Li Taihang was puzzled by Li Xiaoning's arrival.
He hadn't noticed the two bodyguards standing at the door, and frowned as he spoke to Li Xiaoning who had entered the living room, "Why do you have time to visit me today? Didn't I tell you before not to come looking for me unless it's something very important?"
Li Taihang couldn't afford to lose his temper with Li Xiaoning right now.
Everyone in Lingnan knew that Li Xiaoning was Chen Jinzhao's person. Anyone who dared to touch Li Xiaoning would be provoking Chen Jinzhao.
However, Li Taihang still showed his displeasure.
He felt Li Xiaoning was being unreasonable.
Sitting beside Li Taihang was his official wife, Pang Jingqi.
Pang Jingqi harbored no good feelings towards Li Xiaoning, a concubine's daughter. Every time Li Xiaoning visited, Pang Jingqi would ignore her.
Due to Li Xiaoning's current status, Pang Jingqi could only force a smile.
"Xiaoning, what breeze brings you here?" Pang Jingqi proactively poured tea for Li Xiaoning and invited her to visit more often.
Li Xiaoning said expressionlessly, "I'm here, of course, for business."
"What business? Did your grandfather give you instructions?" Li Taihang frowned.
Li Xiaoning met Li Taihang's gaze.
The latter suddenly felt Li Xiaoning's eyes were somewhat cold, making her feel like a stranger, and a sense of unease arose in his heart.
He had a feeling Li Xiaoning meant him no good.
Li Taihang frowned and said, "Li Xiaoning, what exactly is going on? If you have something to say, just say it. Don't play games with me."
Li Xiaoning took out a few photos from her bag and handed them to Li Taihang.
Li Taihang carefully examined the photos and was immediately frightened by the bloody images. He quickly threw the photos onto the coffee table, took off his glasses, and rubbed his eye sockets. "Li Xiaoning, tell me what this is all about. Who is the person in the photos, and why are you showing them to me?"
In the photos was a corpse.
More accurately, it was a woman's corpse.
The woman had been brutally murdered, her face unrecognizable, which was why Li Taihang hadn't recognized her at first.
"Cai Mei, you should recognize her," Li Xiaoning said calmly.
Li Taihang's face changed again when he heard the name. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
Cai Mei was his mistress, the woman he had been favoring most recently.
Li Xiaoning stared at Li Taihang.
Li Taihang gradually came back to his senses, slammed his palm on the coffee table, making a deafening sound.
"Li Xiaoning, what do you want?! Why did you kill her? There are many ways to punish me, why choose this one? Do you think you can do whatever you want because Chen Jinzhao has your back? Do you believe that if I expose this, Chen Jinzhao will immediately abandon you, a mere pawn?" Li Taihang, unable to bear it any longer, was clearly furious.
Li Xiaoning crossed her legs and said leisurely, "Call the police, I won't stop you."
Li Xiaoning's attitude enraged Li Taihang to the point of liver pain. He pointed at Li Xiaoning, trembling, "I truly regret giving birth to you. Do you think I can't do anything to you? I'll call the police right now, and we'll see who can help you cover this up!"
Li Xiaoning still didn't stop him.
Li Taihang took out his phone, showing no deference to Li Xiaoning.
Just as he was about to dial, Pang Jingqi, who had been sitting by his side, reached out and stopped him, "Perhaps it's best to let it go. What they say is, 'Don't air your dirty laundry in public,' right? If this matter gets out, even you will be affected."
"Pang Jingqi, what do you mean by that? Didn't you always hate Li Xiaoning? Why are you so lenient this time?" Li Taihang gradually realized something was wrong. Pang Jingqi stammered, avoiding his gaze, "How could that be? Although Li Xiaoning isn't my child, I treat her very well, as if she were my own."
Li Taihang frowned, feeling that Pang Jingqi was hiding something from him.
"Tell me, do you know something?" he asked.
Pang Jingqi did not answer.
Li Xiaoning let out a light laugh, "No need to ask. She won't answer you even if you do, because Cai Mei was killed by her. She was jealous that Cai Mei received your favor, so she hired someone to kill her. Before Cai Mei died, she even had several people defile her. What a shame about Cai Mei's face. If you had promoted her, she would have become a huge star in the entertainment industry."
"You're wrong, it wasn't me, I didn't!" Pang Jingqi quickly denied!
Li Taihang stared intently at Pang Jingqi, "Speak! What exactly happened?!"
Caught between the two, Pang Jingqi had no choice but to admit it was her doing. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Li Taihang, don't think I have no temper. You're nobody in the family. I considered it a downgrade when I married you! For all these years, you've been womanizing outside, and I haven't said a word. But that Cai Mei went too far, texting me provocatively and even saying she wanted to be the official wife! I'm being merciful by not tearing her to shreds!"
"How could you do this?" Li Taihang was almost suffocated.
Pang Jingqi let out a cold laugh, "Why shouldn't I? Don't you know yourself? How many women have you had outside over the years? I can't count them on both hands, let alone the illegitimate children you've scattered!"
Li Taihang almost spat blood from anger.
It was true that a few of his women had died accidentally over the years. Now that he thought about it, it was likely Pang Jingqi's doing.
"The most venomous heart is a woman's heart!" Li Taihang roared.
He suddenly turned to look at Li Xiaoning, "What do you mean by showing me these photos? Aren't you just trying to sow discord between us? You've achieved your goal, so what now? Get out of my house immediately!"
Li Xiaoning felt no sympathy for the man before her. She even felt he deserved it.
"These are some of the things your son has done. Take a look for yourself." Li Xiaoning threw out more photos, each one more shocking than the last. After Li Taihang looked at them, his palms began to sweat, and he didn't know what to do.
Pang Jingqi snatched the photos, tore them up after reading them, and demanded to know where Li Xiaoning got them.
The photos documented the heinous crimes of Li Taihang's son, including rape and murder.
"If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it. I've already bought over the people around him. Oh, right, these photos are just the tip of the iceberg. Guess how many bad deeds your son has done?" Li Xiaoning said with a smile, and before they could speak, she continued, "Executing him ten times wouldn't be enough."
Li Taihang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Li Xiaoning, what exactly do you want? Name your price. As long as I can afford it, I will satisfy you, provided you don't expose these matters!"
Li Xiaoning smiled and stood up.
It was only then that Li Taihang realized his daughter, in heels, was now taller than him, reaching a height he had to look up to.
He took half a step back, creating some distance between himself and Li Xiaoning.
Li Xiaoning parted her red lips and said coldly, "I want you to be my lackey."
"A dog that comes when called and is dismissed when done!"