Li Tingshen frowned, quickly connecting the dots. “The Pei family did this?”
Pei Jinchuan appeared gentle and polite, but he was no pushover.
“Yes, I’ve looked into it. The young master of the Pei family lives next door and seems to have had some unpleasantness with Yin Xiao Jie.”
Li Tingshen sneered. Pei Jinchuan was trying to extend his influence into the Li family.
How dare he take Gu Mian out for a meal.
That scene of them holding hands—anyone who didn’t know better would think they were a family of three!
“President Li, what should we do now?” the assistant asked.
“Do I need to spell out such a small matter?” Li Tingshen said coldly. “Since Pei Jinchuan has so much free time for meals, let’s make sure he stays busy.”
The assistant was confused.
Weren’t they talking about Yin Xiao Jie being beaten?
How did it shift to meals?
Seeing Li Tingshen’s low mood, he didn’t dare ask further. “I understand.”
……
After dinner, Xiaobao insisted on going to the amusement park, so Pei Jinchuan had no choice but to take him.
Gu Mian accompanied him through every ride, and she herself felt unusually relaxed.
It had been a long, long time since she had felt this happy.
It wasn’t until after 9 p.m. that the three of them returned.
Xiaobao was so tired that he fell asleep directly on Pei Jinchuan’s shoulder.
Back at the hospital, Gu Mian changed the sleeping Xiaobao’s clothes and tucked him in. Just as she was about to leave, the hospital room door was pushed open.
Gu Mian didn’t recognize the person in the wheelchair at first. “Yin… Yin Luoxue?”
Yin Luoxue’s face was swollen like a pig’s head, looking both pitiful and ridiculous.
“What happened to you?”
“How dare you ask what happened!” Yin Luoxue fumed. “Gu Mian, you and that bastard actually dared to retaliate against me! I’ve already told Ting Shen ge, and he won’t let you get away with this!”
Gu Mian frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Before Yin Luoxue could respond, a nurse rushed in and wheeled her away. “Sorry for the disturbance, I’ll take her away now!”
“I was the one who had her beaten,” Pei Jinchuan explained. “She laid a hand on my son, so of course I had to return the favor tenfold.”
Gu Mian looked worried. “Mr. Pei, it’s right for you to seek justice for Xiaobao, but I’m afraid you might bring trouble upon yourself.”
Yin Luoxue was Li Tingshen’s beloved, and Li Tingshen would never stand by idly.
No sooner had she spoken than Pei Jinchuan’s phone rang.
After hanging up, he said to Gu Mian, “It seems you know your husband well.”
Gu Mian frowned. “Ting Shen has made his move, hasn’t he?”
“Yes, and it’s quite the spectacle.” Pei Jinchuan smiled. “I didn’t expect him to go to such lengths for a woman.”
A bitter feeling welled up in Gu Mian’s heart, and her eyes stung.
Her husband was avenging another woman with such force—it felt like a humiliation to her.
Pei Jinchuan noticed Gu Mian’s distress and asked, “Gu Mian, are you alright? I’m sorry, I spoke out of turn.”
“You didn’t say anything wrong. His actions are understandable because you don’t know the bond between them.” Gu Mian composed herself and asked, “Mr. Pei, is this situation difficult to handle? What will you do now?”
“Don’t worry, I can handle it. It’ll just take some time and effort. I’ll be quite busy from now on, so I’ll need you to help take care of Xiaobao.”
“I’m Xiaobao’s caregiver; looking after him is my responsibility. Rest assured, I’ll do my very best to take good care of him.”
“Thank you.”
……
Gu Mian bid farewell to Pei Jinchuan and left the hospital.
As soon as she got into the taxi, Gu Zhiyuan’s call came through.
Gu Mian immediately answered, “Uncle.”
However, it was Wang Shulan’s furious voice that came from the other end of the line, “Gu Mian, didn’t you say that as long as you moved out of my house, Ting Shen wouldn’t make things difficult for us? It’s been a week now, not only have I not received any notice allowing me to reopen, but today I got a bolt from the blue!”
“Aunt, what bolt from the blue?”
“I received a notice that my shop can no longer operate. I have to move everything out immediately because the landlord is taking back the storefront. What have you been doing? Have you angered Ting Shen again!”
Gu Mian closed her eyes in frustration, blaming herself. She had almost forgotten that her uncle’s shop was still in Li Tingshen’s control.
She had sensed something was off about Li Tingshen’s expression when he left the hospital earlier, but she hadn’t expected him to make his move so quickly.
“Alright, Mian Mian didn’t mean to…” Gu Zhiyuan’s helpless voice chimed in.
“Shut up!” Wang Shulan scolded, “You always protect your precious niece! She’s nothing without the Li family! I don’t care if she wants to make trouble and get divorced, but she can’t affect me! Without money, am I supposed to live on air? I’m telling you, Gu Zhiyuan, if we can’t reopen soon, I’ll divorce you!”
“Aunt, I’m sorry, please don’t be angry,” Gu Mian spoke up, “I’ll find a way to resolve this.”
“Then I’ll give you one last chance. You’d better hurry up, because my patience is limited. If this isn’t resolved, I’m getting a divorce, hmph!”
Looking at the ended call, Gu Mian lowered her eyes.
She absolutely couldn’t let her uncle get divorced because of her.
She needed to find Li Tingshen!
Gu Mian called Yun Yue Bay, where Aunt Yang said Li Tingshen hadn’t returned home yet.
Gu Mian had the driver turn around and head to Li’s Group. She called his assistant, who hesitantly said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Li. President Li is working overtime and doesn’t have time to see you.”
Gu Mian knew perfectly well this was Li Tingshen’s doing, but she had no intention of leaving. “It’s alright, I can wait until he’s finished. Please inform him again when you get the chance.”
“Alright.”
Gu Mian sat alone on a bench downstairs at Li’s Group, her slender figure looking particularly lonely.
In the CEO’s office, Li Tingshen watched her through the surveillance feed, his expression cold.
He thought she had grown a backbone, daring to talk back and block him. Yet it had taken less than a day for her to abandon that fragile defiance and come to him.
“President Li.” The assistant knocked and entered, “I told her you’re busy, but Mrs. Li said she would wait for you.”
“Then let her wait.”
If he didn’t make her wait long enough, she’d dare to oppose him again next time!
……
After waiting for two hours, Gu Mian felt tired, and her chest was somewhat tight.
Normally, she would have persisted until dawn, but now that she was pregnant, she had to rest for the sake of the baby in her womb.
Just as Gu Mian stood up to leave, her phone rang.
“Mrs. Li, President Li has finished his work. I’ll come down to escort you up now.”
Summoning her energy, Gu Mian followed the assistant upstairs.
Li Tingshen’s office was minimalist and atmospheric, exuding exquisite luxury with its highly designed details everywhere.
Li Tingshen stood by the window smoking. Gu Mian approached, and through the floor-to-ceiling window, she could overlook the bustling night view of the Imperial Capital.
She couldn’t stand the smell of smoke now, so she didn’t get too close to the man, nor did she care to admire the night view. She went straight to the point, “Ting Shen, please don’t make things difficult for my uncle, okay?”
Li Tingshen blew out a smoke ring and sneered, “Was the candlelit dinner delicious?”
Gu Mian was a bit confused, “What?”
“I’m asking you, how did it feel having dinner with Pei Jinchuan?” Li Tingshen turned his head, his deep and sharp eyes locking onto her face. “You are my wife. Having dinner with another man—do you want the entire Imperial Capital to laugh at me?”
“I just had a meal with them, that’s all.”
“Just a meal, and that’s all?” Li Tingshen took out his phone, opened a video, and his low voice carried a hint of anger. “Look at how you were laughing and talking together. Anyone who didn’t know would think you were a family of three! Gu Mian, listen carefully. Even if you were just a dog I raised, no other man is allowed to feed you!”