Chapter 347: The Past Is Gone with the Wind
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
First Madam cried. “He’s always dreamed of getting rich. Especially in the past few years, when he saw that Fourth Brother’s business was getting better and better, he felt even more pressure. He’s afraid of being surpassed by Xiaoran. He said that if he’s behind in this family, he’ll be beaten.”
First Madam started crying. “Actually, those are all his inner demons.”
A cold glint flashed across Huo Xiaoran’s eyes.
“Sister-in-law, why does he have such a strange mental demon?”
First Madam was too frightened to speak.
Huo Xiaoran said, “Hmph, I know even if you don’t say it. It’s my mommy, right? My mommy brought me along. She was weak and orphaned. She was bullied by you and in the end, my mommy lost her life. All of you are afraid of falling to my mommy’s level, so you chase after fame and fortune desperately, right?” His voice was filled with fierce anger.
The few people did not dare to breathe loudly and lowered their heads.
After all, the current Huo Xiaoran was not only the CEO of the Angel Group but also the largest shareholder of the Soaring Cloud Group.
As for them, they were just down-and-out rich people who had obtained meager assets and barely maintained a glamorous life.
In the future, their life and death in the capital would depend on Huo Xiaoran.
At this moment, the second branch took advantage of the situation and tried to please Huo Xiaoran. “Fourth Brother, Second Brother admits that we lacked concern for you in the past. However, I hope you can understand our feelings. After all, we’re half-brothers. Your mother’s interference in my parents’ marriage was a huge blow to my mother. We also hate the arrangements and couldn’t treat you sincerely. Please forgive us.”
“However, I swear I had nothing to do with your mommy’s death. I think she knew her place and was ashamed of her family. She was under such pressure for a long time, so she suffered from depression and chose to commit suicide.”
Huo Xiaoran slowly turned around and looked at Second Brother. “Thank you for telling me these heartfelt words, Second Brother. But Second Brother, do you know the full story?”
Second Brother was speechless.
Huo Xiaoran walked up to Madam and glared at her sharply. “Madam, I want to hear about the situation back then. After all, you’re the person involved. You know more and more, right?”
Madam’s benevolent face slowly raised. She looked at Huo Xiaoran with indifference and jealousy.
“Xiaoran, the third branch today was us then. Your mother’s threat to me was like a knife cutting into my body. It’s true that I hate her and wanted her to die.”
Huo Xiaoran’s handsome face instantly darkened. He gritted his teeth and roared, “So you forced her to death?”
Madam stood up shakily. She had never been as sharp as today. She revealed her hidden claws and said fiercely, “If she doesn’t die, it will be me and my children who will suffer a bad end.”
Huo Xiaoran was stunned.
Madam’s wrinkled face suddenly cried in pain because of her emotions.
“Your mother was a vixen. She seduced my husband completely with her youth, her beauty.”
“Originally, I didn’t want to harm her. After all, such a young girl is innocent. What bad intentions could she have? Besides, at that time, the old man was young and rich. He only needed to hook his finger at a girl and give her a bag. The girl would then easily lose herself in his status. I firmly believed that it was the old man’s fault, so I repeatedly tolerated her.
“But she repeatedly provoked my bottom line. At that time, I was pregnant, but she came to my house in a sunny manner and bragged to me that she was pregnant with the Li family’s child. She even said that the old man didn’t love me and wanted me to fulfill her wish. And I was so angry that I lost the baby.”
“My daughter died, and all my mercy turned to hate. Xiaoran, do you know how much I hate my own kindness and concession? I think my kindness killed my daughter. So I pulled mercy away from me bit by bit. Hehe…”
Madam suddenly laughed sinisterly.
“I swear I’ll avenge my daughter. Because my daughter is the most innocent person in the world.”
“From that day on, my love for your father was gone. But I became gentler and virtuous. I wanted the old man to feel guilty about me and be unable to ask for a divorce.”
At this point, Madam looked at Old Master Li coldly. The shock on Old Master Li’s face appeared. He probably did not expect that his wife, who was obedient to him, had actually stopped loving him decades ago.
There was no anger in him, just tears of regret.
“Madam, actually, there’s no need for you to live so tiredly. Since you don’t love me, I can give you all my assets. We can get a divorce and be happy together. Isn’t that good?”
Madam said resentfully, “Hmph, you’re giving me the family business? I’m a woman. I don’t know how to manage the company at all. The children were so young. I had to keep you by my side.”
The old man did not expect Madam to be so deep. He looked at her in awe. “You…”
Madam said, “Are you angry? Feel your anger. It’s like feeling my anger back then.”
Old Master Li’s anger finally disappeared. He sighed heavily and said with tears flickering in his eyes, “Madam, you’re wrong. You’re wrong.”
Madam looked at Old Master, the smugness in her eyes turning to confusion.
Old Master Li said, “Today, while all the children are around, I’ll tell them everything that happened back then. Let the future generations comment on what happened.”
“That year, my career was not going well. The company was not doing well. I was in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. I was under a lot of pressure, but because Madam was pregnant, I was afraid that you would be worried, so I took all the pressure alone.”
Madam’s eyes were filled with confusion. Clearly, she didn’t know about this at all. The old man’s protection of her more or less moved her.
Old Master Li continued, “Until one day, I couldn’t take it and was about to jump off a building to seek relief. Before I jumped off, I went to the bar to drink and got drunk. Then, I ran to the tall building and was about to jump off. At this time, Ping’er was also standing on the tall building. The young girl was crying. Out of sympathy, I asked her what was wrong.”
At this point, Old Master Li looked at Huo Xiaoran with obscure eyes, as if he had something to say.
Huo Xiaoran waited anxiously for him to continue.
Old Master Li sighed repeatedly.
Madam urged, “Tell me quickly.”
The old man shook his head as if it was difficult to persist.
“Xiaoran, stop pursuing the truth, okay?” he suddenly begged.
Huo Xiaoran said, “No matter the outcome, I can accept it. Dad, tell me.”