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"Then you should be grateful for what Xiao Mo did back then, instead of pushing all the responsibility onto her," Mr. Xu said. "Xiao Mo is kind-hearted; if you have any conscience, you shouldn't morally bind her."
My mind buzzed as I held my phone, my hands and feet feeling cold.
"Let me put it this way: more than two years ago, when Xiao Mo saw you being abused at home, she casually mentioned it to me when she got back, asking for my opinion. At that time, I had just purchased the land in Shantytown. The other residents had all been relocated, but your father was greedy, not only demanding a house allocation but also millions in compensation. If I agreed, it would set a precedent for the other residents, making the relocation in Shantytown impossible. So out of self-interest, I suggested to Xiao Mo that if she encountered such situations again, she should call the police immediately. That's how your father was caught during the act of domestic violence, and his three-year sentence was also due to my actions. Xiao Mo didn't know the details; she thought the police were just warning your father to behave in the future. She meant well but was used by me. If you want to blame someone, blame me. When she found out about this, she had a huge fight with me and demanded that I take responsibility for your education. I already felt guilty towards you, so I agreed. You know what happened after that. Now you admit you don't want to return to your original family, so Lin Ye, stop pressuring Xiao Mo; she has done nothing wrong to you."
My heart felt empty and aimless. All my courage was shattered by Mr. Xu's words.
"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked coldly.
"Don't you understand? Face reality, little girl; blood ties cannot be changed. Your dad will always be your dad. In other words, I will never allow you to use moral condemnation to control Xiao Mo for life."
"You won't help me anymore?"
"I will continue to support you as agreed, but I hope you understand how to handle the current situation."
"I want to meet you and talk face-to-face."
"Alright, let me check my schedule and I'll let you know when I'm free."
The truth was finally revealed, and I lost my only weapon.
What kind of person Xu Wenmo is—I know very well. She is locked in her own little world, resistant and fearful of the outside world. As Mr. Xu said, she is a kind person; although I don't entirely agree with that, she certainly has no intention of harming others, even if she is extremely intelligent.
The relocation was not her wish; her mother's departure had nothing to do with her. Although she indirectly caused my family to fall apart, it wasn't her intention—one could say it was a case of good intentions leading to bad outcomes.
But even if I had known all this from the beginning, I couldn't help but hate her because without that hatred, how could I justify endlessly demanding from her?
People always need a reason to do bad things so that they don't see themselves as bad people.
So knowing all this, Xu Wenmo, I still want to blame you, and everything you do for me is taken for granted.
I took a deep breath and smiled brightly at the passing scenery outside the window.
"Are you at school yet?" Xu Wenxuan asked on WeChat.
"Almost there," I replied with a tongue-out emoji. "Are you out shopping with Xiao Mo?"
"Nope! She went back to school and left me here all alone!" he said with a sad face emoji.
"Haha, that's just how a goddess is; you'll get used to it."
"Was she like this before? I see she gets along well with you."
I chuckled coldly. "That’s right; we lived under the same roof for two years—closer than family."
"I can tell, she talks more when it comes to you. It's envy and jealousy, but not hatred. Can you tell me more about her past?"
"What's this? You want me to be a spy?"
"That's not what I mean. I just want to know more about her. It's really awkward between us right now."
"I think you're quite talkative now. Why were you so shy earlier?"
"That was a misunderstanding, beautiful. It's not appropriate to say that about a guy. I was just being considerate of Xiao Mo; I didn't want to come off too strong and make her uncomfortable."
"You care about her a lot."
"Of course."
We chatted all the way to school, and I didn't reply to Xu Wenxuan's WeChat messages. My father's situation weighed heavily on my mind, leaving me no energy to focus on anything else.
Six days later, I was picked up by Mr. Xu's driver at the entrance of a high-end restaurant and led by a waiter to a private room.
The room was elegantly decorated, with exquisite tableware and arrangements. Mr. Xu sat at one side of the black stone table, his expression neutral as he lifted his eyelids to glance at me. "Have a seat."
Seeing Mr. Xu again felt different from before; the affection was still there, even stronger now, but it was accompanied by a sense of fear and unfamiliarity.
"I hope I didn't interrupt your class," Mr. Xu said as he picked up a milky-white miniature teapot and filled an oval teacup with tea. He didn't look at me, but I could see the fatigue and numbness in his brow. "I just finished a meeting; we have half an hour, so let's keep it brief."
I set down my backpack, straightened my posture, and adopted the demeanor of an equal negotiator, trying to appear composed. "Alright, I'll get straight to the point."
Mr. Xu raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by my decisiveness, then gave a faint smile. "Okay, go ahead."
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, fixed my gaze on Mr. Xu's attractive eyes, and said, "Supporting me in completing my studies is your promise; you won't go back on it before it's fulfilled, right?"
"Mm," he said with a slight smirk, appearing unfazed.
"I promise you that I will never use Xiao Xu Wenmo again to gain your attention."
"My attention?" His gaze had been on the stone table but shifted to me with a meaningful look after hearing my words.
Under the table, I tightly gripped the hem of my clothes and deliberately ignored his question verbally. "This is my sincerity; I keep my word. As for my father's situation, I need your help."
He smiled slightly and said, "Xiao Ye, you're deceiving yourself. Not to mention your father has given you life; he's struggling now and can only rely on you. The key point is: why should I help you do something ungrateful? I'm a businessman; there's no profit for me in this and it could harm my reputation. Why would I help you if it damages both of us?"
He leaned back in his chair with his elbows resting on the armrests, looking as if he wanted to see how I'd respond.
I took a deep breath and said firmly, "Because I..."
His eyes suddenly darkened. "Still trying to use that matter to blackmail me? A seventeen-year-old girl is legally no longer considered a minor, or are you trying to talk about morality?"
I smiled charmingly, "Mr. Xu, I am now an adult. How do you think I've developed over the past two years?"
He narrowed his eyes, studying me in silence.
"Can I exchange myself for a better future, Mr. Xu?"
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