The Four of Them

Not far off, cherry blossoms hung heavy on the branches, pink petals drifting down in the breeze. Children chased the wind with kites clutched in their hands, and adults called after them not to run so fast.

Lin Meng sat on the lawn. Watching the warm scene, she couldn’t quite hide her envy. She rarely went out, and she never came to lively places like this.

When she was alone, the liveliness always felt like it belonged to someone else. What was she but a pathetic little worm, sitting off to the side in the sun while others laughed and played? She would rather have stayed home and slept than sit here like this.

Yun Huaizhu, seated beside her, noticed Lin Meng staring blankly at the kite. She smiled and took her hand. “Want to fly one? I’ll go buy you a kite.”

Lin Meng shook her head. “I don’t like kites. The wind makes them believe that once they’re in the sky, they can go wherever they want. They look free, but they’re always tethered to someone…”

The words seemed to catch Yun Huaizhu off guard. Her expression instantly grew complicated.

“So Mengmeng-jie has a melancholy side too.”

Lin Meng snapped back to herself. “No, no—I mean, it’s not that I don’t like flying kites. There’s nothing wrong with flying them…”

Yun Huaizhu leaned in and set a sun hat with a butterfly knot on Lin Meng’s head. Her hand slid from Lin Meng’s cheek down to her chin. As she tied the ribbon, she smiled. “I know. You don’t have to explain. I know everything.”

But even if she didn’t like it, so what? Without a string to hold it, the thin cloth would lose the wind’s favor and land somewhere deserted—turning into either ashes or trash.

Beautiful things deserved to be carefully protected—even if that meant stripping them of their freedom.

To anyone watching, the way Yun Huaizhu touched her chin looked like she was about to kiss her. At that moment, Lin Meng could clearly see the teardrop mole at the corner of Yun Huaizhu’s eye. It was beautiful—like a mark left by an angel’s kiss.

After helping Lin Meng put on the hat, Yun Huaizhu noticed she was staring at her, dazed. She knew Lin Meng reacted slowly when she spaced out, so—harboring ulterior motives—she couldn’t resist leaning in and pressing a light kiss to her pink cheek.

The soft touch of those lips registered in Lin Meng’s mind. Her eyes flew wide, and she lifted her head in disbelief to look at Yun Huaizhu.

For a moment, she didn’t even know what to say to her.

Seeing her shocked expression, Yun Huaizhu laughed. “Mengmeng-jie is just too cute. I couldn’t help myself. Good friends do this sometimes, don’t they?”

She knew Lin Meng still wasn’t ready to accept her, so she was willing to invent any number of excuses to give her an out. Feelings weren’t built overnight; she was willing to wait until the day Lin Meng accepted her.

Coming back to her senses, Lin Meng nodded hurriedly. “Mm, mm. Just… next time, Zhuzhu, can you give me a heads-up?”

At that, Yun Huaizhu straightened up from where she knelt. She looped her arms around Lin Meng’s neck. “But noticing someone is cute happens in an instant. I think Mengmeng-jie is cute every day, and I never know when the feeling will hit. So I can’t warn you.”

Lin Meng looked at that face—lovelier than early spring cherry blossoms—and her breath caught. Coming back to her senses, she hurriedly lowered her head, the brim of the straw hat brushing Yun Huaizhu’s forehead. “O-okay.”

It was just a kiss on the cheek. As long as it wasn’t on the lips, it was fine.

Just as the two of them lingered in that highly ambiguous posture, hurried footsteps rushed toward them.

Yun Huaizhu had meant to use the day to slowly warm Lin Meng with gentleness. Just as the two of them were sweetly immersed in their own little world, a hand appeared out of nowhere, seized her arm, and forcibly peeled her away from Lin Meng’s neck.

Yun Huaizhu had been completely relaxed, so the attack caught her off guard and sent her sprawling onto the lawn. Her mood plunged to freezing point. Her smile vanished, and she glared viciously at the person, face cold.

It all happened too fast. When Lin Meng looked up and recognized who had pulled Yun Huaizhu away and thrown her onto the lawn, she was too shocked to speak.

Su Yutang looked ready to lose her mind with rage. Spotting Lin Meng, she immediately bent down and spoke through gritted teeth. “So this is why you never replied to my messages—you were out on a date with her?”

Yun Huaizhu immediately stepped forward and shoved Su Yutang away from Lin Meng. “Su Yutang, what is wrong with you? I only brought Mengmeng-jie out today because the weather was nice. Do you think everyone is as filthy-minded as you?”

At Yun Huaizhu’s self-righteous look, Su Yutang sneered and licked her back teeth. She stood up and stared at Lin Meng. “I’m filthy-minded? Lin Meng, then you tell her—between the two of us… mm…”

Seeing that Su Yutang, the big blabbermouth, was about to spill all their dirty little secrets, Lin Meng sprang up with lightning speed and clamped a hand over Su Yutang’s mouth.

She didn’t know how Su Yutang had found her so quickly, but she really didn’t want Yun Huaizhu to misunderstand. So she looked at Su Yutang with a pitiful, pleading expression. “Please, don’t say it… I’m begging you…”

Seeing Lin Meng like that, the jealous fire in Su Yutang’s heart instantly dissipated. She smiled, removed Lin Meng’s hand from her mouth, and laced their fingers together. “Fine. Be good and obedient today, and I won’t say a word.”

Looking at her expression, Lin Meng suddenly wanted to bite her to death.

Yun Huaizhu stood off to the side, watching the two of them suddenly act so intimate. The gloom on her face was almost impossible to suppress. What exactly had Lin Meng been saying to that madwoman just now, so close to her?

What had happened between them? Why had Lin Meng panicked the moment Su Yutang said that?

Seeing Lin Meng’s puffed-up, sulking face, Su Yutang wanted to drag her into the car for some in-depth communication. But right now, she had something more important to do.

Clasping Lin Meng’s hand, Su Yutang deliberately raised it to show Yun Huaizhu, as if showing off. “See? Mengmeng and I are good friends too. I kept sending her WeChat messages today and she didn’t reply, so I got worried and came looking for her.”

At the sight of their intertwined fingers, the fury in Yun Huaizhu’s heart erupted. She stepped forward and grabbed Lin Meng’s other hand. “Mengmeng-jie, what did I tell you? Let go of her hand. Now.”

Lin Meng could feel how unhappy Yun Huaizhu was, but she was also afraid Su Yutang would say something she shouldn’t. As Yun Huaizhu tugged at her other hand, Lin Meng stood frozen in place.

Yun Huaizhu’s anger was mixed with disbelief. “Mengmeng-jie… did you really become friends with her?”

The moment Su Yutang heard the word friends, she nearly laughed. If her relationship with Lin Meng was really just friends, then they were far more intimate friends than Yun Huaizhu was.

Someone like Yun Huaizhu, who hadn’t even seen Lin Meng’s body, was only fit to satisfy herself with words.

Hearing this, Lin Meng felt even guiltier. She lowered her head and murmured, “Zhuzhu… Eldest Miss Su isn’t as bad as you think, really. You two could be friends too. Don’t worry—with me here, she won’t do anything to you.”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu felt the world spin around her. Had Lin Meng and Su Yutang become so close that Su Yutang would actually listen if Lin Meng tried to stop her from doing something?

Su Yutang felt something was off in what Lin Meng had just said. She used her free hand to pinch Lin Meng’s face and force her to turn and look at her. “We’re both friends, so why do you call her Zhuzhu but call me Eldest Miss Su? That’s a difference in closeness. I’ll get hurt—and when I’m hurt, I don’t know what I might say…”

As Su Yutang spoke, her eyes darted meaningfully. Lin Meng instantly understood that vicious look and wanted to cry but had no tears. “Sorry, Eldest Miss Su—I mean, Tangtang. I’m used to calling you Eldest Miss. I can’t change it right away.”

Hearing her reluctantly change how she addressed her, Su Yutang’s lips curved in a smug smile. “It’s fine. We’re good friends, after all. I’m very patient with true friends. We can correct it slowly in the future.”

When she said the words good friends, she deliberately emphasized them, as if hinting at something.

Just then, Lin Meng’s brow knitted tightly. Yun Huaizhu’s grip on her other hand was gradually losing control. Lin Meng felt like her hand was about to be crushed.

Yun Huaizhu’s expression had darkened to something terrifying. She remembered the butterfly knife in her pocket, then fixed her bloodshot, furious eyes on the hand Su Yutang had wrapped around Lin Meng’s.

That filthy hand—the hand of a madwoman, a slut—was gripping her most beloved treasure. The perfect pure land in her heart seemed to have been invaded by some stain.

Her mind was screaming.

Cut off her hand! Make her take those filthy hands away!

Kill her!

Lin Meng was already in pain to the point of tears. Su Yutang noticed something wrong and looked toward the hand Yun Huaizhu had clamped around Lin Meng’s.

In an instant, Su Yutang’s expression also turned ugly. She released Lin Meng’s hand, stepped forward, and forcefully pried open Yun Huaizhu’s death grip. She looked at Yun Huaizhu. “What are you having a fit about? You’re hurting Mengmeng, do you know that?”

Lin Meng’s hand, squeezed until it was purple and red, was finally freed. After briefly coming back to her senses, she immediately looked at Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu, who were facing off.

Their eyes said they wanted to strangle each other. Lin Meng could barely see any hope of them ever becoming a couple.

As if suffering the ultimate humiliation, Yun Huaizhu glared at Su Yutang with a dark, murderous look. Su Yutang had long known Yun Huaizhu was bad news, so she crossed her arms indifferently and laughed. “You look really ugly when you’re triggered like this. After all, becoming friends with me was Mengmeng’s choice. Do you want to interfere with her choices?”

Yun Huaizhu’s trembling hand had already slipped into her pocket. Lin Meng could see the atmosphere between them was truly wrong.

Just as she moved to step between them and mediate, a peacemaking voice came from behind. Huo Yi walked unhurriedly between the two, then spread her arms to push them apart. “Since you’re all Mengmeng’s friends, why make things so unpleasant? You two are being too fierce. Can’t you see you’ve scared Mengmeng to tears?”

At the sight of Huo Yi, Lin Meng’s heart sank colder and colder.

Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu showing up was one thing, but why did this troublemaking busybody have to appear too?

Huo Yi might have been mediating now, but Lin Meng was terrified this woman would say something outrageous any second.

Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu were about to start fighting. If Huo Yi added a few inflammatory words and they got carried away and drew blood, this couple would have no chance of ever getting together.

No!

Seeing this, Lin Meng hurriedly pulled Huo Yi to her side and asked softly, “What are you doing here?”

Huo Yi squinted and smiled. “I was out driving my sports car when I suddenly saw you playing here, so I came over to join in the fun.”

Hearing Huo Yi describe it so lightly, the person Lin Meng wanted to bite to death became this woman smiling so smugly in front of her.

No wonder Su Yutang had found her so quickly—it was Huo Yi who lured her here!

This fox truly is detestable!

Hearing Huo Yi’s voice, Yun Huaizhu regained a little rationality. In the end, she didn’t take out the knife.

Just then, as if suddenly remembering something, she hurried to Lin Meng’s side and gently lifted the hand she had squeezed purple in her loss of control. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to. I just couldn’t bear seeing you so close to her. She really wasn’t a good person before, and I was afraid you’d be deceived by her appearance…”

Yun Huaizhu’s eyes reddened on cue, and tears pattered onto the back of Lin Meng’s hand.

Lin Meng understood. Yun Huaizhu was the type who lacked love, so it was only natural for her to feel insecure. With immense tenderness, Lin Meng reached out to wipe Yun Huaizhu’s tears. “I don’t blame you. I just want everyone to get along…”

At Yun Huaizhu’s green-tea act, Su Yutang couldn’t help but roll her eyes dramatically. “No wonder you’ve won acting awards. What a performance. Also, who are you calling not a good person? If I weren’t a good person, after what you did to me just now, I’d have you packing your bags and out of Jing City by tomorrow, got it?”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu cried even harder. Seeing that she could no longer comfort her, Lin Meng abruptly raised her head and glared at Su Yutang. “Enough. Say less!”

Seeing Lin Meng show such a stern expression for the first time, Su Yutang instantly dropped her crossed arms and pointed at herself in disbelief. “What did I do now? You’re telling me to say less? You yelled at me for her? You yelled at me for this dead green tea?!”

“Aren’t you afraid…”

She was about to say something threatening, but when she saw the anger in Lin Meng’s eyes, tinged with distance, the words died in her throat.

The current situation was completely in Yun Huaizhu’s favor. If she really did that, it would be no different from pushing Lin Meng into Yun Huaizhu’s arms.

She would never fall for Yun Huaizhu’s trick.

With that thought, Su Yutang swallowed the fire that had surged up back into her stomach, deeply frustrated.

Seeing that the two had finally stopped arguing, Huo Yi walked up to Lin Meng. “Mengmeng, look—there are outsiders everywhere here, and you two were just arguing in public. It’s really unbecoming. I happen to have a farm resort that just opened in the suburbs. The barbecue and crawfish are delicious. Let me take you there to sit for a while.”

Hearing this, Su Yutang’s brows knitted tightly.

Unbecoming?

Yun Huaizhu’s focus was elsewhere. Clearly, Lin Meng’s mood for their outing had been ruined by Su Yutang’s sudden appearance.

Huo Yi was saying all this now precisely to rekindle Lin Meng’s interest, and Lin Meng was indeed swayed.

If Su Yutang was the type to compete openly, then Huo Yi was a despicable villain who loved dirty tricks. It seemed she would have to keep dropping hints to Lin Meng to stay away from this old fox.

When Lin Meng heard the word crawfish, she was indeed a little tempted. But then she looked up at Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu… if she went, what if the two of them started stabbing each other on the spot?

She had to at least send everyone home first.

Just as Lin Meng hesitated, Huo Yi—as if being extremely generous—said to Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu, “You two come along too. The farm resort just opened, and as the host, I can comp you all.”

Su Yutang snorted disdainfully. “This Eldest Miss isn’t so poor that I need you to comp me. Today Mengmeng’s expenses are on my tab.”

Although the sight of Su Yutang and Huo Yi made Yun Huaizhu physically uncomfortable, Lin Meng going with those two would be like walking into a wolf’s den. So she could only follow along without a word.

Seeing Yun Huaizhu’s weak compromise, Su Yutang wanted to mock her, but Lin Meng—standing between them—gave her a warning look. The look seemed to say: If you dare say anything to Yun Huaizhu again, we’re done.

Seeing this, Su Yutang shut her mouth and said nothing more.

...

The three of them had each driven their own cars. Huo Yi seemed to have anticipated that everyone would fight over whose car Lin Meng would ride in, so today she had thoughtfully driven a G-Wagon. She had even arranged designated drivers for Yun Huaizhu’s and Su Yutang’s cars.

The thoroughness of this woman’s scheming was truly terrifying.

The G-Wagon’s back seat was spacious. Lin Meng sat there with Su Yutang on her left and Yun Huaizhu on her right.

Su Yutang was still sulking over what had happened earlier, so the whole way she pouted and crossed her arms, pretending to look at the scenery outside. Yun Huaizhu, meanwhile, gently held Lin Meng’s hand, interlacing their fingers just as Su Yutang had done earlier.

Though she held Lin Meng’s hand the whole time, her dark gaze was fixed murderously on Huo Yi, who was driving in front.

She had guessed from the start that Huo Yi had brought Su Yutang here. If Huo Yi hadn’t stirred things up, she could have spent the entire day alone with Lin Meng, enjoying their own little world.

This woman seemed less vicious than Su Yutang on the surface, but she was utterly detestable.

As Huo Yi drove, she occasionally glanced at the rearview mirror. She thought the little lamb wedged between those two was truly pitiful.

If she invited Lin Meng to the front passenger seat now, the back row would definitely be in chaos.

It seemed she was still too kind-hearted.

Although Huo Yi said the place was a farm resort, in Lin Meng’s eyes it was a small farm estate—the kind of beautifully decorated, luxurious vegetable garden.

It was strawberry season now, and the farm’s strawberry greenhouse was full of large strawberries. Lin Meng’s eyes lit up at the sight.

Taking advantage of the other two not paying attention, Huo Yi gently patted Lin Meng’s head. “Mengmeng, you can pick as many as you like. You’re my guest, so everything here is free for you.”

Hearing this, Lin Meng lowered her head shyly. “You’re so good to me, but I have nothing to give you in return.”

Hearing this, Huo Yi chuckled. She turned to face Lin Meng, her eyes incredibly sincere. “Didn’t I say so before? We’re already friends. Friendship between friends can’t be measured in money. Besides, it’s just some strawberries and a meal. Next time you can treat me.”

Lin Meng nodded as if she understood.

Just then, Yun Huaizhu—who had gone outside to get baskets—saw Huo Yi taking the opportunity to get close to Lin Meng. Jealousy surged through her. She walked over quickly, not even noticing she had stepped on several strawberry seedlings.

Hearing the noise behind her, Huo Yi turned to look, only to see Yun Huaizhu deliberately ram her shoulder into her and separate her from Lin Meng.

When Yun Huaizhu arrived, her expression had clearly been terrible, but the moment she faced Lin Meng, it changed like a magic trick, instantly turning gentle. “Mengmeng-jie, I brought the baskets for picking strawberries. Let’s go pick strawberries together.”

Lin Meng nodded hurriedly. “Mm, mm.”

Just as the two walked shoulder to shoulder, Su Yutang, who had followed close behind, inserted herself between them. The two seemed to be competing over who could pick the most strawberries for Lin Meng.

Seeing such an amusing scene, Huo Yi couldn’t help but smile knowingly.

This really was a good show.

She felt that after watching this drama today, she’d be happy for days.

...

At the start of the day, Lin Meng had indeed felt very guilty facing Yun Huaizhu. And when she saw Su Yutang suddenly appear before her and Yun Huaizhu, an even greater fear had surged up.

But now, that guilt and fear had suddenly disappeared. Yun Huaizhu could actually pick strawberries together with Su Yutang—didn’t that mean there was still hope for the two of them?

After all, these two had never shown each other a pleasant face before… As Lin Meng thought this, she suddenly felt a chill on both sides. The two seemed to be trying to kill each other with their eyes.

Okay, so they still weren’t showing pleasant faces, but at least the two of them being together without fighting or abusing anyone was progress.

Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu followed in Lin Meng’s footsteps while picking strawberries, but one row of strawberry plants wasn’t enough for the three of them. When Lin Meng saw them putting unripe green strawberries into their baskets, she couldn’t help but look puzzled.

So she stopped and spoke to the two of them with complete sincerity. “Um… Zhuzhu, could you go pick over there? And Tangtang—I mean, Tangtang… you go pick over there. There aren’t enough strawberries here for the three of us.”

Su Yutang shot Yun Huaizhu a hostile glare, then lowered her head and smiled. “Of course, darling. I won’t be like certain people who only know how to act pitiful. Darling, I think you’re the one who shouldn’t be blinded by certain people’s appearances.”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu looked like she wanted to strangle the other woman—the woman who always treated others as playthings.

From her earlier probing, Lin Meng didn’t like Su Yutang at all; Su Yutang was the one who had shamelessly attached herself. This Eldest Miss had probably grown tired of her old toys and recently wanted a change of taste. Fortunately, Lin Meng already knew Su Yutang’s true face—it was just that Su Yutang was too good at disguising herself. How could someone as simple as Lin Meng possibly be a match for Su Yutang, who was born into a wealthy family?

She still needed to use some tricks. It seemed she would have to find a way to get Lin Meng’s phone. If she couldn’t know what Lin Meng was doing at all times, she wouldn’t feel at ease no matter what she did.

After Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu exchanged glares to show their ‘friendliness,’ they each went to opposite sides to continue picking strawberries.

Seeing the two getting along so harmoniously, the hope in Lin Meng’s heart that had been doused reignited a little.

Maybe she should invite them out for this kind of date more often. As long as they spent more time together, their feelings would naturally grow.

The farm resort’s dishes were all home-style, with unlimited barbecue and crawfish. In the past, when Lin Meng ate crawfish, she treated them like ‘sea shrimp sunflower seeds’—because removing the head and peeling the shell was such a hassle, she only ate them when she had a lot of free time.

But the process of peeling crawfish was very stress-relieving.

Just as she was finally about to eat after a tiring day, Su Yutang, sitting beside her, seemed to think of something and began peeling shrimp for Lin Meng. She pushed a plate of peeled crawfish toward Lin Meng. “Darling, I peeled these specially for you. There’s more if you want.”

Lin Meng’s eyebrow twitched at the plate of messily peeled shrimp.

But she could understand… after all, Su Yutang was an Eldest Miss. Growing up, only others had peeled shrimp for her.

Coming back to her senses, Lin Meng smiled at her. “No need. You eat yours; I’ll peel my own.”

Hearing Lin Meng’s concern for her, Su Yutang’s face bloomed like a flower. She peeled shrimp even more vigorously for Lin Meng. “It’s fine, darling. I’m not tired.”

Lin Meng: “…”

Fine. As long as the Eldest Miss was happy.

Seeing Su Yutang’s foolish appearance, Yun Huaizhu couldn’t help but want to laugh. But in front of Lin Meng, she had to maintain her grace. Yun Huaizhu let out a contemptuous chuckle, then gently presented her plate of perfectly peeled shrimp to Lin Meng. “Mengmeng-jie, I’ve peeled these for you too. Eat up.”

When Lin Meng saw Yun Huaizhu’s perfectly peeled shrimp, not a single bit of shell left, her eyes lit up. As expected of the gentle Yun Huaizhu! Simply capable of everything!

Seeing Lin Meng’s excited look at Yun Huaizhu’s peeled shrimp, another nameless fire burned in Su Yutang’s heart. At this moment, she really wanted to dump the shrimp shells on Yun Huaizhu’s face.

Yun Huaizhu, this dead green tea, only knew how to put on an act, yet Lin Meng fell for it every time.

It was just peeling shrimp more completely—what was so impressive about that? She had peeled shrimp for someone for the first time in her life today. She was going to sit here and watch Lin Meng eat them.

Meanwhile, not far from the three, Huo Yi, who was grilling skewers, couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the scene.

Probably even Su Yutang hadn’t realized she was sinking deeper and deeper.

At this moment, she really wanted to grab a camera and record Su Yutang’s appearance. Then, when Su Yutang wanted to buy back her black history, she’d probably have to pay her another hefty sum.

The little lamb who knew nothing about romance seemed to be slowly understanding something. It was just unclear who this bit of feeling she understood came from.

...

Although during this meal, Yun Huaizhu and Su Yutang did many things Lin Meng couldn’t understand—and Lin Meng even felt they were slightly out of character—she was still quite happy to see them getting along.

Happy gatherings are always over too soon. When it was time for Lin Meng to go home, naturally it was Huo Yi, the only one with a car, who drove her. In this regard, Su Yutang trusted Huo Yi, so she only coquettishly said goodbye to Lin Meng and reluctantly let her go home.

The tricky one when it came to going home was Yun Huaizhu. The moment she saw Huo Yi with Lin Meng, she felt Huo Yi had ill intentions, so she firmly opposed Huo Yi driving Lin Meng home alone.

Helpless, she too got into Huo Yi’s car.

Lin Meng could sense a bit of Yun Huaizhu’s disgust for Huo Yi in her words. But this was unavoidable—in that novel, Yun Huaizhu had suffered a great deal because of Huo Yi’s instigation.

But in the novel, Huo Yi had disguised herself extremely well. Even readers with a god’s-eye view who weren’t very sensitive hadn’t noticed. Yet the current Yun Huaizhu had keenly sensed it.

This was good too. If Yun Huaizhu knew on her own, she could avoid many risks.

Having seen so many people today, Lin Meng suddenly felt very tired. On the way back, she unknowingly fell asleep leaning against the car seat.

Sitting in the back row with her, Yun Huaizhu saw her head swaying, as if it would hit something at any moment, so she gently guided Lin Meng’s head to rest on her shoulder.

Looking at Lin Meng’s sleeping face, Yun Huaizhu couldn’t resist wanting to kiss her.

That annoying Su Yutang had finally left. If she ignored Huo Yi driving in front, this really could count as a warm moment alone with Lin Meng.

Huo Yi saw Yun Huaizhu’s uncontrollably gentle smile through the rearview mirror. “Miss Yun, have you really thought it through—competing with Tangtang?”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu snapped back to attention. Her eyes suddenly turned cold. “What do you mean by that?”

Huo Yi cut straight to the point. “I believe Miss Yun is a smart person, so you should be able to see that Tangtang likes her. Do you really have the ability to compete with Tangtang?”

Yun Huaizhu let out a contemptuous laugh. “How excessive to say ‘compete.’ She’s unmarried and unbetrothed. Before that, anyone can pursue her. Can feelings be won over with just the word ‘compete’?”

Hearing Yun Huaizhu’s naive words, Huo Yi couldn’t help but chuckle. “Miss Yun, when your mother was alive, your Yun family could at least rank in Jing City. I’m sure you’ve heard no fewer family secrets than I have. For people of our background, feelings don’t matter at all. You should also know what kind of person Tangtang is—if she wants something, she’ll stop at nothing to get it. Do you, someone like you, have the right and ability to compete with her?”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu clenched her hands tightly. The veins on her forehead bulged. Her anger was only momentary, but at this moment, because Lin Meng’s sleeping position on her shoulder was uncomfortable, she shifted to lean against her chest.

Seeing Lin Meng pressed closely against her, the fire in Yun Huaizhu instantly subsided.

She knew Huo Yi was saying these things to provoke her.

This woman was trying to incite conflict between her and Su Yutang, probably calculating to profit as the fisherman.

Su Yutang wasn’t a good person, and Huo Yi, her partner in crime, didn’t have pure intentions either.

Thinking this, Yun Huaizhu curved her lips into a smile of certain victory. “Same here. The things I want, I will definitely get.”

Because Lin Meng had met her first. This was fate bestowed by heaven. If she just stood still waiting for heaven to take pity on her again, she would have died countless times already. So the things that belonged to her, she would fight and seize.

If others wanted to snatch them, she would let that person know that snatching her things came at a price.

Huo Yi’s judgment of people’s characters was sometimes frighteningly accurate. For instance, Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu did indeed have similarities.

Why did the two of them talk so nicely? Wasn’t it all just forceful seizure?

Before thinking about getting the person they wanted, they should at least ask whether that person liked them or not.

Seeing that Huo Yi had fallen silent, Yun Huaizhu continued her mockery. “I heard your public image has always been that of someone frigid—that you’ve never had a girlfriend and never had any unclear relationship with any omega. Why are you suddenly interested in other people’s gossip? This doesn’t seem like something an impotent person should concern themselves with.”

Hearing this, Huo Yi’s squinted eyes gradually widened. Her smile became somewhat frightening. “Does Miss Yun know the price of deliberately provoking me?”

Yun Huaizhu had already told Su Yurong that she was an omega, and Su Yurong believed she had spent a night with Su Yutang, so she was busy currying favor with her now.

If she accidentally offended Huo Yi, Su Yurong, who had a business partnership with her, would naturally protect her. So she wasn’t afraid of Huo Yi’s threats at all.

Yun Huaizhu continued. “Are you going to do to my family what your good sister Su Yutang did? Unfortunately, I’m already as rotten as I can be. Or do you want to spread the word that I’m an omega?”

Seeing her put on a desperate front, the coldness on Huo Yi’s face softened a little. “Being an omega isn’t something shameful. Moreover, you’re an omega of the same rank as Tangtang. If I were Aunt Su, setting aside family background, I’d indeed think you and Tangtang are the most compatible. If your identity were exposed to the public eye, families seeking marriage alliances would come in an endless stream, wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t that elevate your career to the next level?”

The reason a secret is a secret is that it’s kept properly and not divulged. But ever since Yun Huaizhu learned that Huo Yi could easily obtain the information that she was an S-rank omega, she no longer expected this secret to stay hidden for long.

Although she didn’t mind others knowing her gender, she deeply detested Huo Yi using her gender as a bargaining chip in business.

Thinking this, Yun Huaizhu didn’t show much anger. She smiled amiably. “Huo Yi, you’re truly pitiful. To be able to measure everything by profit to this extent—has anyone ever genuinely liked you since you were young? When others like you, you measure them by profit. No wonder you’ve been alone for so long, and you even use being frigid as an excuse.”

As soon as Yun Huaizhu finished speaking, the moving car suddenly slammed to a stop.

Yun Huaizhu was jolted violently without warning. If she hadn’t been sitting in the back and had the habit of wearing a seatbelt, her head would have hit the front passenger seat.

At the same time, Lin Meng was jolted awake by the violent shaking. She opened her drowsy eyes. “Mm… where are we?”

Huo Yi, driving in front, didn’t answer. Seeing that Huo Yi had woken Lin Meng up, Yun Huaizhu hurried to steady her. “Mengmeng-jie, are you okay?”

When Lin Meng woke up, she found she had actually been lying on Yun Huaizhu. She hurriedly straightened up. “Sorry, sorry, I was confused from sleep. Where are we now?”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu blinked innocently at Lin Meng. “I don’t know. Miss Huo suddenly stopped. Did she think of something and get angry?”

Hearing this, Lin Meng looked up toward the rearview mirror in front, and saw Huo Yi’s smiling face. “No, I just felt the handbrake seemed a bit unresponsive, so I wanted to test it. Fortunately, nothing’s wrong.”

Hearing this, Lin Meng’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh my god!”

She patted her chest as if she’d just had a narrow escape. “As long as nothing’s wrong, as long as nothing’s wrong.”

A broken brake was a big deal! If something went wrong, everyone in the car could die.

Seeing this, Huo Yi started the car again. After turning two intersections, the car arrived at Lin Meng’s home. Seeing this, Yun Huaizhu wanted to get out with Lin Meng, but Huo Yi called her back. “Miss Yun, I’m very interested in your family’s new industry. Let’s talk some more.”

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu was about to refuse, but Lin Meng waved toward her. “Okay, you two head back together. Bye!”

At this moment, Yun Huaizhu felt like she had a breath stuck in her chest, neither going up nor down. She had originally planned to stay at Lin Meng’s home tonight, but all of it had been interrupted by Huo Yi.

Yun Huaizhu could only stiffly say goodbye to Lin Meng. “Mm… Mengmeng-jie, see you.”

...

When Huo Yi’s car disappeared around the corner, a somewhat more clear-headed Lin Meng started humming a tune as she headed back. But when she saw a red Volkswagen parked on the neighborhood road, some images suddenly flashed through her mind.

Right—she seemed to have never told Huo Yi where she lived, had she?