233 Forgive Me (1/2)
The mother and daughter had no idea that ever since the police surrounded the hospital, they had been under surveillance. The hospital fully cooperated with the authorities, not wanting to damage their reputation by protecting a criminal.
All of their conversations were being recorded both on video and audio. The police planned on using the surveillance tapes as part of the evidence against Fan Luo and even Fan Yuming at the criminal trial that was sure to happen.
However, the hacker KeymonSTER didn't want to wait until a criminal trial was scheduled. He hacked into the police system, stole the recordings, and then released them online for everyone to see.
In public, the police condemned the hacker for breaching their security system but they didn't do anything to stop the spread of the tapes. Their Chief ordered them to stay put. By this time, many already noticed that the Chief of Police must have had some sort of grudge against the Fans.
They were wrong, though. The Chief didn't have any grudge against the Fans at all. He was just granting his beloved wife's request to make sure that the Fans, especially Fan Luo, wouldn't have any chance of escaping.
Now the people didn't only hate Fan Luo but also her mother, Fan Yuming. The headlines exploded once again.
”Like Mother, Like Daughter: Evil Spawns Evil”
”'I Made the Fans Great!', Fan Yuming Says, Reveals She Used Friendship With Madam Jin to Climb the Social Ladder”
”Fan Yuming Insults Madam Jin, Calls Her a Dumb Fool Who Has Nothing But Beauty”
”Fan Yuming Wanted to Become Madam Jin?”
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Jin Family's Old House.
The tablet fell to the floor. The video of Fan Yuming insulting Huang Yuyan was still playing. Each and every hurtful words were like knives stabbing painfully at Huang Yuyan's heart. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Was this her best friend? Her sister?
Perhaps Huang Yuyan still could've ignored the insults to her person. After all, she was well aware that she wasn't the smartest nor the strongest woman. She knew her own weaknesses. She could've written off the insults as something that Fan Yuming said at the heat of the moment.
However, Huang Yuyan couldn't accept that the person she treated like her closest sister wanted to marry her late husband, even fantasizing about becoming Madam Jin. For Huang Yuyan, her husband was her bottom line. What Fan Yuming said was just too shameless. It completely shattered her illusion of friendship.
Huang Yuyan bit hard on her lower lip in frustration until it bled. Her eyes watered but she wiped them furiously. She didn't want to cry over a traitor who used her in the pretense of friendship and sisterhood.
”I'm so stupid,” she said.
”Yes. You've been very stupid,” Grandma Li replied.
”Mother…please tell me how I can become strong. I know that I'm dumb, weak and gullible. And that my own children coddle me. I want to become stronger for them, for our Jin family and for myself. I don't want anyone to suffer anymore because of my own weakness. Please tell me, Mother.”
Grandma Li looked at her daughter-in-law with a serious expression. ”You've already taken the first step. You don't become strong in a day. Learn from your past mistakes.”
Huang Yuyan nodded, her lips trembling. ”I'm so sorry…”
”My dear, it's not me who you should apologize to. Our Liwei isn't saying anything, but I know that you've hurt your eldest son's feelings by ignoring his many attempts to talk to you. Your refusal to speak with him because of those evil Fans is an unjustified punishment. As for Little Chonglin, hai, what can I say? I don't think he would even give that evil girl attention if not for you.” Grandma Li shook her head, sighing. ”So Yuyan, if you want to redeem yourself and become stronger, start making amends with your own children first.”
With that, Grandma Li left Huang Yuyan to ponder over her own foolishness.
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Dragon Palace Home #10.
It was already evening when Iris woke up. Although her surroundings were unfamiliar to her, she still felt at home in the arms of her man and the purring warmth of their two fur ball kids. She snuggled deeper in Jin Liwei's embrace, inhaling his masculine scent that she liked so much.
”Baby?” He stayed awake holding her the entire time.
”Mmn…Missed you…” she murmured.
His arms tightened around her. They embraced each other until Ice Cream and Popcorn started meowing loudly at them. The kittens were hungry.
”Are you hungry, too?” Jin Liwei asked her.