Lihua said, "I understand that this is a hard decision to make. But Aunt Shi is innocent in all this. It will be really bad for her health if something happens to Shi Ruomei. Plus, Shi Ruomei wouldn't dare to do anything against us after seeing how close she was to her death by plotting against us. And she will be abroad, away from us. Aunt Shi is already suffering so much…" she pursed her lips.

Jiang Ruiling shrugged. "I don't mind." ​​

"Really?"

Jiang Ruiling was the main target, so Lihua didn't expect that she would be the first one to agree.

"Yeah. Like you said, Shi Ruomei would have seen her life in the base. Dad and bro must have tortured her like hell. And I realize that she is a coward. She will do anything for her life. She must be begging so much to spare her, isn't it bro?" She sneered.

Jiang Li didn't comment, yet his silence was enough to answer. Her cries and begging resounded the base for two whole days.

"She wouldn't lift her finger against us. So, I am cool with it. Living a lonely and pathetic life and suffering abroad is what suits her the most."

Jiang Weiyuan had no issues with it. Even abroad, he would make sure that she suffers at every step she would take.

An hour later when Shi Cuifen woke up, Lihua explained their decision. Of course, she was sad that Ruomei would be away from her, but it was more than enough that she would be alive. She accepted her punishment.

"Thank you…" she burst into tears and sincerely thanked Lihua. "I-I never thought that anybody would agree here. But I had to try...I couldn't give up on my daughter. I am sad to see her suffer, but she has done terrible things to Jiang Ruiling…I am really sorry…"

Lihua smiled and patted her shoulder. "It's okay, Aunt. Please rest now."

She faintly smiled and shook her head. "No, dear. Thank you for your kindness. But I cannot stay here. I... already cannot face anyone after what Ruomei did," she clenched her fists.

"...Zhen made her too ambitious. I always tried to tell her that it was enough, but she never listened to me. Even when she lost the project proposal to you, I was happy with what she had achieved. I was satisfied to see the effort she had taken. But Zhen wasn't," her gaze dimmed.

Lihua pursed her lips. "En...Shi Ruomei gave me tough competition. In the beginning, I wasn't really sure if I could win this seeing her numbers. Uncle was really harsh on her and he is harsh to you too. Why do you live with him if he doesn't care about you?"

Shi Cuifen smiled. "Jiang Xiurang is lucky to have a family like the Jiang family who had you to stand up for her. Everybody else too. But I don't have a family like that. And…I don't want to leave Zhen. Even if he cares less about me, I don't want to leave him alone. Call me stupid."

Lihua sighed.

After escorting her outside, Lihua heard Jiang Ninghong sternly talking to her son as she came back.

"Li. I heard what happened in the office from your father."

Lihua paused in her steps.

Jiang Ninghong narrowed her eyes. "Your wife comes to the company for the first time today and you cannot take out even an hour for her?"

Jiang Li kept quiet.

"Just what important appointment was there that you had to ignore Lanying?"

"...I couldn't cancel it."

"That's what I want to know. Why?"

Silence.

Jiang Ninghong observed her son and his silence told her that he wouldn't speak at all.

"Take her out shopping tomorrow. No ifs and buts."

Jiang Li nodded.

Woah, Aunt Ninghong. You rock! Lihua nodded in appreciation.

It would be a good chance for them to come closer.

Though Lihua was still unsure of what to think about the woman he met today at the restaurant.

What could be so important that a strange woman knows about Jiang Li's problem but his own wife doesn't?

"Lixue."

She was snapped out of her stupor. She looked at Jiang Ninghong walking towards her.

"Will you accompany Li and Lanying tomorrow?"

"Me? But isn't it good that they will get to spend some time alone? I will just…"

"I know. But I cannot say if it will go well. You know how Li is. I don't want them to spend time in silence."

She coughed.

That would be so awkward.

"Okay! I will accompany them and try to bring them closer. I promise!"

---

At the Fu house, Meng Ya victoriously looked at the menu of dishes she made. She was good at making seafood and a delicious braised fish was right in front of her that she just took out of the hot pan. There was fish soup boiling in a pot as well.

She served the dishes on the table just as Tian Meirong came in. Meng Ya looked at her in pride. "Good evening, Tian Meirong," she smiled.

"Since you are the 'guest' of this house, I thought it would be rude if I didn't cook a meal. So here it is."

The sarcastic tone she used to emphasize the word 'guest' didn't miss her.

Tian Meirong smiled. "Thank you for your kindness. But you didn't have to do this. After all, Renshu knows just who is the guest in this house. I am his childhood friend. I don't have the count of how many times I have played here. This is just like my second home."

Meng Ya inwardly rolled her eyes.

Yeah, yeah, whatever.

"That was in the past when you were kids. Times change. It's not good to always live in the past. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the dinner."

Tian Meirong glanced at the dishes and raised her brow. "Is this only for me or for Renshu too?"

"Of course it's for Fu Renshu too."

She chuckled. "Aren't you his girlfriend? Seems like Renshu still hasn't allowed you to call him just by his name~"