They had gone to visit Zhou Qiaohui and had just left her place.
Remembering how her mother looked as though she had lost a lot of weight, Pei Yueran felt unhappy again. Although Zhou Qiaohui tried to convince her that all was well, she could see by the increased amount of wrinkles on her face that the current situation had hit her hard as well.
"Don't worry, I'll drop in on her regularly. It's you I worry about. Don't give that scumbag a chance to threaten you or dampen your mood. Make sure you put him in his place, anytime."
In his mind, Li Chuanmo nodded firmly. Even Jiang Philip, with his irritating fatherly smile and dark sunglasses, suddenly looked more pleasing. That word "scumbag" was well said.
Speaking of which, he had to schedule a meeting with their legal team. He was sure that Han Leifeng's next move will involve the law. But he was prepared.
His wife and son were all his.
*****
"I knew you would come." Bai Meixiang said with a confident smile that brightened her face but didn't quite reach her eyes.
Though Han Leifeng's face remained indifferent, his heart tightened on the inside. He had really lost his mind.
But in the next moment, he calmed himself. He wasn't doing anything wrong, he just needed her help.
Both of them were currently in the parking lot of the First House. Han Leifeng didn't want to risk a confrontation with Liu Zhizhen, not because he wanted to keep her happy, but because he had more pressing issues to resolve.
Besides, the state of the Han family was currently very sombre. The patriarch was still in the hospital. Just the night before, a call had come from the hospital, saying that his condition suddenly worsened and he had to be rushed to the intensive care unit.
Han Likang, ever the dutiful son rushed to the hospital and had been there since. Normally Liu Zhizhen would keep up appearances, but now she was too annoyed to pretend.
She had disliked the patriarch all these years, but with what happened after her son's death, new grudges were added to the old ones.
She couldn't care less if he stayed in coma till next year. Anyway, he was old already. After all the pain he caused, the least he could do to compensate her was to die quickly so that she could become the matriarch and enjoy the position for a few decades.
Of course, even if the old man died, Han Leifeng wasn't going to let her wish come true, for the simple reason that it would make his life a whole lot worse.
"Are you here to accept my terms, or to show me what your handsome face looks like when you're lost in thought?" Bai Meixiang asked with a hint of amusement.
When Han Leifeng cringed due to her words, she outrightly laughed.
"I came to see you about the deal you proposed." Han Leifeng took a breath, "I'll agree to the deal, but about the marriage, let's set the duration for five years. After five years, I'll give you a generous alimony and we'll go our separate ways."
Bai Meixiang looked at him as if she was looking at a clown, "Are you serious?
"A contract marriage? What, do you think this is a novel? What makes you think I'd agree to such a ridiculous clause?"
Han Leifeng had thought this over and felt it made sense, "I think it's the best solution. We both have goals that can be achieved if we join forces. We obviously don't love each other, so we don't need to be bound to each other forever. Five years is just right."
Bai Meixiang wondered how his brain worked. No wonder his first wife no longer wanted him. Not that Bai Meixiang blamed her. She would have kicked him out herself if he ever pulled such a stunt on her.
She didn't let her true thoughts show and just twirled some strands of hair around her finger as she said slowly, "Speak for yourself. I love you."
Han Leifeng's shock was so comical that she laughed again.
He resumed his indifferent look, "Don't joke around, it's not funny."
Bai Meixiang didn't comment. He was free to believe anything he wanted. She turned back to the issue at hand.
"So let me get the terms you're proposing: I would help you gain control of the Han family, turn the current situation around and play the role of a wife, and all I'd get in return would be a sham marriage? Don't make me laugh."
"It's not a sham marriage, it would be true in every sense of the word, just that it would have an expiration date," Han Leifeng tried to explain patiently.
"Oh, so I get to service you without earning anything and you get to enjoy all I have to offer for free while at it? Gee, I can't wait!" Bai Meixiang flung the words at him sarcastically.
Han Leifeng frowned. This wasn't what he was expecting. He took another breath and finally asked, "What do you want?"
"Of course a marriage without an expiration date. I want to be the matriarch of the Han family, and I want my future child to be the heir."
It was on the tip of Han Leifeng's tongue to tell her to get lost, but he was currently very desperate. If the situation continued, the Han Corporation would be filing for bankruptcy within a week.
"I have an heir already, Ms Bai."
"Oh really? Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be speaking to the mother of your heir and begging her to talk to her husband and father on your behalf?" She said, casually hitting him where it hurt.
Han Leifeng closed his eyes, thinking quickly. Sometime later, he opened his eyes and nodded, "Fine."
Anyway, nothing was set in stone. For her son to become the heir, she had to have a son first. Besides, accidents can happen to both mother and child at anytime.
He didn't care either way.
Bai Meixiang was happy to see him capitulate. "Good thinking. Why don't we go to CM Luxuries? You know, to celebrate our happy co-operation?"
"And announce to the world that I'm sleeping with my sister-in-law? No thank you." This was said through gritted teeth.
"I won't be your sister-in-law for long," Bai Meixiang said, running a hand suggestively over his pristine shirt.
Han Leifeng held her hand and removed it none too gently, "Till then."
"You know, for someone who's so in need of my help, you really should be treating me better." Bai Meixiang said as she sat back in the passenger seat.
Han Leifeng's patience was wearing thin but he had no choice, "Fine, I apologize. I've got to go now. Let's meet at the apartment on Friday. If anything comes up before then, call me."
Bai Meixiang looked at him with a fake smile before nodding, "See you then, Sugar." Before he could react, she had dropped a kiss on his chin.
Han Leifeng tried not to recoil.