The Truth Pieced Together That Night

Lin Meng's cheeks flushed red the moment she saw Huo Yi like that.

Huo Yi was what people would call a fox-type beauty. The pose she struck now made her look like an utterly bewitching fox spirit, trying to seduce someone and devour them whole.

Lin Meng hurriedly shifted her gaze elsewhere. “Um... Yiyi, thank you. I think I should head home now.”

Hearing this, Huo Yi suddenly sat up. She crawled slowly toward Lin Meng, the loose red slip dress revealing a sliver of her chest. “Don't be in such a hurry, Mengmeng-jie. I came upstairs just to get you for breakfast. You're my good friend, aren't you? If you won't even eat the breakfast I carefully prepared, it'll really break my heart.”

Lin Meng watched her draw closer and closer. Her figure was quite something, too—the bright red dress traced every alluring curve. More importantly, there was nowhere left for Lin Meng to retreat. Huo Yi's posture was growing more and more dangerous.

From her angle, the black lace bustier Huo Yi wore exposed a strip of skin.

At the sight, Lin Meng shut her eyes. “Yiyi, aren't you cold, dressed like that in the morning?”

Huo Yi had already crawled to Lin Meng's side. “My home has central climate control; it's kept at the most comfortable temperature year-round. But Mengmeng, why won't you open your eyes and look at me? Am I that terrifying?”

Huo Yi saw through her excuse easily. Lin Meng opened her eyes uneasily, enduring Huo Yi's devastating beauty. “No, I just think...”

Huo Yi boldly named the reason for that expression. “It's because Mengmeng thinks my figure is too good, so you got shy, right?”

Lin Meng's face burned at those words. If there had been a crack in the floor, she would have dived into it immediately. She could dive under the covers, of course, but doing that in front of Huo Yi would only prove her right.

Seeing how embarrassed she was, Huo Yi moved closer and sat down beside her. “Mengmeng, even though your relationship with Yun Huaizhu and Tangtang is hard to sort out, I'm not part of your entanglements with them. We can just be normal friends.”

Lin Meng was stunned for a moment.

Huo Yi called them good friends, and Lin Meng herself regarded Yun Huaizhu as a good friend.

So what exactly did the word friend even mean?

Yun Huaizhu had checked her body that night because she was afraid Su Yutang would hurt her—but had that really been the right thing to do?

If Huo Yi said she was worried Lin Meng might get hurt, would Lin Meng also have to let Huo Yi examine her?

Now that Su Yutang had been taken away by her mother and it was unclear whether she would come back out, Huo Yi naturally had no chance to stir up trouble anymore. Maybe Lin Meng shouldn't be so distant with Huo Yi.

After all, from the very beginning, Huo Yi hadn't done anything out of line.

Lin Meng nodded, then explained weakly, “Yiyi, thank you for your kindness. It's just—keeping this kind of distance should still count as being friends. I haven't had many friends before. This is my first time being friends with wealthy people like you...” She quickly raised her head and waved her hands. “No, no, I don't mean anything bad about wealthy people. I just don't know how to get along with you!”

Huo Yi listened patiently to the whole explanation, then smiled and nodded. “I know. I believe you've never had friends.”

After all, someone with plenty of friends and smooth social skills couldn't possibly be as flustered as Lin Meng was in front of her.

While Lin Meng was busy explaining, Huo Yi suddenly leaned in close. “You don't know how to get along with us? Then I can teach you—but only if you trust me. If you suspect I'm approaching you with ulterior motives, you probably won't listen to a word I say, and our relationship will only get worse. Think about it—was that how it felt when you used to spend time with Tangtang?”

Lin Meng nodded.

The first time she met Su Yutang, her instinct told her this young miss wanted to do something bad to her. The more she acted that way, the more Su Yutang toyed with her like a cat with a mouse—her interest only growing stronger.

She really hadn't learned how to get along with people from Su Yutang's world.

But during the week Su Yutang stayed at her home, she never seemed to think about Su Yutang's identity as the eldest miss. Su Yutang didn't yell at her or make any dangerous moves either.

Maybe only when people were roughly equals could they talk about feelings.

As for why she could be friends with Huo Yi and Yun Huaizhu, it was probably because neither had been fierce to her from the start. Huo Yi had also made a good first impression, and Lin Meng had liked Yun Huaizhu's character in the novel.

Only after thinking that far did Lin Meng voice what she had been holding in for so long. “I don't actually hate Eldest Miss Su. It's just that sometimes she goes too far. Zhuzhu is my good friend, yet she always targets Zhuzhu for no reason. If the two of them could shake hands and get along, maybe we really could become friends.”

She just wanted everyone to be okay.

Huo Yi let out a light laugh at her naive words. “But with Tangtang's temper, that's impossible. You probably don't know this yet—Tangtang was kidnapped as a child, and the person behind it was someone closest to her. Since then, she hasn't trusted anyone. Only fun and novelty can stimulate her nerves. Yun Huaizhu just happened to anger her at the wrong time. Until Tangtang's interest fades, I'm afraid she won't reconcile with her.”

Lin Meng's heart skipped a beat.

She suddenly remembered what Su Yutang had said to her that day when they were trapped in the elevator.

So all of it was true.

Su Yutang had suffered something terrible as a child.

Huo Yi raised her head to look at the lilies hanging on the wall. “I don't know what triggered her either. Her emotions are always out of control. Aunt Su has very strict demands for her only heir, so she sent her to a psychiatric hospital for a while. When she came back, she was like this.”

Hearing that from Huo Yi, Lin Meng suddenly lowered her head, a trace of pity and sorrow on her face.

Huo Yi turned to look at her. “You think she's pitiful?”

Lin Meng nodded slightly.

Huo Yi continued, “And because you think she's pitiful, you no longer find her frightening?”

It was the first time Lin Meng had heard such a theory. She frowned at Huo Yi in surprise.

Huo Yi seemed to dissect Lin Meng's heart. “Sympathy breeds compassion. You don't understand feelings, so you easily confuse compassion with attraction. I don't know what happened in the elevator last night, but at some point, you must have felt something for Tangtang. That's why she said those things to you before Aunt Su took her away.”

Lin Meng hastily denied it. “No, no, I didn't! I don't understand what you're saying. She has her own wife—why would I feel anything for her?”

Huo Yi's fox eyes narrowed. “Tangtang's wife? She's been single her whole life—twenty-two years. Where would she get a wife? Did you find one for her, or do you think she and Yun Huaizhu are a couple?”

Huo Yi's barrage of questions nearly made Lin Meng spill everything. Lin Meng lowered her head and muttered, “Actually, I used to think they were a couple.”

But now it seemed unlikely.

Seeing Lin Meng's dejected expression, which was somehow endearing, Huo Yi couldn't resist reaching out to touch her face. Her warm, smooth fingers slid across Lin Meng's cheek, and Lin Meng instinctively flinched.

“The Ring of Fate—that's what this world calls the beautiful union of an alpha and omega with extremely high compatibility. No matter how much they despise each other at first sight, as long as pheromones draw them together and they make love for years, they'll become an enviable couple.”

As Huo Yi spoke, a flicker of undisguised disgust crossed her eyes. “But I think it's just the seduction of filthy desire, without a trace of genuine feeling. Maybe I'll eventually find a well-matched omega to marry. Whether we like each other or not won't matter at all. As long as the pheromone compatibility is high and the sex life is pleasant, you'll just live out your whole life that way.”

Hearing this, a sudden bitterness welled up in Lin Meng's heart. If what Huo Yi described became reality, it would be an incredibly sad thing.

“Then you could find an omega you like, with high compatibility, and spend your life with her.”

After saying this, Lin Meng lowered her head guiltily.

She knew omegas matching Huo Yi's standards were rare, but people had to be optimistic in this world—otherwise they wouldn't even have the strength to eat or sleep.

Seeing the same pity Lin Meng had shown for Su Yutang, Huo Yi let out a light laugh. “But my marriage partner doesn't necessarily have to be an omega.”

Lin Meng's grief for Huo Yi stopped short.

The undisguised, ambiguous smile in Huo Yi's eyes as she stared at Lin Meng deepened. “I hate the Ring of Fate, and I hate the attraction of omegas. My family does only have me as the heir, but my parents are quite open-minded. They've never demanded that I marry an omega and produce an heir of shared blood.”

The more Lin Meng listened, the more something felt off. She gaped and swallowed hard. “S-so...”

Huo Yi finished her sentence. “So a beta isn't out of the question either. I like people with simple personalities. Playing mind games with those thousand-year-old foxes in my circle every day is exhausting, so when I come home, I want to be with someone who won't overthink everything. For example...”

Lin Meng didn't know why, but at that moment her right eyelid kept twitching. Her intuition arrived before her thoughts and cut Huo Yi off. “Th-that's nice, Yiyi. Your mom really loves you.”

Huo Yi let out a helpless laugh. “Yeah. But they have their reasons for indulging me like this. They're still young enough to try for another child, and they froze their eggs when they were young. I'm not the indispensable option. My mom taught me since I was little that any business involves risk—and having children and raising them is also a high-risk transaction.”

Lin Meng suddenly felt that people in Huo Yi's circle were somewhat pitiable.

So even a mother giving birth to a child was a transaction?

She couldn't help but start wondering whether her slight fondness for Su Yutang—and even for Huo Yi—all stemmed from pity.

Just like what Bai Li had said to her that day—she was an annoying white lotus, a self-righteous saint.

Maybe she should stay away from these people. The best way would be to remove herself from their world entirely, so the story could return to its proper track.

Huo Yi saw Lin Meng spacing out again.

She knew Lin Meng wasn't a fool; she was just thinking about the extremely complicated relationships surrounding her.

Even someone as noble as Su Yutang hadn't managed to open Lin Meng's heart.

What would it take to make her open her heart completely and love someone fully?

...

Yun Huaizhu's business negotiations in Country M were progressing smoothly. In about a month, the new company she had personally founded would go public domestically.

Of course, all of this was being done in secret. Even if Su Yurong found evidence of her deception and tried to destroy her precarious domestic company, she no longer feared it.

Although she was currently far across the ocean, when she heard that Su Yutang had been locked up by Su Yurong, she couldn't help but feel delighted. Her tip-off to Su Yurong before leaving had truly paid off—she hadn't expected Su Yurong to capture her precious daughter so quickly.

Now, finally, no one would come between her and Lin Meng.

However, one thing bothered Yun Huaizhu greatly—ever since Lin Meng returned from Su Yutang's manor that day, her attitude toward Yun Huaizhu had become subtly strange. And she kept showing a guilty expression from time to time.

Yun Huaizhu considered her sixth sense strong. She felt that after she left Lin Meng that night, something must have happened to Lin Meng—something that might even be related to her. Lin Meng felt guilty toward her, which was why she kept making that expression.

And it had been almost a month since that night. If Bai Li really was pregnant, she couldn't possibly not have gone to Su Yurong to make a scene.

But so far, everything seemed calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

Although Yun Huaizhu couldn't video call Lin Meng all the time, she could check Lin Meng's chat records on her phone.

During the ten days she was away on business, she would browse Lin Meng's chat records whenever she had time. She had practically gone through Lin Meng's phone messages from beginning to end.

She had even dug up Lin Meng's consumption records from two years ago.

She checked Lin Meng's phone thoroughly and found that Lin Meng truly had no friends. At most, her messages were with colleagues discussing work.

But beyond that, she discovered many colleagues making ambiguous remarks to Lin Meng, openly and covertly. For example, someone Lin Meng had saved as “Tang Xiaoman”—this person had invited Lin Meng to the cafeteria for lunch several times and would sneakily ask what flowers Lin Meng liked, what food she liked.

Would an ordinary colleague ask so much?

If Lin Meng didn't still need to work, she really wanted to delete everyone who chatted with Lin Meng about anything other than work.

...

Today, Yun Huaizhu scrolled to Lin Meng's chat records with someone saved as “Eldest Miss Su.”

At that moment, her heart felt like a spilled jar of vinegar. She had already prepared herself to be angry, but the moment she clicked in, she saw a red exclamation mark in front of Lin Meng's “Good morning” message.

Su Yutang had deleted Lin Meng of her own accord?

Yun Huaizhu couldn't believe it. She exited and clicked back in, repeating this several times before confirming it was real!

Su Yutang had finally scrammed. She was finally no longer pestering Lin Meng—this was a good thing!

Seeing this, Yun Huaizhu was so happy she rolled around several times on the big bed in the presidential suite. Her work had finished ahead of schedule anyway—why not go home now and give Lin Meng a surprise?

Just as she was about to video call Lin Meng, a message popped up in Lin Meng's message bar from someone saved as “Miss Huo”: [Mengmeng, did you attend the charity gala at Tangtang's house last month?]

Seeing that contact name, alarm bells started ringing in Yun Huaizhu's heart.

She had been so focused on guarding against Su Yutang that she hadn't thought about Huo Yi, who loved to toy with people's hearts.

Huo Yi's character was the same as Su Yutang's—neither of them had any sincerity. If Lin Meng spent too much time with her, it would be trouble.

Lin Meng replied: [Yeah, I went with Zhuzhu.]

Yun Huaizhu originally wanted to call Lin Meng immediately to interrupt the chat between Huo Yi and Lin Meng, but when she saw Lin Meng mention her in the conversation, her heart suddenly felt like it was being tickled.

She decided to keep reading.

Miss Huo: [Really? Where did you go that night? When did you and Yun Huaizhu get home?]

Lin Meng took about two minutes to reply: [I didn't go back with Zhuzhu. I took a taxi.]

Miss Huo: [?]

Miss Huo: [Really? But I remember that Zhuzhu's entire estate is her private property. You can't even get a taxi there. Where did you get the car?]

When Yun Huaizhu saw this message, it was like a bolt of lightning shot through her mind.

That's right—within twenty li of the manor, you couldn't get a taxi at all. How had Lin Meng gotten back so quickly?

She had been so happy that night that she hadn't carefully recalled what Lin Meng had said to her.

At the time, Lin Meng had used the excuse of having already gone home to urge her to leave quickly, as if Lin Meng had known something from the very beginning.

Huo Yi's messages continued: [By the way, did you see Bai Li that day? The person you saw at Tangtang's villa wearing the black scarf. I don't know what happened that day, but after that, she went back to Country M.]

Yun Huaizhu's brows locked tightly, her face full of suspicion: Bai Li went back to Country M?

Wasn't she supposed to become Mrs. Su? She had clearly spent a night with Su Yutang. If the purpose of her return was just to sleep with Su Yutang, she wouldn't have needed to play the pity card and reminisce...

Bai Li's abnormal behavior, Lin Meng's lie, and the guilty looks Lin Meng kept giving her after that night—these scattered clues rapidly pieced together in Yun Huaizhu's mind into a truth that made her hands and feet go cold.

No, impossible.

How could that be?

She must be overthinking...

She had just been too tired lately.

Just as the hand holding her phone grew stiff from the cold, Lin Meng replied to Huo Yi again: [I don't know either. I walked for a long time before I found a taxi. I was wearing high heels that day, and my feet were covered in blisters.]

After she sent it, a little crying penguin emoji followed.

Miss Huo: [Oh oh, I see. Are your feet better now? If there are scars, I can give you a bottle of really effective ointment—guaranteed to make them disappear!]

Lin Meng: [Thanks, Yiyi. They're all better now.]

Yun Huaizhu stared at the conversation between Lin Meng and Huo Yi for a long time. Although Lin Meng gave a reasonable explanation, her heart had already been drowned by immense unease.

She got up from the bed and paced anxiously in front of the night-view window.

When Yun Huaizhu felt uncertain or very afraid, she would unconsciously bite her fingers. She didn't know how long she had been pacing alone by the window. When she came back to her senses, her finger had been bitten until it bled.

But at this moment, as if she couldn't feel the pain, she switched to another finger and bit down. Perhaps the pain could pull her back from the immense unease and panic.

But once suspicion arose, she couldn't pretend nothing had happened.

She really wanted to believe Lin Meng, but...

She had always thought Lin Meng would definitely be hers. Every time she went into heat, she had to fill Lin Meng's body with her scent.

But there were always so many people eyeing Lin Meng like wolves and tigers. She had lost her mother young and had to fight and compete to protect the assets her most beloved mother had left behind. Was putting down her pride and dignity not enough—did she now have to give up the person she liked, too?

When Yun Huaizhu thought of this, the pain at the tip of her thumb lanced straight to her brain. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the tears that fell—she didn't know if they were from pain or fear.

Trembling, Yun Huaizhu pressed a phone number with her blood-stained thumb and waited anxiously for the other end to pick up.

“Hello, who is this?”

Yun Huaizhu's hoarse, trembling voice came through: “It's me.”

On the other end, Li Wan was startled by how Yun Huaizhu sounded. She quickly asked, “President Yun, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Yun Huaizhu suppressed her trembling voice. “How long would it take to hack into the security system of the Su family's Musk Rose Manor? I want to check the surveillance from the charity dinner they held in April. The entire day.”

Although Li Wan didn't know why Yun Huaizhu wanted her to do this, since it was the boss's order, she naturally had to comply. “About two days. The manor's security system is somewhat complex. I need to finish my current work first before I can...”

Before she could finish, Yun Huaizhu's voice rose on the other end. “Then from now on, put down everything else and focus solely on hacking the security system. I need results within one day.”

Hearing this, Li Wan felt goosebumps all over her body. She quickly answered, “President Yun, rest assured, I can do it.”

Only after hearing that precise answer did Yun Huaizhu hang up and collapse onto the bed as if all strength had left her.

She stared blankly into space, pale-faced, like she had lost her soul.

She felt that she and Lin Meng had always been fine. Lin Meng clearly didn't like Su Yutang. Lin Meng wouldn't do that kind of thing with Su Yutang.

And the one who went to that room that night was clearly Bai Li.

Impossible. Impossible...

At this moment, as if something occurred to her, Yun Huaizhu thought—wasn't she currently in Country M? Bai Li was here too. She needed to confirm in person whether the person who spent the night with Su Yutang that night was really Bai Li.

At the thought, a glimmer of light flashed through Yun Huaizhu's bloodshot eyes. Her expression now seemed somewhat sinister. She picked up her phone again: “Aunt Fang, help me find out which school Bai Li attends.”

Aunt Fang heard Yun Huaizhu's hoarse, somewhat frightening voice. “Yes, Miss. I'll do it right away. But why do you suddenly need to know about Miss Bai Li...”

Before she could finish, Yun Huaizhu, as if a taut string had snapped, screamed hoarsely, “Why do you care so much? I told you to do it, so do it! Right now, immediately, the faster the better!”

Aunt Fang sensed her abnormal emotions and immediately agreed, then hung up.

In her memory, Yun Huaizhu had never been so hysterical. What on earth had made her like this?

...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, Lin Meng let out a sigh of relief when Huo Yi stopped pressing her on that question.

That night was just an accident. As long as Su Yutang didn't mention it and she didn't mention it, no third person would ever know.

She had already resolved to forget what happened that day.

As for Su Yutang and Yun Huaizhu, she didn't really want to get involved in the conflict between those two anymore. When her lease expired in half a month, she would move.