What happened?"


    The guard looked uneasy. "We had to knock him out to ensure his safety."


    Ry¨­sei patted his shoulder after seeing his anxious expression. This was the most elite squad of their organization entrusted to protect Jihai and all of them knew the truth. "Its okay."


    His attention shifted to the phone in his pocket vibrating. He sent the guard away and checked to make sure Jihai was still unconscious before he picked up the call. "Hello?"


    A female voice spoke, full of anxiety. "Ry¨­, what happened? Is Jihai okay?"


    "He is okay. Someone sent suicide ?ssassins here. We couldn''t find out their identity." He said, his voice sounded bored, as if he was talking about the weather.


    "No need. We already know who is behind this. Get him out of there." She said the last sentence with urgency accompanied with the harsh sound of a bullet being fired.


    Ry¨­sei flinched, his body frozen with a familiar sense of fear.


    Master must be angry again.


    "Give me ten minutes." He cut the call abruptly and went out of the room.


    The same guard he was talking to earlier was standing outside but approached him and said "Sir, Team B has arrived."


    He nodded. "Get the car ready. We are leaving."


    The guard left in a hurry leaving Ry¨­sei who went back into the room to carry Jihai. He warned the guards to be careful when he saw him groaning lightly in pain.


    Team B which was left behind came camouflaged in police uniforms, taking reports and secretly disposing of any undiscovered evidence left behind.


    Some men who looked harmless even helped comfort the victims.


    After an hour, they left the building splitting into two groups. One of the cars which had Ry¨­sei and Jihai left to report the success back into the headquarters while the other car drove on until they reached the police station.


    When they arrived, one of the men steeped out of the car entering the station brazenly reaching an office. Two policemen were being scolded in the room, their legs quavering in front of their superior.


    The superior sat in his chair, looking at them with disdain prepared to give them another tongue lashing paused when he saw the new visitor. "Get out." He growled.


    "Yes, Deputy Commander!" They ran out of the office.


    He smiled and took the documents, keeping them in a drawer.


    He said in Japanese."Welcome, Brother."

 Chapter 51 - Before it ends me.

    Chunlan was in her own room, sitting on the bed covered in darkness. She hugged her knees, holding a table lamp waiting for intruders.


    She was woken up by the gunshots and loud screams in the hospital. Her guards who were outside the room advised her to stay quietly when she wanted to check on Jihai.


    The leader of the Tang guards personally entered the room after giving orders to some men to check the situation. Chunlan turned to the door, tightly holding the lamp. "Who is there?"


    "Its me, First Young Mistress." He walked to the bed, stopping in front of her.


    She visibly relaxed when she recognized his voice. "Whats going on?"


    "A shooting took place in the hospital. There were some injured bystanders but they are okay."


    She frowned. "What about Menxiang? Is Jihai safe?"


    The guard kept his voice even, but did not hide his facial expression of disgust at the mention of Jihai. "Miss Su was not in the building when the shooting took place. Mr Bai should be in his room."


    Chunlan felt uneasy all of a sudden. Jihai was all alone, not being protected by any guards, is it not possible that he was in danger? Although a lot of wealthy elites are being admitted in this hospital, she had a gut feeling he was the target this time. "Go and check on him."


    The guard fell silent.


    "I want to just make sure he is alright. Please make sure he is okay." She pulled the leader''s sleeve frantically, her body trembling.


    The guard looked helpless and his hand touched hers comforting them. "Okay, but you must not come out of the room." He warned.


    She nodded obediently but prayed fervently. She knew he wasn''t going to die but she wanted her husband to stay alive in one piece. She felt useless, unable to do anything but wait anxiously.


    She knew Honglin was behind the shooting today. She thought that if she was able to pacify him, he would let Jihai go. It seemed she was wrong. She just hoped that Menxiang was okay too.


    She heard the door open and gripped the lamp tightly, lifting it in the air.


    A guard who entered inside the room said."We couldn''t find Jihai in the room, First Mistress."


    She tensed. "He is missing?"


    "It seems so. We have searched the whole hospital and we suspect he was abducted."


    She jumped off the bed, her foot carelessly landing on a nail making her yelp. The guard rushed who saw everything forward to hold her, making her sit on the bed. "First Mistress, please calm down."


    Her mind numbed the pain spreading through her leg, her heart in turmoil. "Call my father."


    The guard who was inspecting her leg meticulously: "??"


    She raised her voice, her temper flaring. "Are you deaf? Call my father!"


    The man quickly called his leader and relayed the order. The leader frowned but still made the call. "Boss."


    "What is it?" Tang Huizhong''s voice boomed through the phone.


    "First Mistress wants to speak to you."


    "Give the phone to her." He instructed.


    The leader passed the phone, making sure to place the phone in her hands. She held the phone to her ears, sniffing "Papa...."


    Tang Huizhong froze, putting a pair of pliers on the iron table in front of him leaving an unknown man in the background who was tied to a chair screaming and kicking wildly. The pungent smell of piss and blood filled the air as the man''s fingers were shaking, his cuticles missing.


    Huizhong glared at the man before he turned his attention back to his call. "What is it, princess?"


    "Jihai is missing....."


    Tang Huizhong wanted to roll his eyes and pull his hair at his daughter''s stubborn love obsession. But she only called his papa on two occasions.....


    .....when she was extremely happy.....


    .....or extremely scared.


    He sighed. " I will see what I can do. Leave it to me."


    "Thank you." Chunlan ended it promptly, giving it back to the owner.


    The men took their leave, turned on the lights and shut the door. As they walked away, the guard scratched his head puzzled as he called his captain. "Brother Yin Tao, there is still something I don''t understand."


    Yin Tao continued to walk, not sparing him a glance. "Speak."


    "How did the police arrive so fast? And why did it seem that instead of investigating the crime scene, it looked like they were trying to conceal it?"


    Yin Tao stopped in his tracks, his mind coming to another realization. "Someone must be pulling the strings here."


    The police truly didn''t carry anything except the dead bodies. By the time they left, the place was cleaned spotless. It was normal for different fractions to be able to control the police. But this hospital was famous and this kind of scandal would definitely reach the cables so who was brazen enough to pull this kind of stunt?


    This people are not to be trifled with...


    "Increase security on First Young Mistress. Make sure to only allow doctors we send to treat her." He walked away.


    A man stood, hiding in a corner wearing a baseball cap concealing his scarred face. He watched them walk away before taking his phone out. "Boss don''t worry, Miss Tang and Miss Su are safe. But Jihai is not here. Someone else took him away."


    "Who?"


    "We don''t know. But I just found out that Jihai was being protected by some anonymous guards while he was in the hospital. They killed all our men and the police arrived, taking the evidence away."


    "Police? The ones we sent?"


    "No....Boss. Another group of police took the bodies away."


    "What?!"


    "Don''t worry, Boss. They carry nothing but a bottle of poison each." The man tried to pacify his boss.


    "You stupid fool! What we can''t hide is the tattoo they bear on their lower backs! What if the police find out about this?" His voice was not loud, but low enough to cause dread in his subordinate''s body.


    The man dared not utter another word of protest, rubbing his eyes tiredly.


    "You better find out who took those bodies or I will end you before it ends me." Wen Honglin snapped.

 Chapter 52 - Lower your pride, Mr Wen.

    Wen Honglin cut the call before his subordinate could respond to his warning, leaning back on his chair. For some reason, he suddenly stood up and swiped his hands across the table, throwing things from the table on the floor.


    His secretary rushed in with a puzzled expression, looking at the mess on the floor. "Sir?"


    He growled at the sight of the unwanted figure, finally banging his table with a loud thud. "GET OUT!"


    The secretary jumped out of fright, her instincts kicking in as she bolted out of the room in a flash. Unfortunately, the documents she carried was also dropped on the floor with a loud thud reverberating across the cold quiet office.


    Honglin was awakened with the sound, finally coming to his senses and aware that he just lost control of his emotions. He exhaled and smoothened his purple suit, grabbing his car keys before he left the office.


    He drove aimlessly around the city for a while before he noticed a car following him. As he looked through the rear view mirror, he saw the black car had disappeared. Just to be safe, he left the lonely road to enter a busier one.


    Satisfied, he continued to drive until he reached an intersection where cars had also stopped. After a while, the red traffic light had changed to green so he started his car but he realised that the car in front of him had not moved!


    Impatient, he began to horn but the car still didn''t move. He immediately became cautious and locked the car trying to steer it to another lane. But he discovered that he couldn''t move no matter what he did. What he didn''t know was that his car was already attached to a hook to the car in front of him!


    Another car had come behind him hitting his car with a force that had him hit his steering wheel. One look at the rear view mirror told him that that another black car had come after him. It had also attached his car with a hook.


    Slowly, both cars started to move forward, the one in the front dragging him and the one in the back pushing him. Opening his center console, he brought out a silver pistol and opened his car door. Ignoring the car''s momentum, he jumped out of the car and rolled on the asphalt road.


    He did not look back but ran across the street. The two cars stopped moving but no one had come out of the cars. Honglin avoided the alleys and continued running, occasionally stopping cars. He finally stopped, catching his breath behind some shops.


    He froze and raised his gun when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. The man twisted his hand that held his gun in an awkward angle until he could no longer hold it, letting it fall on the floor.


    He spun around and threw a punch at his attacker. Seeing him dodge, he raised his leg to deliver a kick at the man''s stomach making him grunt. The man was lean and pale with a trail of blood on the corner of his thin lips.


    "Enough." The man said before he used his elbow to hit Honglin''s face then slammed him on the floor, giving lethal kicks to his body making him groan. Two men ran to him, panting and exhausted.


    "We are sorry, sir. We lost him." They reported, unaware of the body on the floor. One of them finally saw him and stood upright.


    "Carry him." The leader said indifferently, not looking at his men dragging Honglin''s body across the floor to one of the car.


    He heard the door open and saw two figures enter the room. They stood in front of him in silence, and he dropped his head in pain.


    The man sat on a chair and brought out a cigarette, lighting it before bringing it to his lips. The woman by his side furrowed her eyes but did not say anything. After a few puffs, he said "Begin."


    She bowed her head then a stepped forward. The only light in the room sparkled on the table which contained multiple torture weapons. She picked up a metal ring that encircled her four fingers modifying it into claws.


    Honglin heard the approaching footsteps and raised his head. "What do you want? You won''t get any ransom."


    She smiled, stepping into the light. "I don''t want any ransom. This isn''t about ransom, its punishment."


    Honglin ?r??n?d when several punches landed on his stomach. The ring on her hand poked holes on his abdomen. The next thing he felt was extreme pain when he felt something heavy land on his fingers making him scream.


    The man in the background whistled happily as he smoked in intervals, alternating between watching the show and smoking. He looked at the young man on the chair full of blood from his stomach and his mouth.


    He felt a certain excitement from the sight, something that reminded him of the time he killed his mother. Carved her with nothing but a scissors.


    Wait, was that his sister?


    The woman that was holding a hammer ceased her movement when she heard him laugh. "Master?"


    "Nothing is wrong, continue."


    She was about to lift the hammer again when she heard her victim say. "Let me go now. Right this instant."


    She scoffed, dropping her hammer on his left index finger. When he refused to make even a sound, she laughed. "As I said Mr. Wen, this isn''t a kidnapping. Its punishment because you humiliated someone you shouldn''t have. You went against someone you shouldn''t have. You wanted to kill someone you shouldn''t have. And you, Mr. Wen need to learn to lower your pride. It is the only thing that will save your life."


    The man laughed quietly, ignoring the pain that threatened to consume him. "Lower my pride? Save my life? You filthy thing, do you really know who I am?"

 Chapter 53 - Tell him the truth.

    Jihai woke up with a light cough. The room was too cold and humid. He opened his eyes to the bright lights that illuminated the room giving him a lightheaded feeling.


    He struggled to stand up but immediately gave up the idea when he felt his muscles throb. He then tried to survey his environment, his eyes widening at the sight he discovered.


    The room was lavishly furnished with a low key but high quality decoration. The room was also painted in his favorite colours, grey and black making him appreciate the view.


    Soon he heard footsteps approach the room so he laid down, pretending to be asleep. Two men entered the room, discussing on low voices. One of them who wore a white coat and stethoscope said "I am doing my best to control the aftereffects but my hands will be tied if your boss doesn''t take his medicine."


    Ry¨­sei rubbed his eyes wearily. "I will do my best. And what about him? How is he?"


    The doctor sighed. "Well luckily, he is okay. We did the additional tests and it came out well too."


    "Thank you, doctor. Yua will see you out." Ry¨­sei shook his hands, opening the door.


    When he was finally alone, he took off his jacket and sat on a chair opposite the bed, studying the still figure on the bed. After a while, he went to the table and poured a glass of water, holding it in his hand.


    He walked to the bed and sat down beside the figure, finally saying "Do you want a glass of water?"


    A cold metal rested on his neck before he could turn. Jihai pressed one of his hands to the bed, sitting upright as he warned. "Don''t move."


    His captive didn''t seem threatened but instead relaxed, holding the glass in the air. "Oh, so that''s where the fruit knife went....."


    "Where am I?" Jihai questioned. "Were you people the ones who attacked the hospital?"


    "No. We saved you. I am sure your friend, Menxiang told you about us." Ry¨­sei smiled brightly, trying to give a friendly aura that was crushed by the icy air that came from Jihai''s eyes.


    "Are you Mr. Wang?" The knife in his hand relaxed an inch which Ry¨­sei noticed.


    "Nope."


    "Then you must be Fei Hong."


    "Nope." Ry¨­sei shook his head, making his front bangs sway from side to side revealing the tattoo that wrapped around his neck like a necklace.


    Jihai frowned, strengthening his hold on the knife pressed to his neck. "Then who are you?"


    Ry¨­sei secretly looked up at the little security camera hidden in the room, waiting for approval. After hearing instructions from the earpiece on his ear, he said "To your little friend, my name is Fei Hong but my real name is Ry¨­sei."


    "How do I get out of here?" Jihai was not stupid not to know that the place must be fortified, which means he couldn''t leave here without directions.


    "Won''t you not ask why you are here?" Ry¨­sei put the glass on the bedside drawer carefully, still conscious of the knife on his neck.


    "I am not interested."


    Ry¨­sei chuckled at the similarities between his master and the young man on the bed. "We are not your enemies."


    "But you are not my friends either." Jihai concluded. "Give me your phone."


    He gave him the phone, his hand going to the back of his shirt without his notice revealing a syringe full of unknown liquid. Immediately Jihai took the phone, his other hand relaxed giving him an opening as he hit his wrist with enough force to make him drop the knife.


    Grabbing the outstretched hand, he dragged him forward and delivered an injection to his neck accurately, making him go limp.


    Ry¨­sei was covering him with a blanket when a girl rushed into the room. He stood up, narrowing his eyes on her face. "What happened to you?"


    She avoided his hands from reaching her face which was swollen, taking a step back to lean on the wall. "Master got sick again."


    Ry¨­sei was faced with two conflicting emotions, his hands falling to his side in dejection. "Is he okay?"


    "Yes, he is. He has received treatment." She turned to look at the bed. "Still sleeping?"


    Yes, he fell unconscious." He raised his hand in the air at her disapproving glare. "I had no choice, he had my phone."


    "Master wants to meet him. Now."


    Ry¨­sei turned his head sharply. "Why now?"


    "How am I supposed to know?" She glared at him, picking an apple from the table and bringing it to her lips when she heard him say " Well, everyone knows how much you care about Master...."


    Ry¨­sei hardly completed his sentence when he dodged an incoming knife being thrown at him. He was stunned when he felt a familiar sting on his face. "What the hell, Hisako?!"


    "That cut won''t be the only thing on your body if you don''t shut up." She growled.


    He recalled something then looked at the camera, gulping softly. "I-I was only joking, never mind. I will wake him up now." He ran to meet Jihai on the bed.


    Jihai eventually woke up, a smiling face coming in his view. The smiling face beamed further as it said. "Awake now?"


    He stood up abruptly landing on the other side of the bed, a new burst of energy surging through him this time. He scanned the room and noticed a woman dressed in a red suit with a black sleek ponytail had entered the room.


    "Let me go. I won''t be able to fetch you a ransom." He was expecting this would happen, his connections with rich and affluent people will one day turn him into a walking target for kidnapping or casualty in fractional wars.


    The woman merely answered with a straight face. "Good evening, Mr Bai. I am Hisako, your guide for the evening. Please follow me."


    He did not take a step forward but instead shifted his stern gaze to the woman. "I want to leave."


    "And you will, if you follow me. There is no time to delay, my master wants to meet you."


    "Just follow her. She won''t harm you." Ry¨­sei advised when he saw Jihai thinking silently about his options.


    "Fine." Jihai left the room with the woman on his trail, shutting the door


    Ry¨­sei''s smile fell immediately they left the room. He looked at the bandage he got when they were talking and sighed, throwing it into the trash can.


    Jihai followed Hisako until he noticed she had stopped in front of a room.


    The door was open but it seemed that she dared not enter inside. They could hear a man''s voice inside the room but from the volume, he seemed to be in a bad mood and the people around him seemed tensed.


    "WHAT IS THIS? CHANGE THAT TIE AND WRISTWATCH NOW!" He shouted at the group.


    "Bring back that tie right this instant. Asahi, what do you think? Do you think he will like my appearance? WHY IS YOUR VOICE SO LOW, SPEAK UP!" He suddenly laughed. "I like this one. Okay, just to be sure, make sure you keep them here. If anything goes wrong, kill them!"


    Hisako didn''t know whether to cry or laugh when she saw that it was still the same set that he was angry about that he wore in the end. She knocked softly, attracting his attention.


    "Come in." He ordered. "Where is he?" His eyes searched around her, looking for Jihai until he found him, making his eyes sparkle.


    "Welcome, Jihai." He stretched his hand wide, jumping like a small child. "Do you remember me? I was the one that saved you in the hospital, Mr. Wang."


    Jihai gazed at the man before he respectfully bowed his head. "Thank you to saving my life."


    The man tapped his shoulder. "No need to be so polite. I was worried that you would not be safe so I moved you here. Hope you are not offended."


    Jihai seemed to realize something so he was more cordial with the man. "No, I am not. But I want to leave now."


    The man frowned. "Why? I even threw a party in your honour, you can''t leave. What will I tell my friend? No way!" He steered him towards another room.


    The man sat down on a chair near the woman and offered him the chair opposite them. Jihai turned to the man. "What is going on?"


    The man seemed surprised but still answered the question, lifting her head. "You don''t recognize her? Look closely."


    Jihai felt fury and pain at the sight, suddenly standing up when he was instantly suppressed by the nearby guards. "Mother! Let go of my mother!"


    The woman lifted her head in surprise. "J-Jihai? Get out of here, run!"


    The man slapped her, turning her head to the side. "Quiet, you wrench!"


    The man became cheery again, smiling brightly. "Let me now formally introduce myself. I am Sakai Sumiyoshi and your mother and I go way back. We were more than friends, I can ?ssure you...."


    Jihai froze, looking at his mother in confusion. "What do you mean? Mother, who is he?"


    The woman gulped in fear, stuttering and sweating. "He is....he is..."


    "TALK!"


    She jumped in fright at the man''s order, a stench of urine filling the air. Jihai continued to look at her, an ominous feeling coming all over him. "Mom, is he my father?"


    "He is not your father........" She started to talk slowly.


    The man lifted an eyebrow.


    "Then who is he? Why are we here? What is happening?" Jihai''s irrational temper made him snap at his mother causing her to jump in fright again.


    He struggled when he saw the man grab her by the hair making her kneel upright and yelp in pain. The man smiled eerily as he said "Tell him, Bai Lianzhen. Tell him the truth.. You can take your time."

 Chapter 54 - Its not over yet.

    Jihai didn''t notice he had stopped hearing the screams coming from his mother around him or feeling the touch Mr. Sakai gave him on the shoulder to guide him out of the room, his skin reacting to the change of temperature in the environment.


    He felt numb, his heart too cold to allow any incoming emotions he should have felt. He felt nothing, observing the world like a stranger who had no ties with it.


    Hisako whose face rarely portrayed any emotions looked at the boy who was walking on the cold tiles without any shoes with pity in her eyes. Ry¨­sei had been in the room since the confession and his eyes were a bit teary, making him like the victim instead.


    Suddenly, he stopped but did not turn to face them. His lonely back stood straight along with his ruffled black hair that swayed with the cold night breeze as he said. "I am leaving. Don''t follow me."


    Ry¨­sei opened his lips to object but was stopped by his master. They watched him leave the room, his footsteps still slow and heavy due to his injuries. Ry¨­sei faced the haggard woman who was trembling uncontrollably. "What should we do with her?"


    "Lock her in the ancestral hall. Put her in the cadmium cage." Sumiyoshi did not look at her anymore but instead focused his attention on a little blue pouch, twirling it with his fingers.


    Hisako approached him carefully, standing three feet away from him. "Master, its time to sleep."


    He nodded. "Okay."


    It took Jihai precisely forty minutes to find his way out of the large mansion and his legs ached. Nevertheless, he refused to stop, pushing one feet in front of the other until he realised he didn''t know where to go next. He saw several cars parked in front of him but he didn''t have the car keys so he picked the fruit knife he acquired and inserted it into the car keyhole and twisted it.


    When he had successfully opened the car door, he saw a man running towards him holding a bunch of keys. The man stopped, catching his breath and gave him the keys.


    "Take this. To enter the city, drive straight until you reach the road filled with pine trees. From there, turn left and drive straight again. When you meet a junction that has a signpost about a cemetery, curve to the road that has an angle less than 60¡ã. If you successfully come out of that road, you will arrive in the city. Be careful."


    Ry¨­sei instructed.


    "Thank you." Jihai drove out of the compound, leaving the worried man behind. He followed all the instructions, ignoring the eerie surroundings that would have looked fascinating if the sun had risen up. He drove in the city in high speed until he reached a familiar estate. Finally, he parked outside a large mansion.


    He stumbled out of the car but quickly held the car door to stabilize himself. He gazed at the bright decorations and loud voices with low piano music in the background in the compound that indicated that there was a party going on.


    From outside the compound, he still see that the main party seemed to be held on the second floor with the help of the opened curtains. Once in a while, people would come near the window to have a private conversation and he stayed outside gazing at them. He didn''t know why he was he was there but he just stayed leaning against the car as he felt himself lose his strength.


    Just when he was about to leave, he saw a couple come near the window, hand in hand. He recognized the woman dressed in a fuchsia pink gown with a top knot bun who was holding a glass of champagne looking around with an indifferent expression.


    The man beside her spoke to her, words that he couldn''t hear but he saw her smile to the man''s words. They both turned their backs to the window, communicating with each other in the jovial atmosphere. Finally, they faced the window with the side of their bodies visible as the man''s fingers softly touched the tendrils of her hair that fell on the side of her face.


    Slowly, his hand left her hair as he wrapped it around her neck then drew her closer to him, their lips intertwining in a kiss. The woman gripped his edge of his suit, m??ning into the kiss. Her eyelids fluttered, opening to look outside the window in a blur. Her eyes widened and suddenly she pushed him away.


    He cried.


    He just wanted to see her, to be the one comforted because it was too tiring being the strong one. He loved her, loved her too much he felt that this ache in his ?h?st will kill him.


    He had no one.


    No one at all.


    He was staying in a world that looked down on him, decieved him and hated him so much they took all the people he loved the most. He was tired of being the lovesick fool!


    He stayed in the car, resting his head on the steering wheel until he heard his door opened making him raise his head. Sumiyoshi helped him get out of the car, leaning him against it as he took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.


    "Want one?" He offered it to Jihai. The boy curiously looked at the pack of cigarettes, then picked one of the pack holding it between his forefinger and middle finger.


    When he brought it to his lips, Sumiyoshi lit the cigarette with a lighter proceeding to light his own when he heard the boy coughing. He chuckled softly. "You don''t have to rush it. Here, draw it in slowly and let it linger in your throat. There, there, you can exhale it out now but slowly. Yes, like that. You are doing great." He demonstrated patiently, guiding him.


    After they had smoked a few puffs, Jihai decided that the bright city lights were nothing compared to the dazzling lights of the stars hanging in the sky. He turned and asked. " What was his name?"


    Sumiyoshi didn''t look flustered at the question, letting a ring of smoke out of his lips before he said. "Harumitsu." He threw the light blue pouch to him. "It belonged to him, actually its a big part of him."


    "A part of him?" Realising that Sumiyoshi wasn''t going to reply, he opened the pouch, his face turning into a frown. Only then, did Sumiyoshi say "It was made from hairs collected from every part of his body. I wanted to him to stay with me and this was the only part that could be best preserved for that purpose."


    Instead of twisting his face in disgust at the repulsive idea, he bowed his head in deep gratitude. "Thank you."


    Sumiyoshi tapped one of his shoulder blades twice before raising him up. "So what do you plan to do?"


    "I don''t know yet." Jihai knew he should be in UK by now but after all that he experienced, he was lost. He felt he was drifting between reality and fantasy, unable to tell the difference between the truth and lies. He had lost his motivation and purpose to move forward.


    Sumiyoshi''s face immediately became solemn."Nonsense, it''s not over yet, boy. Let me then tell you what is going to happen. According to the reports sent to me, you are supposed to be in the UK working for Colossus and that''s where you will be.. Since those people hated to see you as an equal, you are now going to let them enjoy the view of seeing you standing above them as their new king."

 Chapter 55 - Friendship.

    For the first time in her life, Chunlan was tired of the social gatherings held in her house almost every month and all she wanted to do was to kick everyone out. The room felt suffocating, even though it was being held in the largest room in her house.


    She forced herself to focus on the little chat she was having with Chunhua. They were so beautiful and similar in appearance although Chunhua and Chunying had swayed towards their mother''s gene, inheriting her raven black hair and bright blue eyes. She, on the other hand, inherited her father''s honey brown hair and hazel eyes making them stunning beauties.


    She finally realized her sister was calling her. "Jie Jie, are you okay?"


    She tried to smile. "Hmm? Yes, I am. What were you saying?"


    "I said Lin-ge is coming here!" Chunhua pulled her sister''s sleeve before she coldly glared at the incoming person. "Good evening, Mr Wen."


    Honglin looked surprised but tried to keep an amiable expression when he saw the cold look she gave him. "Good evening, Chunhua. How have you been? It has been so long si-"


    He finally couldn''t keep the smile on his face when he saw her sister walk away before he could finish his sentence. Confused, he turned to Chunlan. "Have I offended your sister?"


    Chunlan was also surprised though she managed to maintain an indifferent expression. She knew that Chunhua has been deeply in love with Honglin since they were children. But now she was looking at him with deep hatred.


    What made her change?


    She turned away from him, concealing her thoughts as she tried to place her glass on a nearby table. "Maybe you did."


    He walked next to her, guiding her hand to the table then tucked his hands in his trouser pockets. "Never mind, I will talk to her later."


    "Okay."


    "You don''t look happy. Why don''t you smile since you are the belle of this engagement party?" He suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her away. "Come with me."


    Chunlan tried not to struggle with him but instead smiled brightly at the guests as they stopped near the window. She scowled at him, rubble ng her wrists. "What is wrong with you? Don''t you see I am blind? Why did you pull me away so roughly?"


    He brought out an exquisite silver necklace decorated with tiny coloured crystals hung at every loop. He lowered his voice as he smiled. "Everyone knows I was going to give you this necklace so please smile and act surprised. Don''t you want to make me happy?"


    She quickly smiled but sneered inwardly as she stood, turning slowly to face him. "Thank you, Lin-ge. It looks beautiful."


    He lifted his hand to touch the tendrils of her hair tenderly. "Of course, it does. I personally selected it with my heart and soul."


    She wanted to cringe when she felt him wrap his hands around her nape and waist before he leaned in, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. The guests were clapping and smiling but she just wanted to bite the intruding tongue that wandered in the four corners of her mouth.


    She gripped the edge of his suit as she tortuously ?r??n?d, trying to match his intensity. But the more she resisted, the more he insisted.


    Honglin looked confused but his eyes carried a hint of warning. "What is wrong, dear?"


    She looked disconcerted for some seconds but quickly composed herself, looking left and right at the guests surrounding her, unable to see anything in her environment. "Lin-ge, you are being too much."


    Honglin looked at Chunlan in her fushia pink dress, his eyes blazing. She looked so alluring with tears in her eyes like a wronged princess fron a fairytale making him want to bully her right in the spot. It was so hard for him to gain control of himself in this situation. "It''s my fault. Let''s go and dance."


    "No need. I need some fresh air. Menxiang, please help me." Menxiang who stood a few feet away from the couple rushed to ?ssist her, escorting her out of the room.


    Menxiang steadied her friend once they were out of the house, standing outside the gate. She was a little confused about why Chunlan asked her to bring her here so she wanted to ask her but instead, Chunlan gripped her arm, breathing harshly. "Menxiang, tell me. Did you see Jihai here?"


    She looked around. "Nope, I didn''t. What is wrong?"


    Chunlan shook her head, inhaling and exhaling the cold air. "I thought I saw him."


    Menxiang gasped in surprise, turning to face her and waving her fingers in front of her. "You can now see?"


    Chunlan fell silent for a while, staring for a while before she sighed in disappointment. "No, I can''t."


    For a moment, she was sure that she saw Jihai but now, she wasn''t sure anymore. Maybe it was because she missed him, she had formed the image in her mind making her disillusioned. "Have you heard any news of him?"


    Menxiang rubbed her lower back, directing her back to the house as they walked. "No, they has been no news of him since the attack on the hospital."


    She looked at her friend who looked depressed and shook her head in guilt. Finally, before they enter the party, she halted their steps. "Chunlan, is there no way for us to return to the way we used to be?"


    Chunlan smiled bitterly. "Do you miss those times that much?"


    "I just wish we could be like how we used to be five years ago." Menxiang gazed at her polished fingernails sadly.


    Chunlan shook her head. Five years ago, the friendship she thought they had was all a fa?ade. The smiles they shared his the envy and hatred they had for each other. The tears they shed for each other hid their joy and satisfaction of seeing the other person''s suffering and the help they provided for one another was nothing but traps hidden for the ruin of the other person.


    But she was sure that all Menxiang could see was the time they had all relied on each other, drawing support from one another when things got rough along the way. They tried to fill up the void they had, vowing never to leave each other alone.


    Mengqi had relied on Honglin for paternal guidance and protection, since she didn''t have a father. Menxiang had always wanted to make a lot of friends to accompany her since she had no siblings. Honglin took the role of the eldest seriously because he was the only male at that time. While she was happy to stay in the group because they reminded her of the perfect harmony of a close knit family she never had. She never knew why Jihai agreed to stay in the group.


    But Honglin and Mengqi didn''t think twice when they planned insidiously against her and Jihai all for power.


    She gripped the balustrade tightly, laughing at her friend''s words.


    In their world, there was no need for friendship.

 Chapter 56 - Shen Guiying.

    When Chunlan woke up the next morning she screamed sonorously, her hands and legs destroying everything in their path alarming her family downstairs who were having breakfast. Her parents rushed in her room first, her father hugging her tightly successfully immobilizing her while her mother rushed to sit down beside her brushing her hair back. "Chunlan, what is wrong?"


    "Turn on the lights! Turn it on! I can''t see anything!" Chunlan repetitively screamed hysterically.


    Her sisters had just arrived when they heard her words, sharing a worried look. Huizhong signaled a bodyguard forward and collected a syringe from him, soothing his daughter. "Okay we will turn on the lights, just breathe. Close your eyes and breathe."


    Chunlan closed her eyes inhaling the morning air which eventually calmed her until she started to feel lightheaded. Huizhong saw his daughter go limp in his arms and immediately said. "Everyone, leave."


    After ensuring he was alone, he made sure she was comfortable then shut the door lightly. Haifeng came to him, wrapping her arms around him as they walked down the stairs to his study discussing in low tones.


    Haifeng looked devastated about the new condition of her daughter, her heart breaking at the thought of Chunlan staying blind forever. It was really too hard for her to imagine. "Chunlan has always been afraid of the dark. I am afraid this is difficult for her to accept."


    Huizhong stroked his wife''s back in thought. "Don''t worry, I will not let our daughter suffer anymore."


    Haifeng glanced at her husband. "Any news about Shen Ji?"


    "Not yet. The last place she was seen was in Gran Chaco, Brazil. After that, she disappeared, leaving no trace behind."


    "Then how do we find her?"


    "Leave that to me." He spotted his personal bodyguard waiting for them in front of the study. "Yin Tao, what is it?"


    "Madame Shen is waiting for you." He quickly bowed his head when he saw his boss'' eyes darken in anger. "It is my fault, please punish me."


    Haifeng saw the fingerprints on his cheek and knew that person could be only person who will dare do it so she held her husband''s hand. "Let me accompany you. Yin Tao, you may leave." Seeing him not object, she followed him into his study.


    A woman in a dark red suit sat on the chair smiling in a poised manner. She seemed to have notice another presence but did not bother to confirm it by turning around. Instead, she closed her purse and said. "Greetings, Eldest Brother."


    Tang Huizhong grimaced as he sat across the beautiful woman, letting his wife sit on his leg. He looked at the woman opposite him who was the only female in his group, Shen Guiying. Shen Guiying was the undisputed leader in the jewellery sector of the country. Her influence stretched all over the mining industry, monopolizing all the metals and gems in the country.


    "Why are you here?" He didn''t even look at her but instead focused on playing with his wife''s fingers.


    Guiying seemed unfazed by his aloofness and gazed on his wife''s fingers with complicated eyes. "We need to talk."


    "Then talk."


    Her facade crumbled slightly but she still struggled to proceed. "Wen Tianxiang''s stupidity has caused a turbulence on the mining industry, making us lose more than 6.8 billion yuan this month. The President has placed indefinite export restrictions on gold and silver causing us to delay international orders. If this continues, we look continue to lose more money."


    Huizhong finally placed his wife on a chair next to him before turning to face her with an indifferent aura. "Then meet with the Minister of Land and Resources. Why come to me?"


    The woman fell silent, looking at him before leaning into the table to meet his eyes. "Da-ge, have the Shen family offended you?"


    Huizhong''s eyes creased into a smile, laughing at his crafty junior sister. He always felt goosebumps whenever she tried to act demure and never paid her any attention. He wondered why she insisted in doing it every time, causing her to lose face. "Did you do anything to offended me, mei-mei?"


    Guiying played with the sapphire ring on her finger, hiding the cold, rancorous and calculating light under her coquettish and aggrieved appearance. "Eldest Brother, Shen family has nothing to do with the embezzlement by VK. We won''t dare harm you."


    "Really?Then why did you enter a stock war with them?" Tang Huizhong watched her lie through her teeth, swearing on her family''s honor, then reminding him of their ties before pulling the killer move.


    Giving him a restrained but teary look.


    "Enough, let''s forget about this matter. I will see what I can do about the matter." Huizhong was slightly amused that a proud and strong woman like her could go to this extent.


    The situation must be dire.


    He knew what Shen Guiying was capable of. She was a sly person who would never admit her faults in absence of sufficient evidence. If he insisted, he would look very heartless.


    "Thank you, Eldest Brother. Then I won''t delay you any further." She stood up abruptly with a straight face.


    Huizhong hummed, b?r?ly acknowledging her departure until he heard the door close. He ignored his wife''s glare to pour himself a drink. He finally couldn''t take the drastic drop in temperature. "Don''t look at me like that."


    Haifeng gritted her teeth at his nonchalant attitude towards her displeasure. "Huizhong, don''t make things hard for her."


    "Wife, I am afraid that is impossible to do. She started this war."


    "You have no intention to help her?"


    "No." He dropped his glass, creating a loud thud in the tranquil atmosphere.


    But Haifeng wasn''t intimidated by this, in fact, she deliberately ignored his demeanour which portrayed a hint of impatience at the conversation they were having. "But the Shen family will suffer greatly, if this continues."


    "Suffer?" Huizhong scoffed darkly.


    The Shen women were known to do whatever it took to stay at the top, trying to overtake their male counterparts. If it were not for familial ties, he was sure that he would be the first person to die at the hands of Shen Guiying.


    He had made his decision."Then so be it."


    Shen Guiying who stayed to eavesdrop behind the closed doors was brimming with rage when she started walking. Her ?ssistant followed her with a worried face. "Madame, what do we do now?"


    It was indeed a very precarious situation.


    "I have always supported the Tang family and given them face in important matters. But now, we have offended them, they will not spare us this once?"


    "We must deliver those silver by the end of the month, Madame." Her ?ssistant kindly reminded her, concealing her trembling anxiety from her voice at the perilous consequence looming over them.


    "Since they won''t help us, we will go to the only person that can suppress the President of this country."


    Her ?ssistant''s eyes widened. "You mean, we should meet that person......"


    "As my Eldest Brother said, we Shen women will never be beneath men!" Shen Guiying tightened her fists with deadly resolution.

 Chapter 57 - Forgive me, Uncle.

    Days after, a sleek black car drove to an private airport arriving in a subtle manner. Men in black suits with golden pins on their br??st pockets were stationed in strategic positions on ground for defense as they waited for the car to stop.


    Four people came down from the car, walking swiftly towards the airplane. It was midday, the scorching sun refracting off their sunshades. Everyone was quiet and alert creating a very serene atmosphere.


    Jihai walked very slowly, occasionally looking around as if searching for something. Hisako who was behind him, holding his luggage noticed his behavior and glanced around, before facing him. "Young Master Bai, is there any problem?"


    "Nothing." He was a little uncomfortable on his new title but his efforts to rectify it were ignored. He continued to walk when he saw Sumiyoshi''s curious stare, catching up with him and Ry¨­sei.


    Sumiyoshi''s eyes held a teasing glint as he wrapped his hand around Jihai''s shoulders. "Are you afraid?"


    Jihai glanced at him, noting that Sumiyoshi was in a good mood today which was a good thing for everyone here. "No."


    "Don''t worry. It won''t be a long flight. Everything has been prepared for your comfort." Jihai felt a little touched so he nodded lightly.


    "Thank you."


    Sumiyoshi laughed lightly, patting him. "Don''t be so formal. When we get to UK, we go sightseeing before you start working."


    Ry¨­sei and Hisako watched them converse harmoniously, their master chatting happily with Jihai who hummed in intervals. "When are we going back to Japan?"


    Hisako could feel her sixth sense buzzing so she kept looking around frequently. "When Young Master Bai settles down on his job safely."


    "Why didn''t you kill Wen Honglin?" Ry¨­sei was puzzled why they let that scum go. He could hardly guess his Master''s thoughts because he was in charge of field missions while Hisako was the one who ran the indoor operations, guarding their Master.


    "Because of the long term plan." Hisako felt a deadly intent directed at her so she switched all the luggage to her left hand and kept her right hand on the tachi on her waist.


    "Oh." Ry¨­sei answered thoughtfully and was about to launch another question when he saw her tense. "What''s wrong?"


    Hisako''s eyes widened as she dropped the bags on the ground then she ran forward, shouting. "Master, be careful!"


    They were caught off guard as the airplane in front of them suddenly exploded, blinding their eyes and the impact throwing them backwards. Sounds of guns fired echoed throughout the place but the explosion had already deafened Jihai, making him unable to hear anything.


    All he saw when he was being dragged by Sumiyoshi to the terminal was the Japanese guards fighting the enemy snipers who were hiding in the mountains. Ry¨­sei was ?ssisting them, fighting with the ones that had come to attack them on ground.


    Hisako brought out her long sword, acting as their cover to deflect stray bullets aimed at them. Her tachi slayed the incoming enemy piling dead bodies at their feets.


    Jihai still couldn''t hear anything and was already becoming dizzy, making his feet heavy. A gentle breeze brushed him from behind, not perceiving the incoming attacker with a knife.


    Sumiyoshi suddenly turned to pull him as he went backwards and intercepted the weapon, grabbing the knife with his hand and twisted it making the attacker''s hand rotate with it. He continued to twist it until the attacker wailed, releasing the kinfe. Sumiyoshi swiftly cut his throat, leaving him in a bloody puddle.


    Hisako stopped fighting when she saw the fight and instinctively wanted to help her master but stopped when she saw him shout at her. "Protect Jihai!"


    She grabbed Jihai''s hand and continued to run, leaving her master to cover them from behind.


    Hisako finally looked at her master when they had successfully entered the terminal. Her heart ached when she saw his injured hand but she restrained herself. "Master, please stay here. I will go and help Ry¨­sei."


    Suminyoshi nodded, giving her his permission.


    Jihai was now feeling better, his ?h?st heaving. Sumiyoshi comforted him.


    "Don''t be scared, I am here."


    He brought out two guns and checked their bullets, then put them back making a clicking sound.


    They waited patiently.


    Unexpectedly, a pair of footsteps entered the building making Sumiyoshi alert. He warned Jihai not to make any noise, waiting for the person to come closer.


    The person approached their hiding place, bringing out his gun and trying to conceal his footsteps. When he reached his destination, Sumiyoshi attacked him with a lethal kick knocking the gun off his hand and firing his own.


    The man fell down with a loud thud.


    Knowing they had been exposed, Sumiyoshi grabbed Jihai out and gave him one of the guns he was holding, teaching him how to fire it. "Don''t stop running no matter what until you reach the deep valley on the other side of the mountain. I will look for you after this."


    Jihai nodded solemnly, knowing his presence here will just be a liability to him. As he grabbed the gun, he noticed a red light aimed on his ?h?st, slowing his heartbeat. Sumiyoshi saw it too, turning around to see a sniper hidden. Before Jihai could comprehend what was going on, the gun went off as he was pushed to the ground by Sumiyoshi.


    He was stunned.


    Sumiyoshi fell on top on him weakly making him realize he had been shot. He picked up his gun with trembling hands trying to locate the enemy. But he saw a man standing behind the sniper, someone he had known all his life.


    Yin Tao, the leader of the Tang guards.


    Hisako rushed to meet them when he wanted to shoot, startling the sniper away. Her cold facade cracked as she grew more petrified seeing his head so bloody. She grabbed her master''s hand, b?r?ly noticing Ry¨­sei coming. "Master! Master!"


    Ry¨­sei removed his black gloves wearily, dropping them on the ground. "The enemy has been defeated. I have sent for backup from Black Coin, they will be here in fifteen minutes."


    He suddenly froze, seeing his master in a such a grave situation, unconscious and bleeding. "What happened here? How did they know we were here? Who did this?!"


    Jihai fell into shock, seeing the man in his arms unmoving. He touched his pale face, wondering why this was happened to him.


    He didn''t do anything wrong today, he just sent a letter saying he was going to UK today to..........


    His eyes became blurry as he pressed the man to his ?h?st, tears flowing from his red eyes saying repetitively. "I am so sorry, its my fault.. Forgive me, Uncle."

 Chapter 58 - Shen Mengqi is awake.

    In a hospital room, doctors gathered to examine a patient who was unconscious with a woman dressed in a blue suit at her bedside.


    The patient creased her eyebrows in pain, her hands weakly grabbing the sheets. Finally she opened her eyes, her lips hoarsely saying the first thing she saw.


    "Mother."


    Shen Guiying''s face didn''t display any emotions but her hands wrapped her daughter''s own in warmth. "Mengqi, you are already this old, yet you still miss your mother this much?"


    She didn''t wait for her daughter''s answer but instead turned to face the doctors. " How is her condition? Speak."


    The doctor-in-charge stepped forward. "Her wounds have healed nicely. She just needs to recuperate."


    "Can she do this at home?"


    "Yes, Ma''am."


    She rose her hand slightly. "Alright, make preparations. You may go."


    After they left, she turned to face her only child lying on the bed. Mengqi didn''t know why but she felt an overwhelming pressure emitting from her mother''s gaze. Instinctively, she lowered her eyes hiding her face guilty.


    "Why did you go against the Tang family?"


    Shen Mengqi felt cold with fear, gulping softly but still defiantly raised her head and said. "I just want Chunlan dead!"


    "And is that a decision you can make by yourself?" Shen Guiying coldly reprimanded her daughter, causing her to tremble a little.


    "Mother, sometimes I really don''t understand you. Its clear that you hate Tang Huizhong but you won''t allow anyone to take any actions against them."


    Guiying continued to stare at her daughter, scaring her to silence. Her stare was incomprehensible but the aura showed her annoyance at her thoughtless behavior.


    She knew that she was behind the VK scandal, using Ke Mingze as the middleman between the Shen family and the VK group.


    She turned to face the door, hiding her thoughts from her daughter. Mengqi didn''t say anything else to anger her but instead gripped the sheets with bitterness.


    It seems like the rumours are true.


    Her mother was in love with her enemy''s father, Tang Huizhong!


    Could it be that love was superior to even her own daughter?


    She hated them all! Because of that despicable family, she had lost her father at a young age depriving her of the paternal love she had always deserved. In this life, the Tang family will be her sworn enemies!


    Her mother finally spoke up, refusing to face her. "Rest early. You will be discharged tomorrow evening."


    They bowed their head in respect but the commotion that was happening in the hallway caught her attention, making her ignore them. There were two men shouting at a female doctor attracting the stares of people around them. When she finally recognized them, her eyes widened.


    It seems like Mo Bingwen and Cai Longwei were the ones who were angrily berating Menxiang in an argument. Menxiang who was initially trying to cajole them eventually got angry too, shouting at them even louder. The guards watched her helplessly as she leaned on one of them weakly to listen in on their conversation.


    "Menxiang, I will only ask you this for the last time. Where is that heartless witch, Tang Chunlan?!" Cai Longwei banged his fist angrily on the reception desk, not caring about the scene they were creating.


    "Don''t talk about my friend that way! If you can''t find her at home, go find her somewhere else! How dare you come to my family''s hospital to annoy me!" Menxiang glared at them.


    "Do you really think we do not know that she is in Norway dallying that evil scum, Wen Honglin?" Mo Bingwen''s icy eyes roamed her face, causing her palms to sweat, making her get goosebumps. She took a step backwards.


    This was not the Mo Bingwen she knew.


    He remained passive at her actions, shifting his eyes away in disdain when he saw her turn pale. Cai Longwei grabbed her arm roughly, bringing her to him. "Tell Tang Chunlan that from now on, I am going to be that going to be her darkest nightmare! If anything happens to Jihai, I would make her pay dearly!"


    Menxiang became disconcerted. "W-What happened to Jihai?"


    "Enough! Stop pretending, Menxiang. I personally gave you that letter sent by Jihai to give to Chunlan. I now regret, trusting you with my best friend''s life." Mo Bingwen who had never raised his voice at a woman did it for the first time on a woman he loved with his whole heart. He was filled with guilt and regret, hatred and pain suffocating him as he looked at Menxiang.


    Menxiang grabbed his hand in distress. "What are you talking about? Where is Jihai? Tell me!"


    Bingwen flung her hands away, the sudden force flinging her on the cold tiled floor, making her eyes widen in disbelief. He felt his heart clench painfully, his stoic face reflecting none of his internal struggle as he knelt down, bending one of his knees to maintain eye to eye contact with her.


    "From now on, the Mo family will have nothing to do with the Su family. Our engagement is over."


    Shen Mengqi watched the men leave the hospital, her lips curving into a smile at the scene. Suddenly it turned into a frown as she entered back into the room. She said to one of the female guards. "Follow me."


    When the door was shut, she laid on the bed not saying anything for a few minutes. The female guard stands upright, swallowing her growing anxiety when she heard her young mistress say "Find out what happened to Bai Jihai and where he is now."


    "Yes, Young Mistress." The female guard left immediately she received the order, but instead went to walked to another female bodyguard giving orders to the ready of the team.


    "Sister Ming, I need to talk to you." The woman, Wan Ming dismissed the rest and followed her to a corner discussing in low tones.


    After a while, Wan Ming told the bodyguard. "Make sure you do as you are told. Don''t disappoint Madame."


    The bodyguard had just nodded and walked away when a man came from the shadow, grabbing Wan Ming''s waist. Surprised, she attacked the intruder but was easily subdued. When smelled his scent, she relaxed before tensing again. "Release me, Guo Yin!"


    A man with a baseball cap covering his scarred face smiled, releasing her to turn her around to face him. Before she say anything, he covered her lips in a fierce kiss.


    The stiff head bodyguard of the Shen family instantly revealed her feminine side, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders. Eventually, they separated gazing into each other''s eyes lovingly. Wan Ming played with his collars, leaning into him. "What are you doing here?"


    "What else, if not to see you, my love?" The man rubbed her waist soothingly.


    She scoffed. "Do you think I am a fool? You are just here to monitor my young mistress!"


    "I won''t deny that." He gave a twisted smile.


    "Guo Yin, remember what I told you before. If you ever hurt the Shen family, I won''t let you off!"


    "Relax! The Wen family will never hurt their allies." He gave her a light kiss. "My master is just worried about her condition."


    Wan Ming hesitated, remembering her Madame''s orders to keep it all a secret. "Alright.. Tell you master, that Miss Mengqi is awake."

 Chapter 59 - They will get what they deserve.

    Chunlan was currently sitting in a car with Honglin at her side, on their way home from the airport in Beijing. The trip was one of the most horrible experiences she had ever had, staying in a foreign land with strangers and an inconsiderate villain without knowing what was going on with her most of the time. She tried to pretend that she was okay and wanted to keep Honglin far away from China for as long as possible but that plan failed badly.


    They were currently not talking to each other, both of them engaged in a deadly cold war. Honglin who had a nasty bump on his forehead was fuming quietly, trying to sign some documents. Once in a while, he glanced at her cold back facing him in suppressed rage before turning the next page.


    He knew he had gone too far this time but his pride stopped him from making an apology. He tried to concentrate on the important work in front of him but his mind kept going back to the cause of their quarrel.......


    After a romantic dinner in one of Norway''s cities, Stavanger, he was intoxicated with her beauty and feminine charms. Not that she was trying, but something about her appearance made him feel lightheaded, prompting him to make advances on her. When she rejected him, he felt insecure and stubborn, wanting to proceed even further than he had originally planned. He had easily subdued her, almost taking off her clothes when he felt a metal object strike him on the forehead making him lose consciousness. The next morning, she had managed to book a flight back home.


    Whenever he was reminded of the humiliating injury, he felt anger boil in his heart.


    Did she really think he would let her go easily?


    His grandfather was right.


    To claim her, he would need to claim her body first.


    His eyes roamed her flawless milky white skin and her honey brown hair his eyes narrowing slightly. Her feistiness was one of the reasons he loved her dearly, and he wouldn''t want to change it. However he needed to tame it.


    Her phone rang in her bag on her ??p, interrupting his corrupt thoughts. He turned his head away to look at the bright sun through the glass windows. He heard her gasp, making him turn to see her pale face so he snatched it away.


    "Who is this?" His eyes sharpened in anger.


    "Lin-ge? Lin-ge , I just heard that Jihai was shot on his way to the UK. Its all over the news! Jihai.....Jihai is dead!" Menxiang''s sobs echoed through the phone and across the car.


    Chunlan who just heard their conversation fainted.


    He thought, Chunlan, do you still love him, even now?


    It doesn''t matter anymore.


    He is now gone!


    When she finally woke up, she cried for so many hours refusing to see anyone, even her own family. Her siblings took turns to watch over her but it seemed to be getting worse. Her senior sister was mourning like a newly wed bride who just lost her husband.


    One day, she allowed only one visitor into her room.


    Su Menxiang.


    They laid in the rugged floor with pillows under their heads with heavy sadness on their faces. Her room was decorated in pure white a week ago so the atmosphere had become even more depressing.


    Menxiang broke the silence first. "I can''t believe Mo Bingwen did that to me."


    She dragged a couple of tissues fron the table, when she felt tears gather in her eyes. She looked at Chunlan. "I swear, I had kept that letter on the table for you to read. I don''t know how it disappeared. Chunlan, do you believe me?"


    Not getting any response, the tears flowed freely from her eyes. "You don''t?"


    She shook her friend when she saw her on the floor lifelessly. "Chunlan, answer me!" She cried pitifully, despair and regret washing over her entire being.


    How did things end up like this?


    Chunlan turned her head robotically. "It doesn''t matter anymore. He is gone."


    Recently, she hadn''t said anything since she stopped crying. She hadn''t eaten or done anything since she stopped crying. She felt exceptionally calm, like an observer observing a strange world.


    Things weren''t going the way she wanted it to go but that was really fine. She won''t be only one suffering anyway.


    No, they will pay for what they have done.


    They will get what they deserve.


    "I am just happy that we buried him today." Menxiang who was dressed in black stopped crying and rearranged the pillow comfortably before she laid back on it.


    Chunlan had buried him in a grand manner, causing waves across the social circle and creating malicious gossips and slanderous rumours. Of course, no one dared to discuss it openly because of the two powerful families involved.


    Honglin and Mengqi attended the funeral too with their families, expressing their condolences to Jihai''s only surviving relative, his grandmother. The old woman cried bitterly before fainting at the end.


    But the highlight of the evening was when his two friends, Cai Longwei and Mo Bingwen arrived. Cai Longwei had accused her of colluding with Wei Honglin to kill Jihai publicly. The commotion had greatly affected the six family heads, because Tang Huizhong was enraged by his blatant disrespect and Cai Shangjun, the father of Cai Longwei defended his son fiercely.


    It took all the family heads intervention to dissolve the conflict but she knew that the relationship between the Tang family and the Cai family was seriously strained.


    Menxiang hugged her friend tightly, rocking her lightly. "Don''t be sad, Chunlan. It will get better...." Her voice cracked with sorrow.


    The two women started crying all over again.


    Chunhua and Chunying stood outside the door, their hearts filled with heartache. Their sister had suffered too much, so pitiful! They had come to bring her lunch but they couldn''t bring themselves to enter the room now.


    Chunhua convinced her twin to go back with the meal when they saw a man standing in front of them. She felt rage enter her heart, causing her to throw the cup of hot cofee at the stranger.. When it b?r?ly reached him, she grabbed a knife and pointed it to his neck in an alarming speed, her eye full of deadly intent. "What are you doing here, you beast?"

 Chapter 60 - He will never be a part of my Tang family!

    Honglin''s eyes narrowed at the knife close at his throat before facing the girl in front of him. If it wasn''t for the fact that she was Chunlan''s sister, she would be cut into a thousand pieces for her audacity. Internally, he was truly puzzled over her sudden change of behavior towards him, but he managed to maintain his calm expression. "Put down the knife, Chunhua."


    "Shut up." She growled, pushing it closer to his neck, ignoring her twin sister''s distressed pleas in the background.


    "Chunying? What''s going on here?" Menxiang opened the door after hearing the strange noises coming from the outside the room. She gasped in surprise.


    Chunhua lowered the knife when she saw her and walked away hatefully. Chunying followed her, apologizing softly as she walked. She was confused about her sister''s behavior which had suddenly changed since a month ago.


    "What brings you here, Lin-ge?" She stood in front of the door, subtly blocking him.


    Honglin noticed her action, wondering what was going on with all the women in the house today. Everyone seemed hostile towards the Wen family since they heard Jihai was dead. He had just received a report that the Mo Group had cancelled all their contracts with them after the funeral ended.


    Why would anyone want to offend them just because of a lowlife?


    "Is she alright? I came here to check on her." He looked at the closed door with a worried expression.


    "Oh, she is not receiving anyone. Why don''t you come later?" Menxiang looked at the person she called senior brother and began to doubt everything she knew about him.


    Today, she discovered that someone had come to Chunlan''s room after she had dropped that letter that day. Coincidentally, Wen Honglin had also come to visit Shen Mengqi.


    Could he be the person that carried that letter?


    Was he the person who killed Jihai?


    Suddenly, she couldn''t look at him in the eyes. He had always protected and pampered her, giving her love and support. She found it hard to believe but the feeling of doubt kept creeping into her heart.


    She didn''t want it to be true.


    "Menxiang, what''s wrong?" Honglin touched her arm, surprised, when he saw tears gather in her eyes.


    She shook her head, lowering her head pitifully to hide her face. "Nothing, I am just sad."


    Honglin pulled her into his arms, engulfing her into a comforting hug as he stroked her hair. Soon, he brought out a packet of chocolate from his pocket, placing it in her palm. "There, there. Don''t be sad."


    She squeezed it in her hands, her body shaking in sobs. He continued to hug her until she pulled herself away.


    "Who is there?" They heard Chunlan''s voice from behind the door and turned to face it.


    "Its me, Honglin. Can I come in?"


    She remained quiet, giving Menxiang time to spot a figure behind a corner watching her quietly. Her eyes widened in recognition making her to pursue the person when she heard Chunlan. "Enter."


    Honglin entered the room, his fist clenching when he saw the room decorated in pure white. Chunlan laid on the rugged floor on her side, holding a picture close to her ?h?st.


    He sat down beside her, accompanying her quietly till evening. After a while, she turned to face him. "Thank you."


    He laid down beside her, letting their breaths intertwine in close space. He could see her features clearly, his heart swelling in love. He lifted his fingers to touch her face but stopped near her nose. He said. "Let''s get married soon."


    She rejected the proposal immediately. "Not now."


    He gritted his teeth, trying to exercise patience. "When you are ready then."


    Seeing her nod dimly, he moved near her to wrap his arms around her waist, her head resting snuggly on his ?h?st. She said. "Come with me tomorrow to my family''s company."


    "Why?" He closed his eyes, feeling sleepy.


    "Since we are going to get married, I want to transfer half of my shares to you as dowry."


    He opened his eyes abruptly, looking down at her with astonishment. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, today I have realized, its time for me to move on. I, Chunlan, want to move forward, never looking back. Let the past stay in the past. Will you help me?"


    He felt joy and disbelief spread through him. He hugged her tightly, wishing that he would never wake up from this dream. She was now ready, ready to forget about that scum, Bai Jihai.


    Today, he felt that he could finally sleep peacefully


    .


    "Yes, I will. I would like to give you something in return. What do you want in return?" He lifted his lips into a faint smile.


    "There is really no need."


    "I insist. No matter what it is, I would never hesitate to give you." He meant every word. Chunlan was his light in this dark world, and he would give her everything he had to make her stay with him.


    She hesitated. "I want Starlock."


    In the meantime, Chunying followed Chunhua to the balcony reproaching her. She almost had a heart attack when she saw her twin sister put a knife against his throat. Luckily, their parents weren''t there to witness it, she shivered at the thought. "What the hell is wrong with you? How could you behave so rudely to Brother Honglin?"


    Chunhua turned around and barked. "He is not my brother!"


    Chunying was stunned at her hateful expression. "Don''t you..... like him anymore?"


    Chunhua froze, her eyes full of conflicting emotions. Her voice hardened angrily. "No, I don''t. Don''t mention him again."


    "But he is Jie Jie''s fianc¨¦, we should show him some respect....."


    "Fianc¨¦? I will never allow him to marry my Jie Jie! He will never be a part of my Tang family!" She said with determination.


    Since she was little, she had sworn that she would marry no one but Wen Honglin, doing her best to be able to defeat her senior sister for his heart. But now, all she wanted to do was to see him suffer and pay for what he has done!


    Should I tell Jie Jie? She wondered.

 Chapter 61 - The Su family.

    "Hey! Stop right there!" Menxiang struggled to chase the person who just seemed to be walking in long strides, aloofly. She finally grabbed his sleeves, making him stop.


    "Get your hands off my coat." His voice added the chill to the cold winds around them, giving her goosebumps.


    "Mo Bingwen! Why are you behaving like this? Didn''t I tell you that Chunlan and I are innocent? We have nothing to do with Jihai''s death!" She pleaded.


    His silence made her heart plummet in disappointment and pain. He was so different from the warm and caring personality he had shown her.


    Today, she felt exhausted from all the emotions she was feeling. She had lost a friend.


    She had lost a brother.


    And now, she was going to lose her fianc¨¦.


    "Why don''t you believe me? Am I really that despicable in your eyes?" She lowered her head to hide the tears streaming down her face.


    Mo Bingwen gazed at her, his heart stirring. His hands stretched to touch her hair, her wet long eyelashes facing the ground, but he stopped. Turning away, he said. "From now on, we are nothing but strangers. Don''t talk to me again."


    "Mo Bingwen, don''t be a coward! The reason you are behaving like this isn''t because of Jihai, but because of He Yuhan!" She screamed angrily.


    Mo Bingwen who was walking away suddenly stopped. The sight encouraged Menxiang, making her reckless.


    "If you keep behaving like this, I will definitely marry him and make you regret it!"


    Mo Bingwen angrily turned around to face her. "What a coincidence, my parents have also arranged a new betrothal for me with the He family. I will not trouble you to come to the engagement ceremony."


    Su Menxiang was stunned. "You are lying to me."


    She stood there for hours, not making a sound as tears streamed down her face.


    He didn''t even give her a chance to explain. He really thought that she was just depending on him because of her family''s situation!


    A man came to her, covering her with a coat. He was in a military uniform, his face covered in stubbles. "Menxiang, why are you standing outside like this?"


    She slowly raised her head up.


    It was her first brother, Su Ying Jie.


    "Da-ge, what are you doing here? Are you not supposed to be in camp?"


    He laughed gruffly, his bulky figure shaking in mirth. "The government has finally given the soldiers some time off so naturally, we doctors will also come back home. What, are you not happy to see me?"


    Before she could respond, he noticed the tears on her face, his face darkening. "Why are you crying? Who made you sad?"


    He realized something, turning around to face the direction Mo Bingwen left. "Did your fiancee do this? Tell me, I will handle him!"


    She grabbed his hand, shaking it in exasperation. "Da-ge! Can''t you see I am in mourning clothes?! My friend, Bai Jihai just died."


    Ying Jie turned around, speechless. "What do you mean Jihai is dead?"


    She struggled to keep the tears at bay. "He died in an airport on his way to the UK."


    He hugged his little sister, stroking her back. "Don''t be sad, everything will be alright."


    From afar, a man and a woman stood in black watching the scene quietly. The woman turned to the man asking. "It seems like Ying-ge, has come back, why don''t we meet him?"


    She couldn''t help but to take a second look at the handsome man who had feminine features and admire him for a minute.


    The man smiled maliciously. "There is no need. This slap that the Mo Family had given us, naturally I will return it back two thousand times!"


    Shen Mengqi smiled. She knew she had done the right thing. Indeed, there was a reason that even though the Su family specialized in medicine, they were still one of the six top families in China.


    They were not to be underestimated.


    They were not only skilled in the art of healing people but also in the art of killing people without a trace. Their poisons were top notch without any developed cures in sight.


    The head of the Su family, Su Liangzi was a sickly man who didn''t have much time to live so he dedicated his life to training his children. His firstborn, Su Ying Jie was currently in the military serving as a doctor. His second son, Su Yuan Jun was the family''s heir, in-charge of the hospitals in the Su family.


    The third one was the in front of her, the one in charge of their underground operations, skilled in poison, Su Ying Pei.


    Shen Mengqi had a concerned look on her face. "Sister Menxiang is really pitiful. What''s so good about the Mo family? I think its better to allow her get married to He Yuhan."


    Ying Pei smiled sinisterly, looking at her. "Do not interfere in our family matters. You must be a fool if you think that I don''t why you are doing this."


    Shen Mengqi''s face turned sour. "I am just trying to-"


    "Let me give you this warning. I do not care about your petty fights with the Tang family, or your dark alliance with the Wen family. But if you implicate my Su family, I will not spare you, little girl." He put on a pair of black sunshades and walked away.


    Shen Mengqi''s ?ssistant stepped forward to comfort her. "Young Mistress, the Su family doesn''t seem as weak as they appear."


    "Of course not. The excuse they gave the Mo family to approach them about being bankrupt is too insincere. Mo Bingwen must have found out the truth."


    "What is it, Young Mistress?"


    " I don''t know either. But don''t worry, it won''t affect the Shen family." She walked towards the car parked at the entrance. "Have you confirmed Jihai''s death?"


    A female bodyguard who had stayed silent finally spoke. "Yes, it has been confirmed."


    Shen Mengqi froze, then entered the car slamming the door hard. Inside the car, she fumed. "Tang Chunlan! I will make you pay for killing the man I loved. You Tang women are exactly the same!"


    A tear slipped past her eyes.

 Chapter 62 - To the prosperity of the six families!

    Mo Bingwen entered the car arranged for him, engaged in a video call with his father, a man wearing a similar set of his eye glasses, Mo Xuanqing. His father was seated in a desk, two robots stood beside him organizing a pile of documents. His father asked. "Where are you travelling to?"


    "To the UK. I want to check our upcoming design on our newest technology, Sandstorm RX-27."


    His father put down his glasses with a solemn expression, facing his son. "Why are you really going there, Bingwen?"


    Bingwen hesitated. "I want to inform Colossus about Jihai''s death. It will also give me some time to rest."


    "If that''s what you want. But you must come back before your engagement with He Yanwen next year."


    "I know."


    At a far distance, Su Ying Pei stood with a bodyguard holding an open briefcase. Inside the briefcase, a syringe full of blue liquid was resting there, bubbling once in a while.


    The bodyguard asked. "Why don''t we just use the Heat Scorching Powder?


    "There is no need to go to the extreme. I just want to teach him a little lesson. One he will never forget."


    The bodyguard put the syringe into a small compartment in a black gun, handing it to him. Ying Pei aimed at his target and fired it.


    The target was hit.


    He straightened in satisfaction, giving it back to his bodyguard. He started walking back to his car but stopped abruptly, entering into a coughing fit.


    A stream of black blood splashed on his white Italian shoes, his bodyguard rushing to his side in alarm. "Third Master!"


    "Don''t be afraid. It is just a relapse." He croaked.


    "Why did you do tat, Master? Why did you agree to that cursed experiment?" His bodyguard felt angry and helpless.


    "If all goes well, the Su family will never have to suffer again from this disease again. Has the other side sent any result yet?" He leaned on his bodyguard who carried him to the car.


    "Yes, she said that if you reduce the quantity of the Red Silk Flower in the poison it will surely take us to the next step."


    "Good. We will try it out when we get back." He concluded.


    Mo Bingwen felt a sting on his neck, dizziness clouding his eyesight. He felt weak all of a sudden, an unknown cold entering into his body.


    Mo Xuanqing narrowed his eyes. "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, I am okay. Am just a little tired." He closed his eyes and opened them again.


    "Then take a little rest. Call me when you arrive."


    "Okay." Bingwen dropped the tablet weakly, taking some pills to alleviate his symptoms. He also wrapped himself with the blanket in the car and fell asleep.


    When they boarded the plane and successfully arrived in the UK, his subordinates kept eyeing him with worried gazes.


    He finally asked one of them. "What is it?"


    The subordinate bit his lips. "Young Master, it is best we visit the hospital as soon as we settle down."


    "Is something wrong?"


    "Your complexion doesn''t look too good."


    He did notice that despite the jacket he was wearing, he could still feel the cold invading his body, making him shiver reflexively. "It is just the weather. Tell everyone to protect themselves."


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t take the next step because he felt cold seep through his veins, making him black out.


    His subordinates ran to help him.


    In another place at night, a meeting was held in a well decorated room heavily guarded by dozens of bodyguards in different uniforms. Five men and one woman sat around a big wooden table with gloomy expressions.


    Tang Huizhong kept playing with his pen, letting it fall on the oak table in intervals instilling fear in the rest of the people present.


    He was extremely angry.


    But Shen Guiying looked at the situation with hidden satisfaction and merriment. Her brothers, Cai Shangjun and Mo Xuanqing kept unfazed expressions but unyielding auras as they watched Tang Huizhong stare at them with murderous intent.


    At this point, no one dared to say anything but her position as the only female will ultimately grant her leniency so she said with a repentant face. "Da-ge, don''t be angry. Its our fault, causing you lose face in public."


    Huizhong''s face darkened further at the reminder.


    Su Liangzi glared at her. "Mei-mei."


    She immediately shut up with an ignorant and puzzled expression, after getting her d?s?r?d effect.


    Tang Huizhong spoke after a while. "Explain yourselves."


    The two men were reluctant to speak, but when they remembered the reason they rebelled in the first place, they were filled with resentment.


    Surprisingly, it was Mo Xuanqing who was known to be a quiet and respectful man, who said only one sentence. "Da-ge is the one at fault."


    Afterwards, everyone was struck with disbelief and plunged into silence after his statement. They immediately turned to Tang Huizhong who struggled to contain his rage. "Xuanqing, do you want to go against me?"


    Shen Guiying tried to defend him. "We dare not. This is the children''s matters, why should we let it affect us? Brother Mo is just feeling wronged because the Su engagement and the death of that pitiful child, Bai Jihai. Don''t blame him, Eldest Brother."


    "Shen Guiying."


    She turned to the source of the voice who was sitting across Tang Huizhong.


    A man dropped his cigarette on the ash tray, putting it out. "Shut up."


    She genuinely kept quiet, not daring to act innocently anymore as her face turns ugly.


    This was their sixth family head, whose influence was deeply ingrained in the hearts of every soldier in their country. Her green coated fingernails dug into her palms as tears gathered in her eyes, making her looked wronged.


    Under normal circumstances, one of their hearts should be stirred seeing her pitiful performance but Tang Huizhong and the rest ignored her, looking at the man in interest and leaving her in embarrassment. "Lai Weilong, what do you think?"


    Lai Weilong turned to face his senior brother seriously. "I think it is imperative that we stick together in this difficult times and not the enemy divide us. We have survived this long because we have always depends on each other unconditionally. We must root out the bad seeds among us and destroy it."


    His sidelong glance made Shen Guiying break out in cold sweat.


    "Even so, Brother Mo and Brother Cai did commit an offense: insubordination. It is intolerable. Because of that, they will be asked to submit 10% of their annual income to be shared with the remaining people here. I hope Elder Brother can forgive them after this."


    Tang Huizhong''s eyes were filled with contentment as he nodded. "Naturally. I am not one to hold grudges."


    The others looked at him.


    Of course he didn''t hold grudges. He will rather settle accounts and debts immediately!


    Tang Huizhong stood up in a good mood, concluding the meeting as he raised the champagne glass in the air in salute. "To the greatness of China!"


    The others responded. "To the prosperity of our families!"

 Chapter 63 - Three years later.....

    Three years later.......


    A woman walked around the bookshelves in the library accompanied by the librarian listening to the books recommended in the Romance section. She listened diligently, choosing the ones she wanted and handing them to her maid to carry.


    In the other part of the city, some guards came out of three black cars rushing to take positions of defense around the dark red car in the middle parked in front of a magnificent and elegant building. A man stepped out of the dark red car slowly, earning people''s attention. Someone handed him some documents to hold but he was distracted by the warmth of the sun on his skin. It gave him lethargic feelings.


    The woman in the library suddenly paused. She starting walking, tracing her footsteps to the window in front of her. She fondled with the lock carelessly and eventually managed to open the window. She felt the sun rays warm her cold and empty heart.


    Both of them closed their eyes and sighed.


    Both of them said. "The light of the whole universe converges here."


    The trance was broken. Chunlan opened her eyes and called out. " Su Yin."


    Su Yin rushed to ?ssist her, holding her hand as they paid the librarian and walked out of the library. Chunlan''s stomach growled making her chuckle. "Let''s head to the bakery and get some hot baozi to eat."


    Su Yin''s eyes flashed with irritation, she subconsciously gripped her mistress''s hand with force. "But we have already eaten in the coffee shop this morning. We should head back and rest."


    Chunlan frowned lightly at her tone. "I promised the twins I would buy some when I get back."


    Su Yin sneered. Ever since the First Mistress went blind, she had been idling all day giving up all her ambition. It was pathetic and embrassing!


    She wished she had more luck, maybe she would have been serving one of the twins. Then, naturally she would have more benefits and connections instead of visiting libraries and doing charity work!


    But she was only a maid so she conceded. "Yes, First Young Mistress."


    Chunlan was infuriated when she realized that Su Yin was in front of her, dragging her along like a rag to the car. She retrieved her hand angrily and said coldly. "On a second thought, it is best that you return home instead. There is no need to accompany me."


    Su Yin was relieved that she could finally go home. She decided that immediately she arrived home, she would request for a transfer. It was against the rules but she was sure she would be able to pull some strings here and there.


    By the time she snapped out of her reverie, she saw Chunlan enter the car and slam the door shut. Before she could say anything, the car drove away leaving her standing speechless.


    How was she supposed to return home?!


    Chunlan gripped the books she had taken from the library tightly. She knew she had to get find another companion to ?ssist her. Again. Since she had passed down the affairs of the company to her little sisters, she had spent her time in peace and tranquility, enjoying the simple things of life that she wasn''t able to in her past life. It was very refreshing.


    When they arrived at the bakery, the driver guided her to sit on a chair. He said politely. "Please sit here, Young Mistress. I will go and buy the desserts instead."


    She stretched her legs and put her retractable cane beside the table, humming happily. The aroma of freshly baked bread from the oven always made her and her stomach happy.


    A man sat opposite her dropping some documents on the table. He unbuttoned the first two bu??ons on his shirt, revealing the pale skin on his neck. Several girls giggled and whispered, sending flirtatious glances towards him.


    Chunlan could feel his gaze but chose to ignore it. If she could see the rude person, she would have poured the hot tea she knew was customarily served on the table on his whole body.


    But she couldn''t.


    So she continued to inhale the scent surrounding her and patiently waited for her beloved cake. Soon, she sensed that the man had moved closer, planting his face above hers.


    She turned to face him. "Who are you?"


    She didn''t get any response.


    She sighed. "Do you know how rude it is to sit beside a person without an invitation?"


    His lips curled up into a smile.


    She continued. "How old are you? Are you here because you are hungry too? Do you want me to buy you some?"


    His ?ssistant wanted to retort back was forced to keep quiet when he saw his boss draped his hand around the woman''s chair with an blank expression. This was the first time he was seeing his boss being inappropriate towards a woman.


    Chunlan tried to move away from him when she realized what he had done but it didn''t bulge. She reached for her cane but also found out that it wasn''t there either.


    Just who was this rogue pestering her?


    Who had the nerve?!


    She turned sideways and clamped her teeth around a piece of flesh. She chuckled when she heard him grunt and finally moved away.


    "Serves you right." She commented.


    The man was about to speak when he saw Chunlan''s driver returning. He stood up and walked away soundlessly like a phantom drifting away.


    The driver delivered the package in her hands and helped her walk back to the car. She was smiling happily, feeling the copper taste of blood in her mouth.


    Men like that deserved such treatment!


    She entered the mansion to hear voices arguing with each other. She knew she wouldn''t need eyes to know the culprits involved. All these years, she still couldn''t figure out why Chunhua was so hostile to Honglin.


    The last time he visited, she released the compound dogs on him, sending him to the hospital .


    She shivered in horror at the memory and quietly walked past them to her room, hoping they wouldn''t notice her presence. Unfortunately, Honglin walked to her and wrapped his hands around her waist, delighted to see the ugly expression on Chunhua''s face.


    He wanted to give her a kiss on the lips but ended up planting it on her cheek. "My dear, we need to talk."


    He tried guiding her to the room so they could enter inside but she wouldn''t bulge but instead blocked him from the entrance.


    She removed his hand from her waist.. "Then talk."

 Chapter 64 - Will you dance with me?

    Honglin smiled eerily and still proceeded to talk. "I was invited to an important event. Would you accompany me?"


    "I am not going." She ignored him and opened the door to enter inside.


    He blocked her, wrapping his hand around the doorknob to close it. "Weren''t you invited?"


    She frowned slightly but she had a feeling that this was her parent''s doing. "Even so, I am still not going."


    He grabbed her hand and enclosed them in his own. "You need to go out more often. We are engaged for so long but we are hardly seen together in public. People are starting to ask questions."


    She pushed him away. "Since when did I care about what people say or think?"


    He clenched his teeth and sighed. She was misbehaving again, showing him her rebellious and difficult personality. He was asked to bring his fianc¨¦e to accompany him in order to close an important deal with an overseas company and he had already suspected that she would refuse his request.


    Things were not as they used to be in the past. Last year, an investment company called Star Blade had risen to the top of the finance sector, suppressing their competitors with nothing but their greatest weapon.


    Money.


    They had strong influence overseas and many international alliances making them the wealthiest company in China. They had shaken the balance of power among the six families.


    But what happened this year was most shocking news in the last fifteen years.....


    The head of the six families, Tang Huizhong was overthrown as the most powerful man in China!


    He accepted the defeat with dignity and nobility saying. "One cannot live forever so it is expected that one cannot remain at the top forever. The young will replace the old. It is the law of nature."


    Since then, his father-in-law has been distant from him. Everyone expected him to succeed him but it was snatched from him all of a sudden.


    Maybe that is the reason Chunlan also changed her attitude towards to him. It was possible she had started to look down on him.....


    His eyes darkened in anger. He was really interested in the identity of this person and had exhausted all his resources to no avail. Fortunately, he heard that person was hosting this party for his debut into the Chinese society.


    It was really convenient for both of his goals.


    He noticed that Tang Haifeng was walking towards them so he put on a doting look towards his fianc¨¦e and greeted his mother-in-law. "Good day, Mother."


    She nodded and smiled. "Honglin, what a surprise."


    "I just wanted to discuss something important with Lan''er but it seems we don''t seem to agree on the subject. Perhaps, you can help us." He watched Chunlan''s face turn stoic, smiling cunningly.


    ''What is it?"


    "I wanted her to accompany me to a business party." He looked down dejectedly.


    "I am very tired, Mother. Besides, I don''t even have a dress." Chunlan felt like slapping this annoying fianc¨¦ of hers silly. Honglin really didn''t know what it means to be denied of something.


    He was so shameless!


    "Lan''er, you hardly attend any social gathering with Honglin. It is not good. Just make him happy this once." Haifeng chided her.


    Chunlan turned to give Honglin a cold look before agreeing. "Okay, Mother."


    Honglin grinned triumphantly, ignoring her angry look. "Here, let me help you to your room."


    "No need. If that is all you came to tell me, then you can go now."


    Her mother rebuked angrily. "Lan''er!"


    Honglin chuckled with amused and magnanimous eyes. "Then I shall go. But remember, I will come back to pick you up by 8:00pm sharp. Goodbye, Mother."


    Chunlan could feel her mother''s disapproving glare so she quickly entered her room, avoiding a long lesson on propriety. She was hopping mad about what Honglin did but she wasn''t the kind of person that would stew over the matter without any form of retaliation.


    She would definitely make sure he will regret it.


    At eight o''clock, Honglin arrived in the Tang mansion dressed in a red tuxedo looking very handsome and sending the poor maids blushing silly. His brown hair was combed back, revealing his black eyes, his lips curled into a sinful smile.


    His eyes brightened when he saw Chunlan come out of her room dressed in a black lace gown with her brown hair flowing in curly waves behind her ears. She was stunning, her only accessory was two diamond earrings.


    The maids whispered happily. "Look at them!"


    "They are a match made in heaven!"


    "Such a perfect couple!"


    Chunlan scowled at the maids making them scurry away in a haste. She wrapped her hand round his own, her eyes concealing her mischievous plan. She smiled sweetly. "How do I look?"


    For some reason, Honglin felt goosebumps subconsciously. He couldn''t remember why he was suddenly hesitant when he saw her smile. It reminded him of a vague childhood memory. "You look beautiful."


    "Are you sure?"


    Now he was very sure that she was up to something. Because whenever Chunlan wanted to do something but he found it very amusing...


    Because she was blind, what harm could she cause?


    Besides he was going to make sure she wasn''t going to leave his side.


    They arrive at the party, hand in hand smiling in front of the cameras with Honglin in the lead. Her presence managed to take many elites by surprise, making her the center of attention.


    Most men truly found her breathtaking and dazzling even though they were aware of the fact that she was currently blind. But their female companions regarded her in disdain and jealousy.


    One of them approached them with her male companion, glancing at Honglin. "Lin-ge, it is nice to see you here. You look as handsome as ever."


    Honglin smiled faintly. "Likewise. Tao Xiang, you have truly grown."


    Tao Xiang blushed faintly. "It is an honor that Lin-ge still remembers me."


    Chunlan watched they ignore her existence, exchanging pleasantries back and forth. She smiled faintly at the disrespecting couples but didn''t say anything. Instead she stretches her hand out in the direction of her male companion. "I am Tang Chunlan and you are?"


    The man was slightly flustered. "My name is Dai Liang. Nice to meet you."


    Her next question was enough to halt the conversation between the two people beside her. "Would you like to dance with me?"


    Honglin whipped his head to glare at her, his hand tightening around her waist possessively. "Chunlan, you cannot dance. Don''t forget that you can''t see anymore."


    "Who said that blind people can''t dance?" Chunlan smiled, her left leg gingerly moving to step on his right leg. He winced in pain when her high heel threatened to crush his toes making him release her.


    She leaned into Dai Liang''s arm, smiling seductively.. "I may not be able to see anything but that only means that I will have to depend on my partner wholeheartedly. Don''t you agree?"

 Chapter 65 - Sakai Yukiharu.

    Honglin stood fuming as he watched them dance across floor, his colleagues and employees sending him looks of pity and embarrassment. Everyone knew that according to the rules, your companion was supposed to have your first dance but here she was waltzing with another man!


    She was really slapping him across the face!


    But Chunlan was having the time of her life with her new friend who was nervously clenching her waist seeing all the men stare at him with jealousy. They suddenly felt that their women were dressed a little too shabby today when they compared them to the woman on the dance floor.


    Honglin was patiently waiting for the music to end when he overheard some men were whispering behind him.


    "Did you know what recently happened earlier this week?"


    His companion shook his head in ignorance. "No, what is it?"


    "I heard that the heirs of the Mo and Cai family forced their fathers to step down from the company, becoming the youngest patriarchs at the age of 29!"


    Honglin was stunned by the news.


    The man continued. "That''s not all, I heard they immediately pledged their loyalty to the CEO of Star Blade after they took over their company. I have a feeling that fate of the business world of the China is about to change drastically!"


    His companion said. "I agree! I am going to try to leave a good impression on this mysterious man who has suddenly taken China by surprise. But come to think of it, what if Tang Huizhong had already planned this, secretly deciding this person to be his successor a long time ago?"


    "Impossible! Who doesn''t know that Huizhong''s successor was supposed to be his son-in-law, Wen Honglin? But now.....ah, its such a pity! Let''s go and grab another drink." They left the place still talking in hushed tones.


    Honglin was so infuriated that he failed to realize that the first song had ended and they were already on the second song. He stomped out of the room, leaving in rage.


    When the music ended, Chunlan smiled amicably. "Its time to rest. Thank you for dancing with me. Please lead me to a chair."


    "Of course, it is my p???sur? to accompany such a beautiful lady." Dai Liang''s face was flushed, unable to look at her directly. Anytime he wanted to face her, his heartbeat would start racing uncontrollably awakening an unknown d?s?r? that he has never felt before.


    He had just guided her to a chair and left when a woman who had just arrived screamed beside them. "Oh my goodness! He is here! I just saw him, he is coming!"


    Chunlan frowned in bewilderment. "Who is coming?"


    The two women turned angrily to the person who had intruded into their private conversation. When they recognised her, their hostility suddenly ceased. One of them meekly replied. "It is the-"


    A man who stood the entrance of the room said. "Announcing the arrival of the host of this party, the CEO of Star Blade, Sakai Yukiharu! A round of applause please."


    His intense charisma and destructive aura made him full of dangerous s?xiness, a man not to be trifled with. He stepped up to the stage, holding the mic as he greeted them. "Good evening, everyone. I am Sakai Yukiharu, the CEO of Star Blade. Thank you for attending my party, please feel free to enjoy yourselves."


    Chunlan who sat down was in shock when she heard his voice. She gripped the table in a daze as tears spilled from her distraught eyes. The man had stepped down, walking around to talk to people, getting acquainted with them. For the first time, she was very frustrated and sad that she could not see him to confirm her doubts.


    Honglin who had just entered the room with his ?ssistant who was pointing to a certain person. She said. "That is him, Sir. That man is the CEO of Star Blade, Mr Sakai."


    Honglin''s eyes widened with disbelief, his expression in awe. He blinked several times, then clenched his fists in rage.


    How can this be....Impossible!


    He circumvented around the man who was engaged in a conversation. He retraced his footsteps to the woman he was looking for, grabbing her hand to make her stand up. "Chunlan, it''s time for us to leave. Let''s go."


    She frowned. "Why? I thought you needed to get this important deal for your company."


    "I have realized that the terms were not favourable for us. I think its best we go now." He tried to drag her away but she refused to bulge, her hands gripping the chair. "What''s wrong this time?"


    "We haven''t even dance and you want us to leave? What will people say? Weren''t you not complaining that people rarely see us together? So let''s dance at least." She sat down in an angry huff.


    Honglin felt his head suddenly twitch in pain. He was at his wit''s end, unable to make her do his bidding. He was about to threaten her when he saw tears gather in her eyes, her head lowered in self pity.


    She said. "I know you are ashamed of me. You don''t want others to see us in public because they will laugh at you being engaged with a blind girl. I am no longer the girl who is qualified to stand by your side."


    He hastily agreed when he noticed the nearby people listening in their conversation. "Okay, just one dance and then we are going home."


    She immediately let him guide her to the dance floor, the song just b?r?ly starting when they were intercepted by a bodyguard.


    Honglin startled, blocking the woman behind him until he saw the man who walked in front of the bodyguards, gathering everyone''s attention. "Its you! What are you doing here?"


    The man looked at him, his eyes narrowing in disdain. "What do you think? I am the host of this party after all."


    Chunlan''s eyes widened in excitement when she heard his voice. She stepped forward, removing Honglin''s hand which held her in place as she walked towards the direction of the voice. Taking a few steps, she grabbed the edge of his suit jacket. "Who are you? Tell me your real name!"


    Honglin who saw her leave his side and arrive by the man''s side moved to retrieve her but was subdued immediately by a bodyguard. Chunlan persisted in interrogating him, squeezing the edge of his jacket. "Answer me! Is it really you?"


    The man who had been looking at her with a gaze full of emotions in his dark black eyes, put her hand that was on his suit jacket in his hand intertwining them. "Forgive me, Chunlan. You must have suffered greatly."


    Chunlan felt herself become a blubbering mess, tears spilling from her eyes as she shook her head, hugging him tightly. "It was worth it. I am just glad you are back..... Jihai."

 Chapter 66 - This is War.

    *BEAUTIFUL AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    Good day Ladies and Gentlemen,


    First of all, I just want to thank you all for supporting this novel through votes and comments. I sincerely appreciate them from the bottom of my vast heart.


    However, I am writing this note to inform you about the new update schedule which will be twice in a week from now on. This is due to the fact that I am now writing my second novel, I Love Being A Villain! Its still fresh, but I hope you like it and support it too.


    NOW LET''S GET BACK TO THE NOVEL.....


    Honglin watched the romantic scene in front of him and continued struggling intensely against the bodyguards that were restraining him. He said. "Leave my fianc¨¦e alone! She is not yours anymore!"


    Jihai didn''t even spare him a glance, keeping his eyes in the woman in his arms. "Are you sure about that, Honglin?"


    "She is no longer yours anymore, you scoundrel! You should be dead! You hear me? Dead!" He said.


    "Then you must be the biggest fool in the world." Jihai"s eyes sparkled as he guided her to stand beside him, his hand gripping hers tightly. "Did you think that it was that easy to snatch the woman I love away from me?"


    Honglin looked at Jihai, hatred corroding his heart. "Jihai, do not think that just because you have become famous and rich, you can do whatever you want! Chunlan, come here!"


    Honglin''s secretary ran to him with an anxious pace, whispering into his ear desperately. "Sir, I just got a call from headquarters. Tangxi Hotels has just signed an alliance agreement with Star Blade Enterprises. They just terminated all their contracts with our law firms this evening!"


    Honglin froze when he heard the news, his eyes darting straight at Chunlan who kept an expressionless face and stayed silent though all of them heard what the secretary had said.


    His eyes widened in rage, his heart bursting in flames. "You devious s?ut! You betrayed me! You deserve to die!"


    Chunlan''s lips curved to a taunting smile as she turned to his direction. "Why? Because you are just finding out you are the biggest fool in the room? Lin-ge, don''t be so pathetic...."


    She cautiously walked to stand in front of him, keeping some distance away from him. "You still haven''t settled all the debts you owe me. This is just the beginning, why do you look so angry?"


    Honglin felt like tearing her into pieces, her red lips mocking him as she stood beside his enemy to trick him. "What have you done, Chunlan?"


    "Oh, I am just making history. Over 50 companies has pledged their loyalty to Star Blade Enterprises in less than 14 days. Honglin do you know, even my father couldn''t that in his prime!" Her watery eyes glistened with admiration.


    "You will regret this, Chunlan. I will make you pay for what you have done to me. You are nothing but a tramp who moves from one man''s bed to another just for power!" Honglin sneered.


    Jihai''s eye signal prompted a bodyguard to land a dozen of punches on Honglin''s abdomen making him grunt then finishing it with a swift kick to his ?h?st. People gasped and retreated each of them with horrified expression especially some ladies who went to the extent of fainting to solidify their dainty appearance.


    "Thank you all for attending the party. It has been a wonderful night but now its time for you all to go. Please leave." Jihai said to the crowd.


    When he saw everyone leaving, he said to Honglin. "You failed to kill me, Honglin but that does not mean you did not wound me. I am going to return this gift to the so called Wen Family Patriarch. When you recover, tell him that from now on, this is war."


    Jihai walked away holding Chunlan who followed him demurely. She still had so many questions to ask him but he stayed silent and she didn''t want to speak either. Suddenly, he stopped and gazed at her with curiosity as they stood in front of his car. "What do you want to ask? You can only ask me one question right now. I will explain everything later."


    She nodded, grabbing his hand tightly. "Are you okay? Its been so long, are you truly unharmed?"


    Jihai looked at her, his heart flooded with warmth and emotion for the first time since he arrived in China. He had finally done it. He was now the most powerful man in China, the man with the most authority in the country. But looking at her, he had realized why he always felt empty. He said. "I am okay, Lan''er."


    He found himself encroached in a hug immediately with Chunlan wrapping her arms around him. Two men who were planning to approach them quickly turned around to give them privacy, both of them looking a little bit uncomfortable.


    She whispered. "I am so proud of you, Jihai. No one can hurt you anymore."


    She knew the world she lived in had no time for weak and incapable people. Her eyes stung a little as she thought, if Jihai was dating a normal girl from a normal world, he would be living a normal life.


    "Its my fault, Jihai."


    He withdrew from her embrace, his fingers wiping the tears falling on her cheeks. "I would never regret the things I did to protect you, to provide for you and to love you..Because to me, you will always be worth it."


    He moved closer to her, his eyes and heart focused on her red painted lips. Just when he could feel her warm breath on his face, Yin Tao walked to them and said. "First Young Mistress, your father had ordered us to bring you home immediately."


    Chunlan turned to reply to Yin Tao, her head colliding with Jihai''s jaw, his eyes scrunching in pain making him let go of her hand. From a far distance, she could hear distant peals of laughter coming from the two men who stood far from them. She said. "I will be going back home, then. Take care of yourself."


    "Okay." He bade her goodnight.


    Chunlan arrived home to the precarious atmosphere at home, her father''s bodyguard guiding her to her father''s study. Unknown to her, her two little sisters were kneeling down on the rugged floor and her mother was standing behind her father who was sitting opposite them.


    Huizhong stared at his blind daughter who had just arrived and threw one of the books on his table at her. "You unfilial daughter, how dare you!"


    Chunlan who was blind helplessly felt the book hit her shoulder, her knees growing weak as she knelt down immediately. "Father, please let me explain!"


    "Explain what?! That you, my first daughter told your sisters to terminate all contracts with the Wen Law Firms or the fact that you knew all this while that wretched boy, Bai Jihai was alive? I will beat you to death today!" Huizhong tried to stand up, his body filled with rage but his wife''s hands restrained him, trying to soothe him quietly.


    Chunhua and Chunying quivered in fear, their eyes closed tightly not daring to say a word at all. Instinctively, they hid behind their senior sister trying to avoid their father''s fiery temper, his intimidating aura subduing them intensely.


    Haifeng looked at her three daughters, her heart filled with pity. "Huizhong, Chunlan must have had her reasons, let''s hear what she has to say."


    He took a deep breath to calm himself, suppressing his anger as he hit the table with his knuckles. "Speak!"


    All the three girls flinched with their father''s command but only Chunlan managed to speak up, her hands holding her sisters'' own in comfort. "It all started like this......."

 Chapter 67 - I just want you to be safe!

    *FLASHBACK*


    Menxiang held the letter she got from Mo Bingwen standing in Chunlan''s hospital room. She was searching for the perfect place to conceal the letter yet somewhere easy to access since her best friend was blind.


    Ah! She smiled as she placed it under the pillow biting her lower lips as she worried about who was going to read it to her.


    "Forget it! As long as its safe, I can come back to read it to her." She jerked when she saw the door open, her hands hastily arranging the pillow before she smiled. "Lin-ge, what are you doing here?"


    "I wanted to see Chunlan since it was time for my lunch break. Where is she?" Honglin asked.


    "I think she has gone for a test in the lab. I was also feeling hungry, how about you take me out instead?" She wrapped her hands around his arm, her eyes blinking cutely. Menxiang wanted him out of the room so that she could ensure the safety of the letter.


    "Alright, let''s go then." Honglin shook his head, smiling dotingly.


    About an hour later, Chunlan was brought back to her room with the help of a nurse. She sat on her bed, feeling sleepy as a result of weariness. Her skin prickled when she felt the door open and close quietly. "Who is there?"


    There was no reply and as time passed by, she grew convinced that someone had just left her room.


    Who could it be? And why did they come here?


    She grew frustrated when she realized that she couldn''t do anything about it with her present condition. She decided to let it be for the meantime and just sleep but she heard the door open again, making her pick up the knife she had hidden under the pillows.


    "First Young Mistress, its me. Don''t be scared." The man said.


    Chunlan lowered the knife she was holding. "Yin Tao? Why are you here? Were you the one who just left my room?"


    "No, First Young Mistress. I will get the security cameras to check the footage. But I have more important news to tell you. I have managed to track Jihai, I know where he is."


    She anxiously straightened her back, adjusting her body to rest on the headboard. "Where is he? Is he okay?!"


    "He is about to leave the country today. We need to hurry if we are going to meet him, First Young Mistress."


    "Let''s go."


    After they had successfully left the hospital, they drove straight to the airport and arrived to see them shooting and fighting. Yin Tao parked the car in a hidden place and brought out his gun, checking the magazine before saying. "Please stay here, First Young Mistress. I will go and check the situation."


    She nodded and waited patiently but the truth was that she was nearly dying with anxiety. She could hear the sounds of gunshot from a far distance and prayed that Jihai wasn''t hurt at all. The car was locked and the windows were bulletproof so she wasn''t afraid for herself at all.


    It took hours and minutes and she had finally lost her patience as she tried to open the door. Fortunately, Yin Tao had returned dragging a man who was unconscious. He opened the door and explained. "I am sorry it took me so long to return, First Young Mistress but I saw this sniper trying to kill Jihai."


    "Is he okay? Where is he?" Chunlan asked, turning her head from side to side to see if she would be able to hear any additional footsteps.


    "He is now okay. But it seems the man who was protecting him was shot. We should leave now, First Young Mistress before the enemies bring reinforcements and your family realize that you are missing."


    "No, I want to see him. Please I need to talk to him, Uncle Yin Tao." She gripped his arm, not knowing that she was pressing near the his bleeding knife wound. But his expression didn''t change though he was taken aback by the way she had addressed him.


    "Okay, First Young Mistress. But first, I need to hold this and don''t let go of it no matter what.". He brought out a black rope and hooked it to his gadget belt before he tied it the other end to her slim waist placing her right hand on the rope.


    They walked together slowly, the black rope acting as a bond between the two of them as they cautiously approached the scene. Yin Tao finally stopped when he saw Jihai kneeling on the ground surrounded by a woman and a man as the man who he saw guarding Jihai was unconscious and bleeding slowly. They saw him appear and raised their weapons in defense.


    "I come in peace!" Yin Tao dropped his gun on the floor and raised his hands in the air, his body frame concealing Tang Chunlan.


    "How dare you come here? You shot my uncle, I will return the favour today." Jihai picked the gun his uncle had in his fingers and pointed it at Yin Tao.


    Chunlan finally came out, her dainty figure emerging from her bodyguard''s own. "Jihai, stop! We are not your enemies!"


    Jihai''s hand trembled. "Lan''er, what are you doing here? Did you use to my letter to track us down and kill us?"


    "What letter? I didn''t receive any letter. I only came here because Yin Tao finally tracked down your whereabouts."


    "You liar!" Jihai shouted.


    "Miss Chunlan is saying the truth, Jihai. The Tang Family has no reason to kill a simpleton like you who is about to leave the country." Yin Tao remained unfazed at the gun aimed at him, his face passive.


    "I only came here because I heard that Won Honglin had sent some ?ssassins to kill you. I was going to save you by becoming your hostage. You have to believe me!" Chunlan explained desperately.


    Jihai laughed bitterly, his heart unable to bear the pain that he was feeling. He screamed loudly, his voice echoing throughout the surrounding area as tears gathered in his eyes.


    He dropped the gun and sat on the ground as he avoided eye contact with the person approaching him. "Go away. I don''t want to see you."


    Chunlan knelt opposite him her eyes breaking at his lonely and despairing appearance. She wanted to hug him and kiss him with all her heart but she restrained herself. This was not the time. "Yin Tao, get the man to the underground hospital now! We don''t have much time."


    Yin Tao moved without hesitation but was obstructed by Hisako who was holding a sword. He looked at the blade that close to his neck and said. "The underground hospital is not far from here, if you want, you can come with me."


    Hisako removed her sword as the man moved forward to carry the wounded man without looking at the blade. She sheathed the two swords and followed them out of the airport.


    Meanwhile, Chunlan grabbed Jihai''s arm and helped him stand up. "As for you, you need to leave the country now. You need to go to UK, Jihai."


    He retrieved his arm back and snarled at her. "No way, I am not going to leave my uncle. I am not going anywhere!"


    "Ry¨­sei? Are you there?" She waited for a response from a man who was too shocked to talk. Yet, she continued to say. "I know you are there. I want you to remember the oath that you swore when you entered the Japanese Black Coin!"


    "How did you know that! Who are you?" Ry¨­sei slowly brought out his gun and approached her, as thoughts raced through his mind.


    "It doesn''t matter who I am. Obey your master''s orders! Take Jihai out of China, we have to hurry." Chunlan turned her head to the direction of the voice.


    She continued as she stretched a piece of paper forward in the air, waiting for him to take it. "On this paper are the coordinates to a private airport not too far from here. Also, my token as the heiress of the Tang Family is inside so you will be granted full access."


    She finally turned to Jihai and said. "Please, I beg you, listen to me for once! I am not telling you to run away or to abandon your uncle. Leave him with me and I swear on my life, I will keep him safe. I will not allow any harm to come to him.." Tears finally spilled on her cheeks. "I just want you to be safe!"

 Chapter 68 - Is it really worth it?

    Tang Huizhong felt even more irate after hearing the explanation that Chunlan gave him. He gripped the edge of the desk more tightly. "Are you telling me that Sakai Sumiyoshi is in China?"


    Chunlan who was now closing her eyes tightly in fear heard her father''s question and frowned. "Yes, he is in China."


    "Where is he?"


    Chunlan felt that question fall on her like a bomb, causing her lips to tremble and her head to be filled with sweat. The atmosphere was plunged into silence and she didn''t need eyes to know to feel her father''s intimidating eyes on her. She could hear her sisters'' sobs behind her, the poor girls scared out of their wits.


    She sighed. "I can''t tell you, Father. Please forgive me."


    Tang Huizhong stood up, his fist banging the table as he angrily pointed at her, trying to walk to her. "Cannot tell me?! You stupid child! Do you know who you are helping?! Do you know the kind of situation you have put us in?"


    He was quickly restrained by his wife who looked at her daughter and said unhappily. "Lan''er, stop being stubborn and listen to your father. Are you really going to choose that boy over your own family?"


    Chunlan remained silent, her heart breaking at the disappointment in her mother''s voice. She had made up her mind that she was not going to tell them anything about Jihai but deep down, she truly felt torn and started to question herself.


    Was this really worth it?


    She heard her father talk in the background pilling her from the series of thoughts that threatened to engulf her mind. He said. "The Sakai family has always ruled over 90% of businesses in Japan while the Tang family has always been the number one in China, keeping the balance in Asia. But now? You have helped the Sakai Family top the number one seat in China, making them the richest family in the whole Asia! How could you do this to us, Lan''er?"


    Tears gathered in Chunlan''s eyes as they all fell silent, the harsh breathing of her father and the sobs of her sisters was the only thing she could hear in the room.


    "Were you thinking that you could stay in power by marrying him? Is that what you were planning? You naive little fool!" Huizhong felt so disappointed and angry when he thought of how that little brat managed to trick his daughter and snatch away his power.


    Even the heirs of the Mo and Cai family had colluded with him!


    He exhaled roughly and said. "Get out."


    That word was the only thing the three girls needed to bolt out of the room as they ran helping their senior sister leave the room. Haifeng massaged her husband''s shoulders, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "What do we do now, Huizhong?"


    The man loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first bu??on of his shirt as he stood up to grab a remote. "We need to talk."


    Haifeng saw him set up a video call using the television as the screen. She said. "Do you want to talk privately? Should I leave?"


    "No, you can stay. Right now, we need all the help we can get if we are going against the Sakai family." He replied and sat down, placing her on his ??p as the video call connected.


    Several faces appeared on the screen, their faces solemn and grim when they greeted him. "Greetings, Senior Brother."


    He ignored their greetings and faced the two faces on the right corner of the screen that were avoiding his eyes. He said. "Cai Shangjun and Mo Xuanqing, explain yourselves."


    The throat-cut attitude and straightforward manner in which Tang Huizhong dealt with things was the reason why his juniors respected and feared him. It was also the resin why they decided to explain the situation.


    Mo Xuanqing spoke up. "Our sons found out about the red paper and stole it from us."


    Tang Huizhong''s face darkened further. The red paper they were talking about was a contract that transfered all their businesses and properties to their heirs from the time they turned 12. This was made in case they died early in order to prevent any family disputes.


    But if they didn''t die and the paper was well hidden, then.........that means they were still in control of their companies. If it was found.......


    ....then things like this would happen!


    "How could you let this happen? You couldn''t even hide a piece of paper?!" Huizhong growled, making the rest of them happy that they were on a video call.


    "Eldest Brother, I am afraid that is not the only problem right now. What should we do about Star Blade Enterprises?" Shem Guiying asked.


    Tang Huizhong looked at his wife''s long fingers and started playing with it, making her narrow her eyes as he said. "I may have a plan....Listen carefully."


    After receiving orders and saying her goodbyes, Shen Guiying disconnected the video call and spun the chair to face the glass windows that was in her office. Her ?ssistant was who had been quietly listening to the conversation, sitting out of view finally asked. "Madame, are we really going to follow the plan?"


    Shen Guiying smiled cynically, her black lips curving as she clicked her fingers. "Of course not. I have another plan naturally."


    "Can I ask what it is?" The secretary quickly panicked when she saw her boss look at her with a blank expression. "Forgive me, Madame. I have overstepped my boundaries."


    Shen Guiying opened her ??ptop and started typing before she answered her. "I think its better we sell this information to the Sakai family to get into their good graces. That way, we can also ?ssist my daughter to get the man she has always wanted. Killing two birds with one stone."


    Her ?ssistant frowned. "But isn''t that just changing masters?"


    Shen Guiying finally spared her a glance as she stretched out her hand to receive the document her ?ssistant was holding to sign. "It may look that way for now. But only time will tell if Bai Jihai would be able to protect his throne once he is married to the Shen family."


    She laughed manically.. "Or what am I saying? I heard that he has changed his name. He now goes by the name, Sakai Yukiharu, right?"

 Chapter 69 - Shen Ji.

    Jihai was currently in his new office facing his two friends who were also sitting down discussing. With all three of them dressed in suits, the room was filled with manly elegance and nobility making his Japanese secretary blush anytime she entered the room. He kept turning his pen as he stared at them, engrossing in deep thinking. Cai Longwei and Mo Bingwen were arguing over a business proposal when they noticed Jihai was quiet.


    Sharing a look between themselves, Cai Longwei decided to ask. "Has Chunlan called yet?"


    "No." Jihai dropped the pen to stand up, walking to face the city view through the glass windows behind his chair.


    "Don''t worry so much. I am sure she is fine. Tang Huizhong won''t kill his own daughter." Cai Longwei tapped his shoulder comfortingly and placed them back in his trouser pockets.


    "What excuse did your parents give my father-in-law about your succession?" Jihai asked.


    Cai Longwei chuckled with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "They told him that we somehow found the red paper in their possessions. They cannot underestimate us, you know?"


    "Did he buy it?"


    "He has no reason not to. After all, the Cai And Mo family has always been loyal to him." Cai Longwei replied. "Oh,I forgot to tell you this! My dad called me yesterday to inform me about a meeting they held last night. They said......"


    After Cai Longwei whispered the plan into his ears, Jihai smiled for the first time for the day as he shook his head. "Interesting. My father-in-law is really something else."


    "What should we do?" Mo Bingwen spoke for the first time, his voice raspy and his face was very pale.


    Jihai picked up a blanket and hung it around his friend''s shoulders, wrapping him. He then poured him a glass of water and put some medicine in his hand. "We should let him take the first step and observe. Tang Huizhong is smart and unpredictable, I am sure he is aware that there is a spy at his table."


    "Are our parents going to be at risk?" Cai Longwei''s eyes scrunched up in worry.


    "Not yet. Tell them to lay low for a while, there is no need for them to communicate with us anymore." Jihai said.


    He then turned to face Mo Bingwen again who was now closing his eyes, the drugs taking effect in his body. "Have you talked to Menxiang since you came back?"


    Mo Bingwen opened his eyes abruptly, glaring at him and not bothering to respond to him.


    Cai Longwei observed the situation and quickly signaled Jihai to change the topic. Jihai ignored him and insisted. "You can''t keep on hurting her like this. You promised me you would take care of her."


    Cai Longwei saw Mo Bingwen continue to ignore Jihai like he was a piece of furniture which was already expected. He attempted to meditate. "Jihai, let''s not talk about that now. We have other issues to discuss."


    Seeing his pleading eyes, Jihai finally let go of the topic switching to other business matters. "Any news from the Wen Patriarch?"


    "Not yet. But the Wen family saw Wen Honglin outside the house, beaten and tied outside their gate so they rushed him to the hospital, again. Jihai, do you think its okay to go against that old man at this time? We will have too many enemies and we are not strong yet." Cai Longwei asked.


    "We need to clear our enemies in one strike instead of picking them one by one. We don''t have much time." Jihai replied as once again, he turned to look at the phone with expectation.


    "Fine, don''t worry. We will support you. The Cai and Mo-". Cai Longwei''s eyes widened when he turned around to glance at Mo Bingwen and saw him holding a handkerchief stained with blood, coughing intensely. "Hey, Bingwen! Are you alright? Jihai, help me!"


    They rushed forward to see him collapse on the sofa. Jihai picked up his phone to make a phone call. A woman''s voice was heard when the call connected.


    The woman''s soft voice said. "Jihai, what a surprise, I-"


    He cut her off. "I need your help. Come to the new Star Blade Headquarters now." And hung up.


    The woman sighed sadly.


    Thirty minutes later, a woman arrived dressed in a white coat and stethoscope hung around her slender neck as she walked up to the reception table. The receptionist greeted her. "Welcome to Star Blade Enterprises, how may I help you miss?"


    The woman said. "I want to see Jihai, where is he?!"


    The secretary scrutinized her before she asked. "May I know who is asking about him, please?"


    "Tell you your boss, my name is Su Menxiang!"


    Meanwhile, Mo Bingwen had regained consciousness and was now resting while Jihai, Longwei and the unknown woman stood in a corner discussing in low tones. Jihai asked the woman solemnly. "You still haven''t found the antidote for his poison?"


    "Not yet." The woman responded. "I still haven''t gotten any response from my contact about the poison he has."


    "Is your contact trustworthy?" Cai Longwei looked at his friend worryingly.


    "Of course, he is. From what I know, he is one of the best in his field of poison." She said.


    Jihai watched quietly and made a decision. "Its best we move him to my house so that it will be convenient to treat him."


    The woman''s smile of ?ssurance quickly turned into a frown. "You want him to live to live with us?"


    "That''s better, that way, you can provide emergency treatment when necessary." Cai Longwei agreed.


    "Is that going to be a problem?" Jihai''s eyes rested on her with unseen pressure.


    "Not at all." The woman lowered her eyes, hiding her displeasure and sadness.


    After a while, they finally leaving the building when Jihai was blocked and forced to receive a ruthless slap from somebody causing people in the background to gasp in shock.


    "So you are truly alive, Bai Jihai?!"


    Jihai''s eyes narrowed in anger as he turned to face the fearless person who had committed the atrocity when his eyes suddenly dimmed. "Menxiang, what are you doing here?"


    "What am I doing here?" She asked out of disbelief as she saw Mo Bingwen and Cai Longwei standing behind him. "Did both of you know that he was alive?"


    The men said nothing when they saw tears spill out of her eyes. She looked betrayed and disappointed at the people who had lied to her again and again. She said. "Did you know how sad I was at your funeral? How much I cried because of your death? How could you put me through all that misery and pain just for your personal gain? What kind of person are you?"


    Cai Longwei stepped forward to say. "Calm down, Menxiang. Allow us to explain."


    "Shut up!" She faced him, her fingers pointing at him. "You even had the guts to come and make a scene in my hospital because of him!"


    She continued looking at Jihai as she sniffed and sobbed. "I always knew that you never considered any of us as your friends except Chunlan. Me, Honglin, Mengqi, all of us meant nothing to you at all! I was very sincere to you and treated you like my own family, why was it so hard to do the same to me?"


    Jihai''s cold eyes looked complicated at the moment as he walked up to hug her stubbornly, effectively subduing her.


    She started struggling immediately he hugged her, twisting and beating his ?h?st. "Release me! Jihai, I hate you so much, let me go!"


    "I am sorry." Jihai''s statement halted her movements as he apologized to her. Behind him, the woman who accompanied them watched with vexation making her clench her fists.


    Menxiang finally calmed down which prompted Jihai to release her letting her see the unknown woman with them. "Who is she? Jihai, you just returned to China and you are already cheating on Chunlan?!"


    "That''s not true, she is -"


    "-My girlfriend." Mo Bingwen coughed twice before he answered, his body covered with a furry coat as he stood.


    Menxiang froze as she saw them share a look.


    "I ask again, who are you?" She willed the incoming tears to stay at bay, her voice cracking a little.


    The woman sighed resignedly as she saw Jihai give her a look before she smiled brightly, stretching her hand for a handshake.


    "Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Shen Ji, what is yours?"

 Chapter 70 - Starlock.

    Menxiang stared at the stranger''s eyes with an intense gaze as she ignored the hand in the air. She saw Bingwen walk to them, his hand bringing Shen Ji''s hand down to enclose it into his own. He said. "Since you two are now familiar with each other, we will be leaving now. Good day."


    Menxiang closed her eyes as he passed her holding Shen Ji''s hand, but when she opened them, tears blurred her vision making her unable to see Jihai''s sympathetic gaze and Longwei''s guilty eyes on her.


    Jihai explained. "We have somewhere important to go. When I am not busy, I will buy you a meal later, okay?"


    Menxiang watched them leave and finally let the tears fall down her cheeks. The surrounding employees in the room didn''t dare look at her, each one hurrying to go about their business. She turned around and left the building.


    Jihai and the rest watched her enter her car as they parked in a building not far from the company to make sure she wouldn''t try to follow them. As they watched her drive off, he turned to glare at Bingwen since it was just the two of them in the backseat of the first car. "I warned you not to hurt her, Bingwen. Do you really think that my words are as light as paper?"


    Mingwen who was closing his eyes, resting suddenly opened them sharply. "Stay out of this, Jihai. This has nothing to do with you."


    "If you don''t stop misbehaving, I will personally help her get married into the He family and live well. You don''t deserve her."


    Bingwen closed his eyes again, turning his head away from Jihai as he carelessly said. "Do what you want."


    "You-"


    Longwei''s voice resonated from a phone that was in speaker mode which was placed in the front of them at the middle of the console facing them. "Hey, guys.....let''s not fight.....we have another things to do."


    This time, Jihai was not letting the topic go, persistently pursuing the subject as he said. "Menxiang is more important than those matters, Longwei."


    "I also agree. Bingwen, you shouldn''t be so harsh to the woman you claim you love. Moreover, you shouldn''t involve outsiders in your personal affairs." Shen Ji tried to sound concerned last comment betrayed her dissatisfaction of having played the fake girlfriend of Bingwen.


    If she was forced to continue the act, doesn''t mean she would lose the opportunity to stay by Jihai''s side?


    "What? Did I say something wrong?" She saw Cai Longwei give her a weird look but quickly turn his face away.


    Cai Longwei twisted his lips into a sneer as he gazed at the car that Jihai and Bingwen were in front of them. It seemed like he needed to start protecting his territory seriously otherwise he would lose his best friend very soon, he thought.


    How could they leave him alone with another white lotus?!


    "Shen Ji." Bingwen''s voice interrupted their individual thoughts, making them stare at the phone. "Are you unhappy with the new arrangement?"


    "Of course not. I just feel that this is really not appropriate for an unmarried lady like me. Maybe-" Shen Ji tried to explain.


    "If you find it very unbearable, we can send you back to Macao tomorrow. We won''t keep anyone that isn''t useful to us." Bingwen''s icy voice made Shen Ji''s hairs on her skin stand.


    She clenched her fists when she heard him but she kept a hurtful and wronged expression. "I didn''t mean to offend you, Bingwen. I just-"


    "Mr Mo. You are not allowed to address me by my name, understand?"


    Shen Ji''s rage almost broke her innocent and kindhearted facade when she heard how rude Bingwen was treating her. How dare he look down on her?!


    Tears gathered in her eyes as she bit her trembling, infusing Cai Longwei''s heart with guilt and pity.


    She sniffed. "Jihai....."


    She appealed to Jihai''s gentlemanly heart, hoping he would come to her defence. But she was met with disappointment when all Jihai said was. "Cai Longwei, take her back to the house. We will talk about this later."


    Cai Longwei was astounded when the call ended. His two friends are truly very cold hearted, he thought as he saw Shen Ji freeze making him give her a handkerchief from his pocket. "Enough, let''s go. "


    Jihai turned to his friend when he saw them drive away. He was about to reprimand Bingwen''s rude behaviour when he finally saw his phone vibrating. Picking it up, he heard a female voice say. "Jihai it is me, Chunlan."


    His eyes brightened as he clutched the phone tighter. "How are you? Did your father scold you badly when he came back?"


    She sighed. "Yes, he did. He was very furious when he found out about our plan but that''s not what''s important. What''s important is I now have Starlock."


    Jihai narrowed his eyes as he heard her. "How did you acquire Starlock Enterprises?"


    Chunlan naturally sensed the distrust and cold annoyance in his voice when he asked her that question. "I was planning to give it to you as a birthday present but its too late for that now. I will send the papers of ownership tomorrow."


    His eyes widened at the same time his heart trembled. Starlock Enterprises was belonged to his late father, Sakai Harumitsu who married his mother that later colluded with the Wen family to kill him and take over the company. The unexpected news had first made his heart go cold but when he heard her explain, his heart felt warm like honey.


    He was well aware just how much it was worth and he wasn''t expecting her to give it to him so easily. At this moment, he was reminded of how good Chunlan was to him, of how much she had been sacrificing for him up to this point. "There is no need to send it to me. I have no interest in that company. You brought a company so naturally you can keep it."


    "Nonsense." Chunlan protested. "I have already said that I only brought it because I wanted to give it to you. If you don''t want it, I will just sell it."


    He quickly sat up and said. "I''ll accept it. Since you insist, then I won''t be polite anymore."


    Chunlan smiled, her eyes filled with mirth. "Okay."


    He cleared his throat when he heard her. "I also have something important to tell you, Chunlan."


    "What is it?"


    He smiled as he told her. "I once overheard your parents talking about a skilled physician that can cure your eyes. Guess what? I have finally found her. Chunlan, I now have Shen Ji."


    Chunlan stood up abruptly, knocking down the glass of water on the table beside her. "WHAT?!"

 Chapter 71 - My conditions.

    Tang Huizhong stood at the door, listening to Chunlan who was on the phone. When he heard Jihai speak about Shen Ji, he immediately entered inside the room and collected the phone from her. Chunlan who was initially startled inhaled his cologne and stretched her hand to retrieve the phone saying. "Papa, is that you? Give me back the phone!"


    Huizhong ignored his daughter and spoke to the phone. "Jihai, tell me. Do you really have Shen Ji?"


    Jihai smiled. "Greetings, Father-in-law. Its been a long time since we have met. Why don''t we meet for a business din-"


    "Don''t play with me, boy. You don''t want to be my enemy." Huizhong growled at the insolent boy.


    But Jihai''s smile widened further as he turned to the Bingwen''s questioning gaze. "I dare not, Father-in-law. But I am afraid its truly not convenient for me to discuss the details right now, that''s why I am proposing a meeting."


    "Tell me the time and place." Huizhong said, his eyes straying to his restrained daughter who was struggling against his bodyguard, Yin Tao.


    "How can I bother Father-in-law to come outside to personally meet me? Its best if I just come to the Tang mansion to see you instead. Such matters should not be said in public." Jihai could already imagined the reddening face of the old man as he tried to subdue his growing rage when he heard his conditions.


    And he was not wrong. At the other end of the call, Tang Huizhong was already irate, his hands gripping the phone tightly. "I expect to see you at 9:00pm, not a second later."


    He hung up.


    The two men in the car burst into laughter when the call ended. The driver watched them laugh to their heart''s content, his face growing more and more uncomfortable. "Boss, is it okay to be messing with the Tang Patriarch like this? We need to be more careful."


    But the two men ignored him, engrossed in their new roleplay. Jihai''s voice deepened uncharacteristically as he said. ".......let me tell you, he was like this. DON''T PLAY ME WITH ME, BOY. YOU DON''T WANT TO BE MY ENEMY!"


    Bingwen burst into laughter once more when he saw Jihai scrunch his face to impersonate Tang Huizhong, his eyes creasing in mirth.


    The driver: "......."


    Jihai commented. "Father-in-law is truly funny indeed. He still thinks I am still that naive and weak boy in the past."


    Bingwen said. "He is a man that only respects strength and hates weakness."


    "Then he need not worry." Jihai put down the glass of water he was holding. "I intend to show him how strong his son-in-law has grown."


    At 9:01pm, a row of black cars entered the Tang family''s mansion. Chunlan was asked to dress and accompany her father who sat in the parlor ignoring her. She felt happy and uncomfortable since she was unable to find out what they had discussed.


    Tang Huizhong watched Bai Jihai enter the room, dressed in a black suit and black tie as his bodyguards halted at the door. His sleek black hair was combed back to reveal his handsome facial features as he walked towards them, his hands tucked in his trouser pockets. "Chunlan."


    Chunlan''s head quickly whipped to the direction of his voice, feeling him take her hand making her stand up. "Jihai, welcome."


    He smiled and tucked some of her hair behind her ear which was adorned with a pair of green earrings. "You look pretty."


    Chunlan struggled to hide the smile from her lips. "Just pretty?"


    He pecked her smooth pale cheeks which turned red instantly. "You look lovely. Beautiful. Dazzling. Gorgeous. Exquisi-"


    "Enough! You disrespectful brat, how dare you ignore me and flirt with my daughter in my presence?!" Tang Huizhong who had been watching the scene finally couldn''t take it anymore, seeing the way his daughter was happily blushing and the annoying boy didn''t even greet him!


    Jihai released Chunlan''s face and turned to face him. "Father-in-law, I didn''t see you there! Allow me to kowtow and give my greetings..."


    "No need! Follow me to the dining table." Huizhong left them and started walking.


    Ry¨­sei who had accompanied them shook his head when he saw Jihai taking his revenge because Tang Huizhong blatantly disrespected the Sakai clan by not coming out to greet them. Jihai was truly now a scheming man who was now winning the girl''s heart and fighting with her father. Truly commendable!


    They sat around the table, each one in their own thoughts as the two men stared at each other. Tang Huizhong finally said. "Tell me now. What would it take for you to give me Shen Ji?"


    Jihai said. "Let me marry Chunlan."


    Chunlan frowned lightly, her hand covering his own. "Jihai."


    Huizhong immediately refused. "Never. I will never allow you to marry my daughter. State another condition."


    "But that''s the only condition I have." Jihai replied.


    "How about I trade your uncle for Shen Ji?" Huizhong sat in satisfaction as he watched the young boy''s eyes narrow in anger for the first time.


    "What do you mean, Father? No one knows the whereabouts of Sakai Sumiyoshi except me and......." Chunlan froze.


    Yin Tao.


    "Sometimes, you forget dear child, that Yin Tao is my personal bodyguard not yours." Huizhong almost shook his head at his daughter''s gullible and innocent way of handling things.


    "I told you father in-law, that I have only one condition. Any other person is unimportant to me." Jihai reiterated.


    "Father, please stop this...."


    "You should listen to your daughter, Huizhong. This days, most children just run away with their lovers without giving their parents face. Your daughter was truly raised properly.". An old man walked into the room with a sturdy wooden cane. He wore a red linen shirt and trousers which was embroidered with golden threads. His grey hair was tied into a Chinese knot.


    Huizhong stood up to greet the old man, his eyes signaling Jihai do the same. In order to please his father-in-law, Jihai stood up and faced the old man leaving only Chunlan seated. She whispered. "Jihai, who is that?"


    Huizhong silenced his daughter, and bowed his head in greeting. "Welcome, Uncle."


    The old man looked around the house and said. "Its been ten years since I have stepped foot into the Tang mansion since the death of your father, Huizhong. Time has truly flown." He turned to face the man standing near Chunlan. "Are you the one they now call Sakai Yukiharu?"


    Jihai smiled. "I didn''t expect the old patriarch of the Wen family, Wen Qiqiang to come personally to see me."


    "How could I not come when you declared war on me by leaving my grandson half dead on the front of my house? I have to admit, you really have some guts, boy." The old man''s eyes scanned Jihai who replied.


    "It was just a small present, not worth mentioning. But I was curious, did you like it?"

 Chapter 72 - Your secrets.

    Tang Chunlan felt stifled with the current atmosphere sitting down with such people. The sounds of knife grinding on the ceramic plates made her head spin and the aromatic smell of food was not helping her problem. She could feel the undisguised tension in the air, all three men pretending that they were having a civil dinner when it was clear that this was a feast filled with predators. She put down her napkin and stood up. "Please excuse me, Papa. I don''t feel so well so I will be retiring for the night."


    Tang Huizhong nodded, grateful for his daughter''s sensitivity and thoughtfulness. "Okay, dear. Goodnight."


    Jihai also stood up, stretching his hand out to help her. "Let me help you to your room. Please excuse us, Father-in-law."


    Tang Chunlan turned to the old man sitting by her left side. "Goodnight, Grandpa Wen. Please excuse me."


    Wen Qiqiang smiled after drinking his glass of water. "Goodnight, dear. Take care of yourself and send my regards to your junior sisters."


    Chunlan said. "I will."


    The couple left the room and began carefully climbing the stairs as they talked. Chunlan placed a small key and a piece of paper in Jihai''s palm and whispered. "Here is the new location my father is keeping your uncle. You must rescue him before the week ends, okay?"


    Jihai''s frowned when he stared at the key. "It seems like you already knew that my uncle will be moved ahead of time. How come?"


    She smiled. "As his heir, I know my father very well." Plus, I am a woman who has been reborn, she silently added. If the laws of heaven and earth didn''t work against her, there was no one right now who could defeat her.


    "I see. Thank you." He tucked the items in his pocket and wrapped his hand around her own, guiding her through the stairs.


    "You are welcome. Tell me about Shen Ji. Where is he now?" She asked.


    Jihai replied. "I initially thought she was staying in Brazil but surprisingly, I met her during my business trip in Macao. I saved her from an foreign drug lord and brought her back. Right now, she is currently staying with me in my house."


    "In your house?" Chunlan glared at him, her fingernails digging into his palm.


    He paused to look at her, his lips curving into a smile as he explained. "I only kept her there because I wanted to be able to watch over her personally. Plus, it will be more convenient for her to treat Bingwen."


    "Bingwen? What''s wrong with him?"


    Jihai''s smile fell. "He was poisoned before he travelled abroad. We have been looking for an antidote."


    Chunlan became dazed as her mind took her back to her past life, her hand falling away from his own.


    She remembered how Menxiang was forcefully married against her will to Mo Bingwen immediately after her graduation in order to save her family''s dying business. Their marriage was full of bitterness and resentment and no matter how hard Bingwen tried, he couldn''t win her love.


    One day, she couldn''t take it anymore and begged her third brother, Su Ying Pei to find a way to help her leave the marriage. Su Ying Pei didn''t even attempt to refuse her but instead poisoned Bingwen on their third year anniversary. Poor Bingwen died four months later, crippling the whole Mo family and sending his weak father into his own deathbed. Her friend was torn between guilt and the d?s?r? to pursue her first love who was married to her cousin. Unable to choose, she began to blame Chunlan for not helping her win him over and accused her for leading him away from her.


    The rest is history.


    Jihai watched her turn pale, standing in a daze. "What''s wrong? Lan''er, are you alright?"


    She mumbled in despair with her eyes wide. "He is already poisoned?!"


    "What do you mean? Do you know who did this?" Jihai''s sharp eyes stared at her, willing her to talk.


    Realizing she had spoken out loud, she mentally hit herself. "How would I know anything about this? Can''t you see I am blind?"


    Jihai narrowed his eyes and deepened his voice. "Tang Chunlan."


    She glared at him when he called her name. "Enough! I said I don''t know anything about what happened to your friend, why are you interrogating me like this? Are you helping me go back to my room or not?!"


    Jihai kept quiet and helped her to her room, leaving them in their own thoughts. He knew that Chunlan had changed, suddenly into a woman with many secrets. Now that he thought of it, it had started a while back when they were in college but it was more apparent now.


    He watched her open her door and say. "Goodnight." Closing the door in his face.


    He stood there, standing in front of the door with complicated feelings. After a while, he spoke up. "Lan''er, I know that there are things you are keeping from me, secrets that you are hiding but I really don''t mind. I won''t care as long as those secrets don''t get in the way of our plans and happiness. I trust you because I know that your secrets won''t be bigger than our love, right?"


    Chunlan only opened the door when she realized that he had left. She held in her emotions and whispered. "Don''t worry, Jihai. I will make sure we get our happy ending, I promise."


    She sighed in relief. By now, her father hopefully would have succeeded in chasing away Wen Qiqiang in order to prevent any bloodshed from occurring in their house.


    But that wasn''t the case.


    When Tang Huizhong had finally managed to get the old man out of the house, he suddenly collapsed on their way to his car. After calling the doctor and being advised to let him rest in the house, he realized that the sly old fox was just stalling for an opportunity to talk with his son-in-law.


    He was right.


    When they saw Jihai coming downstairs, the old man abruptly stood up straightening his body like a thirty year old ?du?t. "Huizhong, I told you that I was alright, why do you keep insisting that I should rest instead? Its getting late, I better take my leave."


    Wen Qiqiang raised his head to glance at the young man approaching them. "Oh, you are leaving too? Then let''s go together, I am sure you don''t mind escorting this old man, do you?"


    Bai Jihai nodded, smiling at him with unrestrained amusement. "Of course not. Let''s take my car instead.. Its much safer that way."

 Chapter 73 - Wen Qiqiangs rage.

    "Was it really necessary to get rid of my bodyguards like that?" Wen Qiqiang turned to look at the man who had the audacity to beat up his grandson and dump him in front of his house.


    Jihai brought out a cigarette and lit it, watching the smoke diffuse in the air. "Grandpa, you are exaggerating things. I merely put them together in a car to follow us. Since one of your cars is down, they needed to share a car with my bodyguards. Its not that bad, is it?"


    Wen Qiqiang started coughing. "No, it isn''t." Seeing that the young man didn''t mind his discomfort, he complained. "You should stop smoking. It''s bad for your lungs."


    "My lungs are not complaining." Jihai replied.


    "But I have breathing problems." Wen Qiqiang looked at him.


    "I know."


    The old man chuckled, his eyes darkening with each passing minute. "It seemed like staying in the UK for three years didn''t help refine your poor manners, young man."


    "No, it didn''t. But it helped refine my ambition and resolve to see you and your whole family in the mud." Jihai opened the car window to throw the cigarette away. "Now let''s talk business, old man."


    Wen Qiqiang leaned his cane against the seat and played with the ring on his left finger. "I agree. Let''s talk. Why have you decided to take the same disastrous path as your father, Sakai Harumitsu?"


    "Because the Sakai clan will never accept defeat. I will have my revenge." Jihai calmly replied, letting the man size him up with his eyes.


    "What happened to your father is something that happened for a reason. He tried to break the agreement the Asian families because of his greed. Is that something worth getting revenge for?" Wen Qiqiang questioned him.


    "That bullsh*t may have convinced Tang Huizhong and the rest in the past but we both know that isn''t going to fool me. My mother, Bai Lianzhen is already paying for the role she played in this conspiracy. Your time is ticking, old man."


    "You are no match for me, young man. I have dealt with so many enemies and I have never lost. I was once number one, the head of the six familes in China so do not underestimate me. Even Tang Huizhong doesn''t dare fight me, what makes you think you can?" The old man asked.


    "Because I am not your average opponent, Mr Wen. You will see that for yourself very soon." Jihai pressed a bu??on that rolled down the partition between them and his driver. "Ry¨­sei, tell our bodyguards to stop here."


    Wen Qiqiang saw the car stop and asked. "What is happening? Why has the car stopped?"


    "I believe our conversation has finished, ending the need for me to bear with your intolerable presence. Leave my car." Jihai ordered.


    Wen Qiqiang was astounded, his lips parting in surprise. "What?"


    "You said you had breathing problems, how come it seems like you are also turned deaf?"


    Wen Qiqiang gripped his cane tightly, finding it hard to swallow this grave insult. "You will regret this, Jihai. I promise you."


    "Just shut up and get out." Bai Jihai stuffed another cigarette into his lips, refusing to spare the man another glance.


    The old man opened the car door and stepped down from the car, feeling the bitter chill air on his frail skin making him shiver. As he watched the car speed off, he realized that he was in the middle of nowhere.


    His bodyguards ran to him immediately they spotted him. One of them took off his coat and hung it in his shoulders. "Boss, are you hurt?"


    Wen Qiqiang shook his head. "Call home to send cars here to pick us up. I will teach that insolent brat an unforgettable lesson."


    With the support of his cane, he walked to a sidewalk bench and sat down. As he waited, he started thinking. He had never been insulted like this in his life and it was truly hard to swallow it. An enemy like this was either very reckless or truly formidable.


    A bodyguard came into his view and said. "Boss, I have called the Wen family house. They are sending transport to pick us up. Since its quite cold, should we go to that restaurant to stay?" He pointed to a building behind him.


    Wen Qiqiang stood up, nodding his head. "Okay. Let''s go in. Inform them where we will be staying so they can come find us."


    As they walked, a car horned attracting their attention to see a woman in a red fur coat who removed her eyeglasses to wave. "Uncle Wen! Uncle Wen, its me, Shen Guiying!"


    Being supported by a bodyguard, Wen Qiqiang smiled and walked towards the woman as the bodyguard opened the door. He entered and said. "Ying''er, what are you doing here?"


    Shen Guiying replied. "I went out for a business dinner. I was actually about to visit you, Uncle."


    "Me? Why? As far as I''m concerned, its only Su Liangzi that visits me these days." The old man looked at his expensive gold watch.


    Shen Guiying smiled. "Uncle, don''t be like this. We both know that the only reason he visits you is to run your monthly check up. We are all busy with our jobs."


    "At least, he still cares about my health. That child, he gets thinner every time I see him." Wen Qiqiang sighed.


    "Yes, I know. I am also worried about him too." Shen Guiying quickly changed the subject. "But why are you here? Where is your car?"


    Wen Qiqiang felt all the rage that had disappeared come back with full force making his ?h?st feel stuffy. "The cars broke down so I left it in the Tang mansion."


    Shen Guiying''s eyes furrowed in confusion. "Tang mansion? Then why didn''t they arrange for any transport to take you back?"


    "Actually, I came back with Sakai Yukiharu. He is the one who has decided to offend me tonight." Wen Qiqiang tightened his hold on his cane.


    "You mean Bai Jihai? What happened?" Shen Guiying wondered what stupid act that boy had commuted against someone like Wen Qiqiang. Was he planning on going on the path of self destruction?


    Wen Qiqiang shook his head. "We can talk about it slowly as you drop me off.. Then you can tell me about that situation you want me to help you with."

 Chapter 74 - Your crazy cousin!

    Jihai who was the subject of a private conversation arrived home shortly after his visit to the Tang mansion. Before he stepped into the house, he tossed a key and a piece of paper to Ry¨­sei saying. "I need you to go to this address written on this piece of paper tonight to rescue my uncle. Make sure there are no mistakes."


    Ry¨­sei''s eyebrows arched in confusion. "Isn''t he with Miss Chunlan? Why do we need to rescue him?"


    "Her father found out where she was hiding him and tried to use him as a bait." Jihai loosened his tie as he closed his eyes tiredly. "Where is Hisako?"


    "She is still on the mission you gave her. Do you want me to call her back?" Ry¨­sei asked.


    "No need. I don''t want her to get worried about this. You can go now, thank you." Jihai dismissed him and entered inside his new house.


    He walked straight to his bedroom intending to take a shower and sleep after an exhausting day but what he saw made him drop his briefcase in shock.


    A woman dressed in a white robe was lying on his bed in an indecorous manner watching TV, her wet hair spread across his pillow.


    "Shen Ji? What are you doing here?" Jihai quickly composed himself, turning away but the red hue on his cheeks and his ears could not be disguised.


    Shen Ji was happy when she saw his reaction from the corner of her eyes but she quickly sat upright in surprise, attempting to cover herself in fake modesty. "Jihai, you are back. I am sorry, my room''s light suddenly went off and I didn''t know what to do since you often send all the servants away before 6pm."


    Jihai rolled up his sleeves and said. "Stay here, I will go and fix it."


    "Wait!" The perfume that she secretly sprayed floated across the room as she walked towards him, making him dizzy all of a sudden. He blinked twice to clear his head but he failed. She placed her fingers on his shoulders and said. "Let me help you take off your suit first."


    Jihai''s throat moved nervously when his eyes fell on her exposed throat, his head aching badly. "Get away from me."


    "Relax, I am just trying to help you. I mean you no harm, Jihai." Her innocent demeanour didn''t stop her from roaming her hands all over him.


    Jihai was already feeling weak and dizzy so he was about to faint when a hand suddenly caught him, supporting him to stand. He heard the voice say. "Guards, grab her."


    Shen Ji who was surprised by the appearance of an unfamiliar person in the house asked. "Who are you?"


    "Gag her too. I don''t like her voice, it disgusts me." He ordered.


    Two hefty men came into the room, wrenching Shen Ji from Jihai as they dragged her out of the room. Jihai felt a wet cloth wipe his face, helping him regain consciousness as he laid on the bed. He opened his eyes, looking at the person who was with him. "When did you come?"


    "About two hours ago. I didn''t come here immediately because I had other businesses to take care of." He looked around. "Did I interrupt something?"


    Jihai glared at him.


    "Okay, okay, I get it. She is not the woman you have been talking about, so who is she?"


    "I hired her to be my doctor. I need her to treat my friend and my fiancee too, so don''t try to kill her." Jihai warned him.


    "Okay I won''t. Don''t worry." Both of them looked up to see two men in pajamas entering the room. Cai Longwei and Mo Bingwen walked hand-in-hand into the room.


    Mo Bingwen rubbed his eyes sleepily, sitting down on a chair as he complained. "Hey Jihai, what''s going on? I heard some noises coming from.......Wait, who is this?"


    Jihai sat up and replied. "This is my cousin, Sakai Natsuhiko . He just came from Japan."


    Cai Longwei''s eyes widened before he struggled to control his expression. But Natsuhiko already noticed it and smiled, creating goosebumps on his skin. He said. "I should leave you to rest now. Take some of this pills and you will be fine. I will handle this woman myself."


    "I told you not to kill her. I need her to do something for me." Jihai said.


    "And I already said that I won''t. Goodnight, baby brother." Natsuhiko left the room, leaving them in an awkward silence.


    But Cai Longwei couldn''t keep it in and just had to say what was on his mind. "REALLY? YOU BROUGHT YOUR CRAZY COUSIN TO THE HOUSE? WHY DIDN''T YOU TELL US HE WAS COMING?!"


    Mo Bingwen reprimanded him immediately. "Longwei! Shut up!"


    Cai Longwei continued his hysterical rant. "I am leaving this house....I am going to look for a new place to stay and I am going to move out....I knew this was a bad idea!"


    Jihai leaned on the headband, still feeling a little weak. He reassured them. "He isn''t going to stay here for long. He just wants to retrieve his father and return to Japan, that''s all."


    "DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?!" Cai Longwei felt like strangling his friend.


    Sakai Natsuhiko was the youngest billionaire in Japan as the the heir of the Sakai clan. If Sumiyoshi was to be called crazy, then it can be said that his son, Natsuhiko was fit to be called insane. From arms dealing and drug trafficking to petty arm robbery, he had his finger involved in every bad thing happening in Japan. There was even a exaggerated saying in the underground world that he was the one who controlled the crime rate in the whole Asia!


    "Its too late to prepare a room for him so he will be staying in my room for the night." Jihai said.


    "Okay, we will do as you say then......" Bingwen paused when they heard a woman''s wild shriek come from downstairs.


    The three of them shared an alarmed look.


    "Oh my goodness....." Cai Longwei rubbed his face wearily.


    "Let''s go take a look.." Jihai quickly stood up and ran out of the room.

 Chapter 75 - I need your help.

    "HELP! JIHAI! PLEASE HELP ME!" Shen Ji looked at the man in black suit standing in the shadows like a devil as two men pinned her to the couch, spreading her legs wide apart. Tears streamed out of her eyes blurring her vision, her lips trembling when they gagged her immediately.


    Sakai Natsuhiko rubbed his ears hard before he walked towards her. "How noisy! Is that how you were planning to scream when you were in bed with my cousin? Such a turn-off."


    She kept shaking her head, her teary eyes pleading desperately with his. She continued to struggle but could not overpower the two men holding her down. Her eyes widened when she saw him take off his suit jacket and unbuckle his belt.


    At the same time, Jihai and his two friends ran down to the scene in shock. Their eyes landed on his unbuckled belt before they stopped at his face.


    "What are you doing, ani?!" Jihai furiously came down the stairs and grabbed his cousin''s shirt.


    Sakai Natsuhiko''s indifferent eyes strayed to his own, his hands calmly removing the hands that was wrinkling his shirt. He said in Japanese. "Enough, Yukiharu. I was only trying to scare her."


    Jihai grimaced when he finally released him, responding too in Japanese. "Scare her?! What if she reports you to the police? Do you even realize that you are no longer in Japan? You can''t keep behaving this way, ani."


    Sakai Natsuhiko only smiled, his bright smile sending chills to the onlookers, Longwei and Bingwen who shared a worried look. He signaled the bodyguards to release her and simply passed Jihai to go upstairs. Shen Ji immediately removed the cloth in her mouth before untying her legs, wailing.


    Jihai didn''t spare her a single glance but instead commanded one of the guards who were leaving. "Transfer to the house by the lake and make sure you keep an eye on her."


    Shen Ji didn''t struggle when the guard dropped his jacket on her shoulders and grabbed her, forcing her to leave the house. She looked frightened out of her wits, sobbing incoherently.


    Jihai finally closed his eyes, sighing wearily when he heard his cousin''s voice reverberating from the room. "Yukiharu, by the way, I suggest you call a doctor for the woman tomorrow."


    Jihai paused. "Why?"


    "Because I poisoned her with an aphrodisiac. The effects will wear off tomorrow by itself but she still needs to be checked."


    Jihai was very close to pulling his hair, frustration seeping into his mind. "Why does she still need to be checked?"


    Pause. "Because I gave her two types of poisons. When the aphrodisiac wears off, the second poison would be activated."


    Jihai. "......"


    Natsuhiko shouted. "Oh, don''t behave that way. You know she deserved it!"


    Late at night, Chunlan noticed that there were still some sounds coming from her father''s study. She quietly wore her robe and walked to her destination, guided by her experience and the sounds she heard. "Dad?"


    Tang Huizhong who had ransacked his whole office in search of an important document was finally in a good mood, holding a red document when he saw Chunlan enter his office. He jerked in surprise, hiding the document when he remembered that she was blind. He visibly relaxed. "Lan''er, why are you still awake?"


    He took her hand and guided her to a chair. She smiled sadly and said. "I wanted to talk you in private."


    "About what?" Tang Huizhong kept a straight face even though he had an inkling about what she wanted to say. He prayed for abundant patience for what he knew he will have to face.


    "I want to marry Jihai." Chunlan said. "Just give us your blessing, Dad."


    He sat down on his chair and stared at his daughter. "No."


    "Why don''t you want me to marry him? Are you still placing your hopes on Wen Honglin?" Chunlan asked.


    Huizhong leaned into his chair. "I no longer have any intention to fuse the Wen and Tang family properties together. They already have a big war coming from the Sakai clan and we don''t need to get involved."


    "But I love him." Chunlan said.


    "I know you do. But that''s none of my concern of the moment. My priority is and always be my family. Only my family." Huizhong replied, opening another document to read.


    "Is it because you are afraid that after Jihai destroys the Wen family, he will come after us?"


    Huizhong narrowed his eyes as he closed the document abruptly. "What are you talking about?"


    "Stop taking me for a fool. I am aware of what you did to Sakai Harumitsu. Of what the six families did to him. Did you think that you could hide this secret forever?" Chunlan heard her father hit the table in anger, making her flinch as she closed her eyes.


    "I will not repeat myself, Lan''er. Don''t get involved." Huizhong sternly warned her. "Go back to bed. We will be going to the underground hospital tomorrow morning."


    Chunlan stood and exited the room, bumping into another person who steadied her. The woman asked her concerned. "Are you okay, Lan''er?"


    She didn''t speak, merely shaking her head as she tried to conceal her eyes. Haifeng noticed it and looked through the small space between her and the door to see Huizhong rubbing his eyes. Her heart hurt when she saw her daughter trying to evade her. "Lan''er, did you fight with your father again?"


    Chunlan nodded solemnly.


    Haifeng ??r?ssed her honey brown hair as she advised her. "Your father and I will always want the best for you, Lan''er. But only you can choose what''s right for you. Don''t let anyone take that decision away from you."


    Chunlan sighed as she entered her room and became determined when she realized that in this life, once again, she will not be able to convince her father to let her marry Jihai. She wiped a tear that slid down her cheeks as she dialed a number, waiting for it to ring.


    When it clicked, she said. "Jihai, I need you to pick me up in 5 minutes."


    His sleepy voice asked her. "Why? What''s wrong?"


    "I want to do what''s best for me. For us.. Right now, I plan to leave this house and I need your help."

 Chapter 76 - Let her be happy.

    "WHY IS SHE TAKING SO LONG TO COME DOWN?!" Tang Huizhong had reached his limit, pacing in front of the dining table.


    Haifeng glanced at the two girls sitting by the table then glared at her husband with a frown of her face. "Huizhong! How many times have I told you to control your temper in front of our daughters? You are always scaring them!"


    Huizhong quickly looked at his two twin daughters who had their heads lowered as they ate. He reached out to ??r?ss one of their heads, soothing them. "Ying''er, have you seen your sister this morning?"


    Chunying shook her head with her stuffed mouth and lowered her head, her eyes sharing a look with her twin sister who continued to give an expressionless face.


    Huizhong grimaced and stood up, climbing the stairs to Chunlan''s room. Haifeng quickly whispered to her daughters before she followed her husband. "Remember what I told you, girls."


    She ran after her husband to see him open his daughter''s room. After that, she heard him call her name in rage. "HAIFENG!"


    The maid who had delivered the spare key was terrified, staring at her mistress in fear as she trembled. Haifeng dismissed her as she enters the room. "You may leave now, thank you."


    Haifeng entered the room with confusion written on her face when she saw her angry husband standing in front of a wardrobe. "What is it, Huizhong?"


    "She is gone! That unfilial girl has fled the house!" He sat down on the bed, gripping the bedsheets in rage.


    She glanced at the empty wardrobe and sat down beside him in silence. When some minutes had passed, she finally spoke with relief. "Ah, finally!"


    Huizhong turned to face her, surprised at what she had just said. "What?"


    Haifeng stood up in exasperation. "Oh Huizhong! Chunlan really loves that boy so much, what don''t you just let them be together?"


    Huizhong growled, close to losing his patience with his wife. "You know why!"


    "Our children should not have to suffer the mistakes we made, Huizhong." She said. "Where are you going?"


    Huizhong walked out of the room, ignoring her as he shouted. "Yin Tao!"


    A figure who had been blending with the dark shadows in the corridor quietly suddenly appeared in front of his boss. "Boss."


    Huizhong threw a punch at his bodyguard, sending him across the floor with a thud. Haifeng came out when she heard the noise, gasping. "Huizhong!"


    Huizhong ordered the rest of the bodyguards who were standing with his daughters. "Get them out of here."


    Huizhong looked at the person on the floor with cold eyes filled with deadly intent. "Did you help her escape? Where is Lan''er?"


    Yin Tao spat out a mouthful of blood, his jaws aching as he stood up. He bowed his head.


    "Answer me!" Huizhong barked, walking towards him.


    "Huizhong, enough!" Haifeng obstructed his path as she stood in front of him. "If you really love Chunlan like you say you do, then just let her be happy."


    "She is not safe there!" Huizhong watched his wife flinch as he raised his voice.


    She saw him walk away as he tried to restrain himself. She turned to face Yin Tao who stayed quiet standing straight like a statue. "Are you alright?"


    "Yes, Madame."


    She inserted a piece of paper into his palm, saying. "I need you to find a way to contact Chunlan. Give her this."


    She went to look for her husband when she finished giving out orders. She saw him staring at a certain picture in his office which made her heart ache. He grabbed his phone to call each head of the six families to a meeting right away, telling them the venue.


    When all of them had gathered in a secluded but well furnished place , he sat down at the head of the table. "Good morning."


    The rest of the six families. "Good morning, Senior Brother."


    Cai Shangjun who was holding the sandwich he was supposed to eat, dropped it when he saw Huizhong''s solemn face. "Senior Brother, is there any problem?"


    "Yes, there is. Ten years ago, we were deceived into a war that was not ours to fight. One of us here used his own brothers and sister to fight against a powerful enemy that he knew he could not defeat on his own. I just found out the truth a few days ago." Huizhong informed them.


    The others shared a look of confusion filled with dread. Su Liangzi spoke out. "What are you saying, Brother?"


    Shen Guiying frowned when she realized what her senior brother was talking about.


    "Wen Tianxiang, explain yourself."


    Wen Tianxiang, son of Wen Qiqiang laughed anxiously across the table as he denied everything. "I don''t know what you are talking about, Huizhong."


    Huizhong narrowed his eyes. "Why didn''t you tell us that the person Sakai Harumitsu was trying to kill was not Lai Weilong but you instead?"


    "What are you talking about, da-ge?" Mo Xuanqing''s eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment, watching the intense atmosphere increase further.


    "Wen Tianxiang embezzled a lot of money from the Sakai clan during a business project. Sakai Harumitsu found out and swore that he would destroy the Wen family when he found out so that night, when he tried to kill him, Lai Weilong''s son died instead." Huizhong hit the table in fury as he told the story, pointing at Wen Tianxiang. "Because of you, that stray bullet hit Lai Weilong''s only child!"


    "B-But that i-isn''t....." Wen Tianxiang stammered.


    "Shut up! Because of you, our six families declared war on the Japanese!" Huizhong roared.


    In a blink of an eye, Lai Weilong was already in front of Wen Tianxiang grabbing his shirt as he delivered a swift kick to his abdomen making him bend down in pain.


    Cai Shangjun and Mo Xuanqing struggled to restrain him but before they knew it, he was already holding a gun aimed at Wen Tianxiang.


    Shen Guiying gasped, hiding behind Su Liangzi when she peeped to see Lai Weilong''s blazing eyes directed at Wen Tianxiang.


    He clicked the gun and said. "WEN TIANXIANG, HOW DARE YOU?!"

 Chapter 77 - Help me, Father!

    Wen Qiqiang was sitting down in his patio listening to traditional Chinese music and sipping a high quality tea in the mid afternoon when he saw his son running in like he was being chased by a demon.


    Wen Tianxiang suddenly fell down on the wooden floor, heaving heavily as he gasped for air holding his ?h?st. However, his father remained unfazed and even looked at him with disdain. "What are you doing here?"


    Wen Tianxiang immediately knelt down in front of his father with desperation in his eyes as he tried to grab his leg. "They are trying to kill me. Help me, Father! Please help me!"


    "What are you talking about?" When Wen Qiqiang heard what his son said, he observed his disorderly clothes and looked at his bodyguard who started to chase all the maids away. "What happened to you?"


    "They found out!" Wen Tianxiang''s face was full of fear as he looked back to sure no one was listening to their conversation. "The heads of the six families found out about what happened to Sakai Harumitsu!"


    "WHAT?!" Wen Qiqiang''s hand hit the table before he stood up in shock, his eyes widening. "How did they found out?"


    "I don''t know either." Wen Tianxaing wiped the sweat from his eyebrows, gulping nervously. "All I know is that Tang Huizhong found out about it a few days ago and he revealed it to the rest of the group today!"


    Wen Qiqiang frowned as he held onto his cane supporting him. "What happened next?"


    "When he accused me of swindling Sakai Harumitsu and tricking them into fighting the Japanese, I tried to deny it but......"


    "But what?" Wen Qiqiang asked.


    ".....Lai Weilong brought out a gun to kill me!" Wen Tianxiang started trembling as he told the story.


    "Then how did you survive?" With Lai Weilong''s skills and temperament, it would be impossible for him to survive this ordeal.


    "Well, it was Tang Huizhong who stopped him from killing me, declaring that from today, the Wen family has been ousted from the six families!" Wen Tianxiang informed his father.


    "DAMN IT!" Wen Qiqiang swiped the tea set on the table away to the floor, sending them crashing down into little pieces. "This is bad!"


    "But h-hasn''t he has already abdicated his throne to t-that boy, Jihai? How come he still has the power to make that kind of decision?" Wen Tianxiang didn''t dare lift his head anymore when he saw his father''s angry countenance.


    "Jihai''s reign will not begin until all remaining five heirs succeed their own predecessors." Wang Qiqiang started pacing slowly around the patio as he pondered. "Jihai''s succession itself was unconventional, I am sure sooner or later he would be forced to marry into one of the six families. We can''t allow that to happen."


    "B-But why?" Wen Tianxiang asked his father. "Doesn''t that mean that Huizhong won''t be able to expel us?"


    "You stupid fool." Wen Qiqiang eyed him with contempt, wishing he was speaking with his grandson instead. It was no wonder that the Wen family lost their rightful place at the top, forced to sit at second place. "Jihai already knows what you did to his father. If he manages to succeed Tang Huizhong, the power he wields from both countries would be the ultimate weapon he needs to destroy us!"


    "Then what do we do?" Wen Tianxiang nervously clutches this hands. "What about Lai Weilong?"


    "Lai Weilong doesn''t even come from one of the six families! He is just an adopted brother of Tang Huizhong, how can you be afraid of him?" Wen Qiqiang hit his cane of the wooden floor as he gazed at the sunset in front of him.


    "You weren''t there, Father! He is going to kill me! Are you forgetting he has a firm control on the military? I am sure he even has a personal army at his beck and call!" Wen Tianxaing finally grabbed his father''s legs in desperation as he begged him. "Please let me stay here, Father. Just for a while! If I leave this place, I am going to die!"


    "Shut up!" Wen Qiqiang kicked his son away like he was an insect, sending him far away on the floor. He started walking away, unwilling to spare his stupid son a glance. "You can stay here if you wish but make sure you don''t disturb Honglin. Leave this matter to me. I will handle this matter myself."


    However, in another place, three people sat down in a tense atmosphere looking at each other in silence. Haifeng held her husband''s right hand tightly when she saw him staring at Jihai.


    Why?


    Because she personally saw him carry a loaded gun before they came here. She smiled at the young man and said. "So when is Chunlan going to come down?"


    Jihai replied. "She will come down very soon. Please wait a moment."


    Huizhong felt more irate the more he looked at the annoying boy who was smiling brightly in front of him. He gritted his teeth angrily. "Why is she taking so long to come down?"


    The subject of their discussion was currently restrained by her two junior sisters who were hiding in her room. They were frantic, even more anxious than Chunlan herself.


    Chunying: Jie Jie, don''t go down! I heard the last place Father visited before he came here was the weapons room!


    "Keep quiet! I can''t think when you people are talking so much." Chunlan finally couldn''t stand their hysterical chattering as she fixed her hair with her trembling hands. To be honest, she was surprised he was being this calm after what she did.


    Was he really waiting for her to come down so he could kill her and Jihai together?


    Haifeng was about to go upstairs when she saw her daughter coming down dressed in a spring yellow dress with her hair tied into a ponytail. Jihai helped her come down but before she could sit, Huizhong growled at the both of them as he banged the table in front of him.. "Tang Chunlan, I have truly wasted my years raising you. Kneel down, you unfilial child!"

 Chapter 78 - My cousin.

    "Huizhong, calm down!" Haifeng grabbed her husband''s arm when she saw how angry he was with his daughter. She turned to see that Jihai had also knelt down with her daughter with his hands intertwined with hers and his head bent low. For a moment, she was reminded of the cute little boy who used to come to their house to play many years ago and not the powerful Sakai Yukiharu he had become.


    She was sure that Huizhong had also felt the same way because the dangerous intense aura around him seemed to have disappeared. Her maternal feelings gave her the courage to persuade him. "They just want to be together, Huizhong. That isn''t a crime."


    He finally sighed after a long period of silence and sat down. "Stand up."


    When he watched them sit down, he turned to face his daughter with complicated emotions. "Are you sure this is what you want?"


    "Yes, Father. I won''t regret my decision." Chunlan''s certainty moved everyone in the room.


    "Good!" Tang Huizhong stood up and tucked his hands in his pockets as he faced them. "The Tang family won''t interfere with the war between Wen family and the Sakai clan. The wedding plans will be discussed in a year and Yin Tao will be staying to protect you. That will be all for now."


    Haifeng hugged her daughter, leaving her last words. "Good job, dear. See, I told you it would work, right?"


    "Of course, Mother. Thank you." Chunlan felt sad when she realized that her father had left so suddenly. She understood that the war between the two families wasn''t the only reason that he was hesitant to let her get married. Part of it came from his paternal d?s?r? to always keep her under his wings. The sudden change must be hard for him to accept.


    But through a hidden camera, five people watched the scene with relief in their hearts. Chunhua quickly hit her sister. "We better get going so that Father doesn''t know we came to visit Jie Jie."


    Chunying agreed. "Right! We should take our leave now. Please excuse us."


    Mo Bingwen waved his hand when he saw that Cai Longwei was still too nervous to reply. The two girls left the room, leaving three men in the room. Sakai Natsuhiko who stood in the background observing the scene commented. "It seems like my cousin is really in love with that girl."


    Cai Longwei and Mo Bingwen froze when they heard him speak. For a while, they were quite comfortable with him because of the girls but now they had left, the feeling of uneasiness began to erode their bones.


    Sakai Natsuhiko smiled when he saw their faces. "I am just asking. Why are you people being so defensive?"


    Cai Longwei replied to his accusation. "Jihai and Chunlan have known each other since they were kids. Its normal for them to develop feelings for each other."


    "Hmm...I see. So that''s why he asked me to make that promise." Natsuhiko held his chin as he watched them converse through the screen. "Let me see my new sister-in-law."


    Bingwen and Longwei shared a look of horror when they saw him leave.


    Chunlan and Jihai had just finished talking when he saw his cousin approach them. He unintentionally tightened his grip on Chunlan''s hand. Chunlan furrowed her eyebrows when she felt pain. "Jihai, what is it?"


    She felt another person grab her other wrist, placing his fingers above her pulse. She decided to relax when she saw that Jihai was not opposed to the stranger''s presence. "How long have you being blind?"


    "For about three years. Is it incurable?" Chunlan thought this must be the miracle doctor, Shen Ji who was trying to figure out her condition, but she was surprised by his next comment.


    "Well that only means that my cousin will be free from any unnecessary commitments." Sakai Natsuhiko tugged his hands into his trousers pockets and stood up standing.


    "Stop it." Jihai growled at his insensitive comments with his eyes shooting daggers at his cousin. He looked at his fianc¨¦e worriedly.


    "Cousin? Who are you?" Chunlan felt her hands go cold when she heard his words. She prayed with all her heart that in this lifetime, it was not the cousin that she was thinking about.


    "Forgive my bad manners, I didn''t introduce myself. My name is Sakai Natsuhiko." He bent his head to press his lips on her soft hand like a perfect gentleman but within seconds, her hand was pulled away.


    At this moment, Chunlan was experiencing the same emotions Jihai''s friends had earlier experienced. She unconsciously shifted to Jihai''s side, seeking his warmth and security. Forget her past life, even in this life, she did not want to have anything to do with him!


    Jihai saw that she was scared so he wrapped his arms around her while glaring at his insufferable older cousin. "Natsuhiko came here to take his father back to Japan. He is Uncle Sumiyoshi''s son."


    "I heard you saved my father. The Sakai clan will forever be in your debt, my lady." Natsuhiko watched her burrow further into his cousin''s warmth like a little scared rabbit with some amusement hidden in his eyes.


    "No need to be so formal. He is a part of Jihai''s family so he is also my family." She replied and raised her head, her eyes colliding with Jihai''s chin. "I am not feeling so well, Jihai. Please excuse me."


    Jihai accompanied her to her room, helping her gently with a troubled face. After a while when they stood in front of her room, he reassured her. "Don''t worry, my cousin is a good person. He won''t cross the line as long as I am here."


    Chunlan refrained from looking at him with skepticism. She was indeed aware that he was not a bad person to a certain extent but only reason Sakai Natsuhiko was well behaved in his presence stemmed up from his happiness of having a younger brother who could accompany him in this dark corrupted world. He just wanted someone who would be his accomplice in his evil deeds.


    And she would make sure that won''t be happening in this life.

 Chapter 79 - Remembering the past.

    When Jihai came downstairs, he saw Ry¨­sei and Natsuhiko talking to each other. He knew how close they were, especially when it came to spying on him. Naturally, this kind of thing won''t have been tolerated but he was still in need of them.


    Natsuhiko turned around when Ry¨­sei signaled him of an unknown presence. He smiled when he saw his cousin approaching them. "Jihai! Look, my father has been rescued, let''s go and see him!"


    Jihai looked behind him to see Ry¨­sei shaking his head in warning. He replied. "We should allow him to rest. Tomorrow I''ll accompany you to greet him."


    "But I want to go now." The light in Sakai Natsuhiko''s eyes made Ry¨­sei retreat quietly but Jihai refused to back down.


    "Enough, we should let him have some time to gather his thoughts in case we have to question him." Jihai relaxed his tense muscles when he saw that his cousin had agreed. "But coming back to business, explain to me why you scared my fiancee like that."


    "Because I felt like it." Sakai Natsuhiko paused when he saw Jihai''s glare. "I promise to be nicer next time. So when are you two getting married?"


    "When I finish my revenge." Jihai led him into his private office and shut the door before he sat down. "Have you made the preparations I asked you to do?"


    "Yes. Tomorrow when you pay a courtesy visit to the president, there will be enough security to secure your trip. I heard that Wen Qiqiang will be there too." Sakai Natsuhiko was really looking forward in meeting that old man and tearing him to shreds. Back in the day, when he and his father fell into the abyss, it was his uncle, Sakai Harumitsu who always pulled them out with his warm smile and his tender kindness.


    But then those bastards killed him and their family just fell apart.


    It was never the same again.


    His thoughts were broken when he felt his cousin grip his hands, shaking him. "Natsuhiko! Natsuhiko!"


    His glazed eyes turned to see Jihai''s alarmed expression. It took him a minute to realize that he had pierced his left hand with his dagger. Jihai raised him up and covered his palm with his own as he took him to one of the bathrooms upstairs. His eyes trailed to the drops of blood that spilled out of his hand onto the polished floor when he heard his cousin grimace and mutter. "I just hope you didn''t pierce an artery or something......"


    He remained quiet and watched his cousin bandage his wounded hand with skilled efficiency. After he was done, Jihai turned and asked him with a soft gaze. ''There, there you go. Does it still hurt?"


    Those words took him back in time when he was just a little boy. He remembered when he just gotten the report that he was also suffering from


    moderate hemophilia just like his father after he had gotten injured during a school football match. His mother had abandoned him, unable to handle his father''s worsened mental condition so it was his uncle and his wife that took him to the hospital.


    Bai Lianzhen, his uncle''s wife was silently crying like they had diagnosed him with cancer and the other family members were despaired but his uncle wasn''t. He simply bent down and touched his injured knees with a tender touch, saying. "From now on, you will have to be more careful when you play, Natsuhiko. Tell this strong uncle, does it still hurt?"


    When he saw his uncle''s warm blue eyes staring at him like that, he found out he couldn''t feel the pain anymore. His uncle was that warm spring breeze that made them happy when the nightmares drove them crazy.


    "Natsuhiko! Are you alright?" Jihai shook his cousin''s hand until he saw that he was now conscious of his surroundings. "Have you taken your medicine?"


    "Yes." Natsuhiko retrieved his hand and walked away, returning back with his medicine bottles to give to his cousin. "Here, keep it for me."


    "Okay." Jihai smiled. "Let''s go."


    Unknown to them, a certain uncomfortable scene was taking place downstairs in the family room between a man and a woman. They sat apart from each other and even the top tier space heater couldn''t dispense the coldness radiating from Mo Bingwen.


    He asked. "What are you doing here?"


    Su Menxiang''s face was covered with tears as she held an envelope, looking so heartbroken. "I finally know why you hate me, Bingwen."


    Mo Bingwen''s eyes faltered.


    "Its all my fault, its all my fault." Su Menxiang had never felt so remorseful like this since the day she was born. She had just found out through an anonymous message that asked her to follow her third brother at a designated time. At first, she was skeptical, not wanting to get involved with his personal business. As the only girl in the family, she was aware that one of her roles in the family was to stay ignorant and quiet of certain things. But her curiosity won over and she followed him, overhearing him talk about a particular topic that she was stunned to hear. "Its all my fault. M-My third brother...... he poisoned you....and its all because of me."


    She was unable to control the nerve wracking sobs that came over her and lowered her head, crying. Bingwen stretched his hand to touch her hair but quickly retracted it when she lifted her head. He turned his head away and said coldly. "Stop crying. You are going to wake up your friend who is sleeping upstairs."


    She hiccupped for a while before she asked him. "Tell me, have you found a cure yet?"


    "Not yet. I haven''t been able to find a cure but it has been suppressed." Bingwen could see the wheels in her head turning as she calculated how much time he had left. He was told that this poison was a royal ranking poison of the Su family.


    The cure of such a poison would equal to the death of a Su family descendant.


    "I don''t feel so well. Let''s disuss about this matter tomorrow." Bingwen gave a pointed stare.


    "Oh, I understand. Then, I will come back tomorrow." Menxiang quickly stood up and gave him a bottle of medicine. "This can also help you, please take it."


    "Give me that! Don''t open it! Bingwen!" Menxiang tried to retrieve the envelope but failed miserably. She was forced to watch him open it from a safe distance away from her.


    Bingwen tore open the envelope and opened the paper after seeing it was from the hospital. His eyes widened in disbelief as it alternated from looking at the paper and then her. He gasped. "You a-are ......pregnant. Am I the father?"


    Menxiang slumped on the chair as tears ran down her cheeks when she nodded. "Yes.. But I don''t intend to keep this baby."

 Chapter 80 - I wont give up!

    Bingwen''s hard voice scared Menxiang as he grabbed her hands tightly and shook her roughly. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON''T INTEND TO KEEP THIS BABY?"


    "Let me go! Bingwen, you are hurting me. Let me go!" Menxiang struggled for a while before she was flung on the couch, lying there like a dead body.


    "Tell me, do you really intend to kill this baby?" Bingwen couldn''t believe that this was the woman he had fallen in love with.


    "Its my body, Bingwen and I can do whatever I want with it!" Menxiang screamed at him before she broke down again crying.


    "Oh, I see. Now that you have become He Yuhan''s fiancee, it will be a burden if you carry a bastard into the family!" Bingwen felt like breaking something.


    "That''s not it, that''s not it." Menxiang could hardly refute his claim when she was picked up again, frowning at the grip he had on her wrist.


    "You don''t know just how much I regret that night." Bingwen scowled at her, his voice hardened with hatred. "How I regret knowing you and how much I regret falling in love with you!"


    "What is going on here?" A young woman''s voice interrupted their discussion. Both of them broke apart and Menxiang quickly approached her.


    "Chunlan, you are awake!" Menxiang have her a hug, quietly sobbing as she drew strength from her.


    "Please excuse me." Bingwen passes them as he stared to go upstairs, leaving a final warning to Menxiang. "It will do you good for you postpone your plans, Miss Su. Make a wrong move and things will go very bad for you, I promise."


    Menxiang inhaled a sharp intake of breath and Chunlan didn''t need a fortuneteller to know that they had just fought.


    "Menxiang, what happened? Why are you two fighting now?"


    Menxiang struggled to compose herself before she smiled weakly. "Its just about the things people like us normally go through when they are breaking up. Don''t worry about it."


    Chunlan allowed her to lead her to a chair before she spoke. "Menxiang, listen to me. I can''t tell you that I am sure about anything when it comes to the problems between you and Bingwen. What I am very sure about is the love that he has about you."


    "I know." Menxiang felt that she would break down any moment from the pain she was feeling right now. She also wished that things didn''t have to be this way. "I was so stupid, Chunlan. I was too foolish not to realize my love for him and now its haunting me."


    "Things like that cannot be rushed neither can it be forced. I just want you to always do things that won''t disturb your conscience. Trust your heart, my friend when your head can''t make the decision for you."


    Huizhong returned to the house with his wife in a calm manner contrary to everyone''s expectations. Chunhua and Chunying stayed in their rooms pretending to be sleeping and they didn''t dare go outside.


    Chunhua brought out her homework and starting writing, ignoring her sister that was lying down, daydreaming but Chunying even started talking about her fantasises. "Hua''er, did you see that Japanese guy that stayed in the room with us? He is.....just so handsome!"


    Chunhua frowned when she realized the person her twin was talking about. "Stay away from him, he looks dangerous!"


    "Isn''t everyone we know dangerous? I don''t care! All I know is that he has captured my heart with just his smile!" Chunhua felt like puking when she saw her starry eyes filled with love.


    "Father b?r?ly approved of Jie Jie''s marriage to Brother Jihai, what do you think he will do when he finds out you are going after his cousin? You are just a college freshman, just focus on your studies!" Chunhua said coldly.


    Chunying sobered up immediately at the mention of her father''s name, pouting as she brought out her own books. "I will just wait for Jie Jie to get married, then I will ask for her help then. I won''t give up!"


    Meanwhile in the night, Haifeng gently dried her husband''s hair as they talked on the bed. "Do you really plan not to help the Sakai clan punish the Wen family for what they did? After tricking us like this, if we don''t do anything, people will think that we have become afraid of them because of Wen Qiqiang. Besides, even if we don''t do anything, your godbrother, Lai Weilong will definitely not let this go....."


    Huizhong became exasperated with her chattering, as he struggled to stay awake even though he just wanted to sleep due to her massages. "Enough, woman. I know you are just afraid that something bad will happen to Lan''er if we don''t interfere. Don''t worry, I will keep her safe!"


    She smiled. "You are the one who understands me best."


    Huizhong quickly made her lie on the bed before he turned off the bedside lamp. "Alright, let''s go to sleep now. No more talking or else, I won''t let you rest all night!"


    Haifeng blushed shyly when she heard his words. "Husband, let''s sleep then."


    Huizhong closes his eyes only for a few minutes when he faintly heard his phone ring. He was about to move when he felt his wife''s hands gently press him down. "Don''t worry, I will get it."


    He nodded.


    Haifeng got up from the bed and went to search her husband''s clothes for his phone when she saw it was Yin Tao that was calling him.


    "Have you found it?" She heard her husband''s voice and immediately declined the call. Afraid that he will call again, she even deleted his number and turned off his phone.


    "Yes, but it''s not your phone that is ringing. It was Chunlan who called me." She dropped the phone back and returned to bed.


    "What does she want now?" Huizhong''s tired voice contained a trace of annoyance.


    "Nothing, she just called because she is worried that you are still angry with her." She put the blanket over his shoulders as he scowled.


    "That little brat, so its just now she has realized that she has done something wrong. Turns out she still has some conscience left!"


    "Enough, Husband. Let''s go to bed, okay " Haifeng coaxed him softly.


    She thought, Oh Lan''er......this mother is really trying her best to protect you!

 Chapter 81 - We need to talk.

    Chunlan stood in front of her boyfriend the next morning fiddling with his necktie sheepishly.


    Luckily for her, his fingers guided her to the end where he checked himself in front of the full length mirror with a smile. She could feel his breath on her forehead as he said. "Very good. This will bring me the good luck I need today."


    She smiled. "I am sure you won''t be needing that." She placing her hand on his shirt, dusting the non existent dust of this shirt. "Be careful."


    "Are you worried about Wen Qiqiang?" He grabbed her fingers and brought them to his lips. "Don''t be. The Japanese ambassadors will also be coming with me so that means the President will do everything to ensure our safety."


    "Okay. " She wanted to ask how his uncle was but when she thought about how she failed to keep her promise to protect him, she felt too ashamed to ask so she said. "Is your cousin coming with you?"


    Jihai was looking at the mirror above her head as he said. "Yes, he is. He is too vivacious to be left alone, it''s best if I keep an eye on him."


    He looked down when he saw that she suddenly kept quiet. "What''s wrong, Lan''er? Are you okay?"


    "I am so sorry, Jihai." She lifted her head to reveal her eyes filled with crystal tears. "I couldn''t protect your uncle as I promised."


    Jihai sighed and engulfed her into his arms, frowning as he discovered that Chunlan had truly changed. Ever since that incident with the pool, she had been always apologetic to him, like she was filled with so much regret. He wanted to question her but he feared that she might shrink away so he restrained himself. "There is no need to feel so bad about it. Things like this happen without our consent. I don''t want you always be remorseful towards me. We shouldn''t live our lives this way. "


    "You are right but...." How do I explain to you the reason I am being this way? She lowered her head. Every night, she was haunted by the memories of their past lives of how she behaved towards her family and friends and how she aborted her twins. With everyday that passed, she realized that it was getting difficult to love with this feeling that threatened to consume her.


    He lifted her head up with his finger on her chin. He tried to look into her eyes but she avoided him. He said. "There are some matters that is currently hanging between us. I want to know why your eyes are always filled with guilt when you look at me, why you are somewhat uncomfortable with me since I returned from Japan. Is this my fault? Did I do something bad that made you unhappy?"


    "No, it''s not that....." Chunlan tried to explain herself but she couldn''t say anything. "Let''s talk about this later when you return."


    He agreed when he saw how sad she had become, feeling like a jerk. He intertwined his hand into her hair as he pressed his lips to hers, tasting her slowly. "You are right, let''s talk later. Will you walk me to the car?"


    Chunlan''s lips glistened with saliva, making Jihai''s eyes darken with d?s?r?, stealing another kiss. "Alright."


    They walked down to the living room where Sakai Natsuhiko was waiting for them. He looked at the couple that was descending down and grumbled. "You two are too much, making us wait for you like this. I don''t care what you people were doing, even a quickie shouldn''t take that long..."


    Chunlan''s cheeks burned when she heard his coarse statement, realizing that she shouldn''t stay in the same room with this man. She mumbled. "I think it is best that you to along with your cousin now. I will see you later."


    Jihai glared at his cousin who was chuckling as he watched her take fast but careful steps on the stairs, running away. Natsuhiko wiped the tears of mirth off his eyes and said. "Ah, she is so adorable....."


    "Ani!" Jihai spoke in Japanese, afraid that she would hear him. "You can''t keep tormenting your sister-in-law!"


    "Yes, I can." Natsuhiko replied in Chinese so that she could hear him. "Why? Because I am your senior and there is nothing you can do about it. Besides you two are both ?du?ts, there is no need to be ashamed!"


    Jihai was very close to strangling his cousin but he said expressionlessly. "If you are through teasing her, I will meet you in the car."


    He looked up to hear the abrupt sound of the door closing so he left his cousin laughing. His cousin joined him a few minutes later and the car left the compound.


    Chunlan sat down when she heard that the car had gone and she opened her ??ptop, rejecting the urge to cover her face in pure embarrassment. Even though Natsuhiko''s words were untrue, she was still blushing fiercely. This was all Jihai''s fault!


    She drove the thoughts


    from her head and expertly typed on her ??ptop, making a video call. She had learnt a set of skills that would enable her to get about as a blind person and she was able also operate her ??ptop through voice command. The recipients of this video call were her little sisters, Chunhua and Chunying. They greeted her. "Good morning, Jie Jie!"


    She smiled. "Good morning, it seems like you both don''t have classes?"


    They responded. "We don''t!"


    She knew that they were lying to her but she did not call them out on it but instead advised them. "You must take your studies seriously so that in the future, our parents can rely on you."


    Chunhua stopped her twin who was looking down in guilt. She should have know that Chunying couldn''t be trusted. "We know, Jie Jie. We won''t disappoint you, anyway we have the documents that you said we should get....."


    For the past few months, she and her sisters had been stealing the company documents that should be signed by their father and they had been signing them instead. Chunhua and Chunying would read them to her while she explained the details to them and Chunhua who had learnt to forge her father''s signature would sign them if the deals were favourable.


    This way, she was doing her part as a senior sister by teaching them about the business and she was also fulfilling her role as a filial daughter and the successor of Tang Hotels.


    During midway of their discussion , she suddenly heard a knock on her door, halting their conversation. "Who is this?"


    A female voice told her. "Chunlan it is me, Shen Ji.. We need to talk."

 Chapter 82 - This cannot be allowed!

    Jihai arrived with the Japanese ambassadors who greeted him politely, letting him lead the way on their visit to the Presidential Palace. He bowed his head formally when he met his father in-law, Tang Huizhong. "Greetings, Father-in-law."


    Tang Huizhong''s grim face portrayed his unhappiness but Jihai pretended not to see it, pasting a bright smile in front of him. Tang Huizhong sighed. "Let''s go, I will explain things on the way."


    They entered the room where the remaining heads of the six families where waiting for them. Jihai frowned when he realized that they had also brought their successors along with them. Cai Longwei and Mo Bingwen happily waved him and continued to listen to what the President was saying.


    Tang Huizhong and Bai Jihai bowed their heads ceremoniously, greeting a middle aged man who was sitting behind a table surrounded by a group of bodyguards. "Good morning, Mr President."


    President Xing Fu waved at them with a smile, beckoning them as he said. "Ah, Huizhong! You are here, come and take a seat."


    Tang Huizhing nodded and directed his son-in-law to his seat before he sat down. Jihai''s eyes darkened when he saw that the only available seat was beside the successor of the Shen family, Shen Mengqi. He could see his father-in-law sitting in front of him and beside Wen Qiqiang so he couldn''t find the opportunity to decline.


    Shen Mengqi who sat beside him with a poised and elegant appearance greeted him with a smile. "Jihai, why are you here alone? Where is Chunlan?" Although she had a hunch about the reason, she refused to accept it until she was able to confirm it.


    Jihai straightened the corner of his suit as he said. "Chunlan is unable to attend this meeting so I came here instead."


    "Oh, I see." She felt dissatisfied with his vague answer but she didn''t want to push him any further in case he became displeased with her so she swallowed down her words.


    After a few minutes of speech, President Xing Fu finally said to them. "Ladies and gentlemen, today we have special guests from Japan who are here for a collaboration between our two countries on a new trade agreement that would increase both of our countries'' GPA and hopefully to reduce the maritime tensions between our countries. Please give them a round of applause."


    Sakai Natsuhiko stood up amidst the loud applause, smiling at them as he stepped up to the podium and said. "First of all, I want to thank you all for the warm welcome and generous hospitality offered to me and my team here and I just want to say that as the representative of my country I really look forward to the this new project between our two countries and I hope that this begins the new era of prosperity for our people."


    He turned to the side to glance at Wen Qiqiang with a warm smile filled with low key killing intent before he stepped down. President Xing Fu then retuned to the podium, turning to Tang Huizhong saying. "Apart from the collaboration project being signed between the two countries, I also called you all here because I was informed about the choices you all made about your successors. Please stand up and introduce them to us."


    Su Liangzi stood up with a formal bow along with his daughter, Su Menxiang as he raised up his mic. "The Su family is the leading family in charge of the health sector of this country. I am the humble head of the Su family, Su Liangzi and this is my successor, Su Menxiang."


    After a round of applause, Mo Xuanqing stood up with a formal bow along with his son, Mo Bingwen. "The Mo family has managed to lead the technology sector for many years now and I am pleased to introduce my successor, Mo Bingwen."


    Cai Shangjun also stood up with his son, saying. "The Cai family is in charge of the entertainment sector of this country. I am Cai Shangjun and this is my successor, Cai Longwei."


    Shen Guiying dressed in a brown suit and a sleek ponytail stood up with a smile along with her daughter who was also dressed in a red suit with the same hairstyle as her mother saying. "I am Shen Guiying, the head of the Shen family in charge of the resources sector in this country. This is my successor, Shen Mengqi."


    Wen Tianxiang who was caught chewing his fingernails nervously, stood up with embarrassment as he introduced himself with a tiny voice, avoiding eye with his colleagues. "Hello, I-I....am Wen Tianxiang, the head of the Wen family in charge of the law sector in the country. I am also the Minister of Justice and this is my successor, Wen Honglin."


    After he finished, everyone looked at the highlight of the day who still sat down on his seat, thinking. Everyone was waiting to see who Tang Huizhong will introduce as his successor, the next head of the six families. He stood up abruptly, displaying his dominant aura across the room as he said. "Hello, I am Tang Huizhong, the head of the six families and also the head of the Tang family in charge of the land sector in this country. I now introduce my successor who is going to be the next head of the six families.....Bai Jihai."


    The whole room went quiet for a while before it was enveloped with series of applauses. President Xing Fu said to them. "Now that the introduction has been done, we will now move on...."


    Wen Qiqiang hit his cane on the polished tiled floor, earning everyone''s attention as he stood up slowly with the help of his grandson. "If you will excuse me, Mr President. I do have something to say." He turned around , looking across the room as he said. "I object to Bai Jihai''s succession to the position of the head of the six families. This cannot be allowed!"


    President Xing Fu looked at him with bewilderment. Today was a very special day for him and the country with the presence of the Japanese envoys so he did not wish to witness any embarrassing scene at the moment. He asked him reluctantly. "Why do you object, Mr Wen?"


    "Because he is Japanese! He cannot inherit the title of the head of the six families!" Wen Qiqiang pointed his cane at Bai Jihai.

 Chapter 83 - To lead by example.

    President Xing Fu turned to look around, his eyes straying from the Japanese ambassadors to Tang Huizhong. "Is this true?"


    "Yes, it''s true." Sakai Natsuhiko''s voice earned the president''s attention, purposely ignoring his cousin''s glare. "Bai Jihai is my cousin and his real name is Sakai Yukiharu."


    "But he is a person of dual citizenship. His mother is a Chinese." Tang Huizhong explained, his eyes meeting Wen Qiqiang''s sly grin.


    "Oh, I see." President Xing Fu felt a little bit uncomfortable in the tense atmosphere between them and the Japanese. "But don''t you think it is a little bit inappropriate to have him as your successor?"


    "I chose him as my successor because...." Huizhong took in a deep breath in order to continue. " .....he is my son-in-law."


    President Xing Fu smiled, his eyes creasing with delight. "Little Lan''er is now married? Why didn''t you inform me?" He started frowning as he thought about it but he pulled himself together when he remembered that this was a formal meeting. "Good for her. In that case, that means it is not a problem for him to inherit the position."


    "But, Mr President-" Wen Qiqiang interjected.


    "We can discuss this later, Mr Wen. We should not forget the reason we are here is to welcome this distinguished guests into our country so ladies and gentleman, please another round of applause." President Xing Fu was pleased to see that the Japanese envoys'' tense expressions had now subsided.


    He invited them to another room for a formal party to wine and dine, leaving the remaining six families alone with each other. They stood with each other, each head casting hateful glances at Wen Tianxiang. Wen Tianxiang hid behind his father to protect himself when he saw that Lai Weilong had entered the room in his military uniform.


    Wen Qiqiang hit his cane in a calm manner when he saw Lai Weilong approaching them. "What is the matter? Is there a reason why you are standing here?"


    Lai Weilong stood eye to eye with Wen Qiqiang in a dominant aura, not backing down as he said. "Wei Tianxiang, I do not care about your family connections or power you would use you to protect yourself but mark my words, I will make you pay for what you did."


    He left abruptly leaving Wen Tianxiang terrified behind his father, not seeing the look of disgust his son, Wen Honglin gave him. Everyone was quirt for a while, looking at the three men of the Wen family until Wen Qiqiang hit his cane angrily and bellowed. "What? What are you people looking at?"


    The remaining heads rolled their eyes in disdain but still obeyed his command, leaving the room with their successors and Wen Qiqiang with his brimming rage.


    "These disrespectful brats!" Wen Qiqiang raged when he saw the door was closes firmly. "They wouldn''t have dared misbehave this way if I was in my prime age! Now, an orphan dares to disrespect my own son!"


    "Grandfather, please calm down." Wen Honglin rushed to coax his grandfather when he saw him cough all of a sudden.


    "I will never forget this insult!" Wen Qiqiang wiped his lips with a handkerchief and said. "Lai Weilong must die!"


    The remaining heads stood outside the closed door along with their successors listening to their discussion. Cai Shangjun seemed to remember that this action was inappropriate so he turned to the successors behind them, saying. "Alright, that''s enough! You people should not be eavesdropping on your elders, what kind of manners did we teach you? All of you, follow me!"


    Tang Huizhong and the rest of the heads of the six families suddenly felt uncomfortable with his words filled with shamelessness but the successors still followed him anyway. Su Liangzi spoke up when they walked away from the door, gauging the others'' reactions. "We should take necessary precautions against them. We can''t let them make the first move."


    Shen Guiying sneered at her sworn elder brother. "By what? Poisoning them the way your people did to Brother Mo''s son?"


    Su Liangzi was taken aback when he heard her accusation. "W-What are you taking about?"


    Shen Guiying rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don''t act so innocent. Your tricks are getting old, senior brother. I find it weird that his son was poisoned all of a sudden with a royal poison that has no cure?"


    Tang Huizhong rebuked her when he saw that Su Liangzi became paler when he heard the news. Because of his weak health, the others made a silent agreement not to inform him of upsetting matters unless it was very important. In return, Su Liangzi never asked them of anything, only concerning with matters of his career. "Shut up! How dare you talk to your senior brother like that? Do you think that you can take me as a statue?"


    Shen Guiying kept quiet and reigned in her resentment when she heard him talk. All these years, she had aged gracefully and sustained her empire and built her own family, becoming one of the most powerful females in the country. Yet, it was only Tang Huizhong who would dare scold her like she was a little girl in public.


    It made her blood boil yet she was forced to lower head to apology. She felt a little satisfied to see that Mo Xuanqing stood up with a neutral attitude in the whole situation. "I am so sorry, I was just looking out for-"


    "-I don''t want to hear it, Guiying. Your insolence is becoming irritating and I won''t watch you sow discord among us." He growled, watching her face turn indignant when he called out her devious plans in a straightforward manner. He hated beating around the bush when it came to setting someone straight. "If you feel that you can no longer submit to your seniors and respect your position as the youngest, you can feel free to leave. Go and join the Wen family. We will take them all down, do you understand me?"


    Shen Guiying felt the sheer humiliation from watching the successor turn their heads away swiftly as if they didn''t hear anything from far away. But she endured it, knowing that she must always lead by example at all times. "Yes, Senior Brother. I understand."

 Chapter 84 - Please help me save him.

    Cai Shangjun cleared his throat uncomfortably he heard the conversation that took place from afar. He felt bad about the fact that the successors had also heard what had transpired. He put down his champagne glass and directed them to another table. "Alright, let''s go and greet the Japanese envoys. You all should always remember that it is never a bad thing to make too many connections."


    He felt the need to find out what had happened and also to soothe the tensions had taken place between the family heads. He said. "Split into two groups of two people each and go and socialize. Jihai, you are in charge of making sure that we do not experience any....accidents in this party. Also since you are related to the Japanese, you can move alone, right?"


    "Yes, Sir." Jihai''s calm countenance and dependable attitude may Cai Shangjun feel relieved about leaving the leadership to him as he hurried back to his brothers to hoard information out of them.


    Shen Mengqi clenched her fists secretly, bearing the shame when she saw her mother being scolded like that. When she had imagined finally inheriting her mother''s position, she had never thought of the possibility of always lowering her head towards her peers just because she was born as the youngest among the successors. It made her sick and repulsed to think that if Chunlan had not gone blind, she would have been forced to be submissive towards that wrench!


    Luckily, Jihai was going to be the one to inherit the position of the head of the six families. All she had to do was to wait patiently because when things reached that stage, she would make sure that she became his wife and then she would never have to bow down to anyone, not even Jihai!


    She whispered with determination laced in her voice. "Oh, Mother. Those things you failed to achieve, I will make sure they become a reality."


    Cai Longwei who was her companion for the day turned to face her. "Huh? What did you say?"


    "Oh, nothing." She smiled at him. Her eyes became alert when she finally spotted Jihai among the elites. "Anyway, can you please do me a favour? I need to talk to Jihai for a while if you don''t mind."


    She nodded in appreciation when he consented, sauntering her way towards her target. She touched his broad shoulder when she met him speaking to another man. "Jihai, can I speak to you for a second? This is urgent."


    Bai Jihai resisted the urge to groan when he saw her, weighing his options about turning her down. He untangled his hand from her own and said. "I am busy, Mengqi. Perphaps, we can talk another time."


    She turned to his companion, ignoring his statement as she turned to the person who he was talking to with a charming smile. "And may I know who this handsome friend of yours is?" She stretched her hand to the stranger in greeting. "My name is Shen Mengqi, successor of the Shen family."


    "My name is Sakai Natsuhiko. The p???sur? is mine, Miss Shen. I have heard a lot about you." He brought her hand to his lips and Jihai spotted the little needle on his cousin''s ring about to touch her palm as he kissed her.


    He pulled her hand away and let it drop to her side much to her disappointment which he ignored to say. "Natsuhiko and I have some things to discuss so I will see you later, Mengqi."


    Mengqi excused herself with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes as she returned to Cai Longwei''s side, seeing him laughing with some ladies. The distinct glare in her eyes scared the ladies away but she innocently pretended that she was aware for their sudden disappearance.


    Meanwhile, Su Menxiang and Mo Bingwen glided across the room in cold silence, smiling as they talked to the government officials who were invited to welcome the Japanese envoys. She felt a sting in her ?h?st every time he introduced her as a mere friend, every time he smiled at another woman in her presence and how he b?r?ly allowed her hand to rest around his own.


    Even though he attended to her every need throughout the party, she need that he was only been considerate to the baby and nothing else.


    She couldn''t stand the torment in her ?h?st because she knew that it wasn''t good for the baby she needed to save his life. She separated from him and excused herself. "I need to get some fresh air."


    She left him alone with the group of ladies who were heirs of prominent families involved in the technological field in which he dealt with. A part of her hoped that he would follow her but she was sadly disappointed.


    She skillfully passed the room where her father and the rest of the heads of the six families were discussing to go out of the building. She walked towards the gardens and sat down on the bench, rubbing her stomach as tears spilled on her green dress. Her blurred eyes saw her phone vibrating but it wasn''t the person who she wanted to call her, it was He Yuhan, her so called fiancee who was always tracking her whereabouts, someone who was always trying to control her life even when they were not yet married.


    How did she get herself into this mess?


    She whispered. "Please forgive me, my love. Your mother has made many mistakes and now it will cost you your own life." She sobbed and used her sleeve to wipe away her tears, frowning a little when she felt head ache all of a sudden. She picked out a bottle of medicine and swallowed one pill holding her head.


    She continued. "I am doing you a favour anyway, xiao baobao. Our lineage has been cursed to cure all royal poisons but one. One that is slowly killing my father...." She looked up to the bright sky as she rubbed her belly in thought. ".....and my third brother. That''s why I am asking you to help me. I can''t let him die because of me. Not because of us.. I need you to help me save him."

 Chapter 85 - Give me your blessing.

    Mo Bingwen navigated the little drone he sent to scout for Menxiang when she had mysteriously disappeared for a hour causing him to worry. He felt the need to curse but he remembered that he was in a party that required his gentlemanly manner on show.


    He had searched for her everywhere and there were some places that were under strict surveillance and tight access. That was the reason why he had called for the latest drone to look for her. It had the ability to become invisible so that meant the guards won''t be able to spot it with wide range cameras which were able to cover the wide width of the compound. But he had still not been able to spot her.


    He was about to smash the remote control in frustration when the drone flew over the gardens spotting a female''s unconscious body. His eyes widened in alarm as he dropped the remote control. "Menxiang..."


    He ran out of the room.


    He went to the exact spit he had sent her and he found her lying down lifelessly on the bench, her pale skin prompting him to make a phone call. He had wanted to make the phone call to her father, Su Liangzi but he remembered that everyone in her family was still unaware of her pregnancy so he changed the recipient of the phone call he was about to make. "Shen Ji, I need you to come to this address right now. I need your help about something. I will meet you at the gate in thirty minutes."


    For a few minutes that felt like an hour, he managed to help her enter inside and sneak her to the gardens. She placed her two fingers across Menxiang''s wrist as she felt for her pulse. She whipped her head to look at Bingwen. "She is pregnant, isn''t she?"


    "Yes, she is." He looked at her for some measure of ?ssurance, his heart pounding with anxiety for the safety of his love and his child. "Are they going to be okay?"


    "There is no need to worry. As long as I am here, nothing will happen to them." Shen Ji frowned but maintained the calm composure of a physician as she opened her bag, bringing out a set of needles to work.


    She was surprised to see the same poison her friend had sent her some while ago to detoxify in this girl''s body. Sorry, it was in the unborn baby''s body.


    It took her a while but in the end, she had managed to wake her up and stabilize her condition. She turned to Mo Bingwen who was supporting the weak girl and said. "She is alright now but she needs to take more care of herself, Mr Mo. Our top priority is to make sure she delivers that baby safely."


    Mo Bingwen looked visibly relaxed as he hugged Menxiang tighter into his arms, kissing her hair in relief. He had been annoyed about having her in his presence, angry at her for planning to abort the baby but now he was just happy to have her safe in his arms.


    He knew that with each passing day his health was deteriorating faster than he had expected. All he wanted, all he asked from the heavens was time to be able to see his child before he left. He had already started making preparations and he was planning to leave his successor position to his younger brother, Bojing.


    He felt regretful treating Menxiang like this but he didn''t want her to start getting silly ideas into his head. He didn''t want her to consider the possibility of risking her life to save him because of their child. "Tell me why she fainted."


    Shen Ji seemed hesitant to tell him but something told her that it was not in her best interest to hide this information from him. "There is poison in her system and it is weakening her from the inside, Mr Mo. I will advise you not to try and terminate this pregnancy because that could kill her."


    She didn''t normally interfere in other people''s business but she had seen the relationship between them and she was worried he would force her to do something she didn''t want to do in order to escape from the girl. She watched him drop the girl on the soft grass after a while, resting Menxiang''s head on her ??p as he said. "I need you to stay here with her for a while. I''ll be back soon."


    Mo Bingwen reentered the building again, walking to the room where his father sat talking with the rest of the heads of the six families. He stopped in front of Su Liangzi who had just dropped a glass of water on the table in front of him. "Sir, can you spare me a moment please? There is something I need to talk to you about."


    "Okay." Su Liangzi stood up and followed him out to a safe distance, leaving the rest people with confused expressions as they wondered what they were talking about. Mo Xuanqing left the room, following them even though he was not invited but no one else stood up again.


    Mo Bingwen stopped and turned to face Su Liangzi, kneeling down with his head bowed. Su Liangzi was truly bewildered. "What is the meaning of this, Bingwen?"


    "Please allow me to marry Menxiang." Bingwen was unaware of Su Liangzi''s face darkening in a second at the mention of his daughter. "You need to call of the engagement with the He family."


    "And why would I do that?" Su Liangzi ''s anger was evident in his voice, remembering all the times that his daughter cried because of the boy in front of him.


    "Why? Junior Brother Su, are you blaming my son for something?" Mo Xuanqing emerged from behind the door, his icy blue eyes glaring at Su Liangzi coldly.


    Su Liangzi lowered his head from shame and didn''t say anything. Indeed, he was aware that his daughter was responsible for the reason the Mo family broke up the engagement between their two families. Yet, he had always felt that they had been too harsh in their decision since it was clear that it was his daughter who had suffered from all the bad gossips that had spread and he was powerless to do anything.


    "I am afraid it would be impossible for her to get married into the He family now, Uncle Su." Mo Bingwen lifted his head to see the stubborn reluctance on Su Liangzi''s face.. "She is carrying my child."

 Chapter 86 - The only explanation she needed.

    Back at home, Chunlan sat down in a poised manner and with a bright smile as she faced the physician who was supposed to cure her blindness. It was her first time meeting in Shen Ji and she wanted to make a good first impression. She smiled. "Hello, I am Chunlan, nice to meet you. I have heard of your unprecedented skill in medicine. I truly admire you."


    Shen Ji saw down beside her appraising her with hostile eyes. She had visited the house looking for Jihai to apologize to him for what had happened the other night but she was informed by one of the maids that he was not in the house. She was also told that she was banned from going upstairs and she was about to leave when she saw the same maid carrying a cup of tea upstairs and that was when she found out about the existence of Jihai''s fiancee so she snuck upstairs to see her.


    Now she understood why he had saved her in Dubai. She thought that it was fate that had brought them together but it wasn''t true. Even though things had come to this, she wasn''t planning to let Jihai ho just like that. She had been smitten with him since the day he saved her, reassuring her in her most vulnerable moment and she sincerely felt that she was the man she wanted to spend her life with. She felt vexed by the very fact she was brought here to save the fiancee of the man that she loved. "So do I. It is not every day that someone gets to meet the heiress of the Tang family."


    Chunlan smiled warmly when she heard the girl''s delicate voice. She imagined that such a girl would get along well with her best friend, Menxiang. "Please don''t be so formal with me. I have heard about what happened to you in Dubai from Jihai. You will be safe here, don''t worry."


    "Thank you. I was actually looking for Jihai but I was told that he was not here so I decided to come here instead." She smiled coldly, her voice full of implications.


    Chunlan frowned a little when she heard that but to Shen Ji''s surprise, she did not get annoyed or curious about how she had got up here. "Jihai had to go somewhere today but if he comes back, I will tell him about your visit."


    "There''s no need to do that. I will come back this evening to check on him." Shen Ji let her voice seem a little hesitant before she continued with an embarrassed expression. "Actually, there is another reason why I am here."


    "What is it?" Chunlan arched one eyebrow in puzzlement.


    "I came here to look for my hairbrush." Shen Ji pretended to be hurried in explaining herself. "When I was living here, the lights in my room suddenly went off and well I stayed here for a night-"


    All good thoughts Chunlan had about her suddenly vanished when she heard her. She was sure that this woman was not here to be her friend if she had the guts to tell her this piece of unwanted information. Her voice turned frosty. "There is no hairbrush here, Miss Shen. Jihai knows I am slightly germaphobic so he ordered the maids to clean this room before I moved into this room. You ask the maids for it or you can even ask them to call one of the waste disposal companies nearby if you still need the hairbrush."


    Shen Ji clenched her fist, silently fuming as she glared at Tang Chunlan. At this point, she almost could not force herself to pretend to be cordial anymore. "That''s so sad. It was given to me by my master so I really cherish it a lot."


    "Then you should have kept it well, Miss Shen." Chunlan stretched her hands to transfer her ??ptop from her side to her ??p when she said. "Well, it was nice meeting you but I was engaged in a video call before you came so I will need to ask you to leave. I am sure you are aware of my condition so I am afraid I will not be able to see you out. Good day, Miss Shen."


    Shen Ji gritted her teeth as she spat out the words. "Goodbye." She grabbed her purse and stormed out of the room, slamming the door in rage as she closed the door. She was expecting Chunlan to be subservient towards her since she was going to be the one who was going to restore her eyesight back.


    But she still had the nerve to treat her like this!


    "Just wait, Chunlan. I will teach you a lesson you won''t forget. I will make-" She opened her bag to pick up her phone which was vibrating. "Hello? Mr Mo, what a great surprise. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    She looked back at the closed door with sinister eyes before she plastered a fake smile on her lips. "Of course I can be there right away. Please give me the address and I will be in my way."


    She ended the call and whispered. "I will be back, Chunlan. Wait for me."


    Meanwhile, Chunlan was still engrossed in her thoughts, thinking of the best way to approach Jihai about Shen Ji without getting into a fight with him because the truth was she was very annoyed right now about what she had just heard. She had purposely prevented Shen Ji from saying her own side of the story because she did not want to poison her mind with that woman''s lies.


    She was about to get up when she heard a familiar ringtone that signified an incoming video call so she issued a voice command to answer it. She found out it was Chunhua. "I am so sorry, I cut the call like that-"


    "Jie Jie!" Chunlan straightened her back when she heard her sister''s panicked voice. "You need to come here to the office."


    "What is wrong?" Chunlan''s eyebrows creased in worry.


    "It''s Wen Honglin." Chunhua said. "He is in the office causing a scene and claiming to be a new shareholder in our company."


    "What do you mean he is claiming to be a shareholder? What is he saying exactly?" She frowned when she heard Wen Honglin''s name.


    "He is saying.....that you transfered half of your shares to him in exchange for giving you the ownership of a company called Starlock!"


    Chunlan scowled angrily, her earlier restraint on her rage broken as she said. "Don''t be afraid, I will be there soon.


    She closed her ??ptop.

 Chapter 87 - Not a worthy opponent.

    Chunhua stood glaring at Wen Honglin''s back with killing intent as he sat down in her senior sister''s former office with an air of indifferent superiority, checking his emails through his phone. After the scene he caused in the boardroom meeting this meeting, it had taken them a good amount of energy to convince those old geezers not to inform their father about it until Chunlan arrived to settle the matter.


    She had a feeling that their father would kill Chunlan if the rumours turned out to be true so she had tried her best to conceal the matter. She walked to the desk to face him as she sat down behind the desk. "Our Tang family has always known that your family has always been ?usting after our power and wealth like sharks after blood. What we didn''t expect was your ridiculous attempt in order to weasel your way into our company like this, using this pathetic excuse in order to enter our company. What a shame."


    Honglin ignored her taunting words even though he put down his phone to check the time on his watch. He could feel the suppressed rage she had and on the other hand, it really amused him. "Chunhua, just admit it. You are attacking me because you are still sour over the fact I chose your senior sister over you, aren''t you?"


    To his surprise, Chunhua laughed mockingly at his ?ssumption shaking her head as she looked at him with pity in her eyes. "I am afraid that a person like you isn''t qualified to marry a daughter from our family. Our disparities are clear as day and I am sure that my senior sister had always known it all along. Isn''t that why she left you?"


    His amused face quickly darkened at her cutting remark. At first, he had taken her sudden change of behavior as a drastic measure she had employed to gain his attention but as time passed by, he had concluded that she really hated him, a feeling that was born out of love only to end up in resentment. "You really do have a sharp tongue, Chunhua. I will remember it when I take my revenge."


    Chunhua leaned into the table to maintain eye contact with him, letting him see her cold emotionless eyes that could no longer to tolerate him. "The only reason you are sitting in this office and not out on the streets is because I don''t want my staff to get affected by your mierable streak of failure so once my sister gets here, I want you out of the place immediately."


    Wen Honglin felt that he would burst a brain vessel from too anger at the imprudence that a young girl five years younger than him had. He had seen her when she was a baby and he had always spoiled her to gain Chunlan''s favour and now it seemed like she had suddenly become a phoenix looking down on her subjects.


    Before he could implode, the door suddenly opened by some bodyguards to reveal Tang Huizhong entering the room with his daughter, Chunlan who was holding onto his arm. His majestic and overbearing aura was enough to make him and Chunhau to stand up, giving him the first seat as he strolled towards the place.


    By the time he sat down, the room was so quiet one could hear a pin drop and no one dared say the first word as the two sisters glared at Honglin like and enemy invaded their territory. However, Tang Huizhong''s eyes were as calm as the sea, the hidden depths revealing a meaning and dangerous light that could make any ordinary man tremble. He directed his gaze to Honglin, making the man shift uncomfortably with one sentence. "Wen Honglin, you dare?!"


    Wen Honglin recognized that this man was no longer the person who had raised by him, the one who had always offered him a smile and encouraged him. The man before him was the head of the six families, the one who had stolen the title from his own father and had managed to keep it even though he had three daughters and no male heir. This man was a dangerous one. "Father, let me explain...."


    Tang Huizhong''s glare cut him off at the word ''Father'' so he kept quiet and watched thean turn to face his eldest daughter. "Chunlan, explain yourself."


    At this point, Chunlan knew that she was done for. She wouldn''t dare tell a lie in front of her father but she knew that the whole truth would also earn her a sound beating. "The truth is....."


    Tang Huizhong already had a bad feeling about this, his heart stopping for a few seconds at the hestitance of his daughter. "Don''t waste my time."


    Chunhua at the background shivered at her father''s growl and she silently prayed that her senior sister could get through this safely. Or else....


    "What he said is true. I offered him half of my shares as your successor in exchange for the ownership of a Japanese company called Starlock." Chunlan knew that Honglin surely had the documents with him so there was no need to lie any longer. However....


    "You see, Sir that I was telling the truth about this incident. I am sure that she wanted this company since it belonged to Jihai''s family and as her fiance, I agreed to it to make her happy..." Wen Honglin sighed in pretense when he saw Tang Huizhong''s face darkened. "You raised me all this year''s and taught me everything I know about the business world. As a shareholder, I will make sure I will not disappoint you and will do my best to help you lead the Tang company into glory."


    He could b?r?ly hide the ecstatic feeling from his face at the fact that he had just become the second most powerful shareholder of Tang company, tying only with Chunlan herself. With this position, it was clear that the Wen family now had the upper hand in the fight for the next head of the six families.


    Tang Huizhong frowned darkly with a confused face. "But..." His eyes became filled with enlightenment all of a sudden as he laughed heartily, his eyes filled with mirth as he looked at Chunlan. "Is that the reason you asked me to halt the transfer of all your shares on the day of Jihai''s funeral?"


    Wen Honglin''s face fell as his eyes wondered between the both of them. "What do you mean you halted the transfer of shares? What is going on?"


    Tang Huizhong stood up with an air of finality, clearly done with the whole situation as he said. "Chunlan has no shares, Honglin. I was supposed to transfer the shares of the position of successor but she asked me to split them in between her two junior sisters which means you were duped. I am just realizing now that I nearly made the mistake of making you my successor. You are not worthy of being an opponent of my daughter."


    Chunlan smiled.

 Chapter 88 - The real truth.

    *AUTHOR''S ANNOUNCEMENT*


    PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS OF THIS BOOK WOULD BE ACTIVATED NEXT MONTH. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS BOOK WITH LOTS OF LOVE, THANK YOU!


    ~Bellaxzy.


    Wen Honglin stood up in indignation when he scanned the faces of the people in the room, confirming that this was indeed not a prank they were playing on him. "This is not possible! This is not possible at all! That memas that the contract is now null and void."


    Chunlan chuckled along with her sister when they saw how agitated he was at their little scam."Not necessarily, Mr Wen. You see, you signed the contract stating that you would transfer the ownership of Starlock to me and in exchange for that, I would give you half of my shares as the position of successor of this company. But you see, we were supposed to do that at the same time but you went ahead of me just so that you can prove your love for me. I no longer have any shares to give but that doesn''t matter anymore since you have already transfered the ownership to me anyway."


    He saw Chunlan grab her sister''s hand and stand up to leave the office with the remaining bodyguards following behind them. This was one of the rare times that Honglin had ever lost his composure. He rushed to grab her with livid eyes. "You wrench, do you think I would let you get away with this? You would pay for this, Chunlan! I pro-"


    He was reeled back from a lethal kick that sent him hitting the wall with a thud before he landed on the floor. He seemed to have finally come to his senses as his eyes widened with fear and shock when he saw Tang Huizhong approach him, making him stand upright by grabbing his collar.


    "You dare....to touch my daughter in front of me?" Anyone would a pair of eyes would see that Tang Huizhong was very angry. The serenity in his voice frightened Wen Honglin even more, making him struggled to explain himself.


    Chunhua had not seen her father handle these type of matters so this was the first time she had seen him this furious. She was sure that her father would kill him without any care for the consequences right now if she did not say something. "Father....."


    Tang Huizhong''s hand on Wen Honglin''s collar loosened a little when he sensed the fear in her voice. "Hua''er, Father will be with you very soon. Yin Tao, get them out of here."


    Chunlan felt her sister resisting so she tightened her hold on her hand as Yin Tao guided them out of the room. Chunhua wh?n?d when she realized that she couldn''t free herself. "Jie Jie, let me go. Father is going to kill him!"


    "That''s none of our business, Hua''er." Chunlan retorted as they left the room. She also felt that the best thing for everyone was to get rid of Wen Honglin and his troublesome family so she had no qualms about her after doing the job. They could deal with the consequences later and she was sure that with the help of the remaining six families, they would be able to successfully quash the Wen family like a bug.


    She smiled when she heard the faint muted screams that came from the sound-proofed walls of her office. She wondered if Jihai would be at home since her father had come back from the presidential palace, perhaps she would be able to talk to him about Shen Ji when she reached home.


    However, in the Wen family, Wen Qiqiang had returned back home full of fury using his wooden cane to smash all the antique vases in his living room, ignoring his frightened son who stood there trembling in a corner as his father ranted. "Those useless brats want to go against me! They are taking me for granted, forgetting who I was and who I am! I will not spare any of them, no one!"


    A ladylike laugh resonated from behind, silencing them as they turned to face the dining room where an old lady dressed in cheongsam was seated in an elegant posture, sipping the tea that the maids had served her. She said. "Oh, Senior Brother. You are now getting old so you should learn to worry about your health, what do you think you are doing getting angry like this?"


    Wen Tianxiang''s mouth fell open when he saw her, rushing forward to greet her. "Auntie, we didn''t know you have finally returned to China, how have you been?"


    Wen Qiqiang scowled at her eve though his temper had cooled when he saw her. "What are you doing here, Yanmei?"


    The old lady sensed his displeasure and she dropped her cup, her pleasant expression turning grim as she decided to end the pleasantries. "I came back because I heard what had happened to my granddaughter but imagine my shocjy when I found out about the succession of the six families, Chunlan''s blindness and what you people did to Lai Weilong. A lot of things have truly happened in my absence."


    Wen Qiqiang waved his son out if the room as he approached the former matriarch of the Shen family, Shen Yanmei, sitting opposite her as he rested his elbow on his cane. "Tell me what you have in mind, Junior Sister? Why are you here and name your terms."


    Shen Yanmei smiled. She had always loved dealing with smart people and right now, they were the last two elders left among the six families. "I want to sink the Tang family into oblivion. My granddaughter has always been in love with that boy who has just become Huizhong''s successor and as her grandmother I want to help her achieve her d?s?r?. We Shen women will never be beneath anybody."


    Wen Qiqiang''s eyebrow arched in confusion. "But will your daughter, Guiying agree to this plan? We both know that she has been in love with Huizhong since she was just a young girl."


    Shen Yanmei''s face darkened further for a moment as her eyes scanned the room making sure that no one was around before she replied. "Senior Brother, I am going to tell you the truth. Something to show you my sincerity so that you can trust me in this alliance."


    Wen Qiqiang''s ears quirked up in interest. "What is it?"


    Shen Yanmei looked a little bit nervous before she composed herself, saying. "You don''t need to worry about my daughter interfering with our plan because she is not in love with Tang Huizhong at all, I can ?ssure you." She lifted her cup to take a sip before she continued. "My daughter likes women, Senior Brother. She was in love with his wife, Tang Haifeng."


    Wen Tianxiang who stayed behind to eavesdrop on the old people, gasped when he heard the shocking news, covering his mouth with widened eyes.

 Chapter 89 - Finding another alternative.

    Chunlan arrived to the house to meet Jihai in casual clothes talking to Natshiko. Her arrival alerted the two men and Jihai stood up to hold her hand when he saw her approach them, taking away her cane as he said. "You weren''t at home when I arrived. Where did you go?"


    She gave him a look of exasperation before she replied. "I had some problems with the company so I had to go there."


    He frowned. "What happened? Is your company doing now? Do you need help?"


    Chunlan felt proud that he could now ask her those questions with confidence without feeling inadequate. Ever since he returned, he now felt the need to wrap her in cotton which was only pleasant for a while. But still she indulged him, just to boost his ego. "My father solved the problem already. You see, Wen Honglin came to make trouble but it has been taken care of. I thought you were still in the presidential palace that''s why I didn''t call you."


    Jihai also seemed to want to bombard her with questions but he restrained himself and instead drew her into his arms, making her feel shy. "It''s good that you are now feeling better. Are you hungry? Let''s have dinner together."


    She raised her head to smile at him unaware of his cousin who seemed interested because he was staring at them with an eerie smile that could make anyone feel uncomfortable although he obviously meant no harm. She asked Jihai. "Are you alone?"


    He turned back to look at his cousin, making sure that he was in a condition to meet Chunlan. "Yes, he is.


    Natsuhiko, come greet your sister-in-law."


    Chunlan felt embarrassed when she heard that, burrowing herself further into his arms into his arms when she remembered what he had said in the morning about them. She mumbled. "Welcome home, Brother-in-law."


    Natsuhiko found her actions adorable, reminding him of a rabbit which made him smile. In the beginning, he really didn''t like her at all since she came from the six families so he investigated her background. He was grateful that her family had played a role in raising his younger cousin so he decided to treat her better. "Hello, sister-in-law. I will be going now, I need to go visit my father."


    Jihai stopped kissing Chunlan''s hair and told his cousin. "Send him my greetings. I would come and visit him soon with Chunlan."


    "No, no, I think it''s better you go with him since he is just waking up. He may not be happy to receive with strangers right now." Chunlan objected.


    "You think so?" Jihai was a little skeptical because he wanted to introduce her to his uncle as his fiancee since he was the only elder he had left.


    "Yes, I think it is for the best. Let''s not make him uncomfortable." She knew that she was demanding this more for her benefit that for Sumiyoshi''s own but it was not her fault. It was only she that knew how dangerous the Jihai''s family was, thanks to her past life but she knew that he was going to be happy being protected by his own family.


    It seemed like Natsuhiko knew of her intentions because he gave Jihai a knowing smile, exposing her mercilessly. "She is afraid. You should talk to her, I am going now."


    She felt ashamed that they had sent through her easily and she felt the need to explain in case Jihai misunderstood her. "It''s not like that....I am just nervous to meet your family. These kind of things, I am not good at them."


    Jihai circled his arms around her as he reassured her even though he felt a little bit uneasy. "It''s okay. We can go when you are ready. There is no need to rush."


    Chunlan decided to bring up the topic of Shen Ji now that they were alone since the subject had been bugging her throughout the day. "Oh, Shen Ji said she left her hairbrush in our room which was given to her by her master."


    Jihai froze with an ominous feeling so he separated himself from her to scrutinize her. He was sure that from the tone of her voice she was furious about the issue so he considered the matter seriously. "What hairbrush is she talking about?"


    Chunlan became even infuriated because he seemed really clueless about the matter. If that was so, it either meant he really wasn''t aware that she had entered his room which was because the security here was lax or the staff here really ?ssumed she was the mistress of the house so they gave her access.....


    Either option was unacceptable!


    Jihai felt that the more she kept quiet, the more things were not going to his favour so he responded submissively. "Actually there was an incident that happened a while back...."


    She turned her head sharply to glower at him but she was inwardly grateful that he was willing to tell her everything without reservations. "What happened?"


    After he narrated the story of her attempt to seduce him, he regretted saying anything in the first place when he saw her icy expression. He grabbed her hand and asked her. "Lan''er, are you angry with me?"


    She walked to him to sit on his ??p, surprising him."No, of course not. I am not angry with you, Jihai. I have decided that I do not want her to be the one to cure me. I would rather remain blind than to allow her near us. She doesn''t have any good intentions."


    "But you-"


    Their conversation was interrupted when Jihai saw someone enter the living room with a bright smile that seemed to becoming dimmer each minute. Shen Ji said. "Oh, Jihai you are back. I can see that you are busy, I will come back later."


    Chunlan''s other senses which had improved ever since she lost her sight naturally recognized the owner of that voice, her soft countenance replaced with the icy one she had a few minutes ago. "No need, Miss Shen. Please sit down, we need to talk.. Now."

 Chapter 90 - Putting a rival in her place.

    Shen Ji composed herself even when her heart was filled with rage when she saw Chunlan sitting on Jihai''s ??p. She couldn''t even fake a smile when she saw her act like a hostess when she was the one who should the one with Jihai! "Okay, then."


    Chunlan let go of Jihai''s collar and readjusted herself on his ??p, facing Shen Ji''s direction as she said. "Now, you can tell my fiancee what you told me this morning about your missing hairbrush."


    Shen Ji already had an ominous feeling about this when she saw Jihai glaring at her. "I thought you said the room was already cleaned so there is no need to mention-"


    "How dare you enter this house after what you did, Shen Ji? What did I tell you that night?" Jihai''s piercing gaze betrayed his anger at the memory that she almost successfully seduced him. If it was not for his cousin, he would have made a grievous mistake that night.


    Shen Ji became flustered as she tried to plead with him. She now realized that she semmed to have made the wrong move confronting that woman without settling things with Jihai first. "But I just-"


    "My fiancee and I have decided that we are no longer in need of your services. I will tell my cousin to drop you back in Dubai tomorrow." Jihai no longer spared her a glance but instead returned his attention to his fiancee, his skin becoming flushed when he realized that Chunlan''s breath was tickling his collar bone. He shifted uncomfortably.


    Shen Ji trembled when she remembered his crazy cousin who had tried to **** her when he caught her that night. She wasn''t sure what she feared most at this moment, going back to Dubai to those thugs who were after her or being in the company of that lunatic. She knelt down without a single thought as she begged him. "Jihai, please don''t do this. I am sorry, I was in the wrong...I will do whatever you say!"


    He lowered his gaze to the woman in his arms who had been staying quiet all this while, his intuition telling him that this was the perfect time to help her vent her anger. "This is not my decision alone. The reason I saved you back then was to save my fiancee and now she doesn''t want your help. Tell me, what use do you have for me?"


    She struggled to form a coherent thought but soon she knew what he wanted. She clenched her fists as her eyes settled on Chunlan who was presumably sleeping. "Miss Tang, I admit my wrong about the incident with Jihai. I wasn''t aware that he was engaged already and the truth is I really like him. Please don''t send me back to Dubai."


    She received no response and she had never been treated like this since she became the legendary physician, Shen Ji. She closed her eyes and endured the humiliation for future revenge. When she was about to repeat her request, Chunlan finally responded. "We won''t send you back to Dubai but we really won''t use your services because frankly, I don''t trust you. I won''t endanger myself by entrusting my eyes and possibly my life to you when you are infatuated with my fiancee."


    Shen Ji looked at Jihai and it seemed like he was also in agreement with her statement which didn''t help her relationship with Jihai, after all if he no longer needed her to save his fiance, how was she supposed to spend time with him? "I am not that kind of person to behave like that. Jihai, you have to believe me. I promise to cure her blindness at all cost."


    Jihai felt Chunlan chuckling quietly against his neck, sending tickling sensations down his body. He lifted his arm to support her as he struggled to focus on what Shen Ji was saying at this point when all he wanted to do was to get his fiance to bed. "I have told you before that the decision is not mine to make, you should communicate directly with my fiancee instead."


    Chunlan yawned and shifted uncontrollably to find the perfect spot to stay in his arms, blushing a little when she heard his low m??n. She whispered to him. "Jihai, stop that."


    Shen Ji lifted her head to look at Chunlan with a clueless expression. "Hmm?"


    Chunlan replied. "Nothing. I said we will think about this and inform you of our decision later. But I will give you a warning, Miss Shen. Stay away from Jihai, if you make another move on him again I will become your worst nightmare because I hate thieves and people who try to steal what is mine will not be spared, are we clear?"


    Shen Ji almost went mad from rage but whenever she sensed Jihai''s knife-like glare on her, she forced herself to be submissive. "Yes, Miss Tang. We are clear."


    Chunlan heard the alarm she set in her phone ring so she said. "Well, it''s getting late now so we will be sending you home now. Good night, Miss Shen."


    Chunlan called for a maid. "Liling, please see Miss Shen out."


    A young maid that was waiting on Chunlan''s side quickly stepped forward and directed Shen Ji out of the house, leaving the couple alone. Jihai lowered his head to look at Chunlan, his hand stroking her waist leisurely. "Are you now satisfied?"


    "Yes, I am. I also wanted to talk about what happened this morning." She raised her head, her hair brushing his lips as she straightened herself.


    Jihai stared at her with a blank expression. "Are you sure?"


    She realized that she wasn''t ready to tell him about her reincarnation neither was she sure about how to even start the topic. She was afraid that he would think she was crazy and worst, he would find about her atrocities in her past life. She was sure he wouldn''t forgive her if he found out that she aborted his babies and that thought seemed intolerable to her. "I do have my secrets, Jihai. Things I cannot tell you but I promise I won''t let it separate us anymore because I will do my best to make up for my mistakes."


    She opened her mouth to say something when her lips were suddenly covered by Jihai''s own. He kept kissing her and soon she started to close her eyes when he backed off a little to whisper in her ears. "I agree, we shouldn''t talk about things like this now. Let''s do other fun activities, shall we?"


    Her cheeks turned red.

 Chapter 91 - Tensions between the Mo and Su families.

    "You...what do you mean?" Chunlan jumped off his ??p like hot potato as she backed away from him in a defensive manner. "You... don''t try anything funny, Jihai!"


    Bai Jihai chuckled at her defensive stance and then he pulled her towards him, circling his hands around her waist as he grinned like a young boy. "What do you think I am going to you? Tell me, what is going on in your silly little head, my love?"


    She trembled when he placed a kiss on her temple, covering his hands with her own as she turned around to face him in his embrace. "I am not going to be fooled by your sweet talk, Jihai. We are not ready to do this, let me go."


    "There is nothing that cannot be prepared if you agree to it, Lan''er. However, I will not force you if you are not willing." He released her and grabbed her hand instead as he guided her carefully. "Come, let''s go out bed. You must be tired after the trouble you went through today."


    Chunlan was a little bit anxious that he was displeased with her refusal causing her slow her steps as they walked together. Jihai immediately noticed it and raised a questioning eyebrow at her so she spoke up when she saw that they had stopped walking. "Are you sure you...are not angry with my decision? Are we okay?"


    In her past life, she had always been the one in charge so she had never had to be considerate of people''s feelings. They had little physical intimacy as a couple in the past and that wasn''t his fault. She had also been scared in the past and because of that, she had been very rash to reject any form of physical contact with him back then.


    She now realized that she should have been more honest and open with her feelings like she did earlier, maybe she would have saved both of them from the emotional pain they suffered in the past. However, she wasn''t still sure that he would be hurt by her rejection so she wanted to make sure that he was okay with her decision....


    Bai Jihai chuckled when he heard her soft voice, using his forefinger to lift her chin for a searing kiss. When he finally released her, he pecked her cheek and said. "Why would I be angry with a choice that is solely yours to begin with? I want you to feel safe to tell me your opinion and I will never judge you for that. Now, let''s go to bed because I am exhausted from all those social interactions today."


    Su Liangzi was now looking very pale due to the shock he had when he heard the news of his daughter''s pregnancy. He was unable to react even though rage burned in his heart. He coughed weakly and said. "I just want to know why the Mo family decided to end the engagement even though they were aware of my daughter''s pregnancy. Does the Mo family think that the Su family can be easily bullied?"


    Tang Huizhong refrained himself from interfering in the matter but Mo Xuanqing scowled when he heard his junior brother''s words. They had been very sympathetic to Su Liangzi because of his poor health but at this moment, it was very hard for him to contain his anger. "Junior Brother Su, we just found out recently so we should not be blamed for this incident. We should be asking you, why your daughter chose to hide such news when she should have told us instead?"


    The three men turned to face Su Menxiang who had a guilty look towards her father as she buried her head in shame. "I am sorry, Father. I just didn''t know how to tell you. It''s all my fault."


    Mo Bingwen shook his head when he heard her to say. "Its also my fault too. We should have taken better precautions to prevent this situation. We should have been more careful."


    Su Menxiang tightened her hands when she heard him. In the surface, it looked like he was been apologetic to their elders but the truth was that he was also expressing his regret and annoyance over the situation. She felt her cheeks burn at his statement.


    If she had been able to decipher his true meaning, the other three men had certainly caught on to the gist, leaving them in shock and disbelief. Su Liangzi was about to speak up when Mo Xuanqing beat him to it by saying. "Now is not the time for apologizes or regret, we should quickly decide what to do about the baby."


    "I agree. We should think about the baby who is a descendant of both the Mo and Su families." Tang Huizhong agreed quietly. He was also very tired and just wanted to solve this situation as soon as possible so he could return home. He just prayed that his two junior brothers would be reasonable and understanding on behalf of their children.


    "The Mo family will not shrink from our responsibilities. We will like to reenact the engagement between our two families. I am sure that Mo Bingwen is ready to forget what happened in the past for the sake of his child. What do you think?" Mo Xuanqing asked Su Liangzi.


    At this point, Su Liangzi was very relieved when he heard his senior brother''s suggestion. He was also troubled by the situation especially when it included his only daughter who was very precious to him. He was about to agree when he felt his daughter grab his sleeve and shake her head.

 Chapter 92 - Disclosing the painful truth.

    "What do you mean, you don''t want to marry me?" Mo Bingwen glared at her with a threatening glance. They seemed to share a look which the three elders noticed immediately and their parents could instantly tell that there was something the couple was not telling them.


    Su Menxiang suppressed the d?s?r? to scream that he was threatening her but she didn''t dare say anything but instead chose to focus on begging her father. "Dad..."


    Su Liangzi looked at Tang Huizhong helplessly, torn between the urge to side with his daughter and the reasonable decision to do the right thing; protect his unborn grandchild.


    He closed his eyes in regret as he retrieved his sleeve from his daughter''s desperate grip. "Menxiang, you have to marry Bingwen. It''s the only way your child can have a decent name. I don''t want him to be scorned by the society just because we decided to be selfish. You need to think about your child."


    Mo Bingwen smiled subtly in satisfaction when he saw the utter despair on his fiancee''s face. He had foiled her plans to sacrifice their unborn child just to save him. He didn''t mind leaving this world as long as he could see his child''s face before he died. He bowed his head to Su Liangzi in gratitude. "Thank you, Father-in-law. I will make sure I will take care of her and protect her for the rest of my life."


    Su Liangzi felt annoyed when he didn''t hear any proclamations of love from Mo Bingwen like in the past but he restrained himself from saying anything in the presence of his two senior brothers. He was sure that both of them were also displeased with the situation and were only refraining from scolding him because of his weak health. He wasn''t going to cross the limit either. "Then the matter is settled. I should retire now. Menxiang, please help me see them off."


    Su Menxiang stood up to support her father to stand up before she respectfully directed them out of the house, avoiding eye contact with Mo Bingwen. Both of them had intentionally slowed down their paces and soon, Mo Bingwen grabbed her arm to pull her close to him playing with a strand of her hair as he whispered. "So what do you think? It will be better to hold the wedding as soon as possible before your belly grows..."


    Menxiang scowled and tried to retrieve her arm back but at the same time lower her voice so that she didn''t alert their elders walking in front of them. "I am afraid you are just wasting your time, Bingwen. I have already told you that this baby won''t be born."


    Mo Bingwen narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on her arm, making her yelp as he looked at her with icy blue eyes. "I am afraid that you are the one that is mistaken, Menxiang. I will not allow you to kill my baby, do you understand? You can hate and scorn the child growing in you but it will be born."


    Both elders who had purposely walked ahead in order to give them some time to talk suddenly stopped when they heard her. Mo Xuanqing asked her with his heart pounding in his ?h?st. "Menxiang, what do you mean? What did you just say right now?"


    Menxiang felt more desperate than ever and suddenly she realized that she should have done this a long time ago. She fell to her knees, her legs hitting the ground as her tears spilled out of her eyes. "Please, Father. Help me save Bingwen....I don''t know what to do!"


    Mo Bingwen was shocked at her actions, his eyes full of anxiety and alarm as he said. "Menxiang, don''t!"


    Menxiang ignored his warning and told them the truth. "Bingwen is dying. He was poisoned by a royal poison made by the Su family, the Blue Grail Nightshade. And it''s all my fault........"


    Mo Xuanqing struggled to process what Menxiang was saying, his body trembling at the news and soon, he nearly lost his balance but luckily, Tang Huizhong who was his side was able to support him immediately. "Didi, calm down. Take a deep breath..."


    Su Menxiang broke down crying as she blamed herself incessantly but Tang Huizhong wasn''t willing to cause a scene because he was still cautious of Su Liangzi''s health and he was afraid that he would somehow hear the commotion happening outside. "We should continue this conversation in your house, Bingwen. Take her and come with me."


    As they all left the Su residence to talk in another location far away from Su Menxiang''s father, the Wen mansion was not in a better condition at that moment because for the first time in a long time, Wen Honglin had returned home in a fit throwing and breaking things as he raged around. The maids were so scared that they didn''t dare come out but had no choice but to speak with the butler who immediately ran to inform Wen Qiqiang about the case.


    Wen Qiqiang came in his pajamas in the middle of night from his house to meet his daughter-in-law trying to pacify her son but it seemed the more she tried to coax his anger, the more infuriated and impatient he seemed. Wen Qiqiang said to her. "Ying''er, you should go to bed, I will take care of this."


    He resisted the urge to curse that his incompetent son who should have been the one to talk to his grandson but as always, the coward chose to hide under the pretense of deep sleep. He waited until his daughter-in-law had shut her door before he hit cane on the floor. "Now, can you tell me why you decided to cause a big scene in the middle of the night, disturbing not only my sleep but the rest of the neighborhood all of a sudden?"


    Wen Qiqiang narrowed his eyes and continued to interrogate him. "Who beat you up like this?"


    Wen Honglin swallowed and said. "It was Tang Huizhong! He decided to interfere in my plans to infiltrate the Tang company and you can only imagine what happened after that!"


    Wen Qiqiang chucked, leaving his grandson befuddled at his serene attitude. He sat down and gave a vicious chuckle, thinking about the talk he had with his friend this morning. "Don''t worry, Honglin. This Grandpa will make sure that you will be avenged soon.. I am currently plotting a very devious plan to take care of the Tang family. Just trust me!"

 Chapter 93 - Discussing a couples quarrel.

    As the two men discussed in low tones downstairs, Wen Honglin''s mother had dutifully obeyed her father-in-law and gone to retire to her bed when she saw a particular figure stirring on the bed. "Husband, are you now awake?"


    Wen Tianxiang stiffened seeing that he had been caught so he rubbed his eyes sleepily in fake pretense when he asked his wife. "Uh, I heard what happened downstairs so I had no choice but to wake up. Tell me, what is wrong with our son?"


    Wen Honglin''s mother shook her head in confusion when she had managed to cover herself with the bedsheets, saying worriedly. "I don''t know why Lin''er is being so aggressive these days. He seems to be in a bad mood recently and he never tells me anything. Don''t you think you should go and talk to him?"


    Wen Tianxiang unconsciously shrank away from his wife''s pleading gaze as he looked for an excuse to avoid going downstairs. "He is now a man, Ying''er. We should refrain from meddling into his private matters. As his parents, our only duty is to support him and guide him when it is necessary."


    His wife seemed to agree with his eloquent advice, making him relax in relief that he had managed to avoid the most terrifying duo he had ever met in his life, his father and son. He couldn''t not endure their intimidating aura or deposition when it came to matters like this so he had grown wary of them.


    Wen Honglin''s mother seemed reassured by the sudden calmness that had returned to the house so she went back into the arms of her husband and Wen Tianxiang took that opportunity to process the news that he had overheard from the conversation between his father and that woman the last time she had come to visit them. He found it very hard to believe even though he had heard it with his own ears!


    His junior sister, Shen Guiying.......and Tang Huizhong''s wife.....


    This was the biggest secret that he had scumbled on throughout his life! For the first time, everything that seemed strange in the past seemed to make sense now that he thought about it and he intended to take full advantage of the secret weapon that he now had in his arsenal to deal with the Tang family. He didn''t believe that they would dare be so lofty after he released some rumors about this issue, every gossip just needs someone to spread it, he could hire some people to take care of that.....


    He couldn''t help but sigh when he considered some complications to his plans like the fact that this scandal would definitely entangle the Shen family since they were also involved but that only meant that he would be killing two birds with one stone and the Wen family will eventually emerge as the winner after this. Besides, no one knew that he was aware of this secret anyway.....


    "Husband, are you not going to sleep? Why are you still awake?" His wife lifted her head from his embrace after she had felt his unusual movements beside her. "Do you want me to make you a cup of tea to help you relax?"


    The day after, Bai Jihai had chosen to stay at home and work from there in order to accompany Chunlan who was feeling depressed from her blindness. It was one of those rare days where she felt sad that she couldn''t see anything and Bai Jihai had sensed it immediately he woke up. She felt very warm knowing that he was here with her unlike the times where she had to hide her pain so her family wouldn''t be worried.


    She was eating some tangerines that her fiancee had peeled for her when she heard some people arguing from outside the house in a loud voice, causing her to frown. "What''s going on? What is happening?"


    Bai Jihai calmed her down when she was about to get up, ordering one of the bodyguards to check on what was going on outside. "Don''t get up, we will know very soon."


    A few minutes later, Su Menxiang ran into the house crying as she approached them looking very heartbroken. Chunlan supported her when she sat down beside her, comforting her as Mo Bingwen arrived a few seconds after them. Menxiang screamed at him. "Go away, Bingwen! I don''t want to marry you, you can''t force me!"


    Mo Bingwen chuckled coldly, his icy gaze falling on her as he replied. "I am afraid that you no longer have a choice. You have successfully driven my father to despair and I can''t help but return the favor. You will become my wife with or without your consent. If you are so capable, you can go and wh?n? to your father."


    Chunlan glared at the direction of his voice, wondering what had gotten into Bingwen to make him say such harsh words to her friend. "Enough, stop being so rude to Menxiang or I won''t be courteous to you anymore!"


    Bai Jihai who had been watching the scene noticed the displeasure on Chunlan''s face and sighed. He saw that although Bingwen was behaving a little harsh right now, the pain in his friend''s eyes was unmistakable so he defended his friend. "Chunlan, we shouldn''t judge so impatiently without hearing his side first. Bingwen, let''s go inside the study first."


    Chunlan talked to her friend after she heard them climb the stairs so they could go to the study to talk. "Menxiang, tell me everything that happened."


    Menxiang narrated the whole story, starting from the part where Bingwen had confessed to her father that she was pregnant and the agreement of the two families to re-establish the engagement between the both of them. She felt so desperate that she had to tell his father the real reason why she was determined not to marry him. Mo Xuanqing, his father collapsed at home when he heard that his son was slowly dying and his grandchild was at great risk. She didn''t know what the doctor had told them but Mo Bingwen seemed very angry with her when she saw him outside just now. She grabbed her best friend''s hands and said.. "I have already told him that if he wants, I can have another child in the future, as many as he wants but he is being so stubborn about it. Tell me how am I supposed to go on if he abandons me in this world? Chunlan, please help me!"

 Chapter 94 - Offering a solution to their problems.

    Chunlan sighed and tapped her friend''s hands as she thought of how to solve her problem. Technically speaking, she knew that if she was put in the same problem in the past, she would definitely feel the same way. As long as she could have children, she would never hesitate sacrificing her life and her child''s own to save her beloved. However, after all the things she had experienced she knew that things were not that simple as before. She told Su Menxiang. "Menxiang, I know how you feel but I want you to also consider Bingwen''s feelings too. This baby isn''t something you can just kill, its life is so precious. I suggest you think of another solution to this problem."


    "What do you want me to do?" Su Menxiang had just managed to clean her face became even more depressed and started crying again. She didn''t know what she would do if she lost her beloved because of her stupid mistake.


    "There is a rare plant that is located in Europe, this plant can be a powerful component in curing rare poisons and illnesses alike. I am no doctor and I can''t tell you how to make this cure but I can draw the location of this plant so you strat looking for it." She remembered using this plant in her last life for her mother''s illness so she was also thinking of using it to cure her blindness but she knew that she would have to compromise this time. Her plan B was now gone.


    But that wasn''t important anymore.


    Su Menxiang stopped crying and her eyes glinted with hope at the new piece of information she had acquired. She hugged Tang Chunlan and said. "Thank you so much, my friend. You don''t know how much I love you...At least, I can now dream of having a family with Bingwen."


    Tang Chunlan separated herself from her friend''s arms as she warned her friend. She wasn''t sure Mo Bingwen was going to forgive her so easily but it wasn''t going to impossible. "I need you to very patient with Bingwen. Arguing with him isn''t going to help since you would soon start a family. That child needs to grow up in a loving family so it''s time you start working for it. Here, I can you how to thaw his frozen heart. Come here..."


    Upstairs in the same house, the two men were now sitting in the study in cold silence. None of them agreed to say anything for a long time but Bai Jihai was the first person to break the tense atmosphere with a sentence. "You are acting very reckless, Bingwen."


    Mo Bingwen, "...."


    "Stop arguing with Su Menxiang. It won''t do you any good to agitate her now she is pregnant. I know that Su Menxiang is a little unreasonable but I know that she must really have her difficulties if she wants to sacrifice her own baby. If she wasn''t hesitating about this decision, his would have killed the baby already." Bai Jihai glared at him.


    "I don''t know how to convince her anymore. You don''t know how afraid I am to leave her alone. I am scared she will tell me one day that our baby is gone and I won''t be able to forgive her. I..." Mo Bingwen''s cold demeanor cracked and Bai Jihai saw just how much he had been suffering all these while.


    He sat down opposite his friend and told him. "My friend, I want you to trust her just a little more. She may change her mind at the end but that''s not what is important now. If she agrees to have the baby born, will you really marry her?"


    Bai Jihai wanted to ask him the real question on his mind but something told him that he would be very unwilling to answer him. He subtly changed the topic since as men, they were ones to dwell on sentimental topics for long. "I just got some information from one of my spies I planted at the Wen family. It seems like the Shen matriarch has returned, we now have a new enemy in our midst."


    Bai Jihai had been an orphan who was raised by the Tang family but he hardly mixed with the higher elites so he was sure that Mo Bingwen would know more about the old woman. He frowned when he heard her name. "We need to be very careful with her. She is one of the few cunning women alive and I think she is here to take revenge for her granddaughter, Mengqi. You know how vengeful those women get when things don''t go their way."


    Bai Jihai blinked in confusion as if he couldn''t connect what the appearance of the Shen matriarch had to do with the subject of Mengqi. He seemed very dull about the idea that she had always been in love with him because he never really paid her any attention since the day he fell in love with Chunlan. To him, she was just someone who loved competing with his woman and somehow, she saw him as a prize to be fought for.


    He didn''t know if he should feel offended or not about the whole concept. He was about to say something when they heard a knock on the door and Su Menxiang walked in holding a tray with two cups of coffee. She put it on the desk and smiled at Mo Bingwen. "I just decided to bring you both something since you two have been talking for so long now. Darling, you look so pale now. Why aren''t you wearing your coat?"


    Bai Jihai, "...."


    Mo Bingwen, "...."


    They both observed her properly, Is she


    now possessed?

 Chapter 95 - Her dilemma and hesitations.

    Bai Jihai wondered, why did her actions look so familiar?


    But Bingwen looked at the woman he loves with darkened eyes, allowing her to drape one of the coats she probably found in Jihai''s house over his shoulders. He felt a little troubled that this was one of her new tricks so that she could abort the baby behind his back so he didn''t let his guard down after a confused second. "What are you up to now, Menxiang?"


    Menxiang saw the wary expression on her fiance''s face but all she did was to softly chuckle after she dropped the tea that she came with and said. "I am going to try my best not to feel offended with that question so I would be waiting for you outside when you two have finished talking. Let''s discuss this properly at home."


    The two men silently watched her leave the office with a calm expression but it was obvious that something had changed. Mo Bingwen turned to his friend and said. "Your fiancee is really something else. She has even learned how to plot schemes behind people''s back."


    Bai Jihai who had already put two and two together just smiled as he picked up the tea served by Menxiang and drank it. "Bingwen, it''s better she is behaving this way for the time being. That way, you two can be in amicable terms during her pregnancy term. I have already said that if you want her to give birth safely, you shouldn''t stress her at all. I think it''s okay if you give her another chance."


    It was clear that Mo Bingwen still wasn''t convinced at her sudden change of behaviour and it was even more confirmed when they both heard a sound coming behind the door which halted their conversation. Both men shared a look and subtly changed the topic, going back to their initial discussion about work.


    Su Menxiang continued to eavesdrop on them for a little while until she was sure that they weren''t still talking about her before she exhaled softly in deflation, ignoring the spoon that had dropped from the tray she was holding. She really hoped that her best friend''s plan would work and she would be able to find the plant like they had planned or else she didn''t be know what she would do. She spared the door a final glance before she went downstairs to join her best friend who was patiently waiting for her. Tang Chunlan turned her head to the incoming sound and asked her. "Well, how did it go?"


    Su Menxiang first handed the tray to the maid at the corner before she sat down with a dejected expression as she replied to her friend. "He seems very weary about my actions. I can see that he doesn''t trust me, are you sure that this is going to work?"


    Tang Chunlan nodded as she chuckled, "At least, he is not indifferent. Don''t worry, everything will be okay if you follow my instructions to the letter. I am just concerned that you will be very impatient and take matters to your own hands. Menxiang, I must warn you. If you dare get rid of this baby, you will lose Bingwen forever so you must not be rash no matter what. Okay?"


    Su Menxiang hummed obediently but she saw her friend holding her head in pain. She rushed to hold her. "Lan''er, what''s wrong?"


    Tang Chunlan shook her head but that only aggravated the painful buzzing in her head as she rubbed her temple gently. "I don''t know. I just suddenly got this troublesome headache and it hurts so much."


    Su Menxiang opened her bag in order to get some medicine when her eyes strayed to a pot of plant on the table that wasn''t there before. Her eyes widened when she recognized it. She looked around to check if anyone was in the room apart from them but she couldn''t find anyone. She searched the blue flowers for any message but she also didn''t see anything. She told Chunlan as she picked up the pot of plant and walked outside. "Just take a deep breath and everything will be fine. Chunlan, I need to go out for a while. Please tell Bingwen that I will see him later, something came up."


    Su Menxiang drove out of her best friend''s house in a rush, speeding fast until she arrived in a quiet restaurant down a secluded street. This restaurant had been closed but she still opened the door and stopped in front of a man who had his back turned to her. She didn''t say anything but continued to stare at him with pained eyes as she stood.


    At this moment, she felt so many emotions most of them were hatred, anger and pain. She actually didn''t hate the person in front of her but herself who was so helpless at the moment because she knew that she couldn''t rebuke the mastermind of her problem who was in front of her.


    Her third brother, Su Ying Pei.


    Many people thought that their family was fortunate since she and her first two brothers didn''t inherit the illness her father was suffering from but only they knew the real truth, what really happened.


    At the age of 15, their third brother who was the only one who without the disease found a way to transfer all the toxins to his body and he did. He started with her when she had collapsed one morning and then managed to transfer the rest from his two brothers. That night, their father nearly died from sorrow when he found out what his last son had done.


    But Su Ying Pei merely smiled as he reassured them. "One life is worth dying all three so it''s not a big loss. I am determined to find a way to break the curse of the royal poison in our Su family blood. Please make sure you cheer me by then."


    And ever since then, they had hardly seen him again. He had immersed himself in the study of different poisons as he researched how to cure the royal poison. She couldn''t believe that he had also found a way to use the poison to make other indestructible poisons, one of them which he used to poison her beloved. Even now, she didn''t have the heart to confront him about what he had done. She just felt so sad...


    Su Ying Pei seemed to have noticed that he was no longer alone and his eyes filled with pleasant surprise when he saw his junior sister. "Menxiang, it''s good that you got my present. I wasn''t expecting you to get here so soon, I hope you were careful. Don''t forget you are pregnant."


    Immediately she heard him, she unconsciously wrapped her hands around her stomach but her actions went unnoticed by her brother who dragged a chair so she could sit down. They both sat down and watched the waiter bring in the food that he had already ordered before he spoke to her. "I just found out about your pregnancy yesterday. I also know that you are getting married to Mo Bingwen even though he is currently dying. I think we should look a better father for the baby you are carrying....."

 Chapter 96 - The past is now forgotten.

    Su Menxiang looked at her senior brother in bafflement at his statement as she struggled to understand what he was saying. She couldn''t believe that he could still say such a thing after what he had done. "Senior Brother, please be reasonable! How can you ask me to abandon the father of my baby and the man I love just because he is dying, especially when this whole thing is your fault?!"


    Su Ying Pei narrowed his eyes at his indignant sister as he grabbed his wine glass. The waiter who was approaching them suddenly halted when he saw his master''s sudden change of mood and he didn''t dare take another step. "How did you find out about this?"


    Su Menxiang laughed angrily at her brother''s question, clenching her fists. Apparently, everyone still thought she was still an ignorant young lady even her own family. "What? Are you that suprised to find out that your little sister isn''t as stupid as she once was? How could you do it? He is like our own family!"


    Su Ying Pei hit the table with a thud, sending his little sister in a state of shock as she turned stiff but he ignored the faint spark of fear that passed through her eyes. "I did it for you, Xiang''er! How could I stand there doing nothing while he insulted you by breaking off your engagement without a valid reason? Does he think that all your brothers are dead or what?!"


    Once she had managed to thaw the icy feeling that ran through her blood, she responded with a smaller voice. "But that conflict was supposed to be solved between us. You didn''t even investigate the whole story before you took action, you just sent the only child of the Mo family on the path to death!"


    Her senior brother seemed to have restrained his emotions better as he leaned back and ordered the frightened waiter to serve them food as he said. "Well, there was no need to listen to his excuses and lies when you were busy crying so much with no one to vent your anger for you. Revenge should be a dish served very cold, little sister."


    Su Menxiang had finally reached her limits with him so she stood up angrily as she looked at him with threatening eyes. "That''s enough! Let me tell you now, Mo Bingwen is my life. I won''t let him die no matter what it takes so I suggest you start turning your interests into making a cure for the poison you invented or I will end my life to make sure he survives this. I will!"


    Su Ying Pei didn''t even have the time to respond as he saw his sister storm out of the restaurant with tears in her eyes. He clenched his fist and suddenly wiped glass and wine bottle off the table in a fit of rage, his blood boiling all over again as the wine spilled across the clean tiled floor. His ?ssistant who had been waiting outside obediently immediately rushed into the room, looking at the mess with confused eyes. "Sir, please calm your anger. Is there anything I can do for you?"


    Su Ying Pei stood up as well and started to walk away as he muttered to himself in annoyance. "This is why you should always finish the job cleanly. I should have killed him when I had the chance. I think it''s time to finish this..."


    Su Menxiang continued to drive without a clear vision as she continued to wipe her tears in intervals. She tried her best to keep her emotions in check knowing that it wasn''t good for the baby so she parked her car to the side of the road as she regulated her breathing and tried to calm herself. She had just closed her eyes when she felt her phone ringing so she picked it up. "Hello?"


    "Menxiang, where are you? Chunlan told me that you would meet me in the house but it''s been two hours already. Where are you?" Mo Bingwen''s worried voice resonated through her ears, making her eyes turn watery again.


    She wiped her cheeks before she spoke up "Can...you come and pick me up? I really don''t feel so well. I will tell you where I am."


    A few minutes ago, she jerked up and raised her head from the steering wheel to see Mo Bingwen knocking at her car window. She immediately opened the door and rushed out to hug him, almost knocking him over as she wrapped her hands around his waist.


    "I am sorry." She sobbed into his shirt as she felt his icy skin and her heart broke at the pain that he must suffering from the poison. "My brother, he... It''s all my fault!"


    Mo Bingwen wrapped his arms around her and held her as he comforted her. He knew that none of this was her fault but this was just how their world worked. They would do anything to protect their own even it meant going against the world. "Stop crying, I have already forgotten about the matter. Be a good girl and stop crying. You will look very ugly on our wedding day if you continue like this."


    Su Menxiang raised her head to look at him and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe when he looked into her smiling eyes that had a tinge of guilt and remorse. "Do you really think we will be happy? After everything that has happened? Can you really forgive..."


    Mo Bingwen cut her words off as he drew her close for a melting kiss. Their lips intertwined along with the salty taste of her taste and they stood there, lost in each other''s embrace. When they finally separated, he smiled and replied. "From now on, between you and I, we would have no hatred and grudges.. The past is now forgotten. Su Menxiang, will you be my wife?"

 Chapter 97 - All part of her scheming plans.

    Bai Jihai had spent most of his time helping his father-in-law and looking for a cure for Chunlan''s illness. However, there wasn''t any good news and he was starting to get a little anxious especially since she had insisted on working in her father''s company once again. He worried that he would be unable to protect her if the Wen family decided to target her so he started contemplating on travelling in person to search for a doctor who could help her. After what had happened, he decided to search for a plan B since he no longer trusted Shen Ji.


    He was currently distracted by thinking those thoughts when someone beside him cleared his throat to gain his attention. His cousin, Sakai Natsuhiko who had once found his way back to China without his knowledge looked at him with dark eyes as he asked him. "What are you thinking about, little cousin? I have always told you that any problem that makes one frown is one that must be resolved at all cost. Tell me and I would take care of it!"


    Bai Jihai resisted the urge to pinch his nose when he heard his statement. His cousin only knew how to spill blood and use force, something that he was still not used to. If they were in Japan, he would feel reassured but they were in a different country now and he wasn''t ready to offend his future father-in-law. "I am afraid that you cannot help me with this matter. But there is still a little favour I need you to do for me. The Wen and Shen family have been quiet too lately, I want to know what they are planning."


    Before his cousin could respond, they both heard a knock on the door which halted their conversation. Jihai said. "Come in."


    His cold neutral face turned sour when he saw a young beautiful woman enter the room with a smile. She ignored his cousin who was sitting in front of him and sat on another chair as she greeted him. "Oh Jihai, I haven''t seen you in such a long time so I decided to greet you instead. We need to talk."


    "No, we don''t. Mengqi, I am currently very busy." His short statement already showed his unwillingness to talk to her but Shen Mengqi ignored it since she had already decided to be shameless today. Before this, she had thought that it was better to be reserved and coy but Chunlan had stolen him away by being like this so why shouldn''t she not be the same?


    She decided that she would be more dominant and active from now on. She would change and she will get him no matter what happens. She turned to face the person who was sitting beside her and said. "And you are?"


    "Someone who is tired of seeing your annoying face. My cousin had already made it clear he doesn''t want to talk to you. Is being shameless now the new trend for the women here?" Bai Jihai tried to stop his cousin but he had already said those words, making him deflate with a sigh.


    "How dare you? Jihai, are you going to let him talk to me like this?" Shen Mengqi ''s face darkened as her palm itched to give this stranger a slap. "No matter what, we have been childhood friends. Do you really want to cut ties with me? What, am I inferior to Chunlan and Menxiang in your heart?"


    Bai Jihai turned to signal his cousin and fortunately, he complied with his request. He finally spared her a glance when he saw that they were alone. "Fine, I will let you talk. Why are you here, Mengqi?"


    In another place far away, Tang Chunlan was currently in the Tang company headquarters but she wasn''t there to be help her family business. She came here in order to fool her fiance so she would be able to surprise him with a gift that she was currently working on, reviving his mother''s business, Starlock. Starlock was a large successful transport company a few years ago but it declined when it was handed to the Wen family since they neglected. There were a lot of problems in that company, including scarce manpower and lack of capital to sustain the business. She wasn''t worried about money but the recruitment of staff for the company would surely draw Bai Jihai''s attention which was the major problem.


    She was busy thinking so much about it that she was filled with the impulse to call him so she picked up the phone beside her and pressed a speed dial to call her fiance. Her heart stopped when she heard a woman pick up the call with a sly cold tone. "Well, well. It''s such a surprise to hear your voice again, Tang Chunlan."


    She gripped the phone tightly with the question of why she was the one answering Jihai''s call. "Mengqi, give the phone to Jihai. I want to talk to him."


    Mengqi''s mocking laughter echoed through her ears as she replied in a low voice. "I am afraid that''s not possible. You see, he is currently in the bathroom changing his clothes. Imagine it, a man half n?k?d in the room with a woman alone. What could happen?"


    Chunhua lifted her head and nodded but she suddenly stopped her senior sister when she remembered something. "Ah, Senior Sister, please don''t forget to bring your bodyguards with you. Father said that this was a mandatory request so that the Wen family...."


    "I already know." Tang Chunlan''s voice trailed softly when she left the office. "Tell Father that I am going to take Uncle Yin Tao with me. There is no need to carry so many bodyguards."


    Meanwhile, Shen Mengqi smiled when she saw that the phone call and ended. She checked to see if Jihai was already out of the bathroom but when she saw that he wasn''t, she quickly dialed another number.. "Tang Chunlan is already on her way here. I need you and the others to go according to the plan, nothing must go wrong this time! I want Tang Chunlan dead before the sun sets no matter what!"

 Chapter 98 - Sakai Natsuhikos jealousy.

    After she had hung up the call, she deleted the records and turned off her phone before she returned to her seat like a good person. The tiny camera at the corner of the room flickered slightly with a red light unknown to her as she opened her bag to spray some perfume on her in neck and readjusted her collars to show more skin, her fingers stroking her collarbone softly as she fantasized about Jihai for a brief moment before sneaking into the bathroom to see him.


    However, in the room next to them, Sakai Natsuhiko watched the whole scene through his phone with a faint smile on his face. His subordinate frowned as he looked over his boss'' shoulders and said. "Boss, shouldn''t we save him? Young Master..."


    "Go and send men to escort sister-in-law here. Make sure she doesn''t encounter any danger." Sakai Natsuhiko regretted not installing any cameras in his cousin''s bathroom so he could watch everything but he didn''t say anything else.


    But his subordinate refused to let the matter go. In his own eyes, his boss''s cousin was too sentimental at times due to the fact he didn''t have any family and was somehow raised by the Tang family so he tended to value relationships very much. If not, how could he not have thrown that seductress out of his office from the moment she spilled her drink on his shirt? He was too inexperienced and hadn''t been around women much that''s why he didn''t know of such tricks!


    "Boss, I think we should.... save him. He..."


    "He needs to learn from his mistakes. Everything will be decided by his will, I want him to see that even past relationships can be a person''s downfall. He needs to let go of that silly dream of reconciling with his childhood friends. If he doesn''t, how can he achieve great things?" Sakai Natsuhiko put down the phone as he stood up to pour himself a drink, sighing. "It''s my fault, I shielded him too much."


    He was most aware of Jihai''s character that''s why he had never forced him to kill anyone neither did he allow him to know everything about his parental clan''s operations. As the older cousin, he was willing to dirty his hands and let him handle all the political activities that usually made his own head hurt. But his bodyguard''s eyes widened when he realized something, making him face his boss. "Boss is smart. You also intend to kill two birds with one stone. If I am not mistaken, you also want to use this incident to see if Miss Tang is willing to trust Young Master?"


    Sakai Natsuhiko paused when the glass was about to touch his lips and smiled. "Aiya, why do you have so many things to say today? Do I need to seal your lips together?"


    His subordinate bowed his head and swiftly exited the room as he apologized. "Please pardon this subordinate. I will get going now."


    Sakai Natsuhiko ignored him even after the door closed, he continued to look at his drink with a pout as he thought. ''Hmm, that will teach him a lesson. How dare he chase me away because of an ugly woman like her?!''


    Meanwhile, Tang Chunlan felt the need to rush when she remembered the phone call she had recieved so she urged Yin Tao to carry her there as fast as he could. She didn''t want her innocent and naive fiancee to fall into the hands of that vixen. She knew that he would blame himself at the end and then he would be too guilty to even ask for forgiveness. "Uncle Yin Tao, please hurry. We really need to get there quickly."


    Just as her father''s bodyguard made a noise of agreement, she felt the car suddenly shake as something hit them from behind, throwing her across the backseat. She managed to her up with a voice of distress as she realized that the car was indeed accelerating."What''s going on?"


    "We have a problem, Miss. Please be rest ?ssured, I will ensure your safety at all cost." Yin Tao''s fierce and determined eyes spared her a glance through the rearview mirror as he swerved the car to another lane, dodging the series of bullets that were fired in the air. As he calculated the number of cars following them, he realized that there was no way he could have a direct confrontational fight with them especially with Chunlan around. He scolded himself for taking a shortcut instead of of using the main road in the first place and because of that, he tried his best to run away from their attackers.


    However, after several minutes, their enemies had managed to reach them as they fired several bullets which pierced through the bulletproof glass windows easily. Luckily, Tang Chunlan had already tucked herself and bent her head as the gunshots followed them persistently. Yin Tao was b?r?ly holding on because he was wounded by one of the stray bullets but he stubbornly drove the car hoping to reach the main road where he could hopefully lose them and escape.


    Immediately they passed a row of trees, he saw several cars emerge from the bush as they blocked the incoming cars. He didn''t stop to look behind as he continued to drive forward but he saw another car skillfully block them, making them bring the car to an abrupt halt. Yin Tao pulled out a gun as he came down and pointed it at the group of men who had surrounded them.


    One of them stepped forward and rised his hand to signal his men to drop their weapons. He seemed hesitant to speak but he slowly said. "Please be calm...We mean you no harm."


    Tang Chunlan who had been trembling in in fear suddenly came out when she saw that the car had stopped, much to Yin Tao''s dismay. She stretched her arms forward as she walked slowly. "Yin Tao, where are we? What''s going on?"


    She heard one of the men speak in a foreign language when Yin Tao came to her and shielded her. She frowned and turned her head. "Japanese men? Are you the ones who wanted to kill us? Who are you?"


    The leader who had stepped out vaguely understood what she was saying so he shook his head as he repeated. "We mean you no harm.. We come fron the Sakai clan."


    Tang Chunlan deflated at his words as she came out and smiled in relief. "Did Jihai send you here? Where is he?"


    The man frowned. Not many people in Japan knew her fiance''s Chinese name so he didn''t know who she was talking about. "Our young lord sent us here to escort you to the company. He said he has something to show you there. Please follow us."


    Yin Tao frowned when he saw the small smirk on the man''s face. He had already confirmed that they were indeed from the Sakai clan and he was a little worried since he was sure that something bad must had happened to Jihai since he was not here to personally meet them.


    They seemed to be hiding something. What were these men up to?

 Chapter 99 - She couldnt be passive anymore.

    Tang Chunlan arrived at the office in hurried steps as she passed the secretary who was standing outside the door worriedly, hearing the loud noises coming from there but unable to go inside. She walked with her bodyguard who opened the door to see Jihai who was still half n?k?d looking very angry with his hand poised to slap Shen Mengqi who sat on the couch in a distasteful manner. He seemed to be obviously restraining himself and soon, his bloodshot eyes were filled with surprise and fear missed with anxiety when he saw her. "Lan''er, what are you doing here? It''s not what you think..."


    Of course, she couldn''t see what was happening but she felt her bodyguard''s hand tighten around hers so she knew that something was wrong. "Yin Tao, what is wrong? What is happening?"


    Yin Tao looked at the man and woman who were in a disheveled state with a killing intent yet he managed to keep his voice even. "I think we should leave right now. It''s getting late, the Young Master is alright so we should go." He couldn''t bear to tell her the truth especially when she had rushed here to check on her unfaithful lover.


    Shen Mengqi who saw that she head arrived became more fearless when she saw that they were trying to conceal the situation. She said in a mocking tone. "Chunlan, why are you here? Things were finally getting interesting until you came. Jihai is really such a passionate person, I can see why you refuse to let him go..."


    Jihai dropped his hand when he heard her words and ran to meet Chunlan who had stiffened in response. He held her tightly as he said. "Lan''er, don''t listen to her words. Let me explain.."


    Tang Chunlan realized that the feeling of trust was indeed a hard emotion to feel at that time. She knew that he would not betray her that way yet she also feared that he would try to hide it from her even if he was framed in the process. She raised her head, her blank eyes in level with his ?h?st. "Just tell me the truth, Jihai. Am I truly late this time?"


    He shook his head fervently as he responded. "No, nothing happened between us. We had a brief conversation before she offered me a glass of wine to celebrate our reconcilation as friends since she promised me that she was going to apologize to you soon. Who knew that she would play such a dirty trick by spilling it on my clothes? I immediately saw through her tricks and I called my secretary to chase her away and I went to the bathroom to change. I was very suprised to see that she had returned and broken the lock, trying to seduce me there..... We were just fighting just now."


    "That''s not true." Shen Mengqi refuted his words immediately, her heart sneering at the scene before her. She couldn''t believe that after everything she had planned for Chunlan, she still managed to arrive here to stop them. She knew that Jihai wouldn''t sleep with her so she had come here with a different plan this time. She would tarnish his name and claim that he tried to **** her after drugging her so she could break their engagement. She didn''t expect this woman to appear before her unharmed. "Don''t you see my clothes? He obviously tried to force himself on me after the wine we had together. Chunlan, you know how he gets when he is tipsy so this shouldn''t be a surprise. If you don''t give me a proper explanation, I will definitely tell everyone of this incident! I refuse to be wronged!"


    "Shen! Mengqi!" Chunlan impulsively drew out her bodyguard''s gun angrily and pointed to the direction of her voice. Before anyone could react, she had already fired the gun. Nobody expected her to do it so they all stood there frozen but luckily, the bullet went astray since Chunlan didn''t aim it well hitting the wall with a glitch.


    Shen Mengqi shrieked and stood up from the couch with a shocked expression as she watched her life flash before her eyes. She lost her breath and glared at Chunlan as she retreated back to a safe distance. "Are you crazy?! You almost killed me!"


    Tang Chunlan was grateful to Yin Tao who immediately retrieved his gun back as he said. "First Young Mistress, please control your anger."


    She nodded solemnly because she knew he was right. She had indeed overreacted so she knew that she would have regretted it if she had indeed killed that vixen. The last thing they needed right now was another internal strife between the six families but her words had made her so angry she had seen red. How dare she threaten Jihai like that?!


    She took a deep breath before she spoke to Shen Mengqi. "Mengqi, I advise you to watch your words. I don''t care about what happened in this room before I came but if any unsavoury news spreads out, I will surely look for your life to repay it. You have done a poor job hiring those unskilled mercenaries but I can ?ssure you that the guards of the Tang family won''t fail. Uncle Yin Tao, please escort this tramp out."


    Shen Mengqi had b?r?ly gotten a chance to retort or recover from the earlier fright she had experienced when Yin Tao grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the office. She continued to scream and struggle but she was no match for the bodyguard who shut the door, leaving Chunlan alone with her fiancee.


    She stretched out her hands and searched for him, waving them carelessly in the air. "Jihai? Where are you?"


    She soon felt him approach her with his hands wrapped around her waist but she could still feel his tension which betrayed his feelings. She knew that he was still anxious about her reaction so she stroked his fingers to reassure him. "Next time, you should be more careful. Imagine what would have happened if I hadn''t arrived on time?"


    Bai Jihai rested his head on her shoulder as he allowed her to scold him for a little while. He also felt that he was too trusting sometimes but he felt that it was too cruel of him to forget past friendships since he grew up with them and they had taken care of him in their own way. "I know it''s my fault this time. Don''t scold me anymore, okay?"


    Chunlan sighed lightly. She knew his personality the most so she was aware that he was tenderhearted and a little naive. She didn''t want to change him since it was one of the qualities he possessed she had fallen in love. She silently noted that she would have to protect the both of them from now on. She couldn''t be passive anymore. It was time to find a way to cure her blindness.


    At all costs.