Hao Chen's Problematic Family

December 27, 20XX (Wednesday)

Zhao Manor

Yue stared, annoyed, at her ringing phone. Someone had been calling her so early in the morning. At first, she paid it no mind and continued to sleep curling herself beside Mei Li's body, but thirty minutes later, her phone had not stopped ringing at all. Mei Li even smacked her shoulder lightly before gesturing to the phone on the side table closest to Yue.

Yue forced herself to reach for the phone and answered with a growl, "What?!"

"Yue, is your brother in a good mood today?"

Yue blinked surprised at the caller's panicked voice, "What?"

"I need help..."

Yue sighed as she went out of to the balcony so she wouldn't disturb Mei Li's rest. It was still 6 am in the effing morning! She asked after reached the balcony and closed the glass doors, "What is it this time?"

"It's just..." Yue heard the hesitation in Hao Chen's voice. "Is your brother in a good mood, today?"

"I don't know! Check with him and not me!" Yue huffed with annoyance. How would she know if her brother was in a good mood when they hadn't seen each other for the day! 6 am, damn it! She continued to degrade Hao Chen like she always does when he's behaving stupidly, "Stupid Hao! I'm going to kill you! Disturbing my morning with your problems!"

"Don't be angry, ah." Hao Chen's deep voice tried to calm the fire in her, "I just want your brother's help in contacting Miss M."

Hearing this, Yue perked with interest. If anyone would want help for contacting Miss M, Yue was proud to brag that was the best woman to ask and not her lovebug brother, "Why do you need Miss M's contacts?"

Yue heard his prolonged sigh before he gave her a rundown of the events that had happened in his home. Hao Chen's stepmother had used his name to order Miss M's painting that had caused more than a half a million dollars. His father had been angered that Hao Chen had dared to spend that much money without permission and had ordered him to return the painting immediately. For a family that is as rich as the Hao, it wouldn't be a problem, but Hao Chen has always been the unfavorable child. Father Hao had married Hao Chen's mother just for the business's sake while keeping his mistress, the now second wife. Yue wouldn't be surprised if the second wife were the one to poison the original wife. The second wife and Ye Lan were both of the same kind- ambitious whores!

It had been a worry to her parents when her brother became close friends with Hao Ren in University. Although Hao Ren was the elder brother, it doesn't change the fact that he is the son of the mistress and should not think of inheriting the majority of the shares of the Hao's pharmaceutical company, but with her elder brother's help, Hao Ren had almost taken everything from Hao Chen. The son of the mistress had almost taken everything from the legitimate son, almost, that is.

Yue was grateful that Secretary Bai had shown her brother the truth about Ye Lan and Hao Ren's relationship. Yue could still remember the blinding anger that marred her elder brother's face when it happened. To be cheated by his girlfriend with his close friend, who he had been continuously defending, was the biggest telling on how idiotic her brother had been to misplace his trust.

She knew that Hao Ren's betrayal hurt her brother more than Ye Lan's could since her brother had done great things for Hao Ren and treated him like a brother even making war with Secretary Bai, who her brother treated as a brother before. Her elder brother's trust in Hao Ren had caused a rift between his and Secretary Bai's relationship that is present even now.

The scandal of the Zhao Family discovering Hao Ren and Ye Lan committing lewd acts on Hao Ren's spare room which was set by the Bai Family had been the talk of all the servants. Her older brother had shown how evil he truly was by blacklisting the two people in every Zhao businesses. The family supported his decisions and had told every possible person that Hao Ren and Ye Lan will never gain the Zhao's forgiveness causing the Hao family to almost lost their status. When Hao Chen stepped up and begged her family for mercy because of the frail health of his mother, the first wife, Father Chen had lightened his pressure and introduced Hao Chen as the only Hao Heir that have the Zhao's support making Hao Chen have the solid footing as ever sole inheritor.

Yue could still remember how her older brother had spewed bad words and insulted Hao Chen to his face. Her brother had even degraded Hao Chen like a dog as he ordered the Heir to do things that a servant doesn't even do. She remembered how Hao Chen had cleaned his elder brother's shoes with the shirt he was wearing, how Hao Chen had finished his brother's leftovers and so many more things that had Yue fuming mad at her brother. When it suddenly stopped one morning, everyone was glad. They didn't know how Hao Chen had healed her older brother's hurt from Hao Ren's betrayal, but Hao Chen had a way of craw and so many more things that had Yue fuming mad at her brother.

"Do you have the painting now?" Yue asked after a while of tense silence.

"It'll arrive after the new year."

"You can always sell it to my mother; she likes Miss M's painting or..." Yue bit her lips, "I'll call someone for you... Wait for my call back."

Yue had debated if she should involve Mei Li, but Hao Chen's awkward silence and nervous voice had been so pitiful that she felt she should help. Hanging up the call, Yue went inside the room away from the cold air of winter. Slipping into the bed, Yue noticed the curious look plastered in Mei Li's face.

The Zhao Heiress told the painter of the Hao Heir's problems. It was easy to get Mei Li to understand because the painter, as her best friend, knew everything that had happened. Mei Li then called her art agent to gift the painting to Hao Chen's and take the needed expenses of delivery from the rest of her account.

Yue thanked Mei Li with a soft, "I'll pay you back."

Mei Li then tucked both of them inside the cozy duvet before replying with a small joking smile, "I can only take your brother as payment."

Yue snorted, "Do you need me to deliver him to you with a leash?"

"No, he'll put the leash on himself."

Both women laughed until their stomachs hurt. Yue smirked secretly at her brother, and he probably doesn't know how shameless Mei Li could get with the right incentive. Of course, Yue wouldn't be friends with Mei Li if she wasn't as brazen, as savage, and as loyal as her. People wondered how an orphan and an heiress became friends, well... they meet in school as each other's opposites only to discover that they were, in fact, the most similar. They were two peas in a pond, that is why they were best friends.