Luo Jialan looked at Gu Nianzhi with amusement. “You’re so funny. I have a membership card because I applied for it fair and square. What does it have to do with the Huo family?”
As she spoke, she looked at Cai Shengnan, who was beside her. “Miss Cai, do you understand what I’m saying now? Some people just can’t bear to let go, and even if they have to, they still worm their way into the Huo family.”
Gu Nianzhi tugged her lips. “Miss Luo, did you apply for it yourself? As far as I know, if you didn’t get the membership card through your connections, but applied for it yourself, then you must have a house here. Do you have a villa in the West Mountains?”
“Of course! ” Luo Jialan looked patronizing as she looked Gu Nianzhi up and down. “Miss Gu, you have to thank Shaoheng for your status and priviledge today. If it weren’t for our Shaoheng… ”
“Shut up! You have a villa in the West Mountains, but isn’t it because of the Huo family’s money? You have nothing to do with the Huo family anymore, yet you still have the nerve to use their money to buy a house for yourself?!”
Gu Nianzhi was finally forced into a corner by Luo Jialan’s “our Shaoheng”, and her face darkened. “How dare you say the name Shaoheng? And ‘our Shaoheng’? Wake up. You have nothing to do with the Huo family anymore. You’re neither uncle Huo’s adopted daughter nor a relative of the Huo family. If you continue to talk about Major General Huo like that, I won’t hold back anymore.”
Luo Jialan was even happier when she saw Gu Nianzhi’s expression change, and her smile grew wider. “Shaoheng and I grew up under the same roof. We’ve been close to each other ever since we were young. I advise you to keep a low profile. Don’t think that just because you’re engaged, everything will be fine and that you can climb up the social ladder.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t want to be civilized towards Luo Jialan anymore after she shamed her like this.
After all, saving face was only for people who wanted it. If you saved face for someone who didn’t want it, she would think you were meddling in her business.
Gu Nianzhi crossed her arms and coughed lightly. She deliberately put on a sympathetic expression and said blankly, “Miss Luo, delusional thinking is an illness that needs to be treated.”
“You’re saying I’m mentally ill? Why can’t you face reality? Is it that difficult to admit that you’re unwilling to let go because of the Huo family’s power?” Luo Jialan had been sulking for a long time, so it felt great to finally be able to shame Gu Nianzhi today. She didn’t want to give up on this opportunity.
Gu Nianzhi cocked her head and snorted. “It’s no use telling me you’re ill, so go see a doctor. Besides, so what if you grew up under the same roof as Major General Huo? You’re cousins. Isn’t it normal for you guys to grow up under the same roof? If this can be used as evidence of your delusions, I think you really should see a psychiatrist. Your mind is not only twisted, but also perverted.”
“You’re calling me a pervert?!” Luo Jialan’s elation did not last long. She was like a balloon that had been punctured by Gu Nianzhi with her snickeingr. She was so angry that she turned livid. “You’re just jealous that I have a good relationship with Shaoheng!”
“Tsk Tsk… ” Gu Nianzhi shook her head. “I wanted to save you some face, but turns out I was overthinking it. You don’t even care about your dignity, so why should I save you face?”
Luo Jialan was a little flustered. She said in a threatening tone, “Don’t you dare try to shame me again. There are surveillance cameras here!”
“I’m not going to shame you. I’ll tell the truth. ” Gu Nianzhi spread her hands out helplessly. “You said you weren’t related to Major General Huo, but before you knew that you and Huo weren’t biological cousins, you were already coveting him.——You have such dirty thoughts, yet you’re saying you’re not a pervert?”
“I’m not! And I knew that I wasn’t related to him by blood! ” Luo Jialan growled. “Don’t you dare try to pin your filthy thoughts on me! ”
“Oh? You knew? Then you have even more ulterior motives. You knew that you had nothing to do with the Huo family, yet you exploited your identity as the Huo family’s only daughter to become the Huo family’s butler and to abuse the Huo family’s real female head of household, Miss Song. I think you’re not only twisted and perverted, but also morally corrupt and vicious.”
Gu Nianzhi’s face darkened. “Also, you knew you weren’t uncle Huo’s biological daughter, but you still took over his trust fund and lived a lavish life with his money. You’re nothing without the Huo family, yet you still have the nerve to say that I’m just trying to worm my way into the Huo family. I think every word you say is from the bottom of your heart. You speak from your own experience!”
Flustered by Gu Nianzhi’s words, Luo Jialan took two steps back. “You… you… don’t talk nonsense! I might not be my father’s biological daughter, but my mother and father are truly husband and wife. I’m my father’s legal daughter, so I’ll inherit all of his inheritance. Miss Gu, you’re a lawyer. You know this better than I do, right?”
“You’ll inherit all of it?” Gu Nianzhi curled her lips, then said slyly, “I’m not going to answer that question. As a lawyer, you have to pay a fee to speak to me. Even if you want to be slapped in the face by me, you have to queue up and pay according to the rules.” With that said, she closed the door to the private suite.
Luo Jialan stared at the closed door in front of them with her mouth agape, then pointed at the door and said, ” … Is she going to give up just because she can’t win against me? So this is all that Gu Nianzhi is capable of. I thought she was so impressive, but she actually closed the door just because she can’t win against me.”
Cai Shengnan, who had been standing by the side without saying a word, suddenly had an idea. She raised her eyebrows and sized up Luo Jialan. ” … You’ve liked Major General Huo since you were young? Isn’t he your cousin?”
“I don’t like Shaoheng. Besides, he’s not my biological cousin.” Luo Jialan felt annoyed. “How many times have I told you? I’m not related to him by blood, and I’ve also changed my surname and moved out of the Huo family’s household register.”
“You knew from the beginning that Major General Huo wasn’t your cousin? ” Cai Shengnan frowned. “Just now, Gu Nianzhi said that you wanted to ‘fake marry’ Major General Huo. What was that about?”
Luo Jialan replied nonchalantly, “It wasn’t me who suggested it. It was my grandfather, Grandfather Huo. He didn’t want Gu Nianzhi to marry into the Huo family, so he suggested that I get a marriage certificate with Shaoheng to stop Gu Nianzhi from marrying into the family. I was kind enough to persuade Gu Nianzhi to accept this condition. After all, I wasn’t really getting married; I was just acting as a cover for her. It doesn’t matter if Shaoheng continues to be with Gu Nianzhi. I just want to make the old man happy since he’s getting old.”
“Is that so… then your sacrifice is quite big… ” Cai Shengnan said sarcastically.
How could she think of a “fake marriage” with Huo Shaoheng?!
Luo Jialan smiled as if she didn’t hear the sarcasm in Cai Shengnan’s words. She said lightly, “That’s the truth. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Grandfather Huo yourself.”
She was certain that Cai Shengnan wouldn’t be able to get in touch with grandfather Huo. Even if Cai Shengnan were to ask, Grandfather Huo, who had always been a male chauvinist, would definitely take responsibility for this matter. He wouldn’t say that it was Luo Jialan who suggested it.
“Was it really grandfather Huo who suggested it? Then that old man is quite imaginative.” Cai Shengnan chuckled, then she and Luo Jialan returned to their seats by the window, and said, “Then since I’m going to be your lawyer, let’s sign the contract first. I’ll make it clear in advance that my fee is very expensive, 1,000 USD per hour, and an advance payment of 1,000,000 USD. If you agree, I’ll have my secretary send the contract to you immediately.”
“Sure, send it to me and I’ll sign it immediately.” Luo Jialan said straightforwardly.
“I don’t have the contract with me. My secretary will contact you to sign it and tell you what to do next.” Cai Shengnan smiled as she sent an email stating the amount of the advance payment to her secretary.
Considering that she would have to confront Gu Nianzhi head-on this time, Cai Shengnan suggested that the advance payment should be increased to one million US dollars. If there’s more there will be a refund and compensation if there’s less.
She had raised the price because she was worried that Luo Jialan’s money would be confiscated by the Huo family…
So she had to get her hands on the money first.
The two of them discussed the details and began to eat lunch.
It was then that He Zhichu returned to his private suite.
As soon as he entered the room, he said to Gu Nianzhi, who was playing with her phone, “Nianzhi, the situation in Japan has changed.”
“What’s wrong? ” Gu Nianzhi looked up in surprise. “Isn’t today the day the final verdict would be announced?”
“Yes, but Smith just called me from Japan and told me that the presiding judge suddenly died this morning. The case was transferred to another judge and the verdict was postponed.”
