2.20

Li Haoran saw the road they were on was not the way home.

"Cousin, where are we going now?"

Feng Mian steered the wheel left at the junction. A skyscraper housing corporate offices could be seen from their peripheral vision. "We're visiting a relative."

She parked right next to a vacant sidewalk. "We're here."

The trio strutted towards the second male lead's company, and if the people around them hadn't known any better they would have thought that Feng Mian was walking inside of her own company. The eye-catching figures received multiple side glances from people who happened to walk by.

A receptionist stopped them before they could get up to the elevator. "Excuse me, sirs and madame, can I know if you have an appointment?"

Feng Mian casually propped her forearm on the counter. "Tell your Director Zhang that someone is here to see him."

"And you are, sir?"

"I'm his father, Li Xiaocheng."

***

Zhang Wei had been glued to his chair for days without rest and many overnights. The Li family had somehow gotten word that he was the one behind the canards on the internet and old man Li had even retaliated by making a stance against the Zhang family. Those that work with the Zhang family will be ousted by every Li subsidiary company. With the powerhouse LXT having City A's biggest influence making such statement, Moza had become a rotten potato that no one wants to touch.

Not to mention that the heir of Li conglomerate had come out with an official court notice suing them for slander and corporate espionage. Zhang Wei was having a hard time holding the crumbling company together.

Now, to his surprise, Li Xiaofeng had come looking for him. He gestured at his secretary to let Li Xiaofeng and his entourage in with a vigilant heart.

"You sure have a sense of humour Mr Li, coming for a friendly visit after sending me a court letter?" Zhang Wei spat distastefully. He had gotten the tiger's back willingly, and could not possibly dismount now. Even though his situation was perilous, his pride prevented him to resort to begging in order to keep his company alive.

"I inherited my sense of humour from my mother. Pity that we don't share the same mother, you could probably use some."

Zhang Wei's throat had the texture of parchment paper and he licked his lips to get rid of its dry notion. 'What did Li Xiaocheng find out?'

"What do you mean?" Zhang Wei was on pins and needles.

"Ah! How ill-mannered of me, I should have greeted you before I walked in." Feng Mian's actions were not one bit remorseful as she made herself comfortable by plopping down on the guest chair.

"How have you been all these years brother?" The word brother rolled off her tongue jeeringly.

Zhang Wei six-foot figure lurched from where he sat, his face contorting into a disbelieving grimace. Li Haoran, in the background, couldn't help but shout. "What?!"

Li Junli flipped through a magazine he snatched from the tea table disinterestedly. 'This plot is so cliche it's unbearable.'

Feng Mian ignored Li Haoran's 'what', and appraised the half-brother in front of her.

"You don't have to explain anything, I can pretty much guess what happened between our parents. You hold grudge against me because you think I owe you something?"

Since everything is already out in the open, Zhang Wei didn't need to pretend chivalry. "I am also my father's child," he bit through his teeth.

"Why, yes. Yes, you are. But you're getting back at the wrong person here. LXT Enterprise is something I've built up with my own blood, sweat, and tears. It belongs to me and me alone. Not the Li family, but mine."

Zhang Wei had underestimated his opponent. "How did you find out?"

"Stupid people can't be a director, and you're not stupid, Zhang Wei. A smart person would've taken this olive branch with grace. Which means you-" she pointed at the person in front of her. "Have a personal vendetta against me."

Feng Mian continued. "You shouldn't blame me because I'm not the one who slept and cheated with your mom. If anything, your mother is the mistress and it's me who should be angry. But unlike you, I don't blame the children for the parent's mistake. However, you could be considered half a Li and I'm pretty generous to my own kind."

Zhang Wei scrutinised Li Xiaofeng with hateful eyes. "So what do you want?"

All his life, his mother compared him to Li Xiaofeng in every aspect and no matter what he did, he was never good enough. While Li Xiaofeng lived under the sun, basked in the limelight, he was hidden in the dark, unfit to be seen by other people.

Feng Mian didn't care much about what Zhang Wei's motives were. Even in the original timeline, his schemes didn't amount to much and only served as a medium to bring the two leads together. Putting a spy in a male lead's company was child's play.

"When I first found out what you did to my company, I did consider making you go bankrupt. But I would hate to see a family of mine rot in prison."

The second male lead scoffed. "Why are you so sure that it's me who's going to prison?"

"You may have won the fight, but it's not certain yet who'll win the war."

"What are you saying?" Feng Mian's eyes narrowed, there was an ominous threat lying in Zhang Wei's words.

Zhang Wei threw a folded piece of paper in front of her. Feng Mian opened it and scanned through the words with a quick glance. "You filed a countersuit?" she asked bemusedly.

'What was this Zhang Wei going on about?'

Zhang Wei's cocky bearing showed itself. "Against your wife, Wan Junli. For stealing company information."

His words caught Hao Junli's attention and he turned in their direction to listen. Feng Mian flared at the nonsense accusation.

"Bullshit! How the hell did she steal your company information?! She isn't Wonder Woman!"

"Not my company. Yours."

Zhang Wei meant that Hao Junli worked to spy on her own husband's company. Feng Mian finally caught what Zhang Wei was getting at.

"You don't have the right," she hissed.

"I don't, but your executive does."

Feng Mian's eyes widened in realisation. The side of her lips curled in disgust and she sneered. "You piece of shit, you bought out one of my executives."

"You don't have proof." Zhang Wei presumptuously leaned back into his seat but did not deny the allegation.

"This won't stand in court, I'm the CEO."

Zhang Wei made a fake sound of surprise. "Yes, you're right. Which is why…" Zhang Wei's hand reached under his desk to grab another piece of paper. "This one is for you. You've been subpoenaed, CEO Li."

A bubble of angry laughter escaped Feng Mian's lips. "Are you saying that I helped Wan Junli spy on my own company?!"

"Of course not, when you testify, it'll be against her." Zhang Wei made a side glance at Hao Junli who had a terrible expression on his face.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because of the fact that you cheated on her, and because of her anger and disappointment she turned against you and stole the company's secrets. Your mistress… what was her name, Chun Hua, was it? I do commend your taste in women, CEO Li."

This was a double pit that Zhang Wei had dugout. Once she admitted to having an affair, even if Hao Junli was found innocent later on, her reputation would forever be smeared as an unfaithful husband. He had used Hao Junli as a shield, when in fact what he wanted was her confession under oath in court.

Feng Mian pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered under her breath, "Yu Yan, that bitch."

She knew that this woman would one day bring her trouble. But this unlucky hammer had struck down at the worst possible time.

Zhang Wei didn't care to hide who his informant was.

"You've cut out a piece of my flesh when you went after Moza, now I'm going to cut out a part of yours."

The second male lead was stubborn in his views and Feng Mian couldn't understand his logic. "If you have mental problems go find a psychiatrist, don't go out making trouble for other people."

"I'm merely finishing what I started."

"I was going to go easy on you, you know. But now I see that you deserve what's coming after you. You put Wan Junli on that stand and I'll make you regret it. I'll represent her myself if I have to."

"I'll see you both in court Li Xiaocheng, Mrs Wan."

Feng Mian did not want to waste time moving an immovable mountain and made her way to leave with Li Haoran and Wan Junli following behind. If Zhang Wei wanted a battle in court, then he'll have one!

She turned around to deliver her last words. "When you get to prison Zhang Wei, remember to not drop the soap."

His door was slammed shut right after.