episode 13
"He Xun, the banquet is almost over. You need to come out and clean up the mess right on time."
After reading the message, He Xun replied to Mu Xianglu with "Okay," then took off his shirt, changed, and went downstairs.
With his hands in his pockets, he turned a corner and saw a little girl, about seven or eight years old, sitting on the bottom step.
She wore a light blue tulle cake dress, her hair was tied in a high bun, and she wore a sparkling diamond crown hair accessory. A gray rabbit doll lay in her arms, making her look like a little princess who had jumped out of a fairy tale castle.
But under the moonlight, the swollen right side of her face looked rather out of place, as if she had been slapped. Her still-grown hands cradled her small face, and her expression revealed deep displeasure.
She must have heard footsteps behind her, because she turned her head and glanced at the person behind her. But when she saw the person's face, she turned back listlessly.
The moment she turned her head, He Xun recognized her as Tang Ruichu.
—She is both Mo Wenjin's stepdaughter and the little girl he bumped into on the food street that day, who loudly refuted her mother's views, which might not be correct in the eyes of the world.
It's quite a coincidence that fate is such a wonderful thing. It turns out that he was already involved in Mo Wenjin's affair back then.
He didn't know how much his current wife, Tang Yu, knew about her husband's affairs.
Or perhaps they know, but are just pretending not to?
I wonder if she ever regrets it when she wakes up in the middle of the night.
The moment He Xun recognized the mother and daughter, he had already extracted bits and pieces of information from Ji Ruoyang about how Tang Yu and Mo Wenjin met—Tang Yu, who had been beautiful since childhood, had gone astray in the eyes of the public because of her dislike of studying. At such a young age, she had a relationship with a good-for-nothing hoodlum and gave birth to Tang Ruichu. Naturally, Chinese families considered this a disgrace. So even though Tang Yu suffered cruel domestic violence from her husband during her postpartum period, and even though she ran home crying with her infant daughter Tang Ruichu in a torrential downpour, her father did not hesitate to use a stick to drive the weak, bruised, and swollen Tang Yu out of the house. Tang's mother hid in the house wiping away tears, powerless to help.
Tang Yu was extremely disappointed when she had nowhere to turn for help. She gritted her teeth and went back, but at the same time, she seemed to be suddenly awakened by a thunderclap amidst the sound of torrential rain.
She decided to get a divorce.
The process goes without saying, but you can imagine how difficult it is to argue with a heartless, abusive man. Fortunately, the divorce was eventually finalized. Tang Yu, who wasn't very educated, couldn't find any technically demanding work and could only work as a waitress in a coffee shop. Although she had given birth, she was still young and couldn't hide her pretty looks. Mo Wenjin, who happened to be visiting the coffee shop, took a liking to her and took her to a hotel that night.
He never expected that Tang Yu would hide her phone in a flowerpot beforehand, recording their lovemaking that night. The next day, she used the recording to threaten him, saying that if he didn't marry her, she would release the video.
Mo Wenjin, who was still a public figure, had no choice but to marry Tang Yu. Fortunately, he did not have a first wife, which saved him from this complicated process.
Tang Yu slid from one extreme to another.
Having gone through a failed marriage and remarried to an unsuitable man, the mother and daughter were not even allowed to walk with Karen Mok when entering the banquet tonight, let alone imagine how much criticism they would face after entering.
What's the point?
How many taels of silver?
Tsk.
That's somewhat understandable.
He Xun lowered his eyes, glanced at the time on his phone, and found that there were still a few minutes left before the banquet ended. He simply went back to the kitchen, took out an ice pack that was emitting cold air from the bottom of the refrigerator, sat down next to Tang Ruichu, and handed it to her.
Tang Ruichu accepted it without any hesitation, her tone surprisingly mature for her age: "Thank you."
"Rui Chu, how old are you?" He Xun asked naturally.
"You can't just ask a girl's age." Tang Ruichu glanced at him sideways, then slapped an ice pack onto the right side of her face. "It's a secret."
"Okay, I offended you." He Xun smiled, his expression unusually gentle, and apologized very sincerely, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright, it's good to admit your mistakes and correct them." Tang Ruichu forgave people quickly. She shrewdly glanced at He Xun's attire and took the initiative to ask, "I remember you. We've met before, on that snack street. You bought crab roe buns and red date millet porridge. So you're from Mo Shilin's cousin's family. What's your name?"
Eloquent and articulate, with keen hearing and eyesight.
If He Xun hadn't been sitting right next to her, he would have found it hard to believe these words came from a child her age. Most children her age probably don't even remember their own home address.
"Hello, He Xun." He Xun extended his hand with an appreciative expression.
“He Xun”.
Tang Ruichu repeated it after him, tilting her head back and nodding her chin like a little adult, and extending her free hand to shake his hand, "It sounds nice, hello, my name is Tang Ruichu."
"Your name is also very nice." He Xun returned the courtesy, releasing the girl's hand at the opportune moment, and quickly changed the subject, "Rui Chu, what happened to your face? Should I call the police for you?"
"It wasn't a bad guy who hit me."
Tang Ruichu shook her head, becoming listless again at the mention of the matter. "I just had a fight with my mom, and she pinched my face in a fit of anger. You know how adults are, they like to be unreasonable. I won't argue with her, so I can only sneak over here to relieve my worries."
He Xun was both amused and exasperated by what she said, but also felt that, in a way, what she said was not wrong.
"But we can't wait too long. The banquet is almost over. You'll come with me later. Your mother will worry if we stay too long."
Although curious, He Xun did not want to pry into the mother and daughter's privacy, but patiently advised them in an adult tone.
Whether it was due to her precociousness in front of outsiders or her genuine reluctance to worry her mother, Tang Ruichu did not refute anything and simply nodded slightly in agreement.
He Xun patted her head and changed the subject: "Rui Chu, can I ask you something? Do you know Ding Xiabing?"
“I know, Xia Bing is my stepfather’s godson, and he came tonight too.” Tang Ruichu said quickly, then tugged at He Xun’s sleeve and whispered in his ear, “Although Mom doesn’t tell me to talk nonsense, I just feel that there’s something more between them.”
He Xun also lowered his voice: "Then can you tell me what you think is strange?"
Are you tight-lipped?
"Maybe." He Xun didn't want to lie to her.
"Fine, I still think you're a good person, so I'll tell you then."
As Tang Ruichu spoke, she looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping before whispering her major discovery at home: "One night, I was scolded by my mom for failing my math test. I was so angry that I couldn't sleep, so I went to the refrigerator in the living room to steal some ice cream. That's when I saw my brother Xia Bing being choked and pinned against the wall by Mo Wenjin—my stepfather. He was saying things like, 'Xia Bing is just a public toilet,' and that I'm pretending to be innocent in front of him."
"Brother He Xun, do you think any father would treat his son like that? It's absolutely terrifying! Although Mom sometimes scolds me, she never looks at me with that scary look..."
Tang Ruichu has amazing observation and memory skills; even under those circumstances, she was able to remember Mo Wenjin's insulting words without missing a single one.
However, He Xun's expression was not so relaxed. As an adult, he clearly understood the ill intentions implied in Mo Wenjin's words.
"so."
He Xun seemed lost in thought, his gaze no longer as gentle as before, but instead filled with a deep chill.
He turned his head to the side, staring at a tree in front of him, gently stroking his chin with one hand. His brow bone and nose bridge were delicate, and his steady and cold temperament neutralized any excess of delicacy, making him exude just the right amount of charm.
Many people have said before that He Xun's good looks are not in his appearance, but in his aura. It is a unique aura shaped by his life experiences and personality, something that others cannot imitate.
The little girl was suddenly stunned. After a long while, Tang Ruichu finally came to her senses and praised him very frankly: "Brother He Xun, you are so handsome. When I grow up, I want you to be my male servant!"
"What?" He Xun snapped out of his daze, smiled at her, and seemed somewhat amazed that she already possessed the aura of a domineering CEO at such a young age.
Tang Ruichu sighed, stood up to face He Xun, put her hands into the large pockets of her princess dress, and her serious face showed a hint of vicissitude in the moonlight. She said earnestly, "I have to work hard to save money. After all, my cousin Mo Shilin's strength is not to be underestimated. Although I don't like him very much, I admit that it will be very difficult to snatch you away from him."
He Xun: "......"
That's as if he were some important person to Mo Shilin.
"Okay, Mr. Tang, I have high hopes for you. You'll be even better than him," He Xun joked.
"Really?"
Tang Ruichu was only seven or eight years old. No matter how smart she was, the innocence that belonged to a child had not yet been extinguished. After being praised by her beloved older brother, she blinked her big, grape-like eyes and scratched her head a little shyly.
She has a lovely smile.
In a flash, He Xun briefly realized that what he was about to do might destroy the hard-won blended family of the mother and daughter, and would also implicate Mo Shilin's family...
But he felt no remorse whatsoever.
He's doing the right thing, and everyone should make way for him.
"real."
He smiled.
*
After several busy hours, the banquet came to a successful conclusion, ending with Mo Shilin's moving thank-you speech. Guests smiled as they warmly bid farewell to their friends and newly acquainted celebrities.
The host, Mo Shilin, was very sincere and personally escorted the guests to the villa.
Taking advantage of the chaos, He Xun avoided Jian Ye's intensely searching gaze, sent her a comforting emoji, and then headed towards the public restroom.
......
"Mr. Mo, my new movie premieres tomorrow night. We're old classmates, wouldn't it be appropriate for you to come and support us?"
The speaker was Li Fanxi, a popular actress who had just won Best Actress at a prestigious international film festival this year and was currently riding high. Coincidentally, she and Mo Shilin were high school classmates, so she was naturally more casual in conversation than others.
She wore a dark green off-the-shoulder dress, her long black hair was styled in a high bun, her makeup was stunning, and she wore luxurious jewelry worth seven figures on her ears and neck. Already 172 cm tall, she wore 10 cm high heels, and her aura rivaled that of all the male stars present. She was truly a model of how fame brings good fortune.
On one side was a popular female star, and on the other was a young and wealthy internet tycoon. The handsome man and beautiful woman were even old acquaintances. The envious and jealous eyes around them quickly gathered, forming a semi-circle around them, intending to gossip.
Mo Shilin slowly turned his gaze away from the young male servant who was running around his house.
Perhaps because he was still young, he was never pretentious in such situations. When he heard Li Fanxi's words, he just smiled and said, "Miss Li, you're too kind. I can't possibly be doing you any favors. I'll have my assistant arrange for the whole place to be booked later."
Li Mu, the assistant standing to the side, kept his eyes down and quickly stepped forward with a smile to respond.
Li Fanxi wasn't buying it. She waved her hand at him, her tone slightly regretful: "See, family members? You're just changing the subject. I'm not charming enough. Let's go."
Someone joked, "It has to be President Mo. If it were us ordinary folks, we would have been paying Sister Fan eight hundred times over by now!"
Li Fanxi laughed and scolded the sycophant: "Stop trying to flatter me!"
The men and women around burst into laughter upon hearing this.
Mo Shilin smiled and personally opened Li Fanxi's car door, making a gentlemanly gesture of invitation: "Miss Li, please take care."
—Li Fanxi got into the car, and her assistant, who had her hair in two braids and wore a khaki trench coat, quickly handed her a thermos and massaged her shoulders and back.
"Sister Fan, didn't you say you were going to hook up with that CEO Mo? Why did you give up so quickly?"
Li Fanxi tilted her head back and gulped down a mouthful of warm water. She kicked off her high heels, rubbed her sore ankles, and rolled her eyes: "What a load of crap! Didn't you see his eyes practically glued to that incredibly handsome male servant? If I were to go after him, wouldn't I just be humiliating myself?"
"Huh? Really? I didn't see that." The assistant's big eyes showed confusion. "What male servant?"
Li Fanxi was completely defeated by her, burst out laughing, and vigorously ruffled the head of her little white rabbit-like assistant, commenting: "Silly girl."
*
The night was pitch black.
With his hands in his pockets, He Xun went to the communal restroom in the corner of the villa. Through the door, he could faintly hear the sound of water gushing from the faucet.
Too lazy to reach out, and finding public restrooms unhygienic, he gently kicked the door open.
What came into view was Ding Xiabing's thin figure.
His suit jacket was draped on a spotlessly clean rack, and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to reveal his bony arms. He stood bent over in front of the sink, as if he were vigorously washing something.
"Mr. Ding, what a coincidence."
He Xun feigned surprise and greeted him.
Ding Xiabing suddenly shivered, turning around stiffly as if startled. Only when he met He Xun's eyes did his expression relax slightly.
“It’s you.”
Ding Xiabing forced a smile, turned off the tap, and pulled out a tissue to wipe the water droplets from his arm. It was clear he was trying his best to maintain a respectable appearance in front of strangers.
"I never thought I'd have the chance to see you again," He Xun sighed. "I didn't dare say it earlier, but I'm actually a fan of yours."
"Fans?" Ding Xiabing's gaze froze for a moment. He paused for a few seconds, then lowered his eyes, seemingly unable to look He Xun in the eye. "Really?"
“Really?” He Xun closed his eyes, as if recalling, “I’ve been following you ever since your debut short film. Back then, your skin wasn’t as fair as it is now; it was a healthy tan.”
"Yes... I have changed a lot in the past few years." Ding Xiabing's smile was a little bitter as she said self-deprecatingly, "Many fans have even unfollowed me because I have changed so much."
"People are complicated, you'll get used to it... Let's not talk about that." He Xun sighed, then looked at Ding Xiabing with a flickering gaze, "By the way, since I've finally met you, could you please sign your autograph for me?"
Ding Xiabing clearly couldn't refuse the little fan who had helped him up when he entered. He nodded, "Okay, I have a pen—"
As if waiting for him to say those words, He Xun took a few steps closer and handed him the paper and pen he had prepared in advance before he could finish speaking.
"......"
Ding Xiabing choked and had to swallow the rest of her sentence. She wondered why this person carried toilet paper and a notebook with him when he went to the toilet. Unfortunately, his current mental state clearly could not support him to think too deeply.
He rubbed his temples and picked up his pen to write.
Perhaps due to fatigue, he wrote very slowly. With the slow movement of his wrist, the numerous strange needle marks on his forearm were clearly visible under He Xun's sharp eyes.
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