Chapter Thirty-Four: He, However, Has No Standing

Huangpu Qingyin handed several cards to the hotel manager, then made her way to where Shangguan Renran and the others were waiting. Upon arrival, she saw that the person bribed by Shangguan Miaomiao was kneeling on the floor, begging, “I’m sorry, miss. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have drugged the two young ladies. I’m wrong, I’m wrong. Please…”

“Apologizing to me won’t help. Wait for the law to pass judgment,” she replied coldly.

On the sofa sat Huangpu Shenqing and Gong Yi; Shangguan Renran was seated on the other side. Ye Xin stood nearby, and Ouyang Muya was speaking while standing as well. The crowd had gathered around them, with security blocking every exit. Bai Xi and Shangguan Miaomiao were frozen in front of everyone, unable to move.

Ouyang Mufeng had intercepted their car halfway, taken the victims from their hands, and sent them directly to the hospital. That was why Shangguan Renran was here, slowly settling accounts with them.

“Ouyang Miss, you carry quite the air tonight, don’t you?” Huangpu Qingyin approached, and the crowd made way for her.

“Qingyin?” Bai Xi exclaimed with delight. With Qingyin here, she felt more confident.

“Is it? It’s nothing compared to the spectacle Miss Huangpu put on tonight,” Ouyang Muya retorted.

The crowd stifled their laughter, unable to help themselves—everyone knew Huangpu Qingyin had been fleeced out of six hundred million and had only just managed to scrape the money back together.

“You…” Huangpu Qingyin was furious.

“Muya, send all hotel staff involved to the police station,” she ordered, still needing to visit Wanqing in the hospital. “Ye Xin, accompany Muya.”

“Shangguan Renran, you mustn’t hand over the recorder,” Shangguan Miaomiao said excitedly. There were no images of her in the surveillance footage, only her voice in the audio.

“You should be grateful your surname is Shangguan,” Shangguan Renran advanced toward her, her tone icy as frost.

“Miss Bai Xi should be grateful too—her face doesn’t appear, but her deeds, I’ll repay them in kind,” Shangguan Renran’s cold gaze swept across Bai Xi as if she were nothing but a corpse.

Bai Xi trembled, realizing for the first time how terrified she was of this woman.

“Miss Shangguan, remember what you did tonight. Incidents like this may happen again. You think you can turn the page so easily, after costing me so much? Dream on.”

“Then I’ll make you regret ever coming into this world,” Shangguan Renran replied. Her bottom line was her family and friends.

“What an arrogant mouth. Aren’t you afraid of biting your tongue?” Bai Xi scoffed. Who did she think she was?

“Come on, Bai Xi, let’s go.”

“Qing’an, aren’t you leaving?” she called, her eyes fixated on him.

“Coming, sis,” Huangpu Qing’an replied. She truly was a beauty—even angry, she was captivating.

With the culprits apprehended, the crowd hurried to leave, fearing trouble would follow them. Ye Xin and Ouyang Muya went to the police station to give statements. The hotel staff involved were escorted to the station. Shangguan Renran kept the recording, because she had plans…

“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Huangpu Qing’an offered, his gaze lingering on her, his desire to gouge out his own eyes palpable.

He kept those people around because he wanted them to witness how the so-called waste in their eyes ascended step by step, trampling them beneath her feet. He would make them lose everything, starting now.

“No need, I’ll go myself…”

“Are you sure you want to go like this? I have clothes in the car, you can change. Also, do you even know which hospital they’re at?”

She didn’t. She knew Ye Zuo had gone to City A’s People’s Hospital, but she wasn’t sure which one Ouyang Mufeng had chosen. She was still dressed in an off-shoulder evening gown, which was rather inconvenient.

So she agreed to ride with Huangpu Shenqing to the hospital. Only upon entering the car did she realize there were no clothes at all.

“Go to the nearest mall and buy a set of women’s casual wear, quickly,” Huangpu Shenqing instructed the driver.

“Yes, young master.”

“Why did you lie to me?” Shangguan Renran stared at him. He’d said there were clothes, and she’d believed him.

“Be good. It’s not appropriate to visit the hospital like this,” he replied. So many people had seen her in the hall—she’d draw even more attention in the hospital.

“Let’s pick up our previous conversation,” he said.

“What conversation?” She was baffled—had she said anything?

“Do you want me to repeat it? About considering…,” Huangpu Shenqing shifted closer.

“I never said anything about considering!” Had he misunderstood what she’d said that night?

“Mmm, you didn’t consider—you agreed right away.”

“Huangpu, I hope you understand—”

“Change the way you address me.”

“Hm? What?” She was dumbfounded.

“Call me ‘Huangpu.’ Calling me by my surname is too formal, and ‘Mr. Huangpu’ is too distant.”

“Huangpu, aren’t you…?” The conversation felt too abrupt.

“Huangpu,” he said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.

“Fine, Huangpu. But we’re not suitable for each other. I hope you won’t waste your time on me.” She had never been in love, but she knew they were not the same kind of people.

“How can you know if you don’t try? If you don’t give me a chance, how can I prove it to you?”

“Young master, the clothes are here,” the driver announced, handing them in.

“Go ahead and change,” Huangpu Shenqing stepped out, closing the door behind him, blocking her view. He didn’t want to hear her refusal.

Shangguan Renran stood there, uncertain what to say, quietly changing into the clothes. There were shoes as well; she let her hair down, packed the dress and jewelry in the bag.

When they arrived at the hospital, Xia Wanqing and Zhen Mi were still resting. Shangguan Renran called Uncle Xia and Zhen Mi’s agent.

“Miss,” Ye Zuo approached, “Miss Xia is fine now.”

“Second brother, Miss Shangguan,” Ouyang Mufeng also came over, having arranged for Zhen Mi’s care.

“Call me Renran. Thank you both for tonight.”

“No need to be so formal. Then, Renran, just call me Mufeng,” he replied, though he felt a chill.

“You two should go home. I’ll take care of things here,” Shangguan Renran said politely.

Huangpu Shenqing wanted to stay—he disliked the idea of another man keeping her company—but he had no grounds to do so.