chapter 14.2

When Ren Shaotang picked up Li Nanjue’s call, he had a feeling he already knew what it was about. Guessing Li Nanjue’s motive for the call wasn’t difficult.

He had planted a few eyes in Da Shaolin’s crew, and they reported back anything that went on within the cast and crew.

As soon as the information leaked, Ren Shaotang contacted his grandfather and used his grandfather’s power to suppress the matter. Any information online was deleted instantaneously. Although Ren Shaotang’s reputation was pristine, if the public caught wind of the things within the crew, his reputation would be marred.

However, the most important recording pen was in Li Xiao’s possession, and she had already returned to the Li home. Ren Shaotang couldn’t touch her unless he wanted to have an unceremonious fall-out with Li Nanjue.

Ren Shaotang couldn’t care less if he fell-out with Li Nanjue. However, Zhan Jiayin was too pure to be stuck between their bitter rivalry. The person who would suffer the most from their fallout would likely be her. And so, for the woman he loved the most, he was willing to bow his head in front of Li Nanjue.

Since Li Xiao was out of Ren Shaotang’s reach, he redirected his pent-up anger toward the failure of a human that was Lu Zhi. How could Ren Shaotang know that Lu Zhi would be moronic enough to give the recorder to Li Xiao and let her play its contents?

Ren Shaotang was born handsome and generous. Since his childhood, anything he wanted became a reality. It didn’t matter what it was. Everything in the world was at the tip of his fingertips. Zhan Jiayin was the only person beyond his reach. His white moonlight. Everything had been going nicely for Ren Shaotang, until he was hit by Li Xiao and Lu Zhi.

Ren Shaotang made a phone call. But even if he took out all his frustration on Lu Zhi, he still couldn’t get rid of the anger in his chest.

When he saw Li Nanjue, Ren Shaotang snorted, “Yeah, that’s right. I’m the one behind Lu Zhi.”

Ren Shaotang’s attitude stemmed from his powerful backing. His attitude angered Li Nanjue. Li Nanjue spoke to him coldly, “Xiao Xiao is only 18! Are you trying to ruin her life by doing this?”

At the end of the day, Li Xiao was Li Nanjue’s flesh and blood. He had experienced the anticipation of awaiting her birth. Li Nanjue was a father, so naturally, he had to oppose Ren Shaotang’s scheming.

Ren Shaotang spoke arrogantly, “Upsetting Zhan Jiayin was her biggest mistake. Zhan Jiayin is so kindhearted. So where did Li Xiao find the courage to harm her? And she’s Xu Manqi’s daughter. Just wait until she finds out that Xu Manqi has already gone mad. Do you think she’ll be able to deal with Jiayin? I’m just planning ahead.

If she had just behaved properly and hadn’t injured Jiayin, I wouldn’t have done anything to her. I wanted blackmail material on Li Xiao, just in case, to keep her from harming Zhan Jiayin.”

Li Nanjue furrowed his brows. “Right now, both of them are getting along. You’re just purposely stirring up trouble. We don’t need you to meddle in our family affairs.”

“Zhan Jiayin’s affairs are my affairs. I’ve already told you, if you don’t treat her well, then I’ll snatch her away. Have you forgotten your wedding vows from last year? You vowed to cherish her and love her more than you love your own life.”

Ren Shaotang looked disappointed at him. Li Nanjue had changed. He no longer put Zhan Jiayin’s feelings first. Such a man wasn’t worthy of Zhan Jiayin’s affections.

Li Nanjue felt like spitting blood from his throat. Ren Shaotang had never been this unreasonable. According to Ren Shaotang’s logic, did Li Nanjue have to frame his own daughter to become worthy of Zhan Jiayin?

Li Nanjue sucked in a deep breath. “Knowing Xiao Xiao’s character, she’s not going to sit pretty after taking such a hit. She still has the recording pen in her hands.”

Ren Shoatang sneered, “Well, let’s see what she can do to me.”

If Li Xiao had the audacity to publish the recording online, the Ren family could just suppress it by deleting all related posts.

When Li Nanjue returned home, he recalled the words Li Xiao had spoken to him. “In two months, it’ll be Fei’s 18th birthday, her coming-of-age. Li Xiao said that if worst comes to worst, she’ll release the recording on that day.”

For the Dragon and Phoenix’s coming-of-age banquet, Li Nanjue had invited a lot of high-profiled individuals. This was a method to introduce the twins to the upper class circle. If the recording was released on that occasion, not only would Ren Shaotang’s reputation be dragged across the floor, the coming-of-age banquet would turn into a joke. Such a move wasn’t out of character for Li Xiao.

Ren Shaotang froze. Li Xiao’s approach put him on edge. Li Qianxing bore an uncanny resemblance to Li Nanjue, so Ren Shaotang had limited feelings for that boy. However, Li Qianfei was molded to look exactly like Zhan Jiayin. Since childhood, she had a remarkable way with words. She even told Ren Shaotang that she wished he was her father. Ren Shaotang couldn’t help but wish Qianfei was his and Jiayin’s daughter. But he vowed to protect the mother-daughter pair even though he wasn’t married.

How could he ruin Fei’s most important rite of passage?

Ren Shaotang rolled his eyes in anger and spoke calmly. “Fine, I’ll apologize to her.”

He’d make sure that he’d repay this favor ten-fold. As expected, that girl and her witch of a mother were one and the same.

****

Li Xiao sat in the lounge of the Li home leisurely with Zhan Jiayin sitting not too far away. Zhan Jiayin felt relaxed after making a deal with Li Xiao, and her whole body was devoid of its previous tension.

When the clock, which seemed to be ticking slowly today, struck 11, Ren Shaotang arrived.

The last few nights had been warm. By the time Ren Shaotang came into the house, sweat stuck his hair to his forehead. It looked very different from the airy and light-hearted Film Emperor. He looked more like a stray dog. Zhan Jiayin saw him and inevitably looked at him with a slightly guilty expression.

Ren Shaotang had no intention of staying with Li Xiao. Right after entering the house, he asked, “What do you want?”

The corners of Li Xiao’s mouth hooked up in a smile. “Well, of course, I want you to publicly apologize to me.”

“That’s not possible,” Ren Shaotang insisted. He inhaled a deep breath, suppressing the bubbling resentment that threatened to spill. “I was possessed and wasn’t thinking things through. I apologize.”

Even when Ren Shaotang apologized, he wasn’t able to put down his haughty attitude. Instead, he acted like his apology was a sort of never-seen-before treasure, and he was doing a great favor to Li Xiao by showing it to her.

Li Xiao expected this behaviour.

She turned her head towards Zhan Jiayin and asked, “Do you think Uncle Ren’s reputation has any value?”

Zhan Jiayin couldn’t decipher Li Xiao’s implications and slightly frowned. “You can’t measure it with money.”

Li Xiao lightly smiled, “Then it’s priceless, no?”

Her gaze fell on the sulky Li Nanjue, and said, “When I found out Uncle Ren was behind this, I was so very upset. So upset that I wanted to show this recording to the entire country.

Then I thought of Dad, and I thought to myself, ‘I can still endure it.’ After all, the Li and Ren families cooperate in business.”

When Li Nanjue heard her words, his expression softened. He was familiar with Xiao Xiao’s arrogant character. He knew that just by doing this, she was conceding a large portion of her pride. She really grew up.

Li Xiao said, “So for the sake of Dad and Auntie, I don’t want your public apology. If you give me one billion, I’ll pretend like this never happened.”

Was ruining Ren Shaotang’s reputation more important than one billion? Of course not! Of course, she would choose one billion! Li Xiao never wanted his worthless apology to begin with.

Even though Ren Shaotang wasn’t short of money, one billion was still a huge amount for him. He smiled, “You’re trying to extort me.”

Li Xiao innocently pointed at Zhan Jiayin, “Auntie said your reputation was priceless. Or do you think your reputation isn’t even worth it?”

In front of the love of his life, Ren Shaotang couldn’t say no to Li Xiao or haggle over the price like a grandmother.

He could only accept the outcome.