Li Yun'er's disheveled state deeply pained Zhao Ruolan, who quickly helped her up. "Yun'er, don't be afraid. Mom is here. Nothing will happen as long as Mom is here."
"Sob... I was so scared. Mom, I was terrified."
Li Yun'er clutched Zhao Ruolan like a drowning person grasping at a life raft, burying herself in her embrace and sobbing uncontrollably.
Inside the room, the flames grew more intense, raging fiercely as thick smoke curled upwards and snaked along the ceiling.
Through the inferno, Li Fu'an and the others could clearly see Meng Jingwei's chilling facial expression, filled with murderous intent.
She declared, "If there's a next time, even if I die, I, Meng Jingwei, will drag your Li family down with me!"
Anger flooded her mind, pushing her almost to the brink of losing all reason.
But Meng Jingwei knew clearly that Li Yun'er was carrying Qing Muye's child. If anything were to happen to her now, it would grieve Old Madam Qing and worry the Qing family.
Old Madam Qing had saved her life.
This time, sparing Li Yun'er was out of consideration for the child she carried.
Next time, she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't annihilate the Li family.
What did it matter if she ended up behind bars?
The rolling heat radiating from the room jolted Meng Jingwei back to her senses. She suppressed the coldness in her eyes, turned, walked to the bedroom balcony, and disappeared into the twilight.
Seeing her leave, Zhao Ruolan cast a meaningful glance at Li Fu'an. Their expressions were solemn, yet they remained silent.
After crying for a while, Li Yun'er heard that Meng Jingwei's voice was gone. She turned her head only to realize Meng Jingwei had already left.
She couldn't help but shout, "What are you standing there for? Call the police, call the police! Meng Jingwei is trying to kill me, why aren't you calling the police?"
"If we call the police now, the investigation will surely alert the Qing family. Yun'er, you need to think carefully about this," Li Fu'an shook his head and sighed.
At this moment, the servants had turned on the water supply. The intense fire had triggered the smoke detectors, causing water to spray into the room, lowering the indoor temperature and gradually extinguishing the blaze.
"Yes, Yun'er, you also know how much Old Madam Qing favors Meng Jingwei. If the Qing family gets involved in investigating this, have you thought about how you'll explain yourself to them?"
Zhao Ruolan sighed, her words heavy with concern.
"You... what do you mean? Am I not your daughter?" Li Yun'er stomped her feet in anger, screaming hysterically, "You don't love me at all, you never have... SLAP!"
Li Yun'er raved like a madwoman, her emotions out of control as she shrieked.
Li Fu'an's brow furrowed. He raised his hand and slapped her across the face, reprimanding her, "I strictly warned you not to provoke Meng Jingwei and to think before you act. Yet, you went and did it to her at such a critical moment! Do you know that her knife just now nearly took my life?
If anything happens to Meng Jingwei now, and Old Madam Qing starts investigating, you'll never marry into the Qing family in your life.
Look at yourself, what's the difference between you and a lunatic? I spend money every year to teach you etiquette and cultivation. Is this your current psychological fortitude?
With your current temperament, if you don't change your ways, you probably won't last a year in the Qing family! What does 'once you enter a wealthy family, it's like entering the sea' mean? Do you think it's easy to be the future matriarch of the Qing family! You're rotten mud that can't be plastered onto a wall!"
Perhaps due to his excessive disappointment in Li Yun'er, Li Fu'an, for the first time, reprimanded her with explosive anger.
After speaking, he shot a glare at Zhao Ruolan, "An indulgent mother spoils her children. Look at what you've raised. Hmph!" With that, he turned and walked out of the bedroom.
Her cheek swollen and stinging from the blow, Li Yun'er stood stunned.
Li Fu'an's words echoed in her mind. She cried out of grievance, yet she had to admit that what Li Fu'an said made a lot of sense.
Once you enter a wealthy family, it's like entering the sea.
She had to be steady. Otherwise, if she faced more crises in the Qing family, could she truly stand on her own without her parents' support?
Zhao Ruolan, innocently implicated, sighed dejectedly.
"Mom, I... I'm sorry. It was... it was me being impulsive, sob... I just... I just can't stand that bitch Meng Jingwei snatching Muye Ge away from me, sob..."
From childhood, Li Yun'er had been doted on. When had she ever received such a reprimand as she did today?
Despite feeling wronged, after some self-reflection, she felt that her parents were acting for her own good.
"Sigh, alright, alright, stop crying. Look at your face, sigh... Come on, I'll get you some ice to reduce the swelling." Zhao Ruolan shook her head and took Li Yun'er's hand as they went downstairs.
As they descended, she sighed, "You are about to marry Qing Muye. At this juncture, there must be no mistakes. Even if you want revenge on Meng Jingwei, you should do it after you've secured your position in the Qing family. Sigh, your father is absolutely right. Spending money every day to teach you etiquette and cultivation, putting in so much effort to train you, you'll always fall victim to your impulsiveness."
Li Yun'er, filled with guilt, pursed her lips and choked out, "Mom, I'm sorry, I was too impulsive."
Mom is right, I was indeed impulsive.
She should have waited until she married into the Qing family and secured her position before making a move against Meng Jingwei.
Also, if Meng Jingwei truly had a good relationship with Muye Ge, would she tell Qing Muye about what happened tonight?
No, she wouldn't.
If Meng Jingwei wanted to tell Qing Muye, why would she have come to act herself?
Therefore, even if Muye Ge shared a room with her, it was purely because he wanted to sleep with her, and there was no affection involved?
Thinking this way, Li Yun'er felt much more balanced.
Then, she was filled with renewed anger.
What was the difference between her and that bitch Meng Jingwei? Why was Muye Ge willing to sleep with Meng Jingwei but not touch her?
Could it be that the bitch was very good in bed?
Li Yun'er speculated various possibilities, ultimately finding this one to be very fitting.
...
Junlin Company.
Early in the morning, Xiao Cheng arrived at the company to handle work and was busy until nine o'clock.
He wanted to finish his tasks quickly so he could spend time with Meng Jingwei and see her off at the train station.
"Brother, what are you busy with?"
Xiao Meiyan pushed open the door and entered the office. Glancing at Xiao Cheng sitting in the office, she couldn't help but let out a cold snort. "Hmph, I prepared dinner for you yesterday, but you didn't come back. That's really not giving me face."
Seeing her enter, Xiao Cheng put down his work and smiled gently. "I appreciate your kind intention."
"Tch, it's always so difficult to get you to come back for a birthday."
The reason Xiao Meiyan wanted Xiao Cheng to come back for his birthday was to mend the father-son relationship between their father, Xiao Qitian, and Xiao Cheng.
However, every time a birthday dinner was prepared, Xiao Cheng refused to attend.
Xiao Meiyan wasn't truly angry. Instead, she walked forward and handed him a gift. "Here, the gift I prepared for you yesterday. See? I'm good to you, right?"
"Mmm, my sister is naturally good to me."
Xiao Cheng stood up, accepted the gift, and then ruffled her hair. "Whoever marries you in the future will be blessed."
"That's for sure."
Knock, knock, knock—
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and walked in.
The man, dressed in a suit and tie, glanced at Xiao Cheng, then at Xiao Meiyan, hesitating and remaining silent.