"I suppose Mr. Ling is wise and would not be stupid or easily led by emotions." Muchen's words were very petrifying and bold, depicting that he meant everything. If he did not mean his words, why was it brought up so casually, like a simple threat? Haoyu balled his fist, comprehending that Muchen was willing to go to any extent to ensure he was always winning, even if it meant shedding his daughter's blood. Haoyu stood there with his body frozen to the ground, his legs wobbly, and his face white as if he had seen a ghost. Muchen was very satisfied with Haoyu's reaction and ordered for him to be thrown out of his sight. Like a piece of garbage, his security men gripped his arms and flung him out of the company. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, falling on his face. Haoyu groaned in pain and cursed loudly.
"It is not over! I promise you! I will make sure I have the last laugh at the end." Haoyu kept ringing his words in his mind. If he wanted it badly, then he was going to go for it; nevertheless, Muchen should not blame him for being too ruthless when it accidentally gets released to the media. He stumbled out of the company's gates and hid his face, walking faster away from the company the minute he began to garner people's attention. He quickened up his steps, noticing he was being stalked.
Haoyu's heartbeat amplified as he entered his car, strapped his seatbelt, and plunged his car keys into the keyhole. He adjusted his car mirror only to see their faces. They had cornered him. Yanking him off the car, Haoyu was thrown mercilessly to the ground. A heavy blow landed on his face, and forcefully, his neck was gripped and his back was pushed against the car's body.
"Let go! I know Muchen sent you." Haoyu muttered, still gasping for breath. If they continued beating him like this, it would be very hard to determine if he was going to make it alive or, worse, end up in the hospital. "I know… I am wrong. I will apologize." The group leader waved his hands, and instantly Haoyu fell to the ground again. He winced in pain and puked out drops of blood. His clothing was wrinkled from the tight grip. Unconsciously, Haoyu rubbed his neck, looked into his car's mirror, and found visible red hand prints on it.
"This is just a lesson. Next time you come to meet the big boss for such trivial matters in public, your pregnant wife will pay the dear price." His hoarse, rugged tone instills great anxiety in him. No matter his shameless attitude, his loved ones remained his bottom line, so anytime they were used as threats, Haoyu had to tread carefully and succumb to their request. He nodded like an obedient dog, his dress resembling that of a homeless orphan. They laughed at him, threw some sand at him, and walked off to the other side of the road. Soon enough, their presence disappeared into thin air, and Haoyu, then rest assured they would not be coming back, breathed a sigh of relief. He ruffled his hair and furrowed his brows. His car keys were gone.
"This damn asshole!" He yelled, hoarded a taxi cab, and went straight home. Haoyu got out of the taxi, paid the fee, and strode to the front. He pulled open the door and came in to find the house scattered. Distress wrapped him up, and at the same time, he went round the house in a hurry, shouting An Yu, his wife's name. The silence was the only reply he got. He kicked up the bedroom door and saw her peacefully sleeping. He exhaled and walked up to her.
Haoyu could not imagine how frightened she must have been when those thugs came to give her a lesson too. He hugged her from behind and pecked her neck, trailing kisses down to her cleavage. An Yu moaned in response to his actions. Before he could rip off her clothes, she stopped him, and her eyes turned teary.
"How long do I have to wait? It is embarrassing to be chased around by loan sharks. I tried… They took everything!" An Yu wept, forcing herself to hold back her tears. What was she thinking about eloping with a man who was broke and indebted to so many people? Was he not the infamous father of the richest man in Wuhan, Mu Lixin? Why did she find it so difficult to believe that he was this poor and chased by shameless loan sharks? Her face swelled up with tears. This was the biggest regret of her life. Divorcing her ex-husband, An Yu had presumed that perhaps marrying Haoyu would give her an upper hand in life; thus far, she had only gotten worse. Her recent income was lower than what she had in her past marriage.
It was as if she had gone from drowning in the deep blue sea to dying in the pit of anguish. There was no day when she was not attacked by those creditors. This was tiring, especially when she was pregnant. She could not keep it up any longer. Haoyu's description of his luxury was far more dissimilar from what she had anticipated the minute she got married to him; this left her disappointed for months. I wish the hands of the clock could be easily reversed; she would not think of making such a costly mistake. And more so, she was pregnant with him! Her friend hurried her into marrying Haoyu for benefits and even advised that having a child would secure her some percentage of shares worth billions. Without much thought, she agreed, drugged him, and slept with him. However, seeing his situation, she wished for a miscarriage. This child was not a bargaining chip again! He had nothing!
As the rumors still held, Mu Lixin disowned his father and cut him off entirely from his properties or any of his inheritance. Without power from the Mu, he was deemed useless and became the target of mockery and insults. If she had known this sooner and not been blinded by benefits, An Yu would have strictly avoided his proposal. Such a blatant man! His wife died in a fire accident, and soon he was seen with another woman in a hotel the next day.
"Did they hurt the baby?" Haoyu seemed pissed off. He was less concerned about what they did to An Yu; besides, she was the sole reason why he was chased by loan sharks. When they got married, Haoyu never knew An Yu had signed up for a million-dollar spa treatment, and when he found out, it was too late. An Yu could not face the consequences since it was all bought on his account. Ever since then, hatred has filled his heart for An Yu. He was at least happy as soon as he discovered she was pregnant for him. This was also his bargaining chip to tie down Lixin with his preposterous pressures. Although Lixin may not respond, the Mu family would not simply overlook it because of their high reputation.
The depressing irony of it all was that Haoru, his brother, disowned him too for Mu Suyin. His parents, also out of embarrassment, cut ties with him. He was left alone in the world—no family, nor money! And then An Yu came into his life when he least expected it.
"I will think of something. I guarantee you, they would not come again. You will never see them again; it is only patience you have to exercise—just endure it a little more." Haoyu spoke in a calm tone, patting her head in a doting manner. An Yu bit her lips angrily, suppressing the fury that grew from her heart.
'Just endure it?' An Yu sneered ironically in her heart and held up her fake façade. This man deserved whatever was coming to him. How long should she continue to be harassed? So she was supposed to be calm and patient while he sat there doing nothing. He had no job, the house rent was due, and all he kept doing was gambling with the few earnings the government sends monthly for child and family support. She would get mentally ill if she stayed any longer in this marriage. An Yu stood up, leaning on the bedwood. She supported her swollen belly with her right arm and steadily strode out of the room. She headed straight to the bathroom, slammed the door, and dialed an unknown number. The call connected, and the next thing I heard was a man's moan from the other side of the line. The person whom she dialed was none other than her sugar daddy, Qiang Xuxiang, the owner of her pregnancy.
Was it shocking news? Obviously no! Qiang had persuaded her into framing the pregnancy news on Ling Haoyu, and it worked pretty well. He did not show any reluctance to take responsibility for their 'affairs. In addition, they would greatly benefit if Lixin agreed to Haoyu's terms.
"You are fucking yourself this early in the morning." An Yu, in irritation, questioned him with a husky voice. She could hear harsh breathing and a feminine moan from the other side of the line. She slammed herself in the face and continued. "How long do I have to act like this pregnancy is for Haoyu? It is irritating."
"Do you expect me to take responsibility for a mistake you made? You tore the condom from my dick and begged me to give it to you raw. You should face the consequences. An Yu, I underestimated your abilities. It is a miracle you found an idiot you could lay claim to. On the other hand, he is as useless as your ex-husband, Jiang Shi. Aiyoo, why do you have such a bad taste in men?"