Chapter 179: From Now On, We’re Even

Chapter 179: From Now On, We’re Even

The Liu Family.

Liu Feng was gleefully waiting for some drama, but before he could see any, he was called over by his father, Liu Yan, and given a good scolding.

"You idiot! What are you doing getting involved in the Zheng family's mess? Don’t you realize you’re asking for trouble?"

"Dad, what did I do?"

Liu Feng listened with his head down, trying to look obedient, but he still didn’t understand why he was being reprimanded.

"You still don’t know what you did wrong? Look at who you are, and then look at who the Zheng family is. It’s just a marriage arrangement. Why would you actually help the Zheng family with their business?"

Liu Yan frowned deeply. If it weren’t for the fact that his youngest son had just broken his leg and was still in pain, he would have given him a good thrashing.

"No, I really like Zheng Anran, but I wouldn’t go so far as to help her family with their business, would I?"

Since Liu Feng’s accident, this was the first time he had seen Liu Yan so angry. In the past, Liu Yan had always been gentle with his words to avoid upsetting him.

"Still denying it? Mr. Yu has already come to me about this mess!"

"Huh?"

Shouldn’t he be happy now that he’s found his ‘real mother’?

"What real mother or stepmother? You believe the ramblings of a crazy woman?"

Liu Feng was stunned.

"Crazy woman? No, she’s not!"

That woman seemed completely sane, and he had personally seen Yu Mingze acknowledge her as his real mother!

"That’s Mr. Yu being smart and enduring the humiliation to keep things under control and get information out of the crazy woman!"

Liu Yan lit a cigarette and took a long drag. "The Zheng family’s troublemaker has already been arrested. While there’s still time, you need to break things off with Zheng Anran!"

"I... fine."

Although Liu Feng wasn’t entirely clear on what had happened, he knew he had to obey his father’s words.

Fang Fei was actually arrested by the police? He needed to go and straighten things out with Zheng Anran right away. He didn’t want a mother-in-law who was behind bars!

==========

"Let me out! I’m not crazy, why are you locking me up? Let me out!"

In a mental asylum located in the suburbs, a woman in a blue-and-white striped hospital gown banged on the door, shouting at the top of her lungs.

The passing medical staff covered their ears, acting like they didn’t hear anything.

This woman had been here for a week and was still causing such a commotion. It seemed they needed to up her meds to keep her from getting so worked up.

"Let me out! Let me out!"

Damn it!

How could they really send her to a mental asylum? She wasn’t the crazy one—it was He Ying!

The woman angrily pounded the door a few more times before retreating to her bed in frustration.

The asylum had actually arranged quite good treatment for her: a single room, plenty of food and drink, special attention from the medical staff. Except for the lack of electronic devices and the inability to leave the ward, her days should have been quite pleasant.

But the woman was not satisfied.

The ward door only opened for food and medicine delivery and for the doctor's routine inspections. The only window for ventilation was locked with chains as thick as a wrist, which she couldn't open at all.

She desperately wanted to get out now, not to be treated like a madwoman locked up here!

"Room 304, He Ying, someone is here to see you!"

Hearing the voice from the bedside intercom, the woman sat up.

Who could be coming to see her now?

Could it be He Ying's family, finally coming to their senses to take her out? Or was it Fu Yining, here to gloat?

The woman had met her once in the basement, and since then, she hadn't shown up again.

She was dying to ask if she was really on a mission for another system, to find out how she had managed to win Yu ZhiLi's heart.

If it was the original owner?

Hah, an eighteen-year-old girl, how could she adjust to reality so fast and even get Yu Mingze to betray her?

It's unthinkable!

As she was lost in thought, the ward door opened.

The woman turned towards the sound and saw her traitorous son.

"You! What are you doing here?"

Yu Mingze nodded to the doctor behind him and then stepped slowly into the ward, "I'm here to see you."

The woman sneered, "Hah, I should be grateful you remembered me, huh?"

She hadn't forgotten how he had betrayed her!

"Auntie..."

"Auntie? You always called me mom, didn't you?"

Yu Mingze was silent for a while, then insisted, "I know who you really are, so I won't call you that anymore."

"Hah, as you wish."

The woman was too lazy to argue with him about the title.

She sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs and looking at the ground, impatiently saying, "What exactly are you here for?"

Yu Mingze looked around but couldn't find a place to sit, so he stood at the foot of the bed, saying word by word:

"I discussed with my parents, from now on we won't do anything to you, and you won't have the chance to expose our family's affairs anymore."

The woman sneered, "Those parents? How can you be sure that woman is your mother? Maybe she's just like me, a task performer!"

"Impossible, I believe in my dad!"

"You believe in your dad?"

The woman suddenly jumped off the bed and rushed to him, demanding, "I'm the one who raised and cared for you for twenty-three years. How many times has Yu ZhiLi been there for you? You don't believe me but trust him?"

"I raised you for nothing, huh?"

The woman was furious, baffled that all her efforts had raised someone so ungrateful.

Yu Mingze nodded.

"Yeah, you raised me for twenty-three years, and I’m grateful for that. But if it weren’t for you, my mom wouldn’t have been gone so long..."

Her eyes widened in anger, "What are you saying? You’re blaming me now?"

"No."

After all, they’d been together for over twenty years, and Yu Mingze's feelings towards her were complicated.

He sighed, "Look, I’ll always remember what you did for me, and I’ll repay you for it. But beyond that, we’re done."

"This place is your home now. If you need anything, just ask. I’ve made sure they’ll take care of everything."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she roared, "I’m your mother!"

"You’re not!"

Yu Mingze smiled, like a weight had been lifted.

"This is the last time I’ll see you. Take care of yourself. We’re done."

After saying this, he turned and left.

"No! No!"

She reached out, but couldn’t even grab his sleeve.

"Ming Ze, come back! I’m your mother—how can you just leave me like this?"

"Bang!"

The only reply was the slam of the iron door.

She stared blankly at the empty room, suddenly feeling her face wet.

She touched her face and realized she’d been crying without even knowing it.

Had she really failed so completely...

-

"Mr. Yu, don’t worry—we’ll take care of Room 304."

"Mm."

The hospital director personally saw Yu Mingze off, assuring him that they would take good care of the person in Room 304.

As soon as he got into the car, Yu Mingze received a message from Fu Yining: [Where have you been? Why aren't you back for dinner yet?]

He took one last look at the white building behind him and replied.

—[I'm on my way back!]

The black car turned and headed for the city center.