“It was Wen Jingci—Wen Jingci told her.”
Before Su Ran’yue could finish speaking, Cui Qingshu’s eyes were already red-rimmed as she cut in pitifully:
“Su Ran’yue, you’re so hypocritical. You clearly said it yourself, and now you refuse to admit it—you even ran to Dad to play the victim. That’s just how you’ve always been.”
“If you didn’t say it yourself, how would I possibly know?”
Her acting was in full swing now. With teary eyes, Cui Qingshu turned to Cui Yuanwei:
“Dad, say something! Su Ran’yue said you took half the family fortune and gave it to her, and even sent my fiancé away to protect her.”
“Is… is that true?”
Outside, the sky had completely darkened. No lights were on inside the house. Thunder roared continuously as lightning tore through the night again and again.
Boom—boom—
Each flash illuminated every unsettled face in the room.
In one sudden burst of light, Cui Yuanwei met Lin Weihua’s eyes.
The coldness in them made his scalp tingle and his breathing tighten until he nearly suffocated.
He was truly terrified.
Anger and fear surged together in him. He shot a vicious glare at Su Ran’yue lying on the floor, then quickly turned back with a fawning smile toward Lin Weihua.
“Let me explain! I absolutely never had such intentions. It’s all nonsense from Su Ran’yue!”
Lin Weihua said nothing, only stared at him silently.
Sweat dripped down Cui Yuanwei’s temples.
“That Shen Ziming is a living person—how could I just hand him over? She’s making it all up!”
“And the property—Qingshu is my daughter. How could I possibly give anything to an outsider like her? Think about it, it doesn’t make sense!”
“You must believe me—Qingshu is my only daughter. I’m not stupid!”
Cui Qingshu sneered inwardly and immediately looked at Su Ran’yue.
Su Ran’yue kept her head down. Her face was hidden, but her uninjured hand was clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palm.
Seeing her discomfort made Cui Qingshu feel satisfied.
She pressed on, merciless:
“Just now Su Ran’yue also said that you gave her a lot of the Cui family’s treasures… What, is she actually your biological daughter?”
Cui Yuanwei jerked his head up.
“Nonsense! What are you talking about!”
Before Cui Qingshu could continue, Lin Weihua interrupted.
She gently took her daughter’s hand and shook her head:
“Qingshu, go back to your room. I have something to say to your father alone.”
Cui Qingshu hesitated and glanced at Cui Yuanwei.
Lin Weihua tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her expression soft:
“Good girl. Adult matters are for adults to handle. You just need to be my daughter.”
Warmth filled her calm, star-like eyes, and for a moment Cui Qingshu felt dazed.
She nodded softly:
“Okay. Mom, be careful.”
She returned to her room.
Lin Weihua’s expression instantly turned cold.
“Follow me,” she said flatly.
Cui Yuanwei hurried after her with a fawning smile.
“My… my hand feels like it’s broken. Aren’t you taking me to the hospital?”
Su Ran’yue groaned in pain, her voice weak.
Cui Yuanwei barely glanced at her.
With Lin Weihua’s cold snort ahead, he didn’t dare stop and quickly followed.
“You won’t die. Wait there!”
He wiped his cold sweat, full of frustration and anger at being dragged into this mess. Even his usually favored daughter no longer earned his concern.
Watching her father leave without a second thought, Su Ran’yue slowly lowered her head, hatred surging in her eyes.
So this was the “favorite daughter”?
If he truly loved her, why not give her the ship ticket? Why not give her all the property?
She had to fight, steal, scheme.
Liars.
All of them were liars!
Inside the study.
Lin Weihua looked at the man in front of her with undisguised disgust and slapped him hard across the face.
“While I was away, this is how you protected my daughter?”
“That vile woman—how dare she climb over my daughter’s head?”
Cui Yuanwei’s face burned.
“Whi… Weihua, listen to my explanation…”
Lin Weihua raised her hand impatiently.
“Enough. I don’t want to hear it. Just remember our agreement.”
Cui Yuanwei quickly nodded and raised his hand in oath:
“I swear I will keep my promise! Everything in the future will belong to our daughter. If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning and die a terrible death!”
The moment he finished speaking, a deafening thunderclap shook the entire house.
His raised hand froze mid-air.
That was the loudest thunder of the night.
Lin Weihua looked at him with cold mockery as he shrank lower and lower, no longer resembling the head of the household at all.
“And the ship ticket?” she asked.
Cui Yuanwei inwardly cursed Su Ran’yue for being useless.
He had warned her repeatedly to keep quiet.
Now this madwoman had exposed everything. If she reported him…
There must be no mistake with the plan to leave for Hong Kong.
“Weihua, I had no choice…”
He stepped forward, trying to embrace her.
Lin Weihua shoved him away in disgust.
“Speak properly. Don’t come near me.”
He stiffened, awkwardly smoothing his clothes.
“Weihua, you’re different from me. You’re a martyr’s descendant—you have protection. But I’m a capitalist. If I don’t leave, I won’t survive.”
“I only have one daughter. Once I settle in Hong Kong, everything I build will belong to her.”
“You don’t want the Cui family to end up with nothing, do you?”
He tried to persuade her gently.
“I will take my footing there first, then bring you and our daughter over. I just can’t take you now—it’s too chaotic.”
Lin Weihua’s expression remained cold.
“If a capitalist flees with assets, what will happen to me and my daughter if we stay?”
Cui Yuanwei hurriedly replied:
“It’s fine. Nothing will happen. You’re a martyr’s family—no one will touch you. That status is your protection.”
“Once things calm down, I’ll secretly bring you over.”
“A martyr’s family?”
Lin Weihua stared at him, her voice sharp as ice:
“Then where is my martyr certificate?”
Cui Yuanwei’s eyes flickered instantly.
“W-what martyr certificate?”