"You can keep pretending. I won't expose you, but I'm making my stance clear: if you dare harm Su Qi and her child, don't blame me for shattering your dream of a prominent family!"
Su Qi was his absolute bottom line.
Regardless of whether Su Qi accepted him or not, he would not allow anyone to hurt her.
A hint of a smile flickered in Li Caiyi's eyes. "Mr. Xu, since you don't want to tell Huo Tingyun, it means you're interested in Su Qi. Coincidentally, I also want to become Mrs. Huo. How about we join forces? We can each get what we need. Isn't that a profitable deal?"
She raised her wine glass, her unadorned face revealing an unconcealed ambition.
Heh, so her true colors were showing.
Xu Linchuan picked up his wine glass but did not clink it with Li Caiyi's. He merely took a shallow sip, narrowed his eyes, and stared at the woman before him.
Indeed, her true colors were showing.
"I have no interest in colluding with you."
Wishful thinking.
He had investigated Li Caiyi's background long before arriving.
Her parents owed a massive gambling debt. She came from an ordinary, even poor, background, and after finishing junior high, she went to work in a factory. Over the years, she had held many menial jobs, but none were enough to repay her parents' debts.
For some reason this month, someone had paid off Li Caiyi's parents' multi-million yuan gambling debt. Within a week, Li Caiyi appeared before Huo Tingyun, claiming to be Huo Tingyun's "white moonlight."
Huo Tingyun returned from the restroom and left the restaurant with Li Caiyi. Xu Linchuan stood at the restaurant entrance, lit a cigarette, and watched their car depart. After a pause, he made a phone call.
"Help me investigate who is behind Li Caiyi."
Who was the person pushing Li Caiyi from behind?
How could a woman like Li Caiyi, from a rural background with no formal education, possess such meticulous scheming?
If he hadn't known beforehand, he might have actually believed her.
He once thought he was the only one in the world who knew this.
But he never expected there to be another person in this world who knew.
The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
Xu Linchuan straightened up and extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand.
He was determined to find out who the mastermind behind this was.
Su Qi left Shengshi Group and went to her company.
Yang Tianhao saw her arrive and presented her with documents, briefing her on the company's recent operations. Everything was detailed, proving he was indeed a veteran from the former Zhuiguang Group; his efficiency was remarkable.
Su Qi glanced over the documents and nodded. "Thanks to you, I've had time for myself lately. I'll be at the company for the next few days."
Yang Tianhao was surprised. "You're coming to the company? Aren't you pregnant?"
"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I should neglect the company. It's currently in its growth and development phase. If I'm not here, it would be very tiring for you to handle everything alone."
Su Qi opened a file. "You can report any issues to me from now on."
Yang Tianhao stared for a long moment before nodding. "Alright."
After finishing her work, Su Qi returned to the Huo residence and collapsed into bed. She slept soundly, without a single dream.
The next morning, after breakfast, she headed directly to the company.
Work could numb the nerves and allow her to forget many things temporarily. In work, she seemed to find more meaning to her existence.
At noon, Gu Tangxue's call came through.
"Xiao Su, have you seen the news? Huo Tingyun and that woman have been photographed in a scandal. The entertainment gossip news is all over the place now, filled with gossip about the two of them! I can't even begin to describe how I feel!"
Just a few days ago, she was still defending Huo Tingyun and trying to mediate. She never expected Huo Tingyun to trample on her good intentions like this, to be so affectionate and intimate with another woman while his wife was five months pregnant, completely disregarding his wife's feelings.
"I know. So what?"
Su Qi raised an eyebrow, showing little reaction.
"Xiao Su, do you really have no feelings for Huo Tingyun anymore?"
"None? Perhaps a little, but Huo Tingyun doesn't deserve it. Besides, the most important thing for me right now isn't a man, but my work."
The company and her career were the only things that would never betray her.
Whatever she invested, she would receive a return.
As for Huo Tingyun, he only had the ability to break her heart.
Huo Tingyun, the world is not worth it!
"Xiao Su..."
"Don't pity me. I've long since closed my heart to love. Now, with you and my soon-to-be-born baby, I am happy."
"Xiao Su, it's good that you can see it that way. What you said makes a lot of sense. Men will betray you, but your career won't. That's good. Being busy with work will also help you forget everything temporarily."
Su Qi smiled and hung up the phone. A gossip news alert popped up on her computer screen.
It was a photo of Huo Tingyun holding Li Caiyi's hand as they went out for dinner.
Su Qi glanced at it indifferently. Her light brown eyes showed no ripple of emotion.
Time and time again, one "white moonlight" after another, she was exhausted.
Now, all she wanted was a stable life without Huo Tingyun.
The office door was knocked open, and Yang Tianhao entered with a cup of milk. "Xiao Su, are you alright?"
As a gossip enthusiast, Yang Tianhao was naturally aware of all the gossip, including the fact that Su Qi was Huo Tingyun's legal wife and the scandal between Huo Tingyun and Li Caiyi.
"These men, they get rich and turn bad. The richer they are, the worse they become. Huo Tingyun is the richest man in Shencheng, so it was destined from the start that he would be bad..."
Yang Tianhao chattered on, but Su Qi didn't hear a word.
She was no longer interested in anything related to Huo Tingyun.
After work, she returned to the Huo residence and had the aunt pack up all the things Huo Tingyun had bought and throw them away.
Disgusting.
Huo Tingyun, who had ać˝ç (cleanliness obsession), held Li Caiyi's hand and went out to dinner, looking like a young couple. And she, who had devoted years of her youth and love to Huo Tingyun, had her heart waver and reignite at the slightest kindness from him, only to be dealt another blow by fate.
Su Qi lay on the cold bed, unable to sleep for a long time.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open, and heavy footsteps approached. The smell of alcohol wafted into Su Qi's nostrils.
"Huo Tingyun..."
At this hour, who else could it be, stumbling into her room drunk, other than Huo Tingyun?
Even without opening her eyes, Su Qi knew who it was.
Before Su Qi could turn on the light, the man leaned down and kissed her lips with a possessive and forceful intensity.
Su Qi's eyes widened. She couldn't see the man's expression in the darkness, but his rough actions made it clear that he was extremely displeased at the moment.
What was he displeased about?
She wasn't displeased yet!
He came back from a date with his "white moonlight" and was taking his frustration out on her?
What was this supposed to be!
Su Qi struggled with her hands and feet, trying to push Huo Tingyun away, but the outcome was predictable. Her struggles were futile as the man firmly pinned her hands. He kissed her until she was almost suffocating before finally releasing her.