Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Wanwan Doesn’t Need His Help at All

Chi Wan’s deliberately lowered voice held a luring quality. "Thinking of getting money from our family to pay Song Yangming’s gambling debts? I’d advise you to give up on that idea. If you keep pressuring my parents, I’ll tell Song Yangming the truth about his parentage. After all... his biological father is much richer than my dad was before he went bankrupt.

"A mere two hundred thousand? He probably spends more than that on a single meal out. You people ruined Song Yangming’s chance at a life of wealth, and now you want to interfere in my mother’s life?"

Hearing Chi Wan’s words, Qian Cuicui’s eyes flickered, her thoughts unreadable.

Seeing that her goal was achieved, Chi Wan straightened up and said softly, "Don’t mess with me again. Since you went to the hospital, you should know that Song Yangming’s hand can’t be healed. And it’s not just his hand. If I’m unhappy, he’ll be a cripple in bed for the rest of his life."

Qian Cuicui’s gaze toward Chi Wan was filled with fear and resentment. She could never understand how Chi Wan, Song Yinghe’s biological daughter, could have a personality so completely different from the ever-timid Song Yinghe. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Chi Wan didn’t care what Qian Cuicui was thinking. She had just used the opportunity of getting close to her to pluck a few strands of her hair. ’I was just a little curious—would someone really exploit their own daughter endlessly to support an adopted son?’

So Chi Wan just wanted to confirm it; if it turned out they weren’t blood-related, then Song Yinghe could finally make peace with years of turmoil.

But if they were blood-related, Chi Wan would never mention this to Song Yinghe again. Regardless, Song Yinghe would always have her and Chi Yuanshan to lean on.

*

Standing quietly to the side, Xiahou Yu couldn’t help but find Chi Wan’s family a bit strange. ’In a situation like this, shouldn’t the parents be the ones to step forward? After all, how is a young girl like Chi Wan supposed to handle a hysterical old woman?’

Yet in Chi Wan’s family, her parents had calmly entrusted the entire situation to her.

But when he saw Qian Cuicui actually turn and leave after just a few words from Chi Wan, a flicker of astonishment crossed Xiahou Yu’s eyes, and his curiosity about her deepened.

As for Chi Yuanshan and Song Yinghe, who were already aware of Chi Wan’s current capabilities, they trusted her. They didn’t want to hold her back with the so-called filial piety that had shackled them for so many years. Furthermore, both Chi Yuanshan and Chi Wan knew about Song Yinghe’s deep-seated trauma regarding Qian Cuicui and her husband.

So, since Chi Wan said she could handle it, all they had to do was trust her.

Sure enough, watching Qian Cuicui get sent away with just a few words from Chi Wan, they exchanged a look of both shame and pride.

But with an outsider present, it wasn’t a good time to ask for details. So, Chi Yuanshan simply stroked Chi Wan’s head and said, "Wanwan, you’ve worked hard."

Hearing this, Song Yinghe’s eyes reddened. Forgetting that Xiahou Yu was still there, she said firmly, "Wanwan, Mom won’t disappoint you again. The last time they dared to hire someone to stage an accident, I should have made up my mind..."

Chi Wan squeezed Song Yinghe’s hand. "Mom, I’ve never been disappointed in you, just like how you two always trust me. Right, Dad?"

Chi Yuanshan smiled and nodded, then noticed Xiahou Yu standing off to the side. "Look at us," he said apologetically. "We still have a guest here. How rude of us..."

Song Yinghe quickly composed herself, squeezed Chi Wan’s hand, and asked softly, "Wanwan, and this is?"

Chi Wan beamed. "Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is Grandpa Xu’s grandson, Xiahou Yu. He came to deliver some flowers for Grandpa Xu. Xiahou Yu, sorry about today. And thank you for the flowers from Grandpa Xu. Things are a little crazy today, so we won’t keep you. I’ll treat you to a meal some other time, okay?"

Xiahou Yu gave a faint smile and shook his head, his expression showing no signs of discomfort. "Sir, ma’am, it’s alright as long as you don’t think I was intruding. In that case, I’ll take my leave."

Chi Yuanshan and Song Yinghe replied, "Not at all, you weren’t disturbing us in the slightest. Wanwan often has friends over, and we love seeing the house so lively."

Chi Wan waved her hand with a helpless look. "Well, maybe not *this* lively. Today was a little too much excitement... Come on, I’ll walk you down the mountain."

They had only walked a few steps before they saw Xiahou Yu’s driver waiting by the roadside. The driver saw Xiahou Yu approaching and hurried to open the car door for him.

Before getting into the car, Xiahou Yu thought for a moment, then said with a neutral expression, "Regarding that woman from before... if you need any help, you can tell me anytime."

He paused, then added, "Grandpa considers you a dear friend, regardless of the age gap. If he knew about this, he would want me to look out for you."

As he said this, the driver standing nearby couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Chi Wan in surprise. After all, before they came, his boss had mercilessly rejected his own father’s request to look after a family friend’s daughter who was interning at his company.

Even when his father repeatedly stressed that she was like a little sister from a long-time family friend, he had retorted expressionlessly, "My company doesn’t carry dead weight. If she needs that much looking after, she can go home and hire a caregiver, not expect me to be her babysitter."

The driver thought to himself: ’Since when did the boss become so warm-hearted?’

Chi Wan, meanwhile, was also a little surprised. ’I didn’t expect Xiahou Yu, who seems so cold and indifferent, to be the "warm-on-the-inside" type.’

’Though, to be honest, my friendship with Grandpa Xu is currently based on a single pot of orchids. I don’t think we’ve reached the "friends across generations" level yet...’

However, Chi Wan had always cherished others’ goodwill, so she didn’t refute him directly. Instead, she smiled and said, "Well, thank you for the kind offer. Sorry you had to see all that drama today. Next time you come by, I’ll treat you to a feast."

’More friends mean more opportunities. A CEO like Xiahou Yu probably has access to a lot of auction channels. Once her greenhouse is established, wouldn’t he be part of a natural customer base?’

Xiahou Yu nodded, then got in the car and left.

What Chi Wan didn’t know was that although Xiahou Yu’s face was impassive, he was actually quite annoyed inside. ’Grandpa is getting more and more unreliable.’

’He just shoved a pot of flowers at me and urged me to deliver it right away, so I didn’t think much of it—just a simple errand. I didn’t even bring a proper gift. And then I walk right into such an awkward scene, right in front of Chi Wan’s parents.’

’I just hope Chi Wan’s family doesn’t think I have no manners.’

But Chi Wan’s mood was actually quite good now. She had gotten rid of Qian Cuicui, dug a trap for Song Yangming, and even made a new connection.

The variety of orchids in her greenhouse and her "space" was growing. Looking at the lush green leaves and uniquely shaped flowers, and thinking about how she would soon earn her first pot of gold from them, Chi Wan felt the future was bright.

Humming a song, she walked back home with a spring in her step.

Suddenly, a plaintive voice sounded in her ear. "Wanwan, you don’t need his help. I can take care of those people for you..."

Chi Wan almost choked on her own saliva.

She couldn’t believe Li Xingye hadn’t "hung up" the whole time and had been listening in on her.