Chapter 100

 

Radiant brilliance above; restless hearts below.

No one had expected that the very first thing Ming Xi would do upon arriving so breezily was to make her own father, Ming Decheng, lose face in public.

Under the interwoven glow of the crystal chandelier in the Scully Hotel’s private dining room, everyone’s expressions shifted at once—especially Ming Decheng’s previously ingratiating, kindly old face, which instantly turned ashen and embarrassed.

Faced with Ming Xi’s open mockery, Ming Decheng stood frozen in place, looking furious yet too cowardly to lose his temper.

With rare “kindness,” Ming Xi curved her lips and nodded, signaling that he could sit down.

Only then did Ming Decheng awkwardly return to his seat.

What truly defines a family? It’s sharing both glory and shame. When she slapped Ming Decheng in the face with a joke, who could sit still the least? Of course Yang Yumei and Ming Yue.

Especially Ming Yue—

Before Ming Xi arrived, Ming Yue had gone to great lengths to create the atmosphere of a harmonious family reunion, trying to reclaim some of the dignity she once had as Yicheng’s young lady. Though Ming Decheng had been unreliable, he still carried a bit of a boss’s bearing. Before Ming Xi came, he had even chatted confidently with He Yuan. Even as a delinquent debtor, he had once had flair and capability. And Yang Yumei—before marrying Ming Decheng, she had been a leading actress in Yicheng’s famous Huangmei Opera troupe… In Ming Yue’s mind, her parents were far more refined than He Yuan’s parents from the countryside.

So what if they had some debts? In this day and age, what former boss doesn’t have some? Being able to owe money meant you had once been capable. She had grown accustomed to a good life. She might not be nobility, but she certainly wasn’t like Ming Xi, whose mother was “unknown.”

Indeed… after gradually coming to terms with things, He Yuan’s mindset had improved. After repeated comparisons, he found that Ming Yue’s background was indeed somewhat better than Ming Xi’s. Originally, he had disliked Ming Yue’s scheming, Ming Decheng’s pretentiousness, and Yang Yumei’s affected pride. But he and Ming Yue had already registered their marriage. No matter what, they were husband and wife; he couldn’t turn his elbow outward.it means siding with outsiders

Thus, before Ming Xi arrived, He Yuan had done his best to display the refinement and courtesy of a Shanghai gentleman, hypocritically yet attentively entertaining Ming Decheng. As a foreign trade boss, he was skilled at hosting clients. The seven parts of decorum he offered here already made him an impeccable son-in-law.

Receiving such high-level treatment, Ming Decheng’s fantasies grew: Didn’t Ming Xi also have a wealthy boyfriend? When would the two sons-in-law compete?

Just as the atmosphere in the private room was becoming harmonious, almost like a real family—Ming Xi arrived.

Effortlessly, she tore a crack through the façade of domestic bliss.

And then—

Miss Ming sat down calmly, as if those humiliating words hadn’t come from her mouth at all, her expression gentle and composed.

Some things required no elaboration. Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei had previously posed as overseas Chinese in front of He Yuan. Now Ming Xi had casually exposed their mountain of debts. Compared to Ming Decheng’s thick, worldly skin, Yang Yumei clearly struggled more to maintain composure.

As a mother, she didn’t want Ming Yue to lose face before her husband.

Therefore, after Ming Xi sat down, Yang Yumei stared intently at her, her eyes full of wariness.

Ming Xi met her gaze with indifference, like a night wind passing through a long street—no lingering affection, only the hollow echo of past memories.

If she still harbored any feelings for either Ming Decheng or Yang Yumei, it wasn’t for Ming Decheng, but for Yang Yumei.

However, she was no longer the child who longed for maternal love. Yang Yumei had once been a professional leading actress in Huangmei Opera. Ming Xi could sing it beautifully too. Otherwise, how would she have dared to perform casually at that first industry Christmas party?

She hadn’t learned Huangmei Opera to curry Yang Yumei’s favor. Rather, whenever Yang Yumei practiced her voice, she would listen intently. Back then, she had always hoped that after practicing, Yang Yumei would turn and look at her. That hope had always fallen empty, and eventually, disappointment became habit.

As a child, she had truly longed for Yang Yumei’s motherly love. Now, with wealth, career, and a clear understanding of what real love looked like, she viewed Yang Yumei objectively: From beginning to end, Yang Yumei had never regarded her as her own child.

So even if they had once borne the title of mother and daughter, there had never been any real bond.

Ming Xi finally dropped her act of politeness, showing a more genuine side. What remained unchanged was her constant smile as she looked at them, a smile that appeared both provocative and utterly indifferent.

That smile unsettled Yang Yumei, baffled Ming Decheng, and filled Ming Yue with disgust.

“Ming Xi, your parents have finally returned. Today is a family reunion—let’s not bring up unpleasant matters first,” He Yuan stepped in again, using his polished rhetoric to smooth things over.

“Sure.” Ming Xi raised a brow and looked at the hypocritical Boss He, agreeing readily—as if she had truly given him face.

He Yuan hadn’t seen such a compliant response from her in a long time and almost felt flattered.

How regrettable that Ming Xi had become his sister-in-law. How thrilling that he had become her brother-in-law.

A hint of a smile appeared on his face.

Then, Ming Xi poured herself a cup of tea. She was the first to raise her cup, facing He Yuan, her originally cheerful smile fading slightly: “Mr. He, I apologize for any offense about the Ning City auction.”

Someone really knows how to rub salt in the wound. The auction had been humiliating enough; to have it brought up directly at this family dinner—He Yuan could only struggle to maintain his dignity.

“Ming Xi, you clearly didn’t even want that parcel of land. Why did you keep raising the price against me? No matter what, we’re family, aren’t we?” He Yuan tried to sound tactful and helpless, though it came off as pretentious.

Ming Yue frowned. She sensed that He Yuan’s attitude in front of Ming Xi was now subservient, completely lacking the arrogant demeanor he had at the auction.

That was because He Yuan’s current assets were less than the three plots of land Ming Xi owned.

How Ming Xi had produced fifty million needed no explanation. For years, rumors said Liang Jiancheng’s mother, Gu Shuangyang, disliked Miss Ming, keeping her and Liang Jiancheng merely “good friends.” Yet that so-called friendship was stronger than many marriages. If Mingzhou gained more industry resources in the future, Ming Xi wouldn’t just outpace him—she might crush him entirely. In that case, his identity as her brother-in-law might be the only thing that could slightly restrain her.

As the saying goes, “Those destined to meet will meet even if they are a thousand miles apart.” Some people truly seemed destined to become family—

Even in the most subtle and complicated way.

When He Yuan brought up the issue of bidding up the price, Ming Xi naturally wouldn’t admit it. She casually explained, “Whether I bought a few more acres or a few less didn’t make much difference to me. But Mr. He, you can’t have such poor memory. That small parcel—I clearly let you have it… As agreed in the hotel elevator that day, you were supposed to pay me an additional hundred thousand. I never asked you for that hundred thousand, yet now you accuse me of malicious bidding. Oh, He Yuan, if you didn’t want to pay the hundred thousand, you could’ve just said so. Making up something like malicious bidding—it almost sounds as if Mr. He couldn’t afford the price.”

What! Ming Xi’s words now were outrageous!

Ming Yue’s arrogant temper flared instantly; she nearly leapt up to retort, but He Yuan quickly grabbed her.

He Yuan knew best that he couldn’t afford to break off this last bit of goodwill, otherwise how could he maintain his brother-in-law status in front of Ming Xi? How could he smoothly bring up the debt issue?

Compared to Ming Yue’s impulsiveness, He Yuan had become the most patient person at the table.

He forced a smile, pretending not to mind as he listened. He had always known Ming Xi had a sharp tongue. But now he realized that Ming Xi’s words were no longer just sharp, but that she had honed her speaking speed, aura, and ability to be sarcastic to a masterful level.

In just a few words, she could easily dig a pit for him.

If he insisted that she had maliciously raised the price, he would be admitting he couldn’t afford it—and that he’d reneged afterward, unwilling to pay the hundred thousand…

Ming Yue was already losing her temper, but He Yuan still had to proceed cautiously.

Since Miss Ming had deliberately flaunted her wealth and brought up the topic of money herself, He Yuan no longer needed to steer the conversation. A woman worth hundreds of millions—shouldn’t she, in fairness and in sentiment, help resolve her father’s debts?

So He Yuan casually brought up the matter of the Yicheng supplier pressing for payment. However, he deliberately kept it vague, not specifying that the supplier had been chasing Ming Yue. Instead, his gaze drifted back and forth between Ming Decheng and Ming Xi.

Ming Xi didn’t react, slowly picking up her chopsticks and turning the lazy Susan on the round table, taking a small piece of lychee glutinous rice ball and savoring it slowly.

The Chinese food at the Scully Hotel was rather mediocre, but the pastry was acceptable—this lychee glutinous rice ball was sweet, soft, and delicious.

He Yuan continued his elaborate, self-righteous talk. Ming Xi kept turning the table, looking for something else she might want to eat.

The only one sharing her “good mindset” was Ming Decheng. Though He Yuan was talking about his debts, he acted as if it had nothing to do with him, chewing on a lamb chop with relish.

After finishing the lamb chops, Ming Decheng wanted a bowl of sweet soup.

Ming Xi simply turned the lazy Susan away.

Helpless, he turned to the duck tongues. Before his chopsticks could reach them, Ming Xi rotated the table again.

Embarrassment spread across Ming Decheng’s face as he looked at her.

“Ming Xi, are you going to let me eat or not?”

“Not really,” Ming Xi replied.

As soon as she finished speaking, she tapped on the glass, then glared at Ming Decheng with unbridled glare before forcefully spinning the round lazy Susan. The spinning wheel clattered so loudly that the plates of food on it nearly collided with each other. Worse still, the wheel accidentally hit a pair of chopsticks that Ming Decheng had put down, sending them flying and landing with a thud at He Yuan’s feet.

Ming Decheng’s breath hitched: “…”

He Yuan finally stopped his rambling speech about debt.

Ming Xi’s sudden outburst was startling; He Yuan’s previous words were completely ignored. Not far away, the waiter was too scared to breathe, pressing himself against the wall, his eyes fixed on the group at the table, his face full of astonishment.

“Ming Xi, are you insane?!” Ming Yue finally couldn’t hold back and exploded.

Ming Xi picked up a porcelain spoon and tapped it lightly against the glass surface. Smiling sweetly at Ming Yue, she asked, “What do you think?”

“We invited you here out of goodwill, treating you like family. Now that you’ve made money, you’re acting high and mighty, not even acknowledging your parents. From the moment you walked in, you’ve been putting on airs. Who are you trying to impress? Don’t think earning a little money makes you superior. Who was it that brought you back from the countryside in the first place?” Ming Yue’s voice grew shriller, nearly hysterical.

Finally! The wait was over!

Ming Xi thought she had to do something even more outrageous to provoke Ming Yue’s outburst, but she hadn’t expected that simply turning a plate and tapping the table with a spoon would be enough to make the young lady Ming lose her temper!

Excellent! Time to tear off the mask!

There were too many old and new grudges between her and this family. She didn’t intend to settle the old accounts herself—Liu Xinjun would soon come and do that for her.

Right now, she felt Ming Yue was absolutely right; she was indeed arrogant—

but the feeling of arrogance was fantastic!

Some people, even without money, thought they were superior. Why should she tuck her tail between her legs? That made no sense.

Yes, she admitted it—she was insane. So they’d better not shout at her. Not one person at this table mattered to her. Half of them she despised. She was already disgusted enough; if she wanted to make a scene, she had plenty of tricks.

“Ming Yue, I suggest you calm down first and let your Boss He finish talking about the debts. Otherwise, all that careful scheming might go to waste, and this dinner will have been for nothing.”

Ming Xi spoke slowly and deliberately, offering her advice with good intentions.

Ming Yue glared at her fiercely.

Fine. If she couldn’t out-glare her, there were other ways. Ming Xi gripped the porcelain spoon. Every time Ming Yue glared, she slammed it against the glass. Once. Twice. Thrice. Each strike harder than the last—until the spoon snapped in half.

The impact was both imposing and astonishing.

Ming Xi blinked apologetically at the broken spoon, looked at the serious-looking waiter not far away, and politely said, “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for this spoon when we settle the bill.”

The waiter: “…” So terrified, his legs felt like they were nailed to the ground; he wanted to leave the private room but couldn’t bear to move.

To be honest, Ming Xi really hoped the waiter would leave, because she really didn’t want to frighten innocent people.

Ming Xi finally began to showcase her superb “acting skills.” Every second of her performance was a rollercoaster of emotions—one moment startled, the next solemn, then a charming smile. She was exactly as Ming Yue had described—insane.

Yes, she was insane, so don’t mess with her!

From the moment Ming Xi decided to attend this banquet, she was determined not to get entangled with these people any longer. She could not pretend civility or merely muddle through. If she handled this lightly, she would face endless trouble in the future.

So, today was a perfect opportunity to settle accounts. She would perform brilliantly, showing them what it meant for the once-poor to strike it rich, what it meant to let success go to one’s head, what it meant for a petty person to gain power.

She wanted no pretense—only a clean break. From now on, they would go their separate ways.

Right now, she was arrogant and ungrateful, so don’t even think about messing with her! After years of getting along, she knew what kind of person Ming Decheng was. She had to crush any hope he harbored of exploiting her. Today’s behavior would make it clear—she was no longer someone to push around.

“Ming Xi, how could you treat Mom and Dad like this? has your conscience been eaten by dogs?!” Ming Yue rebuked again, her aggressive eyes blazing with anger.

“What, conscience?” Ming Xi pursed her lips, deliberately narrowing her originally sharp eyes. She tilted her head, looking at Ming Yue with a bewildered expression: “What conscience? Toward you? Toward any of you? I lost that long ago. Or do you still have yours? Show me. Let me see what it looks like. Or are you talking about filial piety? Which ‘filial’? The one where you wear mourning clothes? I can do that. When Dad’s day comes, just let me know. I’ll be there.”

With that, she raised a finger and pointed it at Ming Decheng.

Ming Decheng: …

Not daring to make a sound.

Ming Xi laughed deeply, her bright eyes gleaming coldly beneath the chandelier. She spoke such ruthless words with a beautiful, radiant face—half-mad, utterly commanding, terrifying and mesmerizing all at once.

Someone had completely torn off their facade. To utter such cruel words as “wearing mourning clothes”! Ming Yue’s face instantly turned ashen, speechless with rage, only able to grit her teeth.

Filled with fury, Ming Yue wanted nothing more than to smash the bowl and chopsticks in her hands at Ming Xi.

However, Ming Xi acted first.

“What to do? The spoon is broken, I can’t even drink the soup. Should we even continue this meal?” Ming Xi feigned distress, picking up the bowl in front of her, glancing at it, then raising it high and letting go.

The bowl crashed heavily onto the marble tiles, shattering instantly into pieces.

Everyone fell silent…

It had to be said, Boss Ming’s utterly ruthless move was incredibly effective. As she’d said before, she had had no family to rely on back then, and now she had no need to spare this so-called family any consideration. At this table, she didn’t need to care about a single person—Yang Yumei included.

“I’m sorry, the bowl’s broken too. Put it on my tab later,” Ming Xi said, turning around with a smile to the waiter.

The waiter tried hard to keep his mouth shut, unable to utter a word, only able to nod stiffly.

Everyone: …

He Yuan’s composure finally collapsed. He clenched his teeth, staring at Ming Xi with the same look he once had years ago at the villa. The difference was that the Ming Xi of the past had known how to restrain herself. The woman before him now openly challenged him, confronting everyone head-on.

She didn’t even spare her own father’s dignity. Why would she spare anyone else’s? She had discarded even the last trace of gratitude toward Yang Yumei for raising her. Yet Ming Yue had foolishly tried to manipulate her with morality and conscience.

Conscience? Gone.

Filial piety? Reserved for the day of mourning.

In short, Ming Xi’s “insanity” completely disrupted He Yuan’s original debt-sharing plan. Originally, He Yuan had planned to feign benevolence by dividing all the debts into two parts to test Ming Xi’s attitude, but now there was no need for testing; Ming Xi’s attitude was clearly stated before everyone.

She wanted to sever all ties.

Better shattered jade than intact tile.

It had to be admitted—before Ming Xi walked in, Ming Decheng had still been indulging in fantasies. But now, seated below He Yuan, his legs were trembling uncontrollably. Was this still the obedient, ingratiating, sensible daughter he remembered?

What had she gone through all these years to change so completely? His last shred of hope was that perhaps she was only putting on an act for Yang Yumei’s sake. After all, Yang Yumei had mistreated her before. But he, as her father, hadn’t—at least not in his own view. He hadn’t shown blatant favoritism. Many times, he had treated Ming Xi and Ming Yue equally—equally without loving either of them.

However, at this moment, the person most tormented at the table wasn’t the confused Ming Decheng, nor the angry Ming Yue, it was Yang Yumei.

But her turmoil wasn’t guilt toward Ming Xi, nor unease over the debt He Yuan mentioned. She was worried the old debts would affect Ming Yue’s marriage. To Yang Yumei, the most important person in the world was Ming Yue. And what mattered most for Ming Yue was her current marriage.

For that reason, the person who had least wanted to contact Ming Xi all along was Yang Yumei. She wished she could erase her entirely—so that the past, especially anything unfavorable to Ming Yue, would never resurface. Yet Ming Decheng, harboring his own selfish motives, had pestered Ming Yue to find ways to contact Ming Xi and insisted she attend this so-called family dinner.

Ming Yue had always been indifferent to family affairs, and Ming Decheng had always looked down on Ming Xi. Combined, their understanding of her didn’t even equal Yang Yumei’s. Back in that house, Yang Yumei and Ming Xi had spent almost every day together.

To save face for her daughter, when He Yuan brought up the debt issue, the previously silent Yang Yumei stood up. She looked at He Yuan: “You don’t need to worry about this money. Ming Decheng and I will find a way ourselves! We still have money!”

Ming Decheng was stunned, staring at her wide-eyed. Hadn’t the money they earned working illegally in the US all been taken by Ming Yue?

“Don’t worry, we won’t be a burden to Ming Yue,” Yang Yumei said again, her expression resolute.

Ming Yue frowned at her mother’s stubborn bravado.

Yang Yumei insisted they could repay the debt themselves and would not burden their child.

Of course, she only had one child, Ming Yue!

Tsk tsk, Ming Xi almost felt moved. She nearly wanted to applaud such “great maternal love.” For a fleeting second, she softened, tempted to show mercy for Yang Yumei’s sake.

But mercy came at the cost of endless future trouble. Back then, had Yang Yumei shown her mercy?

Perhaps, when Yang Yumei had gotten on the car and then off again, there had been a sliver of hesitation. But everyone knew what mattered most to them.

To Yang Yumei, it was Ming Yue.

So, what’s most important to her? Peace and quiet!

And to gain that peace and quiet, she had to be ruthless.

“Great! You have money, right? Then pay it back!” Ming Xi’s eyes sharpened as she gripped her phone and dialed a number. When the line connected, she said clearly, in front of everyone in the private room, “Brother Liu, come upstairs.”

Ming Xi’s sudden call left Ming Decheng completely bewildered; Yang Yumei remained speechless;

Ming Yue was furious, her knuckles turning white from the force of her grip; He Yuan almost jumped up from his seat. He had thought that simply stirring up the waters of the Ming family would suffice, since Ming Xi, as Ming Decheng’s daughter, couldn’t possibly remain uninvolved. But he never expected that Ming Xi wasn’t just watching from the sidelines, but actively setting fires, practically pushing the situation out of control!

Haha, how interesting! Ming Xi felt a surge of satisfaction. For the first time in her lifetime, she had actually tasted the exhilarating feeling of committing evil!

Yes, she truly had no conscience. How could the daughter born to Ming Decheng possibly possess a conscience!

“He Yuan, didn’t you mention earlier that you were being bothered by debt collectors? There are some things you might not be aware of, so let me explain the Ming family’s situation in detail. On one hand, our family relationships are complicated. You probably have some idea already, so I won’t elaborate. On the other hand, we have quite a number of creditors. You used to be my boss—I didn’t expect Boss He to be so chivalrous, wanting to rob the rich to aid the poor. Unfortunately, I have no conscience. I sold it long ago. In a moment, I’ll introduce you to the Ming family’s biggest creditor.”

Her words flowed smoothly, edged with sarcasm. When she mentioned “creditor,” she deliberately slowed down.

“Ming Decheng, do you remember him? Liu Xinjun, Brother Liu?” Ming Xi then turned her attention to Ming Decheng.

Upon hearing Liu Xinjun’s name, Ming Decheng’s face turned deathly pale.

Ming Yue’s expression also darkened, becoming extremely ugly.

Yang Yumei shot to her feet in panic, staring at Ming Xi in disbelief and fear.

Ming Xi, however, only showed a gratified and touched smile. Sure enough, Brother Liu still carried weight. All her previous words had provoked less reaction than his name alone.

Who was Liu Xinjun? He Yuan wondered, turning to Ming Yue. Aside from the supplier’s debt, were there other creditors?

That’s right…

That two-hundred-thousand-yuan debt—Ming Yue could never forget it. It had been she who urged her parents to borrow the money before sneaking into the United States.

Soon, the door to the private room was pushed open again. It wasn’t just one person who entered—but several.

Two days earlier, when Liu Xinjun had spoken to Ming Xi on the phone, he had asked gallantly, “Ming Xi, how many people do you want me to bring?”

She had replied politely, “Brother Liu, however many you brought when you made things difficult for me back then—bring the same number.”

Liu Xinjun: “I didn’t make things difficult for you, Ming Xi, don’t hold a grudge. In our line of work, we collect more than principal—we collect interest too. You calculated my interest back then; I’ll help you get it back!”

Naturally, he brought a few extra men.

After all, if he could show off in front of Ming Xi, he wouldn’t miss the chance.

What followed was so dramatic that the young waiter nearly reached for his phone to call the police. Yet he remained frozen in the corner, as if nailed to the wall.

Ming Xi stood up, wiping her fingers with a towel from the table, and said pleasantly to the waiter, “We need to settle some family matters. Why don’t you step outside for a bit?”

The waiter: … couldn’t he stay to watch?

Ming Xi shook her head slightly; better leave.

When Ming Decheng was fully restrained by Liu Xinjun’s men, he finally erupted in terror and fury, asking in a trembling voice, “Are you crazy? Ming Xi!”

Ming Xi raised an eyebrow: “Crazy? Of course! How can I settle accounts with you if I’m not a little crazy!”

Then she turned to Liu Xinjun and introduced him generously to He Yuan: “This is Brother Liu, your father-in-law’s last creditor in Yicheng. Ming Decheng owes him two hundred thousand yuan that hasn’t been repaid. The interest rate they agreed on was… how much was it again?” Ming Xi turned to ask Brother Liu.

Sorry, Liu Xinjun couldn’t quite remember.

It’s alright, Ming Xi was just asking casually; she had a good memory and remembered it clearly.

Standing there casually yet arrogantly, Boss Ming recited the details of the IOU Ming Decheng had signed: “Principal: 200,000 yuan, monthly interest: 3%. The IOU was signed at the end of December 1999, and it’s now the end of April 2005—sixty-five months in total. At a monthly interest rate of 3%, excluding the principal, the interest alone should be 390,000 yuan, plus the principal, a total of 590,000 yuan! Right, Boss He? You’re more professional than me in lending matters; my calculation should be correct, right…?”

A trace of mock humility flickered in her bright eyes as she looked at He Yuan.

He Yuan was completely stunned by the scene before him. At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind: divorce Ming Yue immediately and never, ever get entangled with Ming Decheng’s terrifying daughters again. His lips trembled slightly; his face darkened as he turned his head away. He absolutely would not pay this money!

So, who would?

Of course, Ming Xi would never tell Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei that she had already repaid the debt years ago. When she first received Ming Yue’s text message, she had even considered bringing the original IOU and the debt transfer agreement to demand repayment properly. But she had thought it through. If she acted reasonably once, there would be a next time. If Ming Decheng learned that she had softened three years ago and repaid the money for him, he would cling to that hope forever.

Ming Xi leaned slightly forward, gazing at her unfamiliar and comical biological father. For the first time since entering the room, she spoke in a gentle, almost negotiative tone: “Dad, since Aunt Yang says you have money, then pay back the 590,000 yuan first. Otherwise, my ‘contract of sale’ is still with Brother Liu. If you don’t pay back the money, I’m no longer your daughter, so what right do I have to pay your previous debts?”

“Right, Aunt Yang?” Ming Xi tilted her head toward Yang Yumei, completely changed the way she addressed her. No matter what their relationship had once been, she used to call Yang Yumei “Mom.” From this moment on, there would be no mother-daughter relationship between them for the rest of their lives.

“Ming Xi…you…you can’t go this far!” Yang Yumei’s face was deathly pale. She called Ming Xi’s name for the first time, and it was to accuse her of being too ruthless.

But who had borrowed the money? Who had run away? And who had actually spent it?

“What did I do? Didn’t you say you had the money to pay off the debt? Then pay back Brother Liu this debt first. Five hundred and ninety thousand. After that, pay off the other debts in Yicheng. As long as you pay the interest properly, I believe you’ll still have a chance to hold your heads high again. Right, Brother Liu? If they repay this money, can you forgive them? For my sake, perhaps?”

Ming Xi’s performance of false benevolence reached perfection.

Liu Xinjun had put on quite a bit of weight over the years. “Brother Liu” was nearly “Uncle Liu” now. He hadn’t worn a wig today, looking every bit the overbearing thug he once was. Hearing Ming Xi call him “Brother Liu” again and again made him feel extraordinarily impressive. He even lifted a hand as if to smooth his hair. Ming Decheng, on the other hand, shrank back slightly, as if Liu Xinjun might strike him at any second.

Strike? Of course not. Liu Xinjun was now the owner of a legitimate micro-loan company. He operated properly—especially in front of Ming Xi’s family. Appearances had to be maintained.

“Since I’m here, I must collect this money today. I can’t have come for nothing. So—who’s paying?” Liu Xinjun lit a cigarette and asked in a deliberately civilized tone.

Civilized in tone only. His men still had Ming Decheng firmly restrained.

At critical moments, true family bonds revealed themselves. Besides Ming Decheng, the only ones anxious were Ming Yue and Yang Yumei—but neither could afford the money. Ming Yue glared at Ming Xi with hatred, placing her last hope on He Yuan. Yang Yumei, unwilling to let Ming Yue ask, turned her gaze toward Ming Xi instead.

Shameless behavior is contagious; even at this point, Ming Decheng also turned his gaze to Ming Xi. His mind raced, and he came up with a plan: “Ming Xi, if you pay back this money now, your ‘contract of sale’ will be back in your own hands, right?”

Haha! Ming Xi laughed, almost to the point of tears. Only Ming Decheng could say something so ridiculous at a time like this.

Very well. Ming Xi originally didn’t mean to be so heartless. Since some people still didn’t understand, she decided to be frank. She fixed her eyes on Ming Decheng and casually said, “Dad, don’t you understand? I’m on Brother Liu’s side now!”

Ming Decheng: …

Yang Yumei: …

He Yuan: …

“How could I possibly help you pay back the money? I didn’t spend it. Whoever uses it, pays it back, right?” Ming Xi’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly, and her gaze shifted, deliberately landing on Ming Yue’s face. “Right, sister!”

Ming Yue: …!

What does it mean to be utterly shameless? Ming Xi’s words perfectly illustrated it. She bluntly stated that she was on the same side as Liu Xinjun, the debt collector.

Then, Boss Ming came to the real point—

“Brother Liu, don’t worry. Now that my family is back, if they ever contact me again, I’ll inform you immediately. You can come collect anytime—if you don’t manage to collect it today.”

Ming Decheng: …

Ming Yue snapped. She grabbed a drink from the table and splashed it toward Ming Xi.

Ming Xi reacted quickly, but orange juice still stained the back of her hand and sleeve. How clever she was—she had deliberately worn black tonight.

She picked up a glass herself. But before she could act, Liu Xinjun’s men had already restrained Ming Yue.

Ming Xi calmly placed the glass back down, picked up a small towel, and wiped her hands.

Then she tossed the used towel back in front of Ming Yue, her gaze dripping with disdain.

It would take a little longer to fully intimidate Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei.

The next scene wasn’t something she wanted the waiter to witness. She beckoned him over and asked for her coat.

The waiter, who had been plastered to the wall, hurried forward respectfully and handed it to her. Ming Xi slipped into her trench coat and said to the waiter, “Don’t worry, it’s legitimate debt collection. We won’t break a second bowl or spoon. Take me to pay the bill.”

Tonight, Miss Ming was a little soft-hearted; all this food had gone to waste—she ought to at least pay for it.

The waiter’s voice trembled slightly: “…Alright, ma’am!”

The payment counter for the private dining rooms wasn’t in the main lobby. Ming Xi swiped her card.

The cashier area was quiet and elegant, decorated in resplendent Chinese style. In the long, serene corridor, there was even a faint scent of incense.

Ming Xi stopped in front of a vivid scene of artificial hills and springs. Checking her phone, she noticed a missed call from Liang Jiancheng.

She was debating whether to return the call when a steady, impossible-to-ignore voice sounded behind her.

Startled, Boss Ming—who had just wreaked havoc moments ago—turned sharply. Gu Shuangyang stood behind her, studying her thoughtfully.

Then, she walked towards her.

Ming Xi: …

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