Chapter 96: Defeating Your White Lotus

Aunt was furious. Zhang Xiluo repeatedly embarrassed her, causing her to lose face completely. She glared fiercely at Zhang Xiluo. "You were the one chasing after me, calling me 'Aunt,' saying we were family. I still remember how you braved the pouring rain to buy things for me just to win my favor."

"You even knelt and begged me to help you get into the Li family, stripped naked and lay on Li Mingye’s bed, asking me to help drug him..."

Aunt's words grew harsher and harsher, but there was no denying they were true. Back then, Zhang Xiluo had indeed tried every means to please her, and after marriage, she had been persuaded several times by Aunt to drug Li Mingye.

"Enough." Zhang Xiluo's uncle interrupted her. "My niece's affairs don’t need outsiders to comment on. Take your things and leave immediately."

"All I said made you so angry and ashamed?" Aunt rolled her eyes sharply and sneered, "You refuse to listen, but others love to hear it. You’re the one asking us to leave—don’t regret it later."

Aunt turned and left. Zhang’s mother tried to stop her, but Zhang Xiluo shook her head to dissuade her. Zhang Xiluo hadn’t expected that coming to her uncle’s house would stir up trouble. Li Mingye was absolutely her nemesis—anything connected to him never ended well. Judging by Aunt’s tone, she was planning to cause some trouble.

Sigh, what a headache.

“Sis, brother-in-law, Luoluo, come eat. I made all your favorite dishes,” Aunt-in-law came over, took Zhang Xiluo’s hand, and smiled warmly to comfort her.

“Auntie, Uncle, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. They have ill intentions. They were rejected when they tried to bribe us and now they’re angry. We’re family; just ignore them and eat.”

Aunt-in-law was gentle, neither beautiful nor ugly, but with a soft and graceful demeanor.

After dinner, they left Zhang’s uncle’s home. Zhang Xiluo went home alone while her parents busied themselves at the company.

After resolving her uncle’s situation, Zhang Group began to stabilize. Zhang’s mother and father gave up on companies that thrived by undercutting others and began seeking new partners, staying busy for a while.

Bored at home alone, Zhang Xiluo decided to drive and visit Lin Yiming.

“Sis, why are you here?” Lin Yiming was delighted to see Zhang Xiluo while serving coffee to customers. He pointed to a corner seat. “Go ahead; I’ll join you once I’m done.”

That spot had become Zhang Xiluo’s exclusive seat. No matter how busy it got, Lin Yiming wouldn’t let anyone else sit there.

“Sis, try this latte,” Lin Yiming brought over a cup of coffee with a cute pattern on top—a new design he’d recently developed.

Zhang Xiluo took a sip and found it quite good. He had tailored it to her taste, closer to black coffee.

“I came to discuss moving this shop to another location.”

“Whatever you say. You’re the boss. You decide,” Lin Yiming joked. “I don’t like this place either.”

“You pick the location. Let me know when you have something,” Zhang Xiluo said, handing him a phone number. “This is an agent. Tell him your requirements.”

“Got it.” Lin Yiming nodded, then fell silent for a few seconds.

Zhang Xiluo looked at him and asked, “Something wrong?”

He nodded and opened his social feed. “Zhou Yao is going back to school to fundraise. She’s organizing a small concert and plans to publicly denounce whoever caused Zhou Lixun’s accident.”

Zhang Xiluo smiled wryly. That was a tactful way to put it—just calling it a denouncement outright would have been blunt. This wasn’t the first time; Zhou Yao had already caused enough online trouble and now intended to take it offline.

She hadn’t even started yet, and Zhou Yao was already frantic.

“Sis, I’ll testify for you. They can’t slander you.”

“Words without proof are easy for her to twist, making it seem like we’re involved,” Zhang Xiluo said, causing Lin Yiming to blush. She frowned slightly, feeling a bit guilty.

Lin Yiming must have developed feelings for her. She shouldn’t have gotten him involved.

“They won’t know you’ve been only hearing Zhou Yao’s side about my sister,” Zhang Xiluo clarified, not wanting him to get any deeper.

“So what do you want me to do?”

Zhang Xiluo saw his eyes dimming and breathed a sigh of relief—he understood her.

“Help me find someone, then...” she trailed off, and Lin Yiming nodded firmly.

At dusk, Zhang Xiluo received a call from Li Mingye.

“Zhang Xiluo, come to the hospital.”

“No.”

“I know who’s behind your uncle’s troubles,” Li Mingye’s voice still sounded weak.

Zhang Xiluo growled angrily into the phone, “Li Mingye, if you don’t tell me this time, you’re a damn coward!”

“Hmm.”

“...”

Just as Zhang Xiluo got out of the car, she saw Zhou Yao stepping out of a taxi, carrying a thermal food container. Her face radiated happiness, a constant smile playing on her lips.

The moment Zhou Yao saw Zhang Xiluo, her smile vanished instantly, replaced by thick hatred and merciless cruelty that lingered like a shadow.

“What are you still doing here? Have you forgotten your child?” Zhou Yao no longer pretended; she struck at Zhang Xiluo’s deepest pain without mercy.

Zhang Xiluo’s heart ached sharply. Zhou Yao was the one who caused her child’s death, yet she spoke so casually, without a trace of guilt.

How heartless could Zhou Yao be?

“What? Feeling sad? If you’re upset, go home then,” Zhou Yao smiled and winked at her. “Sis, don’t be too down. From now on, the child Mr. Li and I have will consider you their godmother.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiluo slapped her across the face. “Shameless!”

Zhou Yao touched her cheek, didn’t fight back, but looked at her tearfully and proudly. “Sis, that really hurt. I won’t tell Mr. Li it was you who hit me.”

At that moment, Li Mingye called again, urging Zhang Xiluo.

“Where are you?”

“At the entrance, dealing with your little white flower,” Zhang Xiluo said and hung up, entering the hospital before Zhou Yao.

Zhou Yao hesitated, then hurried to follow.

Li Mingye sat on the bed, watching Zhang Xiluo and Zhou Yao enter one after the other. Zhang Xiluo’s expression was dark and cold, her gaze like a blade.

Zhou Yao looked aggrieved, her left cheek marked with five finger prints, eyes brimming with tears. She carried the thermal container and pretended nothing had happened as she brought out the food.

“Mr. Li, have some food. My mom made it; it’s very clean.”

“Eat later. I’ll come after you finish,” Zhang Xiluo rolled her eyes at Li Mingye and turned to leave. She had no time to watch their display of affection.

Li Mingye frowned and ordered coldly, “Don’t leave.”

Zhang Xiluo stopped, glanced back at him. He then looked at Zhou Yao. “You go back first. I’ll eat by myself later.”

“Mr. Li...” Zhou Yao bit her lip, deeply saddened. Seeing Li Mingye’s firm attitude, she had no choice but to leave.

“Li Mingye, your little white flower is mad, huh? Aren’t you going to comfort her?”