"Li Mochen!" Ye Huohuo softly uttered the three words, a person's name.
Instantly, the surroundings erupted in a frenzy, especially among the girls, their voices rising several decibels.
"You're looking for Li Mochen? If you had asked for anyone else, we might have believed you. But you dare say you're looking for him? Security captain, I told you she's a liar! Hurry up and escort her out of the school! Never let her come here to swindle again." Bai Wei's reaction was the most intense, a complete departure from her usual composed demeanor.
Ye Huohuo, with her sharp senses, felt it immediately. Her gaze subtly lowered, and after a moment of thought, she mused, *Li Mochen, oh Li Mochen, it seems you owe me a favor today.*
She raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of provocation. "Minister Bai, I do indeed know Li Mochen. To be frank, we even lived under the same roof yesterday."
What she said was the truth; she had stayed at the Li family villa last night, and so had Li Mochen. However, the villa had many rooms, and they each kept to their own spaces, like well water not interfering with river water.
But only she knew this, Li Mochen knew, and the Li family knew. Others, however, did not.
Especially those girls who harbored feelings for Li Mochen, hearing Ye Huohuo's words was a clear implication, suggesting she had something with their law department's heartthrob.
Most of the girls looked excited yet regretful, murmuring, "You're a liar, you're lying."
But Bai Wei was thoroughly infuriated by Ye Huohuo's statement, the last shred of her rationality consumed by the flames of her anger.
She raised her hand, intending to slap Ye Huohuo.
Who was Ye Huohuo? She had provoked Bai Wei precisely to anger her, to see what else she would do. Of course, she wouldn't obediently wait to be slapped.
But before she could dodge, someone from behind, tall with long legs and even longer arms, grabbed Bai Wei's descending wrist.
"You dare lay a hand on her?"
Li Mochen's angry voice echoed from behind Ye Huohuo.
Ye Huohuo flinched at the shout, and even Nie Ming, perched on her shoulder, was startled, flapping its wings and flying into the sky.
However, it didn't fly far, merely circling above them.
"They're bullying me, they're bullying me!..." the myna bird kept repeating as it flew.
Seeing Li Mochen arrive, Ye Huohuo instantly adopted a pitiable demeanor. "Mochen, you finally came out. Otherwise, I would have been devoured by them."
As she spoke, she rubbed the corners of her eyes, as if wiping away tears.
Compared to his three elder brothers, Li Mochen, being less experienced, was more straightforward. Seeing his sister-in-law being bullied, especially on his own turf, made him lose face and pride.
"What are you doing? I..." He was about to say "my sister-in-law," but seeing Ye Huohuo constantly signaling him, his eyes flickered, and he changed his words. "My friend came to find me. I let her wait downstairs. What business is it of yours? Why are you trying to chase her away?"
Bai Wei rubbed her wrist, which had turned red from Li Mochen's grip, her voice filled with grievance. "She's a swindler, do you know that? You consider her a friend, but she's only after your money. She's a fraud who tells fortunes under the overpass, swindling countless people. You mustn't be fooled. Look at this photo!"
As she spoke, she showed the photo on her phone to Li Mochen.
Li Mochen glanced at Ye Huohuo in the photo, his brow furrowed. He looked at Ye Huohuo, "Is that really you?"
Seeing that there was a chance, Bai Wei's eyes lit up. "I told you you don't know she's a swindler. How could you possibly be friends with someone like this?"
The surrounding whispers and slander against Ye Huohuo gradually grew louder.
But Li Mochen seemed not to hear them, his dark eyes fixed intently on Ye Huohuo.
Li Mochen's gaze made Ye Huohuo feel self-conscious, her face heating up. After all, everyone wanted to present their best side, and during such an unfortunate moment, the fewer people who knew, the better.
"That was when my luck was at its worst. I'm sorry to have made you see me like this!"
Just as everyone expected Li Mochen to get angry and scold Ye Huohuo for deceiving him, and Bai Wei was even signaling the security guards with her eyes to drive Ye Huohuo away.
Li Mochen said, "You suffered. Our Li family will never let you suffer like that again!"
Everyone felt as if their eyeballs had fallen out!
"Are you mistaken? She's a swindler, and you... you pity her?" Bai Wei's voice rose several octaves, sharp enough to pierce eardrums.
Li Mochen grew even angrier hearing her speak about his sister-in-law. "What do you know? She... she is our Li family's savior. She even saved my third brother's life a few days ago. She's not a swindler, but a true master of metaphysics.
If I hear anyone defame her again, don't blame me for being impolite. And that includes you, Bai Wei!"
Li Mochen's words were heavy, especially directed at Bai Wei.
He wasn't a fool. He knew that Bai Wei had feelings for him and had confessed to him openly and covertly several times. He had always rejected her politely, out of consideration for her being a woman.
This led Bai Wei to believe she still had a chance, and she became more and more aggressive with each passing day. This had already greatly annoyed Li Mochen.
Today, he was using Ye Huohuo as an opportunity to make things clear with Bai Wei.
Because of her good looks and family background, Bai Wei was considered the top goddess among the male students at Haicheng University. She had never endured such humiliation before, and tears welled up in her eyes, though she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
"Li Mochen, do you perhaps like this fortune teller?"
Li Mochen was momentarily stumped. If he said no, Bai Wei would continue to pester him. If he said yes, then this was his sister-in-law, and his eldest brother would beat him so badly that even his grandfather wouldn't recognize him.
Just as he was struggling, Ye Huohuo hooked her arm around his. "You're not entirely wrong. We both think the other is quite good, don't we, Mochen?"
As Ye Huohuo spoke, she adopted a deliberately affected manner, her beautiful eyes looking at Li Mochen with admiration.
Li Mochen understood her intention from her expression. She was deliberately helping him out.
Thus, he understood her meaning and raised his head. "Yes, but that's none of your business. I'm saying this here today: this is my friend, Li Mochen. Make it clear, and from now on, no one is allowed to stop her when she comes to Haicheng University to find me, understand?"
His first part was directed at the girls who admired him, with Bai Wei as the primary target. The latter part was for the security guards, instructing them not to stop Ye Huohuo in the future.
Everyone present was stunned for a moment, not expecting things to develop this way. Their gazes towards Ye Huohuo became incredibly complex.
Many girls secretly shed tears. What could be more heartbreaking than their beloved male idol already having someone? Bai Wei's eyes blazed with fury, looking as if she wanted to chew Ye Huohuo alive to appease her anger.
Seeing the situation escalating, Ye Huohuo didn't want to waste any more time here; she had important matters to attend to. She pulled Li Mochen and they strode away.
Bai Wei watched their retreating backs, her teeth grinding audibly.
A girl in a blue outfit, who was usually her sidekick, came over. "Sister Wei, don't be angry. Li Mochen is just experiencing a moment of novelty. He's never met anyone like her and has been charmed by her. One day, he'll recognize your goodness.
Oh, and Sister Wei, who sent you the photo?
He must know that woman's background. Why don't we find him and ask? Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win a hundred battles. Once we dig up that woman's background, won't we be able to win back Li Mochen's heart?"
A glint of malice flashed in Bai Wei's eyes. "You're right. I'll go find him right now!"
Meanwhile, Ye Huohuo and Li Mochen had already exited the gates of Haicheng University and gotten into a taxi.
"Why didn't you let the driver pick you up? Taking a taxi is so inconvenient." Unlike Li Moyan, who preferred to drive himself, Li Mochen enjoyed being driven. He would often read while being chauffeured.
He usually just called a driver to pick him up.
Taking a taxi was a first for him.
He asked Ye Huohuo confusedly, as the Li family had plenty of cars and drivers. Given Ye Huohuo's current status, it wouldn't be difficult to find not just one but even ten drivers for her.
"For what we need to do, the lower-key, the better. Your Li family's cars are all too..." Ye Huohuo shrugged, a headache forming as she recalled Li Moyan's flashy sports cars.
Li Mochen, understanding her concerns, chuckled and shook his head. "Sister-in-law, actually, our family does have some low-key cars, but third brother is just used to being high-profile, so... never mind, we're already out.
Why are you in such a hurry to find me for something important?"