He jeered, wondering how his mother was blind enough to marry such a man. Indeed, love was blind; yet to him, it was more of a reason why he should avoid it. After his mother's demise, Lixin's life was scarred! He was alone most of the time, and his horrendous scar made him go years without a friend, except for her, the girl whom he met when he had a major accident. Lixin closed his eyes, and images of her blurred face popped into his mind. She was beautiful and cheerful, just like he remembered. Too bad for him; he blacked out before he could get to thank her, and since then, he has never seen her. No single trace of her! It was as if she disappeared into thin air. Or maybe it was his imagination.
He shook his head, releasing himself from his deep thoughts and coming to the conclusion that she was real. He held her arms, and her tears were simply elegant. She was real, not his imagination! Lixin got up from his chair, walked inside his private chamber, pulled open a gray drawer, and brought out a blurred photo.
This was the least and last evidence he had to prove that she was real—a real, gorgeous woman. It was only a side-face photo and her back picture when she ran to get a stretcher from the ambulance that was caught on the surveillance camera, nothing more. It was a dead end in his search for her!
"I promise to find you even if it is the last thing I do. Your smile gave me life, and your bright eyes made me believe there was hope. You did not freak out when you saw my scar; instead, you ran your fingers through it. I know you are probably dead, alive, or have moved away. I promise I will find you!"
Lixin said his last words and glimpsed adoringly at the side photo.
"Boss, there is trouble. I have a report: Mr. Haoyu is currently causing a ruckus in front of your company! He said he wouldn't stop unless he saw you."
"Throw him out immediately," Lixin coldly responded, shoving the picture into his pocket and leaving the private chamber. His long legs made their way to the seven-foot white porcelain window next to his working desk. He looked down hysterically at Haoyu's display and chuckled. This man has some things up his sleeves. "Tell them to send him out, and if they do not, fire them at once!"
In the hospital,
The vintage Rolls-Royce parked in the lot as Bai Yuming helped Mingxia out of the car and into the wheelchair. She rolled her into the hospital through the private elevator. They had come for her daily checkup; too bad Lixin was too busy to attend it with her. He had promised to be with her to the very end, yet Mingxia was met with disappointment. She hid them perfectly underneath her cool smile, and her head rang with ideas on how to help Lixin.
Her father was one tricky bastard, and whether Lixin was aware of his hands in Haoyu's victory or not, she was going to tear off that nice façade of her father! for her mother's and sister's sake! He was going to face retribution soon! Mingxia proudly smirked at her smart gesture and bit her lips nervously. It was odd—an odd feeling she had never had before. All her life, her father had used her as a pawn in his dirty schemes. Mingxia did everything he yearned for only for one thing: to be loved back as a father does to his daughter! Instead of what she wished for, she got death in return! A dirty death in return. She was paralyzed with no return because of him. Her entire life was ruined because of him!
Mingxia gritted her teeth, cursing him and wishing him a painful death. He had to know what betrayal felt like! He deserved more than a painful death! And she was going to give him an insatiable death! Hope and redemption glimmered strongly in her eyes. She watched as Bai Yuming helped her with a wheelchair and leaned on a walking stick. Her body was recuperating pretty well; she could hold her body on a walking stick.
They were directed by a nurse to the receptionist's office to get themselves registered and checked for the appointment. As she waited, her breath hitched as she saw someone she never expected to see here: her new stepsister, Yeong! Her eyes widened, and she looked away from the girl's immense stare at her. The next thing she noticed was Yeong's approaching steps. Her heart stiffened.
"Hello. Have we met before?" The young lady asked, recognizing herself as Yeong. Her beautiful smile was radiating annoyance from Mingxia, and before she could reply to her pleasantries, her bodyguard had stepped forward as a warning signal. Mingxia smirked happily in her heart, and realizing she meant no harm, she waved at the bodyguard to step away.
"I do not think so," Mingxia indifferently said, cutting off any talk she wanted to bring up next. Could it be that her father found out about her new existence? She quizzed herself and also prepared for any tricks she had up her sleeves; nevertheless, she was met with nothing but a pure, innocent smile. Mingxia's brows creased together in the misperception of her true aim. She dropped her tough guard and spoke politely.
"I am Yeong Zhou. I didn't think I would run into you here."
"What do you mean by running into? I have never met you before, remember?" Mingxia was filled with unease while digesting what Yeong had said earlier on. They had never met before, and if not for the poster hung at that shopping mall, Mingxia would never have known her scumbag father had remarried another woman. Lucky for the both of them, she added.
"Oh! I am sorry. I met your aunt, Miss Suyin. She introduced me to you last time, at the shopping mall. She told me something, and since then, I have been searching for your contacts. Luckily, I found you here," Yeong said, hurrying up to take a seat beside her. Her face had worrisome gestures that could not be explained. It appeared as if she needed something urgent from her, but why? Considering they had never met before!
And then, Suyin! What exactly had she said to her to make Yeong anxious to meet her? Her breath hitched painstakingly, recalling how she was treated a while ago by Lixin. She swept it away and focused on more important issues, like Yeong. Mingxia raised her guard, feeling that she was trying to get intimate with her.
"I would mind you staying some distance away from me. Miss Yeong, this is against the legal law of association. Please comply, okay?" She said that, and instantly, Yeong nodded and awkwardly shifted away from her. "Go ahead. Why do you come to find me?"
"I know you are my stepsister, and I need your help."
......…..
Meanwhile,
"Drop the act, Mr. Haoyu! You seem so confident that you are going to win, and if I may ask, why?" The window reflected his smooth, streamlined facial features. His face was still hidden behind the massive black mask, and his chin slightly popped out of the mask. His eyes glared with hatred written in them, and his lips curled upward.
"Are you scared of losing to a useless man? Your mother did, and I still envy that you have not given up. Your mother was only a weakling trying to fix a marriage that was one of hell's demise. Look, Lixin, as your father, I do not like to see you in pain. I only ask for a forty percent share in the Mu's group, and that is all. I hate using this approach to make you give in." Haoyu continued to make derogatory comments about the mother-son duo. He loved it whenever Lixin was helpless against him. This situation and the bargain were the best. If not for the mastermind behind him, he would have been stupid enough to settle for 35 percent, as he requested before. It was best like this!
"Only forty percent, you say." He mocked dropping the coffee mug and then a silver flash drive close to him. He twitched his lips, and a gorgeous smirk curled up. "Just because I decided to let you flaunt your madness doesn't mean I don't have the power to send you to hell!" His grin widened and covered two-thirds of his face.
"You are still as arrogant as you'd ever be, even when you are about to lose your inheritance right." I want to make a very good bargain with you. Let me take over as the CEO, and you have the full shares in the company as you have always had."
"And?"
"Nothing. That is all," He answered, smiling at his request. Haoyu watched in confusion as two hefty men from behind came and held him firmly to his upper arm. He struggled to free himself, yet their grips on him were strong. "What is the meaning of this?" Haoyu cried out, dragging his legs out and fighting his way out. One thing was very sure about Lixin: he was a psychopath. A man who enjoyed people's misery. Fear gripped his heart instantly as balls of sweat began to appear on his face.
He was holding a knife!
"Let go of me! Let go of me!" Haoyu shriveled in distress as the cold, sharp blade of the knife landed on his face. He blanched badly as drips of blood ran through his face. A very prominent cut became visible, and from there, blood slipped out of his body. Haoyu yelped in pain and kept on cursing the chuckling Lixin. The smile on his face and the joy of harming his father resulted in Haoyu's terror. This man was someone who could never be messed with in the entire world. "Argh!"
His loud groans gave Lixin unending satisfaction, as he did not want to stop. He wanted every single drop of blood running through Haoyu's veins to finish, even if it was the last thing he wanted.
"You look hideous! We are truly alike now," Lixin said, referring to the humongous scar on his face. It was entirely his fault that he had such a scar plastered on his face. He was the culprit—the reason why he was cast aside by his peers. Besides, who would want to associate with someone who has a huge scar across his face? Exactly what his mate said and without delay fled from his sight.
"Take him out of my office. I will meet you in court, Mr. Ling Haoyu!"
......
"Madam, ever since you met that young lady, you have not been yourselves. Did she harm you or what?" Bai Yuming chipped in, noticing that Yeong had left Mingxia seconds later. She helped her into the wheelchair and took her outside. The sun was setting soon, and it was almost time for the second shot of antibiotics and drugs. Meanwhile, Lixin informed her he was on his way to pick them up.
They stood for about ten minutes outside the hospital building waiting for his arrival when Bai Yuming's interest was piqued by Yeong and Mingxia's conversation. She had never seen the Madam so serious talking to a stranger; she was indeed interested in what they were saying, especially considering that they were meeting for the first time.
"Does Lixin have any connection with Zhou Muchen?"