Book 1, Chapter 113: He pressed her down and kissed her for a long, long time.

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After a long moment, a reply finally came: No.

It was just a single word, and Xu Zhi felt a bit deflated. Liang Jinmo was really cold toward her.

She did want to talk to him, but with that attitude of his, she really couldn't keep the conversation going. After thinking it over for a while, she simply turned off her phone and went to sleep.

Forget it. Today had been tiring enough. She could try again tomorrow.

The day had been far too long for her, filled with too many things happening. She was exhausted in both body and mind. At first, her thoughts were muddled as she wondered what to do next, but then drowsiness set in, and she quickly fell asleep.

The next day.

When Xu Zhi got up in the morning, she discovered that during the night, Liang Muzhi had sent her a WeChat message.

Just three words: I'm sorry.

She stared at it for a moment, then ultimately chose not to reply.

Liang Muzhi had left her with the most difficult situation to handle. She didn't know whether he could truly end up with Chen Jing this way, but either way, it had nothing to do with her anymore.

Before turning off her phone screen, she couldn't help taking one more look. Liang Jinmo hadn't sent her any new messages last night.

She felt a little disheartened, but forced herself to perk up and went to wash up first.

She had to make plans for the future. Mother and daughter discussed it over the breakfast table.

Zhao Nianqiao looked irritated. "This morning, your father's assistant called me again. Your father isn't seriously hurt, but he's been so angry he's come down with a fever, and he's a bit weak. The assistant is urging me to go home right away."

"You can't go back," Xu Zhi said quickly. "Dad will definitely lay his hands on you again."

Zhao Nianqiao said, "But stalling won't help either. Some things can't be solved just by dragging them out."

Xu Zhi thought for a moment, then said, "Then... why don't you divorce Dad first? As for the debt..."

Money was a very real problem. She lowered her eyes and gritted her teeth. "We'll figure something out."

Zhao Nianqiao said, "What can we possibly figure out? It's tens of millions, not a few thousand."

Xu Zhi said, "I'll send out my résumé today and look for a job. Mom, didn't you used to work in business at a company too?"

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Zhao Nianqiao had indeed worked in business, but it had been so long ago. After her miscarriage, Xu Heping hadn't allowed her to go back to the company, nor had he allowed her to go out and find work.

"Even if we both work, tens of millions isn't something you can earn by working for someone else," Zhao Nianqiao sighed heavily. "I don't want to drag you down. I thought about it half the night. If there's no other way, I'll just have to become a deadbeat debtor. This money clearly isn't debt I owe, yet I have to bear it... I don't have any property left under my name now. Your father even mortgaged the house. If the bank takes it away, I have no other assets for the bank to seize. When it comes down to it, they can take my life if they want, but they'll get no money from me."

Zhao Nianqiao was very pessimistic. After all, having tens of millions in debt foisted on you because of someone else's mistakes would break anyone.

Xu Zhi felt a pang of sadness in her chest. "I'll think of something. Or... why don't you just separate from Dad for now? In the current situation, living together is bound to end badly."

"There's no other choice. You're right. I should look for work," Zhao Nianqiao said, a faint glimmer of light returning to her eyes. "Your mother used to be a strong woman in the workplace, you know."

Xu Zhi smiled. "Then I need to learn from you."

"But it's the end of the year now, so finding a job might be a bit harder," Zhao Nianqiao said. "Let's both start looking and see."

Xu Zhi nodded.

Zhao Nianqiao then asked her, "How long can we stay in Liang Jinmo's place?"

Xu Zhi had never asked that question. She said, "I'll ask today. Don't worry. I have enough savings to rent a place for a few months. The urban village where Yang Xue lives is very cheap."

Zhao Nianqiao suddenly laughed. "I just remembered. Yesterday Liang Jinmo said this place was originally meant to be a wedding home. If anyone should move out, it should be me, to make room for you two."

"Mom..." Xu Zhi's face flushed red again.

Zhao Nianqiao said, "You're too thin-skinned. That won't do you any good out in the world. And let me tell you, if you want to pursue Liang Jinmo, you need to be thick-skinned. I can tell at a glance that he's not easy to handle."

Xu Zhi lowered her reddened face and bit into her bread. Suddenly she remembered being in the hotel suite before, when she had been shy and blushing, and Liang Jinmo had seemed to relish it, pressing her down and kissing her for such a long, long time.

Things had been so good back then. She suddenly wanted to go back to that time, but obviously it wouldn't be that easy. Liang Jinmo was still angry with her.

She had no idea what it would take to make it up to him...

She felt that her life had suddenly become so full—she had to pursue Liang Jinmo, and also find a job to earn money quickly.

But before she could do anything, trouble came knocking first.

Fu Wanwen called and asked her, "Zhizi, are you free to meet today? I heard from your father that yesterday you and your mother left with Liang Jinmo."

Xu Zhi's heart grew heavy. She didn't want to face Fu Wanwen right now, but...

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...there was no avoiding it. Some things had to be said face to face sooner or later.

She agreed.

The place Fu Wanwen chose was a private room in a high-end café near the villa district. Zhao Nianqiao was worried, so she accompanied Xu Zhi there.

When they entered the private room, they saw that Liang Zhengguo was there too.

Zhao Nianqiao's scalp went numb. It was one thing for women to talk among themselves, but with Liang Zhengguo added to the mix, it was a different matter altogether. The atmosphere became even more oppressive because of the man's commanding presence.

After Xu Zhi and Zhao Nianqiao took their seats, a waiter brought over coffee.

No one touched the coffee. Even though its aroma was rich and fragrant, no one had the heart to drink it.

Fu Wanwen also wore a cold expression today. Without even a polite greeting to Zhao Nianqiao, she asked Xu Zhi directly, "Zhizi, yesterday's last-minute switch to Liang Jinmo on stage—whose idea was it, yours or his?"

Xu Zhi didn't hesitate. "I was the one who pulled him up on stage with me."

Fu Wanwen frowned. "Tell me the truth, Zhizi. You've always been so well-behaved. I don't believe you'd do something so reckless and defiant."

Here it comes again. Xu Zhi felt that Fu Wanwen was trying to guide her into shifting all the blame onto Liang Jinmo. All these years, Fu Wanwen had never tired of casting every bad thing onto Liang Jinmo.

Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched into fists. In a calm voice, she insisted, "This was my idea. Brother Jinmo was just going along with me. If you want to blame someone, blame me. But..." She paused. "I also have to say, I was forced into this by Liang Muzhi. If he hadn't run away at the last moment, I wouldn't have made this choice."

Bang! Liang Zhengguo slammed his hand directly on the table. "Let's stick to the facts. Muzhi running away doesn't mean you're allowed to make your own decisions and switch people at the engagement ceremony!"

Liang Zhengguo's voice was loud, startling Zhao Nianqiao so much that her heart gave a lurch. But soon enough, anger flared up in her as well, and she couldn't help but cut in: "President Liang, what you mean is, your young master is allowed to abandon Zhizi, but my Zhizi isn't allowed to figure out a solution for herself? So many people were watching yesterday. If the ceremony had been canceled, do you know what people in North City would say about Zhizi? They'd say Muzhi ran away because he couldn't stand her, that she was unwanted!"

Fu Wanwen knitted her brows, her tone growing agitated as well. "At this point, I'll just say it outright. I never thought much of Zhizi anyway. We only considered her because she's obedient and Grandpa insisted on her as his granddaughter-in-law. For the sake of this marriage, we were even planning to inject capital into your family's shabby little company... This marriage was a bargain for your family! But look at what she's done! Even if Muzhi ran off, we could have all sat down and discussed it together. What did she mean by dragging Liang Jinmo up on stage? Is she trying to slap the Liang family in the face?"

"Liang Muzhi was the one who slapped me in the face first!" Xu Zhi couldn't hold it in any longer and shouted.

She was usually too reserved and timid by nature, always speaking in a soft, gentle voice, so much so that Liang Zhengguo and Fu Wanwen were both stunned for a moment.

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