Strike a Deal With the Devil (1)

Just where did she go wrong? Tang Moyu wondered.

Ever since she was a child, she was told that she would be the next 'Madam Feng' and there was no other girl who could compete for her position, nor was there any other girl as beautiful and smart as she was.

'No matter what, Moyu. There's no need for you to worry. Regardless, the one who'll become the next 'Madam Feng' is you.' Her mother had assured her.

But what had happened after that?

Because a white lotus appeared out of nowhere and schemed against her, her engagement with Feng Tianhua was called off and he even married that woman. Her reputation was ruined and she left the country, which was no different to being sent to wasteland by those people she thought cared for her.

How foolish she was to believe back then. Even if she was a little ill-mannered and brazen at that time, at least she was a person who carried herself with dignity like a noble lady.

Those pigs were blinded by greed and they would always seek for more. Who cares for what she wants? They only summoned her back to save their pitiful asses. If only they didn't betray her five years ago, then they wouldn't need to face the consequences of their actions.

She didn't want to go through the trouble of getting revenge and placing her children in the risk of danger, but if they didn't dare to offend her, she wouldn't have retaliated viciously.

"So what do you think, Miss Tang?" Qin Jiran's voice brought her back to reality.

Tang Moyu wasn't sure why this man was indirectly helping her when it was obvious that he was up to no good. She once heard from Li Meili that some authors had a weird, twisted mind that allowed them to weave words and scenes that could entrap their readers.

"What do I think?" She found his question bemusing.

She couldn't remember the last time someone asked for her opinion on something. Most people would try to stay out of her way and let her do whatever she pleased because they trust her judgement.

No. Tang Moyu corrected herself. They were just expecting to rip the rewards of her hard work. However this time, she will not step away. It would be too much responsibility on her part, but she mustn't. This time, she had a reason to fight back.

"What are the conditions? I'm sure it wouldn't be as simple as that?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Qin Jiran's identity was still a mystery to her. His identity couldn't be as simple as an author who hides behind his fame. For him to know the situation the Tang Enterprise was in, he must have connections within the business circle in Shenzhen.

This could only mean that Qin Jiran knew more about her than she knew about him. Her instincts were telling her he wasn't a simple man who wrote books for a living. From his looks, down to his mannerism, there wasn't a thing that indicates he was from a humble family.

Feng Tianyi looked at her expectantly. A confident grin spreading on his lips.

Was he like other men she'd met before, who only sought her for her abilities? She suddenly wondered if meeting him through her children was just a mere coincidence. This wasn't the first time someone attempted to use her little buns to approach her anyway.

Tang Moyu wasn't one to believe in that. Coincidences were just a sloppy reasoning for an intricate scheme.

"Maybe you give me something as a collateral then, until you earn back the money I've lost." Feng Tianyi replied, trying to gauge the empress's reaction, which revealed nothing. He'd already expected that she would put her guards up the moment he mentioned his proposition.

"A collateral, huh." Tang Moyu cupped her chin and looked outside, watching the continued downpour of the heavy rain.

Somehow, she felt like she was striking a deal with a devil. She had no idea who Qin Jiran was except that he was one of the most popular authors these days. As for the collateral, she didn't have anything right now that held value except the estate she recently bought at Peach Blossom Garden.

"I can give you the deed of my house as a collateral. Give me a week so we can vacate the area." She offered.

"Hmm… you are offering me your house, then where are you planning to move with your children?" Feng Tianyi looked down at his empty cup, secretly amused at how much time had already passed without him noticing.

"That's a matter you don't need to worry about, Mr. Qin." Tang Moyu said decisively. She heard Qin Jiran let out a low chuckle and wondered what he was thinking at that moment.

"Of course, I would be worried. I don't want to cause inconvenience to your children," he said like it was his right to be worried for the children. It sounded weird to her because they weren't his to begin with.

"How about I move to your place? I've been thinking of getting a break from my mundane city life somewhere. I heard Peach Blossom Garden is a good place that offers privacy and security for me to recuperate."

Tang Moyu's lips pressed into a thin line while she tried to read Qin Jiran's intention. Recuperate, he said but it was more likely to keep an eye on her. She wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not, but she had to admit, keeping Qin Jiran beside her was the easiest way to find out what he truly wanted from this deal.

"Fine. I'll ask Auntie Lu to prepare the guest house next to the main house where you can stay. As for the other conditions and clauses, give me a day or two to think about it."

Since she had no idea who really this man was, Tang Moyu decided to keep him under surveillance. She contemplated if she should run a background check on him, but a part of her knew that she wasn't ready to hear the truth yet.

"Great. Then I'll call my lawyer to draft the contract for us." Feng Tianyi replied, pleased with the way things were turning out.