When Zhao Youlin heard about the statements made by Zhao Shuncheng, she sighed to herself. Zhao Shuncheng was truly scum. He had severed his ties from the two women in just a few words.
However, on second thought, if he was not scum, how would the original Zhao Youlin and her mother end up so miserably? Regardless, this man was like a toxic tumor that hurt all the ignorant young ladies.
After Zhao Shuncheng made his statements, the former master still did not say a word about it. His silence did not mean he had given his consent. In fact, he did not even want to bother Zhao Shuncheng. His son had truly let him down, and he had also completely given up on his son.
The matter was basically settled after all the commotion that had happened. It was hard for Li Hongyu to escape from her own crime. Zhao Youlin also did not bother to put any effort on her.
However, unbeknownst to Zhao Youlin, while the incident had caused a commotion outside, two people had quietly visited Li Hongyu. It was this visit that lifted up the story to a surprising level.
The crime committed by Li Hongyu was conclusive. Everyone knew it was impossible for her to retract her confessions.
A few days after Li Hongyu was caught, the police had basically convicted her for her crime. All that was left was the type of sentence that she had to serve.
Zhao Youxi had not reacted to all this even today. In just a month’s time, how did her family become like this?
She had become a laughing stock among the upper-class society due to various scandals. She did not dare to step out of her home even today. Her mother was arrested and charged with murder. There was a high chance she would never be getting out of jail.
Even the man who was the head of the family had revealed his true colors on the same month. He had not only spat fire at her for the sake of that wench who had risen to her position by taking advantage of her, but he had also made a public statement to kick her mother and herself out of the Zhao family.
She had been bearing all the aggravation by herself for many days. The moment she saw Li Hongyu, she could no longer hold herself back and poured out everything to her.
At that moment, Zhao Youxi finally knew who was the only one who loved her in the family, while who were the hypocrites who treated her well just to please her. Unfortunately, it was already too late.
“Mother… Sob…” When Zhao Youxi was greeted by the sight of the haggard-looking Li Hongyu, who had been put behind the bars for only a few days, she could no longer hold back herself. She covered her mouth and broke into tears.
“Youxi, don’t cry. I am fine.” Looking at Zhao Youxi’s extremely aggrieved look, a bitter feeling sprouted from Li Hongyu’s heart. Her eyes reddened.
“Mother, sis, don’t cry. We have limited time, and crying alone won’t solve the problem.”
Zhao Youming spoke up at the right time to stop the two who were about to hug and cry together. Indeed, the two immediately stopped crying.
“Are you… Youming?” Only then did Li Hongyu realize Zhao Youming was following closely behind Zhao Youxi. Her eyes sparkled, and she quickly waved her hand at Zhao Youming, signaling him to get closer to her so that she could see him more clearly.
Zhao Youming understood the intention of Li Hongyu when she waved her hand at him. He obeyed her and sat beside Zhao Youxi so that Li Hongyu could see him clearly.
Li Hongyu sized his son up whom she had not met for almost two years. Tears were welling up in her eyes. No one would have expected that the mother and son’s next gathering would be under such circumstances.
“Youming, you have grown up and you have grown so much taller as well. But, you’re a bit too thin. Are you not used to eating food overseas? Do you have enough money to spend? You don’t have to make yourself suffer.”
It was clearly a simple greeting, yet it caused a subtle change in the atmosphere where their presence was.
It had not been easy for Zhao Youxi to hold back her tears. Her tears once again streamed over her face. Even Zhao Youming also looked dejected.
When Li Hongyu saw their expressions and recalled what Zhao Youlin had told her before this, a sense of fear inexplicably sprouted from her heart.
Li Hongyu had been in detention. She had no access to the information outside at all. Therefore, she had no idea about the drastic change that had happened outside even today.
She could no longer hold back her restlessness and uneasiness. She forcibly asked them tentatively, “Youxi, Youming, why is your father not coming along with you? I knew it. He must be looking for ways to rescue me. How could he spare time out to come over and visit me?”
Right after Li Hongyu spoke, the siblings looked away in unison. One of them looked to the left, while the other looked to the right. Both of them equally remained speechless.
The three of them fell into silence. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.
Looking at the two’s expressions, Li Hongyu’s heart clenched. She tried her best to keep her cool, and asked stiffly, “Why did you guys suddenly fall silent? Has anything happened to your father? Say something.”
The duo’s expressions looked troubled as Li Hongyu cornered them. In the end, Zhao Youxi could no longer hold back herself, she moved her face to the side and muttered unhappily, “Mother, you should stop mentioning that man.”
“What do you mean by that man? He’s your father!”
“I don’t have a father like him! My father would never hook up with my best friend behind my back, and even scolded me for the sake of that shameless wench! My father would not leave you alone to fend for yourself! He also would not sever our ties in front of so many people when we are isolated and helpless! That man is not worthy to be my father. He is despicable! He is scum!” Zhao Youxi stood up angrily while shouting at Li Hongyu opposite her.
Li Hongyu was dumbfounded. Her mind went blank. She stared at Zhao Youxi wide-eyed with her lips parted, as if she had lost her sense.
It was only after some time before Li Hongyu was snapped out of her daze. She rose up in shivers and her lips trembling as she asked, “You…Xi, what did you say just now? Your father and your best friend…”
“He is not my father! She is not my best friend! They are simply a pair of shameless cheating couple!”
Zhao Youxi’s shout had re-assured what Li Hongyu had thought to herself. The last bit of crimson color on Li Hongyu’s face faded. She sat back in her original place in a daze, like her soul had been sucked out.
Zhao Youlin’s previous visit had been insufficient to convince her that Zhao Shuncheng already had a new love and had abandoned her cruelly. She had deluded herself into thinking that Zhao Youlin had made up the entire story just to knock her down.
However, today, Zhao Youxi’s visit had forced her to face reality. The man… the man whom she thought she had taken control of…
“What did you say? Your father severed our ties in front of the public?!” Li Hongyu’s face turned ghastly pale. She stared at Zhao Youxi fixedly, hoping she could give her a different answer.
Looking at Li Hongyu in her current state, Zhao Youxi realized that she had lost her composure. She sniffed, and her eyes reddened. She turned her face to the other side.
When Li Hongyu saw Zhao Youxi was not answering her, she turned her gaze to Zhao Youming, who was beside her.
Zhao Youming lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, “Mother, Father held a conference yesterday and made a statement. He severed ties from you and my elder sister, confirming that you two… are not members of the Zhao family.”
