Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
10 years ago, the Cheng family mansion.
The Cheng family mansion was a far cry from the modern architecture of today. Instead, it was closer to a colonial style building and felt like a relic from the 20th century.
On that day, Cheng Lingfei had just got back to the mansion and had engaged a famous interior designer to discuss renovation plans for the mansion. Out of nowhere, Wu Fangfang, whom she had not seen for some time, stormed up to the door angrily and, without so much as a care for anyone else, went straight to Cheng Lingfei’s study.
“Ah Fang?” Cheng Lingfei asked. Although visibly surprised, there was a hint of joy in her eyes. “Why are you here? Aren’t you a high-ranking cop now. Why haven’t you gone to the capital?”
“Cheng Lingfei, look at what you’ve done! You still have the nerve to think about renovating? Did you know your second brother has passed away? He took his own life!” Wu Fangfang said, pointing angrily at Cheng Lingfei.
Seeing how angry Wu Fangfang was, Cheng Lingfei understood she had come here to pick a fight and gestured for the designers and helpers to leave.
“What does my second brother’s death have to do with me wanting to renovate the mansion?” Cheng Lingfei asked as soon as the last person had left the room. Her tone became ice cold and frightening, and all the joy that had been present just a few moments ago disappeared into thin air.
“Don’t act stupid!” Wu Fangfang shouted, flying into a rage and pointing at Cheng Lingfei. “Your second brother was forced to choose death by you! Acquiring their company and family assets is one thing, but why did you have to go so far? Your eldest brother was forced away and your third sister was forced to kneel down and apologize! Why? Why don’t you treasure your family more? Lingfei… how did you become like this?!”
“Ha!” Cheng Lingfei snorted, clenching her teeth angrily. “The year they chased me out of here was the year I lost my family! You can ask them yourself! When have they ever treated me like one of them?”
“Lingfei, I know… I know that you suffered a lot that year, so your heart is full of grudges. But despite coming from different mothers, you all had the same father. On account of Uncle Cheng, you shouldn’t be this cruel, right? How do you think Uncle Cheng would feel if he saw this?” Wu Fangfang said persuasively.
“Ha!” Not only did Cheng Lingfei let out a peal of cold laughter, but she also seemed to emanate a dark aura that would cause goosebumps. “You don’t have to worry about that. My second brother’s already there to accompany him!”
“What?! You…” Wu Fangfang retreated a few steps in shock and almost fell down. “Cheng Lingfei, you… In the past you weren’t like this. What happened?!”
“In the past I was too innocent and pure! Don’t come in here acting like you’re better than me! You’re just a hypocrite yourself!” Cheng Lingfei said. “At my lowest point you and brother Shi Hai weren’t even there for me, and now that I’m successful you’re suddenly here again? What do you want? Do you want me to return all the things that rightfully belong to me to them and go back to being a pauper? Will you be satisfied then?”
“Cheng Lingfei, use your conscience when you speak!” Wu Fangfang shouted angrily. “When you were exiled from the family, brother Shi Hai and I searched for you high and low, don’t you remember? You’re the one who didn’t want to see us!”
Cheng Lingfei was becoming agitated. “What did you want to find me for? To let me see what a lovey-dovey couple you two were and remind myself how lonely and pathetic I was? To give you another reason to make me look more pathetic in front of brother Shi Hai? ‘Brother Shi Hai, look at Cheng Lingfei! She has nothing left! Aren’t you glad you chose me instead?’”
“How could you think of it like that?!” Wu Fangfang teared up. “We sincerely wanted to help you!”
“Help me?!” Cheng Lingfei said coldly. “Ask yourself how many times you’ve badmouthed me in front of brother Shi Hai! I had lost everything at that point. Wouldn’t that have been the perfect chance for a killing blow?!”
“You idiot!” Wu Fangfang cried, her whole body trembling. “We grew up together, Lingfei, I beg you! Please turn over a new leaf. Don’t continue down this path. Although I didn’t badmouth you, I really was envious of you!”
“Cut the crap! Why not admit your wrongdoings to brother Shi Hai and return him to me! Would you agree to that?” Cheng Lingfei remained emotionless.
“Don’t push it!” At this point, Wu Fangfang had reached her limit. She furiously banged on the table, pointing at Cheng Lingfei and shouting, “Cheng Lingfei, don’t force me! Don’t think I don’t know about your shady dealings! If not, how could you have done so many mergers and regained your family assets?
Don’t forget, I’m a cop! I’m an official member of the Special Investigation Group! If you still don’t repent, then don’t blame me when I’m forced to investigate you. When that happens, we’ll keep such a close eye on you that if you so much as break one tiny law, we won’t show mercy!”
With one last bang on the table, Wu Fangfang turned her head and prepared to leave.
“Wu Fangfang…” Cheng Lingfei said, clenching her teeth. “I think the one who’s going overboard is you!”
“Oh? Is that so?” Wu Fangfang asked, her eyes red. “I’m going overboard? You better hope I don’t get a hold of you! If not, I will go even further!”
“Wu Fangfang…” Cheng Lingfei’s once dark face had now become contorted from anger. “No matter what happens, bear this in mind. You were the one who started this!” She opened her drawer and took out a photo, throwing it onto the table violently.
Taken aback, Wu Fangfang quickly took a closer look at the photo only to become even more shocked. It was unbecoming photos of her and Jiang Ke in bed!
“You… you…” Wu Fangfang was so angry her whole body trembled. In a daze, she flipped through the photographs while shouting, “Impossible! Impossible!”
“Wu Fangfang!” Cheng Lingfei said coldly. “These photographs were obtained by my subordinates by happenchance. If I hadn’t helped you to hide this, you would have lost your reputation! What can I say about you? You’re way too rash! Do you think you’re still worthy of brother Shi Hai after doing all this behind his back?”
“No… no!” Wu Fangfang was so frightened that her face had turned pale. “I did not, I did not do it! How could this be? I really don’t even know who that person is!”
Agitated, she grabbed the photograph in her hands and tore it to shreds. Only when she had torn the last piece did she finally regained her composure. She glared at Cheng Lingfei, shouting, “It was you? It was you who framed me?!”
“You stupid woman!” Cheng Lingfei replied viciously. “Originally I was planning to quietly destroy these photos, but you forced me to bring them out! Alright, I’ll let you in on a little secret, I have a ton of these photographs!”
“What?” Wu Fangfang was so shocked she fell onto a chair. “What do you mean?!”
“What do I mean?” Cheng Lingfei continued viciously. “Wu Fangfang, from this moment forth we’ll go our separate ways. I don’t want to see you ever again! Aren’t you a high-ranking cop? Then go and be one and be lovey-dovey with brother Shi Hai but don’t ever come back here!”
“You…” Wu Fangfang felt exhausted.
“I warn you for the last time, I’ve not done anything that violates any laws and I’m not afraid of you investigating me. But,” Cheng Lingfei said, “be careful not to trigger me. If you dare to lay a finger on me, brother Shi Hai will be the first person who sees these photos. Not only will you lose brother Shi Hai, but I’ll also make sure life becomes a living hell for you!”
