Chapter Seventy-Two: A Fool’s Dream

On the other side, after being released through mediation, Chu Qingzhu and Liang Wenru stared fiercely at each other as soon as they stepped out of the police station.

“In any case, don’t even think about coming back to the company. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other. Those resources are staying with Xingye; they’ll never belong to you alone, Chu Qingzhu.”

Hearing this, Chu Qingzhu finally understood—this time, Liang Wenru was utterly determined, and would never be with her again.

A wave of panic rose in her heart.

She reached out and grabbed Liang Wenru.

“You can’t do this to me… Have you forgotten our past?”

“I shouldn’t have ended up like this, Wenru. Marry me, please. I know I was wrong.”

Chu Qingzhu had always felt that, no matter what, Liang Wenru would be behind her. Yet, for reasons she couldn’t fathom, the person who once was so easy to manipulate now suddenly changed, resolute in his desire to part ways.

Looking at Chu Qingzhu’s face, Liang Wenru felt nothing but endless disgust.

Even with careful grooming, she looked haggard, the greed in her eyes almost overflowing. How could she ever compare to Pei Susu, even to a single finger of hers?

Liang Wenru was consumed with regret.

For this woman, he had abandoned Pei Susu, his gentle and capable wife.

“Marry you, only for you to keep humiliating me?”

Liang Wenru sneered, “I’ve already made up my mind. I’ll ask Pei Susu to remarry me. You are nothing compared to her and can’t offer me anything.”

“Stop dreaming.”

At the mention of Pei Susu’s name, Chu Qingzhu’s face twisted.

“So that’s why you’ve been so indifferent to me. Thinking about your old flame… But isn’t it you who’s dreaming? What makes you think Pei Susu would ever look at you now?”

Chu Qingzhu knew perfectly well that Pei Susu was no longer the same woman; there was no way she’d turn back to Liang Wenru.

Stung by Chu Qingzhu’s sarcasm, Liang Wenru, just out of the police station, resisted the urge to slap her.

“What do you know? She must love me!”

Chu Qingzhu let out another mocking laugh.

“I don’t care. You’d better think carefully. Xingye still has my share, and Luo Yuan is someone I brought in. If you dare kick me out, Luo Yuan will leave as well.”

“Then Xingye will be nothing but an empty shell. I doubt you’d want to see that happen.”

Chu Qingzhu was somewhat smug, but Liang Wenru appeared utterly fearless.

“Is that so? Why don’t you call Luo Yuan and ask whose idea it really was for you to leave?”

Chu Qingzhu froze, a great terror seizing her.

“What do you mean?”

How could Luo Yuan betray her? Everything Luo Yuan had was won through her efforts; it was she who gave Luo Yuan a foothold in Xingye…

Seeing her stricken look, Liang Wenru finally felt he had regained the upper hand.

He folded his arms and looked down at her. “Exactly what you’re thinking. Luo Yuan has already betrayed you—so what?”

Before Chu Qingzhu arrived, Luo Yuan had already called Liang Wenru; if not for that, he would never have acted so swiftly to dismiss her.

Watching Liang Wenru’s smug expression, Chu Qingzhu realized she had no way out. Every escape route had been blocked by those she once trusted. She stared at Liang Wenru, disheveled and desperate.

“Do you think you’ve won? Pei Susu will never want you. Once you kick me out, sooner or later you’ll end up just as empty-handed, with nothing to show for it but a miserable fate.”

Liang Wenru merely scoffed at her words.

“Is that so? But for now, I’m still the winner. Susu is only angry with me for the moment, but she’ll definitely return to my side—I've never doubted it.”

Liang Wenru’s confidence made Chu Qingzhu sneer. She then stumbled away.

In this round, she had lost completely. There was nothing left to argue, and Xingye was beyond her reach. No matter how unwilling she felt, she could only seek another path.

As Chu Qingzhu departed, Liang Wenru took out his phone and sent a message to Pei Susu.

Liang Wenru: Susu, I’ve completely severed ties with Chu Qingzhu. Please, give me another chance, won’t you?

Although there was no reply, Liang Wenru believed it was only temporary. Pei Susu could never be so heartless to him.

Hope filled his heart.

Turning around, Liang Wenru noticed that Luo Yuan had somehow driven to the police station entrance.

“Let’s go, Mr. Liang. This situation isn’t doing our company’s reputation any favors.”

Luo Yuan rolled down the window. Liang Wenru, feeling guilty—having landed in the police station twice—was relieved no media had been waiting outside, otherwise the company’s image would have suffered.

Once inside the car, he realized Bai Yuan was there as well.

“I’ve been handling our recent business. The reports are in your inbox.” Luo Yuan glanced at Liang Wenru’s expression in the rearview mirror; lately, he’d been lost, staring at his phone, and she felt a surge of contempt.

The curses Chu Qingzhu uttered weren’t entirely unfounded, because Liang Wenru’s misfortune was surely imminent.

He’d neglected the company for some time, ignoring everything, which had given Luo Yuan a golden opportunity.

Together with Bai Yuan, she had quietly transferred Xingye’s projects and liquid assets elsewhere, with the accounts meticulously prepared. With so much time to perfect everything, even if Liang Wenru discovered it now, they could still leave with the money, unscathed.

But now was not the time to burn bridges.

Thinking of this, Luo Yuan felt a flicker of anticipation—she wondered what expression Liang Wenru would wear when he finally learned the truth.

Surely, it would be spectacular.

He fancied himself in control, but an incompetent fool is always just that, and a man living off others will never soar to greatness. Even if Xingye was in his hands, so what?

In the end, it would be devoured by others.

It was a pity that Pei Susu had worked so hard for so long; she could never have imagined Xingye would end up like this.

At the thought of Pei Susu, Luo Yuan’s heart filled with hatred.

As long as she had the chance… if she lay low a while longer, everything she wanted would be within reach. Then she would have the power to stand toe-to-toe with Pei Susu, and she would make Pei Susu feel what she once endured.

…

Luo Yuan dropped Liang Wenru off at home. Standing in the now somewhat empty villa, still waiting for a message from Pei Susu that never came, Liang Wenru felt his heart hollow and lost.