His wife's pregnancy bump disappeared, and Mr. Huo was going crazy missing her.

Bai Jingzong walked in with a smile on his face.

Lu Chen glanced at his master's perpetually icy face and couldn't help but smile, then respectfully nodded to Bai Jingzong.

Bai Jingzong loosened his suit jacket and tossed it casually onto the sofa, glancing at Huo Yanbei with his captivating eyes: "It's fine if a fake is pleasing to the eye, but to insist on buying it is simply a sign of a screw loose!"

Huo Yanbei frowned, reached out and took the hearing aid out of his ear, then threw it into the trash can: "You can get lost now that you've finished talking."

Bai Jingzong's expression suddenly changed: "When did this happen?"

Huo Yanbei remained calm and composed, offering no response. Bai Jingzong, his eyes icy, kicked the sofa against the wall, shouting, "Lu Chen, tie him up and take him to the hospital!"

……

The Yu family mansion.

Qiao Mian sat on the sofa, the tea served by the maid went cold and was replaced again, but Yu Zhennan did not come home for a long time.

After waiting for more than an hour, Tang Cuicui swayed her slender waist as she came down the stairs. When she saw Qiao Mian, she frowned slightly. "Qiao Mian, what brings you here?"

Qiao Mian stood up and calmly asked, "Where is my father?"

Tang Cuicui walked over, looked Qiao Mian up and down, and replied, "Not at home."

"Where is my father? I went to the company, but he wasn't there."

"Really? I don't know, I guess he's on a business trip out of town," Tang Cuicui replied casually, her eyes glancing upstairs unconsciously.

Qiao Mian frowned, then calmly said, "I really have something urgent to discuss with my father."

"If it's about fighting for the inheritance, then forget it. Your father already made it clear last time that he can only give you a maximum of 70 million. The Yu family is not at peace right now and urgently needs funds. Your father is working hard on this every day. How dare you come to fight for the inheritance? Your father is not at home."

"Hey, isn't this my sister?" Yu Mengyun appeared at the stairwell at some point, walked over with her hands in her pockets, and raised an eyebrow at Qiao Mian.

Seeing the bruise on Yu Mengyun's forehead, Tang Cuicui hurriedly asked, "What happened?"

"It's nothing..." Yu Mengyun stopped mid-sentence, touching her forehead, and looked at Qiao Mian. "Just now in the study, my father scolded me. The injury was caused by my father hitting me with a book."

As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Mian walked straight past the two of them, went up the stairs, and headed straight for the study on the second floor.

Tang Cuicui gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in anger, poking Yu Mengyun's chest with her finger. "Don't you have a heart? She's here to fight your father for the family fortune. I barely managed to stop her just now, and now you've given it all away with just one sentence."

"Really?" Yu Mengyun shrugged indifferently, giving Tang Cuicui a wicked smile. "I did it on purpose."

"..."

Tang Cuicui almost choked.

Yu Mengyun, however, went out whistling with a nonchalant air.

……

Yu Zhennan handed a check to Qiao Mian. "This is 100 million. I've already done more than enough. I've heard that your mother is addicted to gambling, but I never thought she would dare to borrow money from underground banks at exorbitant interest rates. It's a bottomless pit. If this happens again, it will happen again. Listen to me, stay in the Yu family and don't follow your mother anymore. She will drag you down sooner or later."

Qiao Mian clutched the check tightly, looking indifferently at Yu Zhennan. "I want my share of the family fortune."

Yu Zhennan was taken aback by Qiao Mian's directness and said, "Qiao Mian, I won't abandon you. I won't refuse your share of the family fortune, but not now. I know your mother too well. No matter how much I give her, she will squander it all one day."

Qiao Mian took a deep breath. "So, you've broken your promise again?"

"Qiao Mian." Yu Zhennan held Qiao Mian's hand. "You are the eldest daughter of the Yu family. If you are willing, I can arrange for you to work in the group, and even put you in a high position. As long as you return to the Yu family, I will make up for everything I owe you."

Qiao Mian pulled her hand away from his palm. "I don't need to live the life of a pampered princess as a rich young lady, nor do I want to occupy even the slightest position in the Yu family. I just want to take back what is rightfully mine."

Yu Zhennan stared blankly at Qiao Mian.

Her pupils were clear and bright, so bright that they seemed to expose even the darkest corners of his heart. He frowned slightly. "Qiao Mian, I think you've changed. When you were little, you were so gentle, obedient, and well-behaved..."

Qiao Mian interrupted, "We've been separated for years. Not only has my appearance changed, but I've naturally changed as a person. If you hadn't intentionally used me as a tool for a business marriage, would you have been searching for my mother and me?"

Yu Zhennan was speechless, and his heart softened immediately.

Tang Cuicui burst in, placed a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea on the table in front of Yu Zhennan, and said softly, "Zhennan, Qiao Mian is your daughter. I won't stop you from giving her whatever money you want, but given Lan Jie's current state, even if you gave her a mountain of gold, she would squander it all. How about this: we'll publicly announce that Qiao Mian is the daughter of the Yu family who grew up outside the family. First, it will slap those who say you abandoned your daughter in the face. Second, with Qiao Mian's good looks and the Yu family's backing, which young nobleman in Yucheng wouldn't be eager to marry her? This marriage alliance with the Huo family is something we owed Qiao Mian, so this is a way to make it up to her. What do you say?"

"Is Aunt Tang trying to sell me off like a commodity right in front of me?" Qiao Mian said sarcastically.

Tang Cuicui smiled gently: "Qiao Mian, what are you saying? I'm doing this for your own good."

"I don't think so. First, you're eager to marry me off so I won't be in your eyes. Second, my marriage into a prestigious family can bring considerable benefits to the Yu family and the Yu clan..."

"Qiao Mian, how dare you speak to your Aunt Tang like that? Actually, she has already agreed to let you return to the Yu family, what more do you want?" Yu Zhennan scolded.

Qiao Mian felt a chill in her heart, a chill for the dead Qiao Mian.

"Back when you were keeping a mistress and having an illegitimate child, this place was no longer my home..."

A snap.

A resounding slap landed on her face, teeth piercing her lip, and bright red blood trickled down her cheek. Yu Zhennan's raised hand trembled as he touched Qiao Mian's instantly swollen face. "Qiao Mian..."

Qiao Mian pushed his hand away, having no more hope for this father. "If you still consider me your daughter, I only beg you this once to help my mother."

"I don't want to get involved in her affairs anymore, but I won't abandon you. After you give her this hundred million, don't worry about her anymore..."

"One hundred million can buy one item, but it can't buy a daughter!" Qiao Mian tore up the check and tossed it aside lightly. "Didn't you want your sister to marry into the Huo family? What if he takes a fancy to me?"

Yu Zhennan's face paled slightly as Qiao Mian resolutely left.

……

Downstairs at Dinghuang Group.

In the dead of night, the icy rain poured down on her face, chilling her to the bone. Qiao Mian stood beneath the towering building, feeling as small as an ant.