A Price to Pay

Yu Hao and Gu Xiaonan, who were both children from a previous marriage, had finally chosen to be together. But, when Yu Hao was finding fault with An Qi earlier, he forgot that she was an illegitimate child and was also a child from a previous marriage.

As long as his interests were involved, regardless of whether they shared the same fate as him, he would not hesitate to leave people who were similar to him behind. Yu Hao organized his thoughts, tried to hide his smile, then said solemnly to Leng Yuchen, who was interrogating him, "Big Brother, you don't know this, but although Gu Xiaonan is not An Shijie's biological daughter and she does have quite a clever mind, her trickery can't compete with the brilliant tricks of my mother-in-law, Zeng Xuerou."

"Oh? What kind of clever tricks does your mother-in-law have? Leng Yuchen had always been disdainful of the deceitful plots in which stepmothers in rich families adopted in order to get a family's inheritance. He was surprised to hear that Gu Xiaonan had her mother behind her, helping her with her trickery.

As he thought more about it, it seemed that An Qi would have to face more than just a Gu Xiaonan! He was careful to remember Zeng Xuerou's name and firmly imprint it in his heart at that moment.

Hearing that the Big Brother seemed interested in this topic of conversation, Yu Hao became hopeful that he would be released. Thus, he began to praise Gu Xiaonan and her mother. He also began to paint An Qi's character in sharp contrast comparison to Gu Xiaonan and her mother, depicting An Qi, as the daughter who failed to live up to everyone's expectations.

Leng Yuchen listened patiently. Besides Yu Hao's despicably slandering An Qi, his words had made it seem that Gu Xiaonan and her mother had quite a good relationship with An Shijie. This seemed especially true for Zeng Xuerou, as she sounded like she was more concerned about An Shijie than herself.

Yu Hao recalled an incident that happened in the middle of the night, when he and Gu Xiaonan were having fun together in a hotel. Coincidentally, An Shijie's medicinal pills had run out. When she realized this, Zeng Xuerou called Gu Xiaonan in a panic and asked her to go and purchase more immediately.

At that time, Yu Hao remembered that he was quite annoyed by this interruption. In his dissatisfied rage, he asked Gu Xiaonan why her mother did not tell the servants to go to the pharmacy to buy the pills.

Gu Xiaonan told him that the pills that An Shijie needed were imported specially. As such, there was only one place in the whole city that sold them.

She then explained to him that this particular place only sold a few kinds of medicine. Also, there was a limit on the quantity of pills a customer could buy. Therefore, only an elite list of people, all of whom the owners knew personally, could buy pills from them.

After listening to Yu Hao's a bit longer, Leng Yuchen laughed and said, "Haha, from what you have just said, your mother-in-law sounds like she is a really good wife."

"That's true. So, before you marry a woman, you must take a good look at what kind of woman her mother is before you make your final decision." Yu Hao mistakenly thought that Leng Yuchen's laughter was an indication he was going to release him, so he smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

Unexpectedly, Leng Yuchen suddenly raised his hand and gestured to one of the men in black, reaching his hand across his own neck, signaling like he was cutting his own throat. Before Yu Hao even knew what was happening, he found a cold knife instantly being held to his throat.

When Yu Hao realized what was happening, he stopped blurting out nonsense immediately. He was frozen, shocked, and filled with terror as he stammered, "Big... Big Brother, if you have something on your mind, let's discuss it calmly together. You don't have to use a knife!"

"Cut the crap! I'll ask you one last time... How much money do you and your wife plan to take from An Shijie? And... If his biological daughter tries to stop you, how do you plan on dealing with her?" Leng Yuchen was fed up with Yu Hao's empty talk.

As he asked him his question, his big hand pinched Yu Hao's chin. In one swift move, Leng Yuchen could dislocate Yu Hao's jaw. But, as he had to wait for Yu Hao's reply, he only increased his strength a little, but did not crush Yu Hao's jaw.

Yu Hao was very frightened. Usually, he would deceive his female customers by flattering them. But, he only dared to try such a tactic with women. When he was faced with a professional trained expert like Leng Yuchen, he usually did not even dare go near such a man!

"Regarding your question, Big Brother… We've already done something in secret to An Qi's contract. Now, if she ever tries to create any trouble, she will automatically lose all of her rights to the inheritance..." Yu Hao was referring to the contract that An Qi had signed at the Leng Group.

"And?" Leng Yuchen seemed very dissatisfied with this information that he had just received after waiting an entire half a day for it! He increased his pressure on Yu Hao's chin as he pinched it.

"Ouch! Isn't that enough? You should know that An Qi is An Shijie's only biological daughter, which means that if she gives up her rights to the inheritance, the whole Hairui empire will be mine and Xiaonan's…" Yu Hao explained, while grimacing in pain.

Based on his facial expression and trembling voice, Leng Yuchen could tell that he was not lying. At least he had told Leng Yuchen everything he knew. So, what awaited Yu Hao next was the price that he had to pay for being rude to An Qi earlier that afternoon...

Back in the Saiwei Club, because of An Qi's injury, Leng Jin's original intention, which was to teach her runway skills in private, had to be temporarily shelved. Out of concern for An Qi, three men and a woman surrounded her to ask about her well-being.

Leng Jin said, "An Qi, I advise you get checked out by professionals. It's still not too late for us to take you to the hospital now."

Wu Linzhi immediately interrupted and objected to this course of action, "Why go to a hospital? Recently, there's been a flu outbreak, so that is the last place she should go! Also, her losing her voice is just a superficial malady. If she goes to the hospital and gets infected with other viruses, wouldn't that be much worse?"

Dong Manman, with her hands on her hips, neither mentioned going to the hospital nor going home, but simply observed An Qi in silence. In fact, perhaps the only one of the bunch who was behaving normally was Sheng Jie.

Although he was usually being belittled by Leng Yuchen, he stood out among the others at this moment, as he handled the situation with calmness and brilliance. He secretly asked the waiter to bring some ice, while he took off the white towel that was wrapped around the wine bottle. Then, he deftly wrapped the ice that had just been brought in the towel, tied a knot, and gently handed the towel that was now filled with ice to An Qi.

"We'll try this cold compress first. If that does not work, then we will go to the hospital," he said.

An Qi took the makeshift compress and gently placed it on her throat. At the beginning, An Qi felt a shock as her skin came into contact with the ice. But, her skin gradually got used to the cool temperature of the ice, and she smiled as she felt a cooling sensation and great sense of relief from the ice.

Her hoarse voice had been caused by Yu Hao, who had strangled her! Luckily, the cold compress at least made her throat feel less uncomfortable.

An Qi shut eyes, and suddenly, an image of the handsome Leng Yuchen flashed in her mind. She was immediately frustrated by this and thought to herself...

Gosh, why am I thinking of him again? I wonder what he is doing right now... Has he gotten home yet?

"An Qi, what are you thinking about?" Dong Manman asked after she saw the strange look on An Qi's face.

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing." An Qi removed the ice towel from her neck hurriedly. As she had been distracted with thoughts of Leng Yuchen, all of the ice had melted! Now, the white towel was filled with water.

Wu Linzhi and Leng Jin also wondered what was on An Qi's mind. Sheng Jie took the towel and handed it to the waiter, then told the waiter to replace it with a new one.

However, when the waiter returned, it was not to hand An Qi a towel, but to drive them all out...