Chapter 9: The Truth Revealed

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Su Manman stood up to answer it.

“Miaomiao, come in quickly. Meng Qing has been waiting for you,” Su Manman said warmly, ushering Lin Miaomiao into the house.

“Meng, I’m so glad you’re alright.” As soon as Lin Miaomiao entered, she grabbed Meng Qing’s hand and looked her up and down.

“Miaomiao, is there something you want to tell me?” Meng Qing asked, puzzled.

Lin Miaomiao wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and began to explain.

“Weren’t we supposed to meet to discuss the cooperation today? You told me to wait for you in the garage, but I realized I’d left my phone in the office and rushed back to get it. When I returned to the garage, I waited for ages but you didn’t show up, and no one answered your phone. I checked the security cameras and discovered you had suddenly collapsed, and that bastard Jiang Ze carried you to his car. I traced the surveillance footage all the way and finally found you here, all thanks to Manman’s husband!”

“What did you say? What does that good-for-nothing have to do with this?” Meng Qing was utterly shocked.

“Meng, look at this. Here’s the security footage I pulled from the hotel. Jiang Ze has already fled, but the police will catch him, I’m sure!”

The video showed Jiang Ze carrying her into a room, while Ye Feng secretly followed behind. They saw him kick the door open, then Jiang Ze fleeing, and not long after, Meng Qing herself running out in tears.

She had never imagined that Ye Feng had been the one to save her, and she had ended up misunderstanding her rescuer. Meng Qing looked at Su Manman, her face full of guilt.

At this moment, Su Manman stood frozen, recalling how she had just denied him a chance to explain and had even slapped him. Remembering the look of disappointment in his eyes as he left, Su Manman was filled with remorse. If she had suffered such injustice herself, she would surely have broken down.

She glanced toward the door, then suddenly dashed out as if driven mad.

Having left home, Ye Feng wandered aimlessly, like a headless fly, not knowing where to go. He sat down in the small pavilion of their residential complex, gazing at the scenery and reminiscing about all the moments he’d shared with Su Manman.

A rush of hurried footsteps interrupted his thoughts from behind.

Turning around, he saw Su Manman standing behind him, panting for breath, exhausted from running.

“Ye... Ye Feng, can you please not leave?” Su Manman spoke, and for the first time, a hint of pleading could be seen between her brows, however faint.

“Not leave?” Ye Feng guessed that since Su Manman had come after him, the misunderstanding must have been cleared. After all, in this age of technology, cameras are everywhere. One look would reveal the truth.

“If I stay, will you just hit me again?” Ye Feng replied, not unkindly. He wasn’t truly upset with Su Manman; he just didn’t want his presence to cause her any more gossip or ridicule from others.

Standing in the sunlight, Su Manman brushed her messy hair aside and smiled softly. “I won’t hit you anymore, alright?”

Ye Feng saw the dazzling Su Manman in the sunlight, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. She smiled too.

When Ye Feng and Su Manman returned home, they found Meng Qing and Lin Miaomiao sitting on the sofa.

Seeing Ye Feng return, Meng Qing quickly stood up to apologize.

“I’ll treat you to a meal sometime, as an apology,” Meng Qing said, her voice tinged with guilt.

Ye Feng waved a hand to show he didn’t mind. After all, it was understandable for a young woman to lose her head and act impulsively in such a situation.

With that, Meng Qing left, as she had more pressing matters—chief among them, tracking down that bastard Jiang Ze.

“Thank you for everything today,” Lin Miaomiao said as she hurried after her friend.

“Ye Feng, I really owe you an apology today,” Su Manman said again, surprised at his bravery in rescuing her friend; it was something she never expected.

“It’s nothing. Why be so formal with me?” Ye Feng waved her off. “It’s been a long day. Go and rest. I’ll go out and buy your favorite groceries.”

“Alright.” Su Manman nodded.

The next morning.

Su Manman received a message from her university class monitor:

Three days from now, there will be a class reunion at the Imperial City International Hotel. I hope you can attend.

Su Manman wanted to go herself, but thinking of Ye Feng’s recent performance, she decided to bring him along. She replied to the class monitor, assuring him she would attend on time.

Going downstairs, she saw Ye Feng busy in the kitchen. His earnest expression made her recall the saying: “A man who works diligently is the most attractive.” How true that was. She paused, smiling at her own thoughts. “What am I thinking about all day?” She shook her head in amusement.

“Ye Feng, there’s a class reunion in three days. Would you come with me?” Su Manman asked, her tone inviting collaboration.

Ye Feng, busy cooking, was delighted to hear this. She was finally willing to introduce him to her old classmates. He quickly agreed, “Of course, I’ll go with you,” humming a cheerful tune as he spoke.

A sudden, urgent knocking came at the door. Ye Feng went to open it, but before he could see who it was, he was shoved aside.

“Get out of my way! I’m here to see Su Manman!” thundered his mother-in-law, storming into the house in a rage.

No need to look; anyone could tell it was his mother-in-law, Wang Meili.

Su Manman saw her mother push Ye Feng and felt a flicker of displeasure, though she kept it off her face. She knew the reason for her mother’s sudden visit, but didn’t make it obvious. Smiling, she said, “Mom, what brings you here today? Ye Feng’s just finished cooking. Why not join us for a meal?”

“A meal? How can you even think of eating at a time like this?” Wang Meili grew even angrier at Su Manman’s calm attitude.

She had assumed Su Manman would listen to her and go on the blind date, waiting eagerly for good news from her daughter. Instead, she received a call from the man in question, saying Su Manman had taken a call and then left abruptly without so much as a backward glance. He also told Wang Meili that her husband’s company contract might not be signed after all. Terrified, Wang Meili had come straight to Su Manman’s place to demand an explanation.

“Su Manman, you always keep your word. Tell me, why did you leave Lu Yu behind and leave early?” Wang Meili fumed, gritting her teeth.

“Mom, I told you I didn’t want to go, but you forced me. I really had something urgent to deal with, so I left,” Su Manman explained helplessly.

“Fine, suppose you were busy. But why did you reject him? Do you realize, because of you, his father—whose company has always had a long-term partnership with ours—is now pulling out? Because you turned down Lu Yu, our family is about to lose a major client. Do you understand?”

Hearing this, Ye Feng finally understood—Su Manman had rejected this Lu Yu for his sake. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips, and his resolve to protect Su Manman for life grew even stronger.

“I don’t care what you do, but you must make it up to Lu Yu. If their family cancels the contract and withdraws their investment, your father’s company and mine will go bankrupt. I absolutely refuse to let that happen to me.”

At her mother’s words, Su Manman’s heart chilled. To her mother, she was nothing more than a bargaining chip for the family’s future.

Seeing Su Manman silent, Wang Meili grew even angrier and demanded loudly, “Why aren’t you saying anything? Or do you want to see the day our company goes bankrupt?”

“Are you really content to spend your life with this good-for-nothing who does nothing all day?”

“Are you willing to live a life sneered at and looked down upon? Don’t you want to earn your family’s respect?”

At this last question, Su Manman finally looked up. Noticing her reaction, Wang Meili softened her tone and continued earnestly, “Manman, trust me. As long as you divorce this loser and get together with Lu Yu, with his help, you’re sure to gain the family’s respect. And your company won’t face any more pressure.”