While the doctor called for a stretcher to lift him, Xiang Haoyu's phone rang.
He answered it. "Have you found out who assaulted me?"
His eyes lit up. "Are you saying that Mo Hanchen's men attacked me?"
Meng Yue was caught unaware by the casual use of 'Mo Hanchen's name'.
Xiang Haoyu continued listening to whoever it was on the other end of the line. He spared Meng Yue a glance from the corner of his eye and saw her mounting concern, which she could not hide.
Anger erupted like lava from a volcano.
"Meng Yue, you've played a very nice trick!" Xiang Haoyu seethed through clenched teeth.
Meng Yue's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Xiang Haoyu, don't you dare take that tone with me!"
Xiang Haoyu sneered as he got off the floor. He strode up to Meng Yue and asked, "Why do you think I'm all black and blue?"
"You must have overheard bits of the conversation earlier. So why don't you tell me?" He mocked.
Meng Yue remained silent but subconsciously took two steps back.
"Since you won't say anything, then I shall," he snarled. "Mo Hanchen ordered his men to beat me up! That's what happened!"
Meng Yue deflected, saying, "What has he got to do with me?"
Seeing Meng Yue retreating, Xiang Haoyu cut across her and closed the door. "Don't play dumb with me!"
"Don't tell me you have no clue how I got these injuries," Xiang Haoyu laughed, high and raw.
Meng Yue pursed her lips, ready to defend herself if things turned violent. "Just because you've wandered the late-night streets and committed heinous deeds doesn't mean everyone else is like you!"
Xiang Haoyu's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"
He pulled Meng Yue towards him before slamming her against the door. The act was so sudden that she had no chance to defend herself. Frightened out of her wits, she screamed, "Help! Someone help!"
However, she was quickly silenced. Xiang Haoyu had covered her mouth, strangling the air from her lungs.
"Tell me honestly, does he know that we're getting a divorce? Is he waiting in the wings to become your new plaything?"
Meng Yue struggled against Xiang Haoyu's weight, pinning her in place. Her heart took a nose-dive as she greeted rage-fueled hate.
"Not everyone is as filthy as you!"
Xiang Haoyu sneered. "Hah!"
Abruptly, he closed the distance between them, chasing an invisible shadow to the nape of her neck. He breathed in her scent and marvelled at the unrestrained fragrance she emitted.
Meng Yue was so scared she redoubled her efforts to break free. "Let me go!"
Even though his whole body ached after Meng Yue kicked him, Xiang Haoyu held fast, refusing to give an inch.
"I've truly been stupid. I have a beautiful wife, yet I always went out for those daily excursions." As he spoke, the tip of his nose brushed against Meng Yue's ear, trailing down to her succulent lips and ending in a kiss.
"Xiang Haoyu, you rotten apple!"
Xiang Haoyu laughed. Instead of getting angry, he admonished, "Yes, you're right. I'm a filthy, rotten apple!"
"The more you rant and rage, the more excited I get," he murmured.
"Ah! Help... Someone help..."
A knock at the door interrupted his fun.
Xiang Haoyu's eyes turned into twin pinpricks of ice. He did not take kindly to being disturbed while he was enjoying himself.
Meng Yue used the opportunity to push Xiang Haoyu away and wrench the door open. She was out of the room in an instant.
Wang Ming hid in an alcove just as the door swung open, and Meng Yue rushed past.
Meng Yue dried her tears in the relative safety of the elevator, fishing out a wet tissue from her handbag to wipe the places Xiang Haoyu had touched her. She felt dirty, defiled by the touch of someone so filthy that it filled her heart with anguish.
Her eyes were still red and puffy when she got into her car. She had scratched a bloody wound where Xiang Haoyu had laid his grimy fingers.
"Scumbag!"
Meng Yue knew something was wrong with her. She had never felt so disgusted or humiliated, not even when Mo Hanchen had kissed or bitten her. Though those actions were intimate, they did not evoke the same complete revulsion she felt toward Xiang Haoyu. A mere touch and she felt like she needed a shower.
Could it be that... No. Had she already accepted Mo Hanchen from the bottom of her heart?
Meng Yue did not think Xiang Haoyu would let the matter rest, not from the tone of his voice, at least.
She grabbed her phone and was about to make the call when she stopped. She hesitated because of what had transpired earlier that morning.
-
Meanwhile...
Wang Ming reported the incident to Mo Hanchen.
Mo Hanchen's grip on his phone tightened. "Are you saying Xiang Haoyu raped her?"
Wang Ming: "I'm not sure. When I got there, they were probably entangled, but I have no proof."
A cold fire burned in Mo Hanchen's eyes. "It seems Xiang Haoyu hasn't had enough of a beating."
Wang Ming's eyes lit up. "Master means..."
Mo Hanchen pursed his lips. "Give him such a beating that he won't be able to get out of bed for a month!"
Wang Ming immediately responded, "As you command! However, this subordinate does not understand one thing."
"Speak!" Mo Hanchen said.
"Why does Master wish for me to leave evidence so that Xiang Haoyu will learn who is out to get him?" Wang Ming asked.
Mo Hanchen answered, though somewhat exasperated. "If I don't direct his anger and attention to me, what if he goes crazy and does something to Meng Yue? Besides, if I provoke a response from him, it'll be much easier to collect evidence of an extramarital affair."
Mo Hanchen's eyes shone gleefully. "Since he wants to play, I shall play with him!"
Mo Hanchen had just hung up on Wang Ming when Meng Yue called. Seeing her name flash on his screen, he could not help but smile.
Hah! Since Meng Yue dared to fight him, he would ensure she paid for it by worrying about his health and safety.
Mo Hanchen did not pick up the call and instead muted his phone. He worked while enjoying the feeling of being remembered.
Meng Yue called three times, but Mo Hanchen did not answer his phone. She was so mad that she smacked her steering wheel and cursed, "That scoundrel!"
She checked the wound he had inflicted earlier that morning. It was still red and bruised. Grinding her teeth, Meng Yue stepped on the pedal, and her car responded, shooting off into the distance.
Twenty minutes later, Meng Yue arrived outside the Moyun Group's building. It was her third time visiting the Moyun Group.
The first time had been to apologise. That failed.
The second time was to seek cooperation. That, too, failed.
Today would be her third time seeing him at his office, and she idly wondered if it would also fail.
As soon as Meng Yue stepped into the reception hall, the young lady who had received her previously came forward to welcome her. "Hello! How may I help you?"
Meng Yue forced a smile to match the warmth of Nan Xin's greeting. "Hello, I would like to arrange a meeting with President Mo."
Embarrassed by Nan Xin's awkward stare, Meng Yue tried introducing herself. "Umm... I'm Meng Yue of the Meng Group."
Nan Xin nodded in recognition, saying, "I know. Please hold on for a moment as I check with the President's secretary."
While Nan Xin reported the situation to her superiors, Meng Yue was invited to wait in one of their conference rooms.
-
In the president's office...
Mo Yu knocked on the door to report Meng Yue's arrival.
Mo Hanchen's eyes sparkled.
She was here! Now she was being proactive!
Did she need to reject him so ruthlessly that morning?
He eyed his phone smugly, seeing three missed calls from Meng Yue. "I won't see her," he told Mo Yu quite shamelessly.
Did Meng Yue think she could dump him whenever she wanted and expect to see him whenever she could? Did she think that he, Mo Hanchen, did not care about his reputation?
Mo Yu's mouth twitched. "Are you certain, President Mo?"
Mo Hanchen gave him a sidelong glance. "Do I need to repeat myself?"
Mo Yu immediately shook his head. "Of course not! I'm merely concerned that someone will vent their frustration on me later."
As he spoke, Mo Yu rubbed his shoulders and then his stomach. "I haven't recovered from the injuries you gave me two days ago!"
Mo Hanchen accepted the docket, briefly scanning through the documents. "If you don't want to be beaten up, go down and give her my reply now! If you make her wait, I might feel the urge to beat you up again."
Mo Yu quickly packed up the documents, saying, "President Mo, it must have been hard for her to set aside her pride and come here. It shows how much she cares about you. Now you're acting cold and arrogant again. Aren't you concerned that you might be going overboard?"
Mo Hanchen kicked his unruly subordinate. "Shut your darned mouth! I don't need you spreading bad luck."
Mo Yu glared at his boss. "Do I need to teach you how to speak the language of love?"