Chapter 83: No One Gets Off Easy

Xiluo Zhang stepped into the arrivals hall and at a glance spotted Xueting Jiang and Xinyi Xu. She raised a hand and called out, “Xueting, Xinyi, I’m here.”

The moment they saw her, both of them reddened-eyed and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Are you hungry? Let’s get you something to eat.” Xueting Jiang sniffled.

“I’m not hungry. Take me home.” Xiluo Zhang smiled faintly, linking arms with both of them. “Don’t be sad. I think this is a good thing.”

“Maybe this child and I were never meant to be. I was too naive.” She was not merely trying to comfort them; she had truly come to terms with it.

If the child had been born, the Li family would surely have fought her for it, and Yaoyu Zhou would have used every possible means to harm the baby. Before safety could be guaranteed, the child would have faced countless dangers.

Xiluo Zhang felt that even the child had sensed it and so had chosen to leave.

At that thought, her heart still ached, and she almost felt the sting of tears.

She forced her emotions back under control and gave no further explanation, afraid that the more she said, the worse it would sound, worrying them even more.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

Linked arm in arm, the three of them left the airport and chatted and laughed all the way back to Ruo Garden.

The house was dark. Mother Zhang and Father Zhang had not yet returned; they were probably still busy.

Xueting Jiang and Xinyi Xu insisted on staying with her. One went to cook, the other sat with her and kept her company.

Xueting Jiang and Chengyi Zhao were about to be married, and she wanted Xiluo Zhang and Xinyi Xu to be her bridesmaids.

“Xueting, I’m divorced, and I miscarried. I’m bad luck. I can’t be your bride.” Xiluo Zhang’s marriage had been a complete disaster, and she feared her own ill fortune in love would affect Xueting Jiang.

“What are you saying? If you don’t be my bridesmaid, then I won’t marry!” Xueting Jiang said angrily. “I won’t let you talk like that. Do you want to make me furious?”

“Luo Luo, when I get married, I want you to be my bridesmaid too.” Xinyi Xu came out of the kitchen carrying dishes. “If you refuse, then I won’t marry either.”

“You don’t even have a boyfriend, and you’re threatening Luo Luo,” Xueting Jiang scoffed. “All day long you’re busy saving lives and healing the wounded—where would you find the time to get married?”

“Who said I don’t have one? In a few days I’ll bring him to meet you.”

“Really?” Xueting Jiang jumped up at once and went to her. “We know him? Stop teasing me and just say it now.”

“The time isn’t right. What’s the rush? Luo Luo, dinner’s ready.” Xinyi Xu kept up the air of mystery, and Xueting Jiang was so exasperated she nearly stamped her feet.

Seeing the two of them, Xiluo Zhang’s mood improved considerably. Her appetite came back as well, and she ate an entire large bowl of rice.

Her health was weak, and she truly needed to nourish herself properly. Regain her strength, recover her body, and find someone to marry and have children with—that would not be a bad path.

Only with strength could she face the unknown troubles ahead.

In the past, Xiluo Zhang had dieted for Mingye Li, because he had once said she was too fat. Later, the marriage became too bitter, the waiting too bitter, and she lost interest in everything. She stopped sleeping on time, stopped eating properly, and ruined her own body through exhaustion.

After her rebirth, she had begun to pay attention to her health, but she still had not taken it seriously, and she had been bullied again and again.

From now on, she would eat properly and build herself up.

Halfway through the meal, Mother Zhang came home. She looked terrible, drained and haggard.

“Luo Luo, why didn’t you tell me you were coming back in advance?” Seeing Xiluo Zhang, a trace of a smile appeared on her face. When Xinyi Xu and Xueting Jiang greeted her, she nodded repeatedly.

“Mom, come and eat. Xinyi’s cooking is excellent.”

“All right.”

Mother Zhang ate very little. During the meal, she answered many phone calls. “Luo Luo, I have to go out for something. Don’t wander around by yourself at home.”

“Don’t worry, Auntie, we’ll stay with her,” Xinyi Xu said. “You need to rest. It hasn’t been long since your surgery, and you can’t overwork yourself.”

“You’re a good child. Auntie will be careful. I’m leaving Luo Luo in your hands.”

Mother Zhang went to her bedroom to fetch a few things, then hurried out again.

Xiluo Zhang was deeply troubled. Her uncle’s situation was now very serious, implicating many companies, and the Zhang Group was the hardest hit.

Not only would they face a thorough financial investigation, but recent projects won at auction might also be revoked.

News had already spread through Dragon City that the Zhang family was finished, and they were only waiting for hard proof.

“Oh no, Luo Luo, look at this,” Xueting Jiang suddenly exclaimed as she scrolled on her phone. “That awful man is kicking them while they’re down!”

“He publicly announced your divorce, and that little mistress Zhou also posted on social media, thanking that bastard for helping him.” Xueting Jiang handed the phone to Xiluo Zhang. “Those shameless scoundrels are too much. I’m going to settle accounts with them right now.”

“Xueting, don’t make things worse,” Xinyi Xu stopped her. “On what grounds are you going to find him?”

Xueting Jiang looked at Xiluo Zhang and let out a heavy sigh. “Bastard. That vile man!”

Xiluo Zhang was momentarily stunned. The words on the screen seemed to have thorns, pricking her eyes. Mingye Li had released the news: their marriage was over.

Had he kept silent all this time just to wait for this moment?

Was it because she had pushed Yaoyu Zhou in the hospital, and he wanted revenge for her, to teach her the consequences of offending him?

Mingye Li’s decision to announce it at this time could only mean that he intended to bring the Zhang Group down completely.

Xiluo Zhang felt that she had truly been too foolish. How could she have fallen in love with such a cold-blooded man? No—not cold-blooded to everyone. Only to her.

With the Li family holding the tie between them, many people had not dared move against the Zhang family. Now that the divorce had been made public, it was equivalent to announcing that the two families were no longer connected.

Mingye Li was using other people’s hands to destroy the entire Zhang Group.

“Luo Luo, what are you going to do?” Xinyi Xu looked at Xiluo Zhang, very worried. Her own family company was already trying its best to distance itself from Xiluo Zhang’s uncle.

Now that Mingye Li had made the announcement, even more companies would react.

They did not understand business warfare, but they understood the consequences.

“First, find that woman.” Xiluo Zhang calmed herself and closed the news page. “The root of this matter is that whistleblower. Only by finding her can we uncover the truth.”

“It won’t be easy. She’s like she doesn’t exist at all.” Xueting Jiang had been investigating for days and had found nothing useful. “Some people say Mingye Li is protecting her.”

“Let’s sleep first. Worrying won’t help.” Xiluo Zhang did not want them to be anxious with her, so she secretly held onto her phone and watched the alerts over and over again.

Each time she looked, she cursed Mingye Li in her heart.

Then she opened Yaoyu Zhou’s social media page and looked at that sweet smile, at the honeyed happiness woven through every line, and she could not help but curse Mingye Li several more times.

That vile man. Someday, he would regret this.

Xiluo Zhang made up her mind that she would first tear away Yaoyu Zhou’s disguise, strike at the heart, and shatter Mingye Li’s dream of a white moonlight substitute. She would not become a villain, but she would no longer allow villains to hurt her.

She took out her phone, clipped a section from the recording Lin Yiming had given her, and sent it to Yaoyu Zhou.