9 Chapter 9

Just then, a memory flashed before Xiulan's mind.

"Cui Cheng…" She muttered.

"What?" Qiaoling was confused.

"Cui Cheng!"

"What do you mean?"

"I-I overheard grandfather talking about a man named Cui Cheng!"

"What about him?"

"H-his wife had just died. He's the CEO and founder of Cui Technologies. I heard he's looking for a new wife to take care of his children. Mother… you're really beautiful. He'll surely fall for you!"

"…"

"You've succeeded with father… I'm sure…"

Qiaoling slowly smirked.

"You have your own use after all." The door unlocked with a click and Xiulan slowly came out, trembling.

"I'll forgive you this time. But if you fail me again, you know what will happen, right?"

Xiulan nodded meekly.

"The next time you answer back…" Qiaoling grabbed Xiulan's face harshly with one hand, her long painted nails digging into the child's skin.

"I'll keep this dirty little mouth of yours busy serving men for an entire month, you understand?!"

"Y-yes, mother."

"Good." Qiaoling abruptly let go of her face.

"Now… Tell me more about this man." She smiled, her eyes swirling with greed.

---

Slender hands were tied tightly to a bed post. Her pale white skin glistened with sweat as she panted heavily underneath a man.

"Am I not enough to satisfy you?" The man asked.

"That's – Ah!"

"Shut up." He slapped her breasts hard.

"Fuck him again and I'll kill you."

A shiver ran down her spine.

"You understand?"

She nodded meekly.

"Don't test me, Lanfen. Next time… I'll force fuck you in front of him." He gripped her face tightly.

She trembled. He smirked.

Just then, the man's phone rang. He looked at the caller I.D. It read 'Lui Jin.'

He took the phone and walked towards the balcony before answering the call.

"Father." A young boy's voice came through.

"What is it?"

"Are you with that woman? It's about mother."

Liu Shuren quickly glanced at the woman lying on the bed. He closed the balcony door before continuing to speak.

"She can't hear me."

"… That woman has been threatening mom."

Shuren was stunned.

"Mom tried to contact you several times but that woman had been blocking her calls. She even hired a man to constantly harass her."

Lui Jin paused, making sure to say the exact words his father wanted to hear.

"Mother can't return to you like this, father."

Liu Jin knew that his father only ever loved his mother, Shen Nana. But Shuren's ego was too big. He always believed that Nana would come back to him. He waited and waited. But she didn't return. He even got married just to provoke her. But still, she never came back. And even now, he's still waiting.

So Liu Jin gave him the push he needed.

It was true that Lanfen had blocked Nana's calls. It was also true that she hired men to assault Nana. But Nana tried to contact Shuren not because she wanted to get back with him, but because she wanted to see her son, Liu Jin.

'He doesn't need to know that though.' Liu Jin smirked.

Just as Liu Jin expected, Shuren clenched his fist into a ball, his knuckles turning white. A flash of anger raged across his eyes.

"I'm at mother's place right now. She's waiting for you."

"… I'll be there in a minute."

"Father, don't let that woman know. I see her men waiting outside the house right now."

"Stay inside and lock the doors. Keep your mother safe. I'll be there soon."

"Yes, father." With that, the call ended.

Shuren walked back into the room. He glanced at the woman still tied to the bed. Just moments earlier he had been fucking her. But now, every inch of him was disgusted by her.

He never loved her. He only married this woman to provoke his ex-wife. But he knew that this woman was obsessed with him. That was why he didn't understand why she would cheat on him with Yu Yanlin. Now, he understood.

It always bothered him why Nana left him so easily. This woman must have done something to her. But to get rid of Nana, she must have had help. She wasn't smart enough to scheme against him. Yu Yanlin must have helped her. And Lanfen must have sold her body to him.

Anger boiled inside him. To be schemed against by this dumb bitch!

'You think you can win against me? Lanfen… two can play this game.'

He smirked.

He walked towards her, gently caressing her face.

"I'll be away for a month. Be a good girl, alright?"

She nodded.

"Good."

He then started wearing his clothes when a knock came from the door.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Boss, the car is ready." A bodyguard in a black suit and tie walked in.

"I'll be down in a minute." He adjusted his tie.

"Keep her like that until tonight." He instructed as he glanced towards the woman tied to the bed.

The bodyguard bowed as Shuren left the room and he followed after him.

"Don't let her step outside the house while I'm gone. If she tries to leave… burn all her clothes and keep her locked in the bedroom."

The bodyguard nodded.