Volume 1, Chapter 164: Malicious

Song Qingyu never expected that she would run into Pei Jingmo and Lu Rongrong while going up to the rooftop for some fresh air.

Lu Rongrong’s voice was filled with anger and a hint of exhaustion. Clearly, she hadn’t come to the rooftop to share a romantic moment under the moonlight with Pei Jingmo, but rather to interrogate him.

Pei Jingmo’s voice lacked the slightest bit of warmth. "I assumed you were already prepared for the Lu family to go bankrupt because of you."

Lu Rongrong looked at the man in front of her in sheer disbelief. "Just because I insisted on marrying you, you’d rather ruin the Lu family than marry me?"

Song Qingyu’s heart trembled slightly. She knew that eavesdropping was unethical, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot.

"Didn't Gu Chengde and your family rely on your powerful background to force me into submission? If I don't even care about Tianqi Group, why would I care about the survival of the Lu family? Since you all love using power and status to oppress others, I will personally destroy the things you are most proud of."

Lu Rongrong’s heart shook violently, and a bone-chilling cold spread from the soles of her feet. She had heard people describe the Young Master as cold, deeply calculating, and ruthless, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals. Yet, whenever she interacted with Gu Yuandong, she always felt he was nothing like the rumors suggested.

Only at this moment did she realize she had never truly understood this man at all. He had been biding his time, enduring in silence, all to seize the initiative and trample them beneath his feet.

Anger distorted Lu Rongrong’s expression. With a cold smile, she said, "Stop suppressing my family immediately, or I won't mind revealing your secret."

"Oh?" Pei Jingmo’s expression didn't even flicker.

"The dignified Young Master disguised himself as a construction worker to trick his way into a marriage. If your lovely wife were to find out that her supervisor is actually her husband, Pei Jingmo, how do you think she will react?"

Catching sight of a shadow on the ground, Pei Jingmo’s dark eyes flashed slightly. "What do you want?"

Thinking she had successfully threatened Gu Yuandong, Lu Rongrong let out a laugh. "I want you to prop up the Lu family, and you must agree to an engagement with me. I mean, we'll only be engaged, not married; it won't affect your family life."

The Lu family business had been declining over the past two years, and this severe blow made things even worse. An engagement with the Young Master would undoubtedly bring the Lu family back from the brink of death.

"Impossible."

"Aren't you afraid Song Qingyu will find out?"

Instead of answering Lu Rongrong, Pei Jingmo countered with a question of his own, "Do you know why the Lu family is bound to fall?"

Lu Rongrong simply couldn't fathom why Gu Yuandong was so determined to ruin the Lu family. If it were merely because of the forced marriage, he was making far too big a fuss over nothing.

"Why, then?"

"Because you drugged Xie Liuzheng and almost had her violated."

Lu Rongrong’s eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't expected Gu Yuandong to uncover this.

"The only reason you've been so arrogant is because you believed the Lu family could bail you out no matter what you did. Without the title of the Lu family's young heiress, you are nothing."

Lu Rongrong’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. She never imagined that the culprit behind the ruin of the Lu family was herself. Gone was her previous haughtiness; with red eyes, she pleaded, "Yuandong, I was wrong. I'll never dare do it again. Please, spare the Lu family and spare me!"

"Everyone must pay for what they have done, and you are no exception."

Realizing that begging was useless, Lu Rongrong composed herself, her face turning cold as she resorted to threats once more. "The only reason I targeted Xie Liuzheng was because I mistook her for your first love. When it all comes down to it, you are the ultimate culprit. If I tell Song Qingyu about all of this—"

"Don't bother troubling yourself!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Song Qingyu stepped out from the shadows. She walked step by step toward Lu Rongrong, her gaze icy and terrifying. "The person who drugged Zhengzheng was you?"

Lu Rongrong was startled when she saw Song Qingyu. She had expected Gu Yuandong to panic and grow nervous, but to her surprise, he didn't react at all.

At that, she decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Song Qingyu, do you even know who the man standing in front of you is?"

Song Qingyu asked, "I'll ask you again: was it you who drugged Zhengzheng and tried to ruin her?"

Lu Rongrong snapped, "He is your husband, Pei Jingmo! You've been deceived by him. He's no construction worker—he is the Young Master, Gu Yuandong!"

Since Gu Yuandong refused to let her have a peaceful way out, then damn it, no one else would have peace either.

However, the scene of Song Qingyu and Gu Yuandong having a furious falling out that Lu Rongrong had imagined never happened. There wasn't even a trace of surprise on Song Qingyu’s face.

Looking at Song Qingyu in sheer disbelief, Lu Rongrong asked, "You knew who he was all along?"

Seeing that Song Qingyu didn't answer, Lu Rongrong realized she had her answer. She let out a scoff, feeling like an absolute clown. No wonder Song Qingyu hadn't reacted when she threatened Gu Yuandong earlier—they had been in cahoots the whole time.

"That's right, I drugged Xie Liuzheng! But if it weren't for Gu Yuandong, I—"

*Slap!*

Song Qingyu delivered a fierce backhand slap across Lu Rongrong’s face. "You're wicked, yet you still try to shift the blame onto others."

Holding her cheek, Lu Rongrong glared angrily at Song Qingyu. "How dare you hit me?"

Song Qingyu struck her with another slap, giving Lu Rongrong a matched, symmetrical pair.

"You should thank your lucky stars that Zhengzheng was rescued that night. Otherwise, dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough to pay for your crimes."

Pei Jingmo had already called security, and before Lu Rongrong could throw another tantrum, she was dragged away.

Although Song Qingyu had heard that Pei Jingmo’s engagement to Lu Rongrong was forced upon him, that wasn't the core issue between her and Pei Jingmo. What she couldn't understand was why he had continued wearing a disguise even after she already knew his true identity.

Deciding it was none of her business anymore, Song Qingyu turned to leave. Pei Jingmo reached out and grabbed her arm. "Qingqing—"

Song Qingyu shook off his hand. "Please show some self-respect, President Gu."

Pei Jingmo longed to pull her into his arms, but he forced himself to endure. "About Xie Liuzheng... I'm sorry."

Song Qingyu was not someone who lost her sense of right and wrong. "Lu Rongrong directed her revenge at the wrong person. It has nothing to do with you."

For some time afterward, Chu Xingzhi kept appearing around Song Qingyu, whether intentionally or not. He seemed completely oblivious to her coldness and aversion, determined to force his presence upon her.

After Sheng Yuru hadn't come to work for a while, Song Qingyu learned that she and Chu Xingzhi had broken up. However, she didn't care about that; she was much more concerned with something else.

It was a rare weekend. Although she still hadn't fully recovered from the fact that Pei Jingmo had moved out, she had already accepted the reality.

Xie Liuzheng had a busy schedule, and as soon as her injuries healed slightly, she had to rush off to fulfill her engagements. Song Qingyu had to make do with bread and milk for breakfast, and after eating it for a few days, she was practically sick of it.

She had planned to take Dingding out for a walk and grab a bowl of wontons outside, but right then, a knock sounded at the door.

Who could be here this early?

Could it be Chu Xingzhi?

Annoyed beyond measure, Song Qingyu strode over, flung the door open, and snapped, "Are you ever going to finish—"

The words stuck in her throat the moment she saw Pei Jingmo’s face.

Looking away, she asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"

Before Pei Jingmo could speak, Dingding trotted over excitedly, rubbing against Pei Jingmo’s trouser leg, practically on the verge of tears of joy.

Gently picking Dingding up, Pei Jingmo said, "Today is Dingding’s vaccination day. I'm here to take him."