Love in the Midst of Mistaken Identities

“Daddy, why don’t you go home first?” Li Manni persuaded her father. Although he had hit her, he was still her father regardless of how disappointed she felt. She still had to call him ‘Dad’. Like Mr. Li said, her status in the Chu family would not be as secure if her maternal family was to declare bankruptcy. Although Song Wan and Chu Jiang didn’t care for such matters, those they knew might make an issue out of it.

She had been proud for so long with the others always giving into her. A day might come when anyone could rise above her. They would humiliate her at will, and she would have to tolerate it. No matter what, she couldn’t look on idly at what was happening to her parents. She wouldn’t allow her parents or her brother to fall that easily.

Mr. Li remained distressed, but there was nothing he could do. He heeded his daughter’s advice and went home. He had hoped that things would be better once he had the support from the Chu family, and his company could survive for a while longer. However, things were not as simple as he had thought. The whole company was nearly disintegrated, especially its internal technicians from the technical department.

Every day, a few of them would tender their resignation and—in doing so—brought some of their colleagues along with them. The company, at this point, was facing more difficulties holding onto its day-to-day operations, but it wasn’t for a lack of funding. The biggest issue was the enormous hole left by the departed staffing.

Three days later, Chu Lui returned.

He had been exhausted from the trip. Li Manni knew the moment he arrived home.

“Lui, my father...” She came over hastily. Her footsteps were messy as she rushed to Chu Lui with one hand on her stomach. She could barely conceal her anxiety.

“I have to go to the office. There are matters that I have to attend to.” Chu Lui casually picked another shirt and changed into it. He didn’t say more while he changed.

“Lui...” Li Manni suddenly walked up to him, blocking his path.

“Lui, are you retaliating against me?”

Chu Lui held on tightly to his sleeves. His lips were pursed so firmly that it formed a straight line. Revenge? He didn’t feel like he was doing that. Retaliation was not a word he would use on Li Manni and her family. They had caused his lineage to end with him. Retaliation couldn’t even begin to describe or resolved the retribution they would be receiving. No, this was not payback. This was vengeance. It was a battle between life and death.

Li Manni took a step closer and reached out to grab tightly at Chu Lui’s shirt. She wanted to smile, but the expression she gave was awful. Freckles had appeared on her face recently due to her pregnancy and a lack of sleep. Without makeup, she had aged considerably. Her beauty had vanished, without the countless cosmetics bought with money.

“Lui.” She squeezed out a smile with all her might. “I know I’m at fault. I know I have done many things wrongly. I apologize to you. No matter what, the mistakes have been committed. We have no way to reversing the past or explain our actions. However, have you forgotten? I’m pregnant. I’m having our baby. Our child, your child.”

Li Manni pulled Chu Lui’s hand and placed it over her stomach to let him feel the child inside her himself. She might have made many errors. No matter how unwilling Chu Lui might be, the child was innocent after all. Wasn’t that right?

Chu Lui shoved her hand away and continued to adjust the length of his sleeves.

“Lui...” Li Manni’s eyes widened in belief at how cold-blooded Chu Lui was. “How can you do this?” Her face fell in an instant as beads of tear rolled down her face. Nevertheless, to Chu Lui, those tears were crocodile tears that disgusted him.

At times, he really wanted to peel off Li Manni’s face and see for himself exactly the kind of monster that was underneath that layer of skin. How could such a vicious woman exist in this world? She had even poisoned the person who had slept beside her. She kept preaching for him to be a good father. He wondered whose bastard she had been carrying in her stomach.

This time, Li Manni released her grip and laughed bitterly. “I know. I know. You want to reconcile with Xia Ruoxin, and so you are treating me like another Xia Ruoxin. Isn’t that right? Your blood is cold; you don’t even possess a heart. However, let me tell you.” She started laughing heartily, but she could taste the heartache and bitterness in her laughter.

“She will never forgive you in this lifetime. It will not happen, ever.” How could Xia Ruoxin forgive a man who wouldn’t save his own biological daughter? There was no way Chu Lui would know that he had killed his own daughter for as long as he lived.

Chu Lui’s gloomy eyes became darker as a layer of hellish fire began to burn in them. Alas, they diminished slowly. She could think whatever she wanted. Anyway, everything would come to an end soon.

He opened the door and strode out, without a care about the wailing woman behind him.

He had witnessed plenty of women crying. Until now, he realized that only one woman’s tears were capable of making his heart sick and not suffered from heartache.

He strode into his office, sat down, and casually turned on his computer. After being away for a few days, the documents from his company had piled up on his table. He would have to work nonstop for a few days and nights to finish going through them.

Du Jingtang rushed in promptly and parked his buttocks on Chu Lui’s sofa as he stretched his arm along its back. “It’s much more comfortable sitting in your office. It’s spacious and wide. Even the ceiling is higher than mine.”

“Want to swap?”

Chu Lui simply asked him. He would be happy to relinquish his position as CEO.

Du Jingtang placed his hand at his nape and proceeded to massage. It would be better if he didn’t think about it. Having the designation as a company’s CEO might sound impressive, but he knew his capabilities. If someone was to give him such a huge responsibility, he would rather jump down from some building and kill himself than to slog like a dog every day. He wouldn’t have his own rights, too. Look at his cousin who had spent his whole glorious life for the company, and that Dong Fangjing who had dedicated every day to his work.

“Oh, yes.” Du Jingtang stood up and straightened himself before coming to the table. He braced himself with both of his palms down on the table. “President Chu, your father-in-law’s company is going bust. Aren’t you going to help?”

“Oh, it is busted.” Chu Lui didn’t sound surprised. “It lasted for a few more days than I have expected.”

Du Jingtang could feel beads of cold sweat appearing on his forehead. How could such a son-in-law exist? He had made a pit, especially for his father-in-law to fall into.

“Jingtang, do me a favor.”