CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71: ZHANG YUXIU IS EXPOSED

"No. This cannot be possible. She will tell him everything." She rubbed her palms together. Her face had already turned pale while her back was drenched in sweat.

Huo Mingjie held her, stopping her from panicking.

"So what if grandmother tells him. There is no evidence, he won’t be able to do anything without any evidence."

"No evidence. Right, no evidence. Nothing will happen." She murmured.

Huo Mingjie couldn’t stand seeing her that way.

"How about you go to your room to rest? It has been such a long day for you," he suggested.

"Will everything be fine?" Zhang Yuxiu asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Huo Mingjie nodded reassuringly. "With me here, nothing will happen. Just behave normally so you won’t arouse dad’s suspicions."

"I understand," she breathed out, and walked to the door.

"Remember mom, don’t forget to act normally. Dad is smart, he will be able to figure things out if you are restless." Huo Mingjie advised.

Zhang Yuxiu nodded, and left the room. He watched her leave, and he exhaled. This matter had drained him totally.

____________________

The next day came quickly. Zhang Yuxiu didn’t sleep well, afraid of what the day would bring.

Huo Hapieng had received the news that Old Madam Huo had regained consciousness. Thus, after breakfast, he asked the entire family to visit her.

Huo Fei was reluctant, but she couldn’t go against her father.

When they arrived at the ward, they found out that it was guarded heavily.

Zhang Yuxiu and Huo Mingjie exchanged glances, and they could see the same question in their eyes.

Suppressing her fear, Zhang Yuxiu followed them into the private ward.

After Old Madam Huo had regained consciousness, Huo Feng requested that she be transferred to a private ward.

"The smell of antiseptic annoys me. I don’t know why I am here," Huo Fei complained, whispering to her brother.

Huo Mingjie rolled his eyes. "She is your grandmother. She doesn’t have so much affection for you, this is the time to be in her good books."

"Do I look like I care?" Huo Fei scoffed. "I don’t have so much affection for her as well." If there was any emotion she had for the old lady, then it would be best to characterize it as fear.

Their conversation was cut off by Huo Yan’s loud cry.

"Grandma!"

Old Madam Huo chuckled looking at her favourite granddaughter.

"I am not dead. You don’t need those tears in your beautiful eyes." She smiled.

Huo Yan sniffed, "you scared me yesterday. Don’t do such a thing again. I won’t talk to you if this happens," she threatened.

"Fine, it won’t happen again." Old Madam Huo beamed.

Her eyes landed on Zhang Yuxiu who was trying to hide behind Huo Hapieng.

"There won’t be a next time." She said again, but her eyes were fixated on Zhang Yuxiu who wished that the earth could open and swallow her.

Huo Hapieng frowned. He grew up with his mother, and thus, he knew if she was angry.

"Mother, what’s wrong? Did someone offend you?" He asked.

Zhang Yuxiu’s heart was in her mouth as she looked at the old lady, fear reflecting in her eyes.

Everyone turned to look at Old Madam Huo with different expressions on their faces as they waited for her answer.

"Why don’t you ask your good wife... what crime she has committed?" Old Madam Huo’s response was vague.

Zhang Yuxiu’s chest rose and fell rapidly. It was over, she thought to herself.

Huo Hapieng’s frown deepened and he turned to his wife who had guilt written all over her face.

His mood dampened, and he questioned loudly, fury beneath his voice. "What have you done now?"

"I... didn’t do... anything." She stammered quietly, while playing with her fingers. "I don’t know what mother is talking about, I haven’t done anything."

"I think it would be better if you say the truth... if you don’t want us to expose your secret." Yue Ning spoke up.

Zhang Yuxiu’s face was void of all colours. Her breathing turned heavy.

’It is over. I’m finished.’ She thought to herself. Huo Feng and Yue Ning knew the truth, but how?

"Your wife, my good daughter-in-law, Zhang Yuxiu pushed me down the stairs which landed me in the hospital."

Seeing that she wasn’t speaking, Old Madam spoke up, exposing the truth.

Huo Fei and Huo Yan gasped. Huo Mingjie’s jaw tightened. His eyes flickered for just a second before he schooled his features into feigned shock. No one noticed the way his fists curled behind his back.

Huo Hapieng was stunned, staring at the wife he shared the same bed with everyday with wide eyes.

"Is what mother saying the truth? Did you push her down the stairs?" He asked while taking a step back from her.

Huo Yan couldn’t stand it. "Uncle. With due respect, do you still need to ask her again? So you think grandma will accuse her just like that? She must have done it."

Huo Yan possessed a fiery personality. Her grandmother was hurt, and the culprit was still being questioned. It caused a spark in her head.

"Uncle, Yue Ning is right." Huo Feng spoke up. "Grandmother will never lie. And besides, we have proof of aunt’s deeds."

In a state of panic, Zhang Yuxiu blurted out. "How can you have proof? I—I erased it." The words slipped out before she could stop them. The entire ward fell silent, every gaze snapping toward her in disbelief.

Old Madam Huo sneered. "Hapieng, do you still need to question her? She has already confessed. She was the one who pushed me."

Zhang Yuxiu realized what she had done. She immediately shook her head. "I-I didn’t mean to. I-I don’t know what came over me."

Plopping herself to her knees, she crawled to Old Madam Huo’s bedside.

"Mother, please forgive me." She pleaded. "I didn’t do it on purpose, please forgive me." She cried, tears all over her face.

Old Madam Huo ignored her. How could she forgive someone who wished to kill her? She wasn’t a saint. Zhang Yuxiu would pay for her crimes.

Huo Hapieng returned to his senses. He picked her up, ignoring her protests.

"Evil woman... I’ll divorce you today. How dare you try to harm my mother? What gave you the right?"

"Dad, you can’t treat mom that way. Let her go." Although Huo Fei was disappointed with her mother’s actions, Zhang Yuxiu was still her mother. She would stand by her mother.

"You... you stay away from this matter. I’ll deal with her."

Huo Feng watched with a passive expression. He didn’t care what method his uncle would use to deal with her. He would love to see her suffer. After all, she hurt his grandmother, and she was his bottom line.

"Enough, Hapieng. Do you want to disgrace this family? If you don’t care about our name, I do."

Silence engulfed the ward as each one had different expressions on their faces.

At that very moment, Huo Feng’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He frowned and slipped it out, glancing at the screen.

A single, chilling message lit up the display:

"Enjoy her while you can. She won’t live past today."

His pupils contracted sharply, and his grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white.