CHAPTER 180: CHAPTER 180 ANGRY XIAOMEI

The audio finished playing.

The vast living room fell silent.

"Damn it!" Xiaomei couldn’t help but curse. "That goddamn, brain-dead woman actually slandered Sister like that!"

"Sister with Qin Sheng... How could she even cook that up!"

Xiaomei was so angry steam seemed to be puffing from her head.

"Where is she? I’ll find someone to beat her up!"

Fu Bing, however, had calmed down.

"It’s easy to deal with this person. Lian Yingya isn’t well-established in the Lian Family and doesn’t hold real power. He can’t make any significant waves. Is You Nie’s only goal to slander me?"

"The last person who liked to use such underhanded tactics against me was Li Qing. I feel like You Nie’s methods are very much her style."

"Li Hua is dead, and the Li Family doesn’t accept her. She has no other choice but to seek new support."

"With her level of intelligence, truly decisive people wouldn’t give her a second glance. The only ones she can cling to are incompetent, vain fools."

Wu Shi looked at her with an indescribable expression.

He felt like she was scolding him.

He used to hang around Li Qing a lot...

Fu Bing turned to He Bo. "He Bo, your enemy Lu Ji is already dead. Do you prefer the quiet life you have now, or do you want to reclaim your former glory?"

He Bo and Ning Aunty exchanged a glance, their eyes full of warmth as they looked at Fu Bing.

"Xiaowan and I have discussed it. The further you go, the greater the risks, and the less we can help. We also want to lend you a hand, so that anyone who thinks of targeting you will have to think twice."

Fu Bing understood his meaning.

A contemporary top master of traditional Chinese painting could sell even a small piece for tens of millions.

With his whereabouts unknown, the value of his paintings had been driven up by speculation, the most expensive one reaching 280 million.

"If this is truly what you and Ning Aunty want from the bottom of your hearts, I respect your choices. This isn’t about me acquiring a new identity for its own sake. It’s because we still have a very, very long future ahead. Each of us needs to shine, and no one should obscure another’s brilliance. I also prefer to see you confident and dazzling."

He Bo smiled even more warmly.

Xiaobing understood him.

"What’s your plan?"

"I’m going to organize an art exhibition."

Fu Bing nodded. "I actually have a good candidate in mind; she’s definitely suitable."

"Who?"

"Ya Rui."

Confusion flickered in the eyes of all four, including Wu Shi.

"Why Ya Rui?"

"Ya Rui is deeply connected to me. Isn’t You Nie trying to sling mud at me? If Ya Rui organizes the exhibition in your name, we can steal the spotlight from Lian Yingya and You Nie."

Fu Bing didn’t mention her other motive: to let Ya Garden make another huge profit. Ya Garden had been gradually absorbing Yunxi Lane, causing considerable dissatisfaction. This event could also help Ya Garden restore some of its reputation. People were fickle; when Yunxi Lane was still around, everyone criticized it for not progressing, for only producing trash. Yet, when the century-old brand was absorbed by business, they couldn’t accept it and thought Ya Garden shouldn’t have done so.

After some thought, He Bo readily agreed with Fu Bing’s suggestion.

"Xiaobing, if you trust someone, then they are certainly worthy of my trust too. Let’s leave it to your friend."

"I’ll talk to her and get this confirmed within the next two days."

After a moment, Fu Bing asked, "Have you brought your recent paintings back?"

"I have."

"Besides your previous works, we’ll also display some of your recent paintings. What do you think?"

"You can arrange it."

"Good. You two must be tired after today. Go and get some rest. I’ll have someone arrange the other matters."

He Bo and Ning Aunty returned to their room.

Xiaomei, still furious, said, "Wu Shi, send me that vile woman’s address! I’m going to give her a few slaps!"

"I’ll send it to your phone later."

"Good."

Xiaomei then eagerly rubbed her hands together and headed upstairs.

Fu Bing watched Xiaomei’s retreating figure helplessly.

A voice laced with faint sarcasm sounded beside her. "You actually didn’t stop Xiaomei. How strange."

"Why should I stop her?"

She was slandered, and she’s supposed to pity the slanderer? Was she that much of a saint?

"If my hand weren’t still injured, I’d personally rush over, put her in a sack, and give her a good beating."

Wu Shi tilted his chin up slightly. "After all these years, putting someone in a sack is all you’ve learned?"

As she paused, stunned by his remark, Wu Shi added, "You did, after all, spend three years ’advancing your studies’ in prison."

Fu Bing’s thoughts were pulled back by his words. "It means I’ve always stayed true to myself in the fight against evil."

After speaking, she slowly ascended the stairs.

Her injury was fine now. As long as she avoided strenuous activity, she seemed no different from anyone else.

But Wu Shi’s remark just now had brought an old memory to mind. Back in high school, a neighbor, seeing that her mother was ill and she herself was young, constantly tried to take advantage of her. One night, drunk, he cornered her in a dark alley. Had Qin Jinhai not shown up just in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. After Qin Jinhai chased the man away, he took her to buy a sack. Then, they hid in a corner, waiting for the man. In the end, they caught him in the sack and beat him severely. That was the first time she had resorted to violence to solve a problem. Sometimes, appropriate violence was the best way to deal with problems. Years later, she still remembered the scent of that alley. At the end of the alley stood a magnolia tree, its flowers in full bloom. Young Qin Jinhai’s hands—long, strong, warm, and steadfast. Fu Bing didn’t know if she would still have chosen to be with Qin Jinhai if she had known the outcome earlier. During those times when she hadn’t yet grown strong, he was the only one by her side. How could she possibly carve out those memories of warmth and security from her heart?

「Night fell.」

With Jian Si’s help, Xiaomei put on a disguise, and Jian Lingyuan drove them to Lian Yingya’s residential complex.

Jian Lingyuan was very concerned. "Are you sure this is okay?"

Xiaomei made an OK gesture.

"Relax, I just want to rough her up a bit. Beating her too badly would cause trouble for my sister."

"I always know how to pull my punches," Jian Si said.

"I’ll be waiting for you in the shop across the street," Jian Lingyuan said.

Xiaomei nodded.

She and Jian Si got out of the car, arm in arm.

When Jian Lingyuan saw that Jian Si didn’t pull her hand away, he gave Xiaomei another look.

This little girl certainly has a way with people, getting Jian Si to warm up to her at their first meeting.

Jian Si glanced at the arm Xiaomei was holding, then at Xiaomei’s bright, dark eyes and her innocent profile.

Apart from thinking she was incredibly cute, Jian Si had no other reaction.

Xiaomei looked around with wide eyes.

"Sister Jian, where is she?"

She’s adorable, and her voice is so soft and sweet. Jian Si commented mentally.

"She’s out shopping with Lian Yingya. Do you want to march right over and slap her?"

"What reason would I have to slap her in public?"

"Many. For example, you could claim you’re afraid Lian Yingya is cheating, that you’re the victim, and pregnant on top of that. It would cause a public scandal. Even though Lian Yingya isn’t a core member of the Lian Family, it would be enough to bring shame upon them."

"My sister has only recently become connected with Lian Yingting. Wouldn’t harming his brother create a rift between her and Lian Yingting?"

Jian Si took another long look at her.

She seemed naive, but she wasn’t foolish; she always considered Fu Bing’s interests first.

What kind of magic did Fu Bing possess to make those around her love her so fiercely and wholeheartedly?