Chapter 39: More Harm Than Good

Xu Yunzhuo fell silent. Wasn’t she just praising him? Yet he turned it around and mocked her in return, making it a personal attack. Was she supposed to thank him for considering her future in showbiz? She was at a loss for words for a few seconds when Pei Qiaonian, still young and arrogant, snorted, “Well, you’ll have to rely on me.”

Xu Yunzhuo was speechless. How had the entertainment industry made this guy so confident? She cleared her throat and joked, “Then my whole acting career depends on you.” She tried to ingratiate herself by massaging his shoulders.

“Pack your things tomorrow. We’ll head to Haicheng,” Pei Qiaonian said. “By the way, do you want to settle your foster mother’s affairs before we go? The hospital sent a bill reminding you to pay.” He had seen the bill—it demanded a one-time payment of a hundred thousand, which would cover three months’ expenses. That amount was nothing to him. If Xu Yunzhuo was willing to ask for his help…

Just as he was considering this, Xu Yunzhuo’s serious voice reached his ears. “Alright, I remember I still have a hundred and fifty thousand in my account. That’s enough for now. We’ll see after these three months.”

“Luckily I saved some money. Now it’s finally useful,” she sighed.

Pei Qiaonian couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you use the card I gave you?”

“Huh?” Xu Yunzhuo was a bit puzzled. “Can I?”

She liked money, but she still had some sense of integrity. After all, Pei Qiaonian was already helping her in the entertainment world—she was not only slacking off every day but would also be using his money on top of that... Xu Yunzhuo didn’t think she could be that shameless.

“I’ll wait until we switch back and the contract ends. Then I’ll use your money,” she said, already swallowing hard at the thought of the million yuan.

Pei Qiaonian frowned slightly and said, “Fine, as you wish.”

Seeing it was still early, Xu Yunzhuo decided to visit her foster mother in the hospital before leaving for Haicheng. She went in Pei Qiaonian’s body.

…

At that moment, in the Xu family home.

Father Xu, reading news about Xu Yunzhuo, set his phone down in irritation. “Why hasn’t she been blacklisted yet? What is Xingyue Media doing?”

Xu Mu Ning watched the video of “Xu Yunzhuo” singing and dancing, clenching her fists in frustration. She was only a year younger than Xu Yunzhuo. Outside of playing the piano and learning to paint—all artistic pursuits—she too wanted to enter show business. Yet, uncharacteristically, her family forbade it.

Xu Yu, sitting nearby sipping tea, let his gaze linger on that breathtakingly beautiful face in the video, his thumb and forefinger unconsciously rubbing the rim of his cup. With a gentle smile, he said softly, “She’s under contract, and the company can’t openly terminate it without paying a penalty. I hear all she has left is a dating show. After that, she’ll be shelved, unable to get work, and without any income, she’ll have to come home eventually.”

Father Xu scoffed, “We raised her for five years and all we got was a thankless wretch. Even a dog is more loyal. She can’t even handle a man—what a waste of that face.”

Madam Xu sipped her tea calmly. “She looks like a vixen—good for nothing but trouble.”

Xu Mu Ning couldn’t help glancing at Madam Xu’s face. Xu Yunzhuo’s features bore a striking resemblance to hers. Calling Xu Yunzhuo a vixen was as good as insulting herself. But Xu Mu Ning didn’t care much; the more her family resented Xu Yunzhuo, the happier she felt. She stroked her own merely passably pretty features and seethed with jealousy. Turning to her father, she pleaded, “Dad, let me join the entertainment industry. I’ll be better than Xu Yunzhuo.”

Normally doting, Madam Xu snapped, “Ning Ning, being an actress is a lowly profession. In great families, what matters in a girl is culture and refinement. Your father and I have worked so hard to cultivate you so that you could have a bright future and marry well.”

Xu Mu Ning bit her lip. “But I only like Brother Pei Jin. Please help me, Mom. Brother Pei Jin’s only been bewitched by that cheap woman for a while. He must still have feelings for me.”

Madam Xu’s brow furrowed. “Ning Ning! Don’t mention Pei Jin again. Everyone knows he cut ties with his family for that woman. Old Master Pei has already hinted to everyone in the circle not to help him. He’s been all but disowned. Maybe he had promise before, but now he’s done for. On the contrary… Pei Qiaonian is an excellent prospect. His reputation is spotless, and there are no rumors of him being engaged. If we could connect with Pei Qiaonian, the Xu family would truly become a family of status!”

Father Xu nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Pei Jin might seem to have more potential, but right now, it’s Pei Qiaonian who holds power. He’s ruthless—Pei Jin won’t get any benefit from him. The trouble is, Pei Qiaonian is secretive and travels the world constantly. It took me quite some time to find out he’s heading to Haicheng on business.”

He looked at Madam Xu and, hesitating slightly, finally gritted his teeth. “Take Ning Ning back to your mother’s home. The Yun family was once as distinguished as the Pei family. As a junior, Pei Qiaonian might be obliged to visit Old Madam Yun on behalf of Old Master Pei.”

At the mention of returning to her family home, Madam Xu’s face darkened like a storm cloud.

But with Xu Mu Ning watching, she could only force out, “You know perfectly well I…”

Father Xu’s expression was grim. “It’s fine. Old Madam Yun has dementia now and doesn’t recognize anyone. For your daughter’s happiness, just bear it.”

Madam Xu’s expression remained sour, but she pinched her nose and agreed.

Xu Yu pretended not to notice their expressions. He idly scrolled through his phone until a notification arrived—a hundred thousand payment had just been made. He smiled, stood up, and said to the three, “I’m heading to the office. If Mother and Ning Ning are going to Haicheng, book your tickets today. Otherwise, it’ll look too deliberate if you arrive tomorrow.”

Father Xu, very pleased with this adopted son, waved him off. “Go ahead.”

But Xu Yu didn’t go to the office—he went straight to Erkang Hospital instead.

Xu Yunzhuo’s foster mother was receiving treatment there.

Xu Yu toyed with a bank card in his hand. It held a million yuan—enough to pay for a year of her foster mother’s treatment.

He found it odd, really. Why would Xu Yunzhuo rather struggle on her own than ask her brother for help?

He wanted only one thing. Since the moment he met Xu Yunzhuo again, there had been just one desire in his heart: to possess her.

Their relationship might be questionable in terms of propriety, but they shared no blood. That face was simply too beautiful—each time he saw her, his obsession only deepened.

Now was the perfect opportunity.

When Xu Yunzhuo arrived at Erkang Hospital, she made her way effortlessly to her foster mother’s ward.

In her memory, her foster mother’s paralysis had been caused by protecting her—she was beaten by her drunken foster father, so badly that even the police were called. But in the end, it was dismissed as “a family matter,” and her foster father was released.

Xu Yunzhuo had accompanied her foster mother to the hospital, but lacking money for the bills, could only halt treatment. If the treatment stopped, her foster mother would surely die in that bed.

With her face still bruised and swollen from the beating, she had gone to the Xu family for help.