Chapter 64: Pay Off
"Oh, oh, oh—"
The two beauties kissed passionately in the bar, making the crowd around them erupt with excitement. People kept cheering and whistling. Xiao Moyan vaguely felt something was off. She furrowed her brows tightly and pushed Hu Feifei's shoulders hard, panting as she whispered,
"Enough!"
Hu Feifei ignored Xiao Moyan. The hand hooked around her neck tightened even more as she deepened the kiss. The unique fragrance of Xiao Moyan, the softness between her lips and teeth, made her addicted.
Until the taste of blood spread between their lips and teeth.
Only then did her hands slowly loosen. Hu Feifei lowered her head as pain came from the tip of her tongue, bitten through by Xiao Moyan. Her tongue was bitten so hard that it bled. The tiny traces of blood sank deep into her already ice-cold heart, dyeing her eyes red.
For a long time, Hu Feifei finally lifted her head. Her bloodshot eyes stared at Xiao Moyan as she whispered,
"Xiao, do you hate me that much?"
Xiao Moyan crossed her arms in front of her chest, staying silent. Her face was terrifyingly dark. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she stared tightly at Hu Feifei.
For some reason, she kept feeling uneasy, but she couldn’t tell what exactly was wrong.
Seeing no response, Hu Feifei looked at Xiao Moyan with sadness. Gradually, a shadow clouded her eyes. She slightly turned her head away, looking past Xiao Moyan as she laughed coldly.
Xiao Moyan stared into Hu Feifei’s eyes. Following her gaze, she quickly turned around, scanning the area with caution. But behind her was only a crowd of people dancing wildly, packed together. The doubt in her eyes grew stronger.
Not wanting to stay any longer, Xiao Moyan got up, glanced at Hu Feifei, and said,
"I'll talk to President Hu about your trip abroad. Don't bring this up again."
After speaking, she pushed open the door and walked out without looking back.
Hu Feifei stared at Xiao Moyan’s back. After a long moment, she raised her glass and poured the strong white liquor down her throat.
Xiao Moyan, this is the first time I’ve lied to you, and it’s also the last. Just treat it as giving me one last bit of hope…
Inside the car, Xiao Moyan still felt uneasy. She glanced around, then sighed and picked up her phone, dialing A’Sen’s number.
“A’Sen. Mm, it’s me.”
“Miss.”
A’Sen answered respectfully.
“Check Hu Feifei’s recent activities and let me know as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Miss—”
A’Sen hesitated. Xiao Moyan paused for a second and asked,
“What is it?”
“Miss, the Master is back. He’s waiting for you.”
“…”
The call was quickly hung up. A surge of anger rose in Xiao Moyan’s chest. Her hands trembled on the steering wheel. Taking a deep breath, she stepped on the gas and drove toward the seaside.
Xiao Nian, coming back at this time… Are you pitying that woman again?
The door was pushed open with force. Xiao Moyan almost stormed into the house.
Inside, Xiao Nian sat with his legs crossed, lazily smoking a cigarette. His shirt was tossed to the side, and a faint trace of exhaustion was on his face. Seeing Xiao Moyan enter, he flicked off some ashes and narrowed his eyes.
“Miss—”
Mrs. Xu had been waiting by the side. She watched Xiao Nian cautiously, then tugged at Xiao Moyan’s sleeve, signaling with her eyes for her to leave quickly.
Xiao Moyan clenched her jaw tightly. Her face flushed red as she stared at Xiao Nian, her feet rooted to the ground, unable to move an inch.
Xiao Nian looked at her, first extinguishing his cigarette before slowly getting up and walking toward her.
Dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, his posture remained straight, and his neatly combed black hair was without a strand out of place. Aside from the few added wrinkles on his face, he looked just as he always had—just like the father in Xiao Moyan’s childhood memories, the one who once doted on her.
Expressionless, he stared at Xiao Moyan, his gaze roaming freely over her face. After a long moment, he suddenly raised his hand and swung it hard. A loud slap landed on Xiao Moyan’s face.
"You—"
"Miss!!!"
Mrs. Xu threw her arms around Xiao Moyan’s waist, holding her back desperately. Xiao Moyan clutched her right cheek, her eyes already red with rage. Her hair was disheveled, and she gritted her teeth, glaring furiously at Xiao Nian.
Xiao Nian’s face was dark. He pointed at Xiao Moyan and said harshly,
"I've always turned a blind eye to your affair with Xia Lingying, letting you do as you please. When you took most of Tianhuang's shares, I didn’t say a word. In the end, you started a new company, and all the external shares were secretly funded by me. And now? You want Muying to kneel before your mother’s grave?!"
Xiao Moyan stared hard at Xiao Nian. The bright red handprint on her pale face was striking, and a faint trace of blood lingered at the corner of her mouth. She shouted hoarsely,
"Muying? Xiao Nian, in the end, the only one in your heart is that cheap woman! Where do you place my mother?! Kneel? I’m afraid she’d dirty my mother’s grave! I want her to suffer, to wish she were dead!"
Xiao Nian rushed forward, veins bulging on his neck. He grabbed Xiao Moyan’s arm with force.
A’Sen, who had just arrived, was shocked at the scene. He rushed inside and grabbed Xiao Nian.
"Master, she’s the Young Miss! Your own daughter!"
"I have nothing to do with him!"
Xiao Moyan screamed, her snow-white arm turning red from Xiao Nian’s grip, yet she felt no pain at all. She only struggled with all her might, swinging her arm fiercely.
Xiao Nian stared at her in a daze. After a long moment, he let go, exhausted.
"Xiaoxiao, I—"
Regret filled Xiao Nian’s heart. He had come back intending to talk with Xiao Moyan. A tiger, no matter how fierce, would not eat its own cubs.
All these years, he had lived alone, watching others reunite with their families. It was impossible not to feel envy. When he heard from abroad that Tianhuang had been taken by Xia Ran, he actually felt relieved. At least, the grudges of the past decade had finally been settled.
Then Xiao Moyan boldly founded a new company, recruiting top experts from various fields. Xiao Nian had even felt proud—like father, like daughter.
But when he received Qiu Muying’s tearful call... The calm he once had was gone, leaving only a heart-wrenching pain.
Xiao Nian looked at Xiao Moyan’s face, so much like his own, and his heart twisted with pain. He never wanted things to be like this, but love—true love—did not fade with time. Even now, he could not forget.
Defeated, Xiao Nian lowered his head, avoiding Xiao Moyan’s gaze.
Xiaoxiao… you should understand me. The way you feel about Xia Lingying is the same way I feel about Muying. How could I ever let go?
Xiao Moyan stared at him, the cold in her heart spreading through her entire body. Seeing him look so dejected, she actually felt a twisted sense of satisfaction.
She let out a cold laugh, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Xiao Nian.
"Feeling sorry for her already? What’s next?"
Xiao Nian lifted his head, his weary eyes filled with sorrow.
Xiaoxiao, must it really come to this? Must we, father and daughter, turn against each other?
"You still think you're the all-powerful President Xiao from back then? Xiao Nian, wake up. Let me tell you this—this grudge, I, Xiao Moyan, will avenge it to the end!"
Without another glance at him, she turned coldly and pushed open the door.
Mrs. Xu watched her leave, sighing softly before turning to Xiao Nian and murmuring,
"Master—"
Xiao Nian weakly waved his hand, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"She’s just like me back then… Mrs. Xu, I never wanted this."
Mrs. Xu shook her head, lowering her gaze in silence.
Back then, she had seen it with her own eyes—how Xiao Nian had destroyed his own family for a woman, how he and his brothers had turned against each other. And now, Xiao Moyan was following in his footsteps, trapped in the same struggle between love and hate, all for a woman.
So alike… too alike.
In the end, they would only end up hurting the women they loved the most. Karma, this is all karma.
****
Stepping into Tianhuang once again, there was no trace of the desolation and sorrow from when she had left.
Dressed in a black blouse and fitted trousers, with a gleaming silver double-knot belt cinching her waist, Xiao Moyan’s coffee-colored curls draped sensuously down her back. Her makeup was flawless, her eyes shimmered with light, exuding dominance from head to toe. Several bodyguards followed respectfully behind her, while reporters blocked the entrance, making it nearly impossible to pass. Amidst the flashing cameras, Xiao Moyan smiled faintly and strode in, unhurried and composed, returning to the place that had entangled her in countless love and hatred.
She raised her head, staring at the shining Tianhuang sign, clenched her fist, and took a deep breath.
Tianhuang, every debt—I will reclaim it all!
Inside the conference room, Tianhuang’s shareholders, dressed in sharp suits, had been waiting for a long time. The moment Xiao Moyan entered, they all stood up in unison. She nodded lightly, indifferent. She was long used to such fickle human nature. If Tianhuang were not on the brink of collapse, would these old men have humbled themselves to beg for her return?
The red wooden door swung open, and Xia Lingying walked in. She glanced coldly at Xiao Moyan, said nothing, and took her seat at the head of the table. Her long hair was neatly tied back, a sharp, form-fitting suit outlined her slender figure. The cuffs of her sleeves were slightly rolled up, revealing her fair arms. Xia Lingying cleared her throat—ready for her so-called “final struggle”.
It was obvious that the entire board was leaning toward Xiao Moyan. They didn’t care whether it was the Xia family or the Xiao family taking over Tianhuang. What they valued was who could bring them endless prestige and wealth.
Yet, after Xia Lingying’s brief statement, everyone was stunned, their eyes widening in shock. Even Xiao Moyan lost her earlier composure, staring at Xia Lingying in disbelief.
Xia Lingying did not avoid her gaze. She simply looked at Xiao Moyan quietly. But no matter how hard Xiao Moyan tried, she could no longer read her heart. All she could sense was a fleeting trace of—grievance?
Xia Lingying didn’t defend herself, not in the slightest. She handed Tianhuang over to Xiao Moyan completely, or rather, returned it to her.
Xiao Moyan stared blankly at Xia Lingying’s delicate profile, her heart and mind filled with confusion. Although Xia Lingying had once said she would personally return Tianhuang to her, Xiao Moyan had always thought it was just empty talk. She never imagined she would relinquish it so calmly in a board meeting.
Tianhuang—ever since they met, all the entanglements and grudges between them had stemmed from this. Xiao Moyan knew very well how much effort Xia Ran had put into reclaiming Tianhuang. Even if Xia Lingying was willing, how could he possibly agree?
Until the applause rang out and a faint "President Xiao" response from Xia Lingying reached her ears, Xiao Moyan finally came back to her senses, dazedly looking into Xia Lingying’s eyes.
Xia Lingying expressionlessly looked at her, handing over the document in her hand. Her gaze was cold, without a trace of emotion.
Xiao Moyan, sign this. From now on, you and I owe each other nothing.
Xiao Moyan lifted her head, staring fixedly into Xia Lingying’s eyes. But Xia Lingying did not give her the chance, turning her head away coldly, refusing to look at her.
Author's Note:
Sigh, it is finished.
"Unspoken Rules" is the most seriously written novel by Yezi so far, but it just so happened to coincide with the exhausting senior year. To be honest, it is a bit tiring, but I will definitely persevere.
PS: Someone asked in the last chapter if it is ending soon? No, definitely not. Yezi does not want to leave things unfinished. The ending will be handled properly, and the two will have a long period of sweetness. They will also face difficulties and setbacks together in the future. (Does everyone not like reading sweet moments? o(╯□╰)o)