More than ten years ago, Li Mo was in high school.
He came first in his grade on the exam and went home with his schoolbag, expecting praise from his father. But as soon as he entered the door, he found Li Zhemin quietly comforting his younger son, while his mother, Xia Yue, scolded him angrily: "You got into a fight and even punched someone in the eye! Tell me, not only do we have to pay for medical expenses, but we also have to go to their door to apologize. You've completely disgraced us!"
Li Fei, who was still in junior high school, cried incessantly beside him: "He insulted me first, so I threw a rock at him. How was I supposed to know it would hit him right in the eye?!"
Li Zhemin laughed and said, "Alright, alright, it's normal for kids to fight. It's just medical expenses, it's not like we can't afford it. That Niu Dapeng, he's always disliked me because I competed with him for the manager's position, so he made a big fuss about it. I'll give him some extra money another day so he can take his son to see an eye doctor. Don't scold Xiaofei, he didn't do it on purpose."
Li Fei looked up through teary eyes and saw his brother staring coldly at him. He shrank back in fright and said, "Big brother is back."
The couple then noticed Li Mo.
Li Zhemin said casually, "You're back? Aren't you living at school?"
Li Mo calmly said, "The school has a monthly exam today, so we have a day off. I sent you a message about it."
Li Zhemin chuckled dryly, touching his nose. "Ahem, Dad was too busy and forgot. Let's have dinner together tonight. Li Fei, come on, let's play ball with Dad."
He didn't ask his eldest son how he did on the exam. When Li Mo saw him leave with Li Fei, his joy at getting first place vanished. He asked with a sullen face, "Mom, what are we having for dinner?"
Xia Yue said coldly, "Xiao Fei loves hot pot, let's go eat hot pot tonight."
He wanted to say he didn't like spicy food, but when he saw the woman turn and go to the kitchen, he held back. Li Mo turned and went upstairs, opened his diary, and wrote: "They're both sons, but I always feel like I'm superfluous to them. From childhood to adulthood, Dad only cares about Li Fei, and Mom has never hugged me. Why?"
That night, the four of them ate hot pot at home. Li Fei was enjoying his meal while telling Li Zhemin about funny things that happened in his class. Li Mo didn't say a word the whole time, rinsing the chili peppers with water before eating. Li Zhemin and Xia Yue ignored his actions and kept putting food on Li Fei's plate.
Neglected
The boy's eyes were filled with disappointment and desolation.
...
Li Mo achieved excellent results in the college entrance examination and was admitted to the Business Administration Department of a prestigious university.
On the day he left, Li Zhemin didn't see him off, but only gave him a card and sent him a message saying, "There is 200,000 in the card, which should be enough for your four years of university expenses. If it's not enough, just ask me for more."
Li Mo clutched the card tightly as she went to register at school alone.
Li Mo didn't go home for four years of university. He worked part-time during every holiday. He didn't spend much of the 200,000 yuan his father gave him. He was already able to earn money on his own at such a young age. What chilled him was that his parents never asked him why he didn't come home or whether he was happy with his university life. It seemed that it didn't matter to them whether Li Mo came home or not.
On social media, the parents take their younger brother on trips every holiday, and the photos of the family of three look very happy.
Li Mo gradually got used to being superfluous and stopped contacting her parents.
Four years passed quickly.
During Li Mo's senior year of college, she went to work at a company as arranged by the school, and happened to meet Shu Xiaomeng, who was also interning at the same company.
In stark contrast to the taciturn Li Mo, she was a lively and lovely girl who was always smiling. No matter how busy she was, she always seemed happy and energetic.
Once, during a company party, Li Mo was eating alone in a corner when Shu Xiaomeng ran over and said, "Your name is Li Mo, right? I heard you're a top student in the Management Department at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, that's amazing!"
Li Mo is quite handsome, and girls often gravitate towards him. He frowned in annoyance and was about to back away when a girl handed him a glass of juice, smiling and saying, "I just squeezed this juice; it's very fresh. Have a glass!"
She was handing out juice to everyone with a tray when, before Li Mo could react, she shoved a glass full of juice into his hand. Li Mo stared at her retreating figure, his face stiff.
He frowned and tasted it... It was very sweet, like a peach.
From that day on, he noticed Shu Xiaomeng. This girl was sunny and cheerful, seemingly spoiled by her family, and always full of kindness towards people. She was very good at baking and often brought delicious desserts to the company. Li Mo would also inexplicably receive a few pieces of dessert from her. Every time he wanted to refuse, he would be embarrassed to go back when he saw the girl's warm smile and could only accept it with a stiff face.
During that time, Shu Xiaomeng fed him a lot of sweets, and his usually thin figure actually gained some weight.
He gradually developed feelings for Shu Xiaomeng.
That day, their internship ended, and the department head hosted a farewell dinner for everyone. Li Mo doesn't like spicy food, but with so many people gathered, he couldn't just not eat anything. He forced himself to eat some dishes, and as a result, he suddenly developed acute appendicitis on his way home that night. Li Mo was in so much pain that he was covered in sweat. He called his father, Li Zhemin, but he didn't answer. He had no choice but to call an ambulance.
When the ambulance arrived, he was pale and almost in shock from the pain. The doctor, Nurse, hurriedly dragged him to the hospital. In the emergency room lobby, he saw a familiar figure and heard Shu Xiaomeng's anxious voice: "Isn't this Li Mo? What happened to you...?"
The doctor said, "He has acute appendicitis. Are you a family member? His condition is quite dangerous. If the appendix ruptures and perforates, it could cause an abdominal infection. We need to perform emergency surgery. Please sign the informed consent form."
Shu Xiaomeng hurriedly shook her head: "No, I'm not a family member, I'm his colleague."
Li Mo's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He lowered his voice and said, "I'll have my own surgery, I'll sign the consent forms myself, no family members needed. I can take responsibility for whether I live or die."
He endured the excruciating pain in his abdomen, snatched the informed consent form from the doctor, and gritted his teeth to quickly sign his name. The boy's pale face suddenly made Shu Xiaomeng feel a pang of heartache, and she hurriedly followed him, worried.
Liu Xiaoyan called after her, "Xiaomeng, you're in the wrong place! Xiao Yu is in the cardiology ward, why are you running to the emergency room?"
Shu Xiaomeng said, "Sister Yan, you go see Xiao Yu first, I'll be right there! A friend of mine is having surgery, I'm going to check on him."
She ran to the emergency operating room and sat anxiously in the corridor, hoping that Li Mo would be alright.
About an hour later, Li Mo was wheeled out. Although her face was pale, she looked much better.
Shu Xiaomeng immediately stepped forward: " Li Mo, how are you? Are you still feeling unwell?"
Li Mo paused, looking at her with some surprise. The girl's clear eyes were full of worry. In that instant, he suddenly felt a pang of sadness. He was on the operating table, and his parents ignored him, but this girl, whom he had only known for a short time, was waiting for him outside the operating room.
Li Mo stiffly turned her head: "It's nothing."
Shu Xiaomeng asked the doctor, "How is he?"
The doctor said, "Fortunately, the rescue was timely. You need to stay in the hospital for observation for two days. For the time being, you can only eat liquid food."
Shu Xiaomeng nodded and followed the hospital bed to the emergency observation room.
After the doctor left, Li Mo asked in a low voice, "What are you doing at the hospital?"
Shu Xiaomeng said, "A good friend of mine has congenital heart disease and hasn't been feeling well lately. She came to the hospital for a check-up, and I came to visit her. I just happened to see you. By the way, should we inform your family...?"
Li Mo interrupted her: "No need."
Shu Xiaomeng said "Oh" and didn't say anything more.
Li Mo said, "Go see your sister, I'm fine."
Shu Xiaomeng hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "Then you should rest well first, I'll come see you again tomorrow."
Li Mo initially thought she was just being polite, but to his surprise, she actually came very early the next morning.
With a smile, she brought some porridge she had personally cooked, saying, "The doctor said you need to eat liquid food, so I cooked some light porridge for you."
Li Mo took the porridge with a complicated expression and drank it.
The soft, sticky, and fragrant millet porridge warmed both the stomach and the heart.
He discovered for the first time how wonderful it felt to be cared for and looked after.
...
On the day of her discharge, Shu Xiaomeng came again. Li Mo got off the hospital bed, looked into her eyes, and said in a low voice, "You come to the hospital so often and bring me porridge every day. People might think you're my girlfriend."
Shu Xiaomeng's face flushed instantly, and she hurriedly explained, "I came to see Xiao Yu, and I brought you some food on the way, please don't misunderstand..."
Li Mo smiled slightly, looking at her blushing face, and said, "I think there's a misunderstanding."
Shu Xiaomeng was stunned: "What?"
Li Mo said, "Be my girlfriend."
Meeting his deep eyes, Shu Xiaomeng hurriedly lowered her head. She had actually liked him for a long time, but Li Mo was too cold, and she didn't dare say it, only silently taking care of him. Unexpectedly, he spoke first. Shu Xiaomeng blushed and didn't answer, but the next moment he gently took her hand.
Shu Xiaomeng struggled but couldn't break free, and blushed as he led her away.
Li Mo is a person who appears cold on the outside but is warm on the inside. He was very considerate towards her, and after three months of dating, their relationship stabilized, and at Li Mo's request, they moved in together. Li Mo was a gentleman; he rented a two-bedroom apartment and refrained from touching her. On the contrary, Shu Xiaomeng couldn't resist one day, and on her birthday, things escalated, and she had sex with Li Mo.
Since then, the two have become even sweeter. Li Mo is very cold to outsiders, with an expression that says "anyone who gets close to me will die," but when he gets home, he holds Shu Xiaomeng in his arms and pampers and protects her—because this girl is his little angel.
After living together for a year, Shu Xiaomeng found out she was pregnant. Li Mo decided to marry her and went to visit his future mother-in-law.
Unexpectedly, Shu Ping's face turned pale after learning his name: "Is your father named Li Zhemin?"
Li Mo nodded: "Yes."
Shu Ping pointed at him as if she'd seen a ghost: "You, you're the company's new General Manager Li?! Why did you lie to my daughter?!"
She was very emotional, her hands trembling. Shu Xiaomeng was a little dazed, and quickly stood up and pulled her, saying, "Mom, he didn't lie to me, we fell in love on our own..."
Shu Ping retorted angrily, "Shut up! You have no idea how scumbag his father is! What kind of good person could a son raised by Li Zhemin be? He's only lying to you because he thinks you're naive. Don't be fooled by his appearance!"
Li Mo stood up with a frown: "Auntie, I don't know what grudge you have against my father, but my feelings for Xiaomeng are genuine. I've come to visit you hoping to gain your..."
Shu Ping was so provoked that she lost her temper and kept saying, "I don't agree, get out of here right now!"
Li Mo sensed something was wrong and whispered, "Auntie, please calm down. I'll come to visit another day."
After returning to the company, he ordered people to investigate the past grievances between Shu Ping and Li Zhemin.
He also personally visited retired employees of the company, such as Mrs. Mei, Niu Dapeng, and Liu Yuming, and the truth he uncovered sent chills down his spine—his father was such a scumbag!
His biological mother died shortly after giving birth to him from an overdose of sleeping pills.
Li Mo sat alone in his office for a long time with a gloomy expression. He called the company's lawyer, who quickly confessed: "Mr. Li, this is not my fault! Your mother did want to divorce your father when she found out he was having an affair. The agreement was already written, but she committed suicide not long after... The agreement was only a draft, and she hadn't had time to sign it. I... I couldn't do anything about it."
Li Mo said coldly, "Do you believe she committed suicide? Why didn't you tell the police?"
The lawyer stammered, unable to speak. Li Mo stared sharply at his face and spoke for him, "My father gave you money to shut you up, didn't he?"
The lawyer lowered his head, his face contorted with worry, and said, "I... I know there are suspicious circumstances surrounding your mother's death. She had already decided to divorce, so it's impossible for her to suddenly commit suicide. But she's gone, and there's no way to verify anything. I really can't stand up for her and offend your father..."
Standing up for a dead man and offending Li Zhemin, who is about to take control of the entire company, is something only a fool would do.
It's only natural for lawyers to be opportunistic. Li Mo didn't blame him. After a moment of silence, she asked in a low voice, " Did Li Zhemin ask you to make a will? For example, to leave all his shares to his youngest son, Li Fei?"
The lawyer was dumbfounded: "How...how did you know?"
Li Mo's lips curled into a cold smile: "I finally understand why he hates me so much. Because my birth was the result of him raping my mother through abnormal means, and my existence will constantly remind him of how he killed his own wife to seize power. Seeing me will probably give him nightmares."
Li Mo turned and walked to the bedside. The lights were on outside. He said calmly, "Has this will been notarized?"
The lawyer said tremblingly, "Not yet. Li Fei is not yet 18 years old. Your father's idea is... you are more capable, so help build up the company first, and then let Li Fei come into the company to learn after he graduates from university."
Li Mo smiled slightly: "Then you gave the shares to my good-for-nothing brother and made me work for him, right?"
The lawyer lowered his head in embarrassment.
Li Mo said, "Since the will hasn't been notarized yet, let's pretend it doesn't exist. If anything happens in the future, please keep your mouth shut like you did back then, and I'll give you an even more generous reward."
The lawyer paused, then said
"But, but even without a will, according to inheritance law, his spouse and children all have inheritance rights. Your stepmother is the first heir and can get half of the property. The remaining half will be divided equally between you and your brother..."
Li Mo said calmly, "What if the company becomes an empty shell before the court ruling? Then there won't be much property left for them to divide, right?"
lawyer:"..."
***
Li Zhemin's clothing company is gradually transferring its assets, while Li Mo's own real estate company is growing bigger and bigger. Li Zhemin, who has retired and is always showing off his son's wealth, is completely unaware of this.
After Shu Ping learned that her daughter was pregnant, her attitude gradually began to change.
Shu Xiaomeng is trying to persuade her every day, saying that Li Mo is not a scumbag, that he is very good to her, that they have been together for more than a year, and that she believes Li Mo will be a good husband and a good father. She says that at worst, she will not have any contact with Li Zhemin after marriage.
Shu Ping was forced to reluctantly agree to their relationship after her daughter begged and cried.
However, Li Zhemin somehow heard that Shu Xiaomeng and Li Mo were dating, and he actually came to their door in private. Pointing at Shu Xiaomeng arrogantly, he started yelling at her: "You seduced my son just for money, didn't you? A girl like you, from a single-parent family and with no education, is not worthy of being my Li family's daughter-in-law! Tell me, how much money do you want to leave Li Mo?"
Shu Xiaomeng suppressed her anger and said, "Uncle, Li Mo and I fell in love on our own. I don't care whether he's rich or poor."
She picked up her bag and left, but Li Zhemin got up to stop her. As a result, Shu Xiaomeng tripped over him and fell heavily down the steps.
The bloodstains everywhere terrified Li Zhemin. He thought the girl was trying to scam him, so he threw down some money and ran away as if fleeing.
Shu Xiaomeng was curled up on the ground in pain, her face pale— this was the scene Li Mo saw when he arrived.
His pupils suddenly contracted. The girl curled up on the ground, suffering and helpless, was his beloved. He couldn't tolerate anyone hurting her. Li Mo rushed over, picked up Shu Xiaomeng, and left. By the time they got to the hospital, the baby was gone. Shu Xiaomeng cried uncontrollably. Li Mo stayed by the bedside with a somber face, his fists clenched tightly.
A crazy idea suddenly popped into his head.
Back at the company, Li Mo found the HR manager and said expressionlessly, "My dad is bored after retiring. He's getting old and should go out and relax. Contact Grandma Mei and ask her to compile a list of retirees."
He compiled the list, then contacted the tour group and arranged the high-speed train.
Li Mo sent an email to everyone who had a grudge against Li Zhemin, and also asked the tour guide Qin Shiyue to post a list of pharmacies where insulin could be bought in the WeChat group, reminding the elderly to bring insulin with them when they went out, and to go and buy it if they hadn't already.
To ensure Li Zhemin would never return, Li Mo secretly sent a message to Zheng Weiguo in Li Zhemin's name: "Old Zheng, you should pay back the money you owe me, right? It's been five years since you borrowed it, and with interest, the amount owed should be exactly ten million. I'm giving you one last chance. If you don't pay back the money after this trip, I will sue you in court."
Zheng Weiguo turned pale with fright and quickly called Li Zhemin, saying, "Old Li, I will definitely pay back that money! Bring the IOU with you, and I will return it to you in person once I raise the money."
Li Zhemin was puzzled, but since the other party said that repaying the money was not a bad thing, he took the IOU with him.
Li Mo did not come to see him off on the day he left.
He sent his father a text message: "Have a pleasant journey."
***
Train No. 7311.
At 3:40 a.m., Shu Ping decided to take action, but was dissuaded by Grandma Mei.
The old woman's voice was hoarse: "If you don't think about yourself, think about your daughter. Xiaomeng still needs you to take care of her... Besides, once you kill Li Zhemin, Xiaomeng and Li Mo will never have a chance again..."
She snatched the syringe from Shu Ping's hand, unsealed it, drew the insulin into the syringe, and pushed open the door to room number 2.
Shu Ping hurriedly stopped her: " Sister Mei..."
Grandma Mei pushed her away and said firmly, "I have been diagnosed with bone cancer and I don't have much time left. This all started because of me, so let me end it with my own hands."
Li Zhemin slept soundly.
But Zheng Weiguo and Liu Yuming weren't actually asleep. Both of them were tense, listening intently to any sounds coming from the lower bunk.
A rustling sound came from the darkness. Someone lifted Li Zhemin's clothes, and an old hand, trembling slightly, gently injected a syringe of insulin into his body.
The door closed, and I heard a soft cough.
Zheng Weiguo waited for a long time, then got out of bed. He originally intended to take a rope and strangle Li Zhemin to end it all, but after checking Li Zhemin's breathing, he found that the other person was already dead. He immediately climbed back into bed and decided to pretend that he knew nothing.
A moment later, Liu Yuming also got out of bed and found that Li Zhemin's body had become cold.
A smile appeared on his face as he climbed back into bed and pretended to be asleep.
Because Mrs. Mei surrendered herself to the police, and all other evidence pointed to her, the Li Zhemin case was quickly closed.
When the police informed Li Mo that his father had been murdered, Li Mo remained remarkably calm. He went to the police station to identify the body and then transported Li Zhemin's remains home. Li Fei, upon seeing the body, burst into tears, while Xia Yue's face turned deathly pale: "How could this happen..."
Li Mo said, "Please bury him, Auntie. You don't need to tell me where the tombstone is; I won't be visiting his grave."
Xia Yue's eyes widened: "What...what did you call me?"
Li Mo turned to look at her, her gaze icy: "Auntie, my mother..."
"Back when I was pregnant, wasn't it because you were having an affair with him that my mother caught us and was so angry that she went into premature labor? Later, when she planned to divorce him, you probably had your idea in mind too, didn't you?"
Xia Yue's face turned deathly pale instantly.
Li Mo sneered: "No wonder, all these years, you've never even hugged me. You've given all your care to Li Fei, leaving me to be taken care of by a nanny. I've always suspected that I'm not your biological child—and it's true, I'm not."
Li Fei asked blankly, "Brother, what are you talking about?"
Li Mo gave him a cold look, then turned around and said, "Tomorrow, the lawyer will liquidate the assets. In any case, you are his legal wife and son, so please make sure you are there."
***
The following day, the company's lawyer was in the office settling accounts with a thick stack of documents.
Li Zhemin's company was already just an empty shell. The assets that the two of them could get weren't even enough to buy a car. Xia Yue couldn't believe it and checked the accounts repeatedly. Li Mo remained expressionless throughout.
Xia Yue said sternly, "How could your father's company be so worthless?! Are you up to something?!"
Li Mo said calmly, "Yes." He shrugged. "Unfortunately, you have no evidence."
Xia Yue was stunned for a moment, and then she heard him say, "Just like I know that you conspired to kill my mother, but I have no evidence."
He picked up a pen, quickly signed the inheritance consent form, and said, "I'm still very busy, so I won't stay with you."
Seeing him get up to leave, Xia Yue quickly stopped him: " Li Mo, I'm going to sue you! You must have transferred assets!"
Li Mo coldly replied, "I'm available anytime."
He turned and left without hesitation. This woman and her good-for-nothing son thought they could bring him down? Dream on.
His methods were clean; no evidence was left in the accounts. Even if investigated, it would be attributed to poor management and normal losses. Li Zhemin's clothing company was about to go bankrupt, and his life was just beginning.
Li Mo recalled the day he almost died during his appendectomy. When he was wheeled out of the operating room, he saw the girl's worried eyes... In this world, he had no relatives left, and no one left to care about.
Except for Shu Xiaomeng.
Li Mo strode around and headed to the hospital.
At the bedside, Shu Xiaomeng, pale-faced, stared blankly out the window.
The police investigation into Shu Ping has concluded. Since Mrs. Mei confessed to the crime, Shu Ping has been cleared of suspicion and has returned to the hospital to take care of her daughter.
Li Mo pushed open the door, holding a bouquet of roses, and knelt on one knee in front of Shu Xiaomeng.
He gently took the girl's pale hand, his gaze calm and sincere: "Xiaomeng, marry me."
Shu Xiaomeng covered her mouth, looked at her mother, and burst into tears.
Li Mo also looked up at Shu Ping and said in a low voice, "My father owes you something that can never be repaid. Let bygones be bygones. I promise you that I will cherish Xiaomeng for the rest of my life. I will make up for all the grudges of the previous generation by doing my best to make her happy. Please entrust her to me with peace of mind."
Shu Ping's eyes welled up with tears. She turned her head away, trying to hold back her tears, and said, "Xiao Meng's matter... she can decide for herself."
Li Mo looked at Shu Xiaomeng, her voice incredibly gentle: "We can have more children. We can have as many as you want. Will you marry me? Xiaomeng, let me take care of you from now on."
Shu Xiaomeng choked back tears as she accepted the flowers from his hand: "Okay."
The two embraced tightly.
Watching this scene, Shu Ping thought to himself, "If Ruirui were still alive, she would probably like Xiaomeng as her daughter-in-law, right?"
She and Ruirui were once as close as sisters; if it weren't for that beast Li Zhemin, things wouldn't have turned out this way.
Now that Li Zhemin is dead, the feud between the two generations has finally come to a complete end.
Shu Ping was no longer in the mood to interfere in the children's affairs. She thought she should listen to Sister Mei, travel around to relax, live to eighty, and live a fulfilling life so that she wouldn't waste the liberation that Sister Mei had given her with her own life.
Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.
Shu Ping stood by the window, a long-lost smile of relief finally appearing on her face.