Zhou Lin beamed with radiant joy, as if she were already the wife of the MS Group's president. "Aunt Xiao, once Mo Xiuchen is utterly ruined, the company will belong to Zixuan."
Xiao Wenqing caught the smug smile on her face, and a flicker of disdain flitted through her eyes. Were it not for the shady, unspeakable dealings between her and Zhou Mingfu, she would never have allowed Zhou Lin to step foot into the Mo family. At the very least, not before determining the gender of her unborn child.
The smile on her lips faded as she assumed a dignified, elder's air. "You must pay closer attention to Zixuan. While there is still nothing between Wenran and him, you need to make sure his heart remains with you. If Wenran divorces Mo Xiuchen, who knows if she won't try to latch onto Zixuan next."
In truth, Xiao Wenqing feared that should Mo Xiuchen and Wenran part ways, her own son might rekindle his hopes.
Zhou Lin's expression shifted slightly. Just as she was about to speak, her phone rang. She gave Xiao Wenqing an apologetic smile and pulled out her phone. Seeing it was her father calling, a touch of doubt crept between her brows. She answered quickly, "Hello, Dad?"
"A'Lin, something's happened."
Zhou Mingfu's anxious voice crackled urgently through the receiver.
Startled, Zhou Lin instinctively glanced at Xiao Wenqing, who sat with her eyes closed, massaging her temples. "What happened, Dad?" she asked with concern.
"I sent people to the hospital to capture Wenran, but not only did she escape, those two got caught by Gu Kai."
Zhou Lin shot up from the sofa in alarm. "Dad, how could you send people to grab her at the hospital? That place is Gu family territory! Because of Mo Xiuchen, Gu Kai has always treated Wenran well."
Xiao Wenqing's brow furrowed as her massage stilled. She opened her eyes and looked toward Zhou Lin.
"She hid things from me—secretly contacted those herbal suppliers and met with them behind closed doors. I called them all tonight, and none picked up. I panicked, thinking to seize her first. Even if Wenjin got evidence of my bribery, Wenran wouldn't dare act against me."
Zhou Lin's brows knit in frustration. She had advised her father to stop before, but he wouldn't listen.
Now that things had gone awry—if the people he hired confessed—wouldn't Mo Zixuan blame her too? At that thought, her voice turned cold. "Dad, what's your plan now? If those two are in Gu Kai's hands, they'll surely give you up. If Wenjin starts digging, who knows what else he'll uncover."
"I plan to leave G City for now—lie low somewhere safe."
Zhou Mingfu had yet to learn whether the two women had exposed him. Even if they hadn't, Wenjin likely had evidence from the suppliers. He wouldn't let this go easily.
And Zhou Mingfu had no intention of going to prison.
"Alright, then go tonight—and be careful. If they gave you up, the Gu family may already be watching your doorstep."
Zhou Lin's mind raced. All she could hope for now was her father's swift escape—to keep herself uninvolved.
"I will. By the way, is your mother-in-law home? I have something to discuss with her."
Zhou Lin paused, glancing nervously at Xiao Wenqing, who appeared distant and indifferent. She spoke softly, "Aunt Xiao, my father wishes to speak with you."
Xiao Wenqing took the phone with a frosty "Hello." Zhou Lin couldn't hear what her father said, but she saw Xiao Wenqing's expression turn stormy. "That's impossible," she snapped.
Worry flickered across Zhou Lin's eyes—fear that her father had somehow offended Xiao Wenqing. Yet she dared not interrupt the call, only fidgeted anxiously.
Seconds later, Xiao Wenqing's voice rose in fury. "Zhou Mingfu, don't push your luck!"
She stood from the sofa, her face livid with rage. Zhou Lin's face turned pale, and she tried to soothe her, "Aunt Xiao, please don't be angry."
Xiao Wenqing shot her a cold glance, still listening to the call as she stormed out of the room, leaving Zhou Lin frozen in place, her heart pounding wildly.
Exiting Wenjin's hospital room, Mo Xiuchen strode ahead, cold and aloof, paying no mind to Wenran who followed behind.
The air between them was thick with an unspoken chill.
Mo Xiuchen said nothing, and Wenran, too, remained silent. Her heart was still unsettled by the words he had spoken to her brother.
Her brother had suffered such grievous injuries only to protect her—nearly dying in the process. Watching her fall repeatedly into others' traps, powerless to defend herself, he was already overwhelmed with guilt.
Mo Xiuchen had no right to say such harsh things to him.
They walked out of the hospital and into the parking lot. Mo Xiuchen opened the passenger door. His lips, drawn into a thin, icy line, offered no words.
Wenran bent down and got in, pulling the seatbelt across her body.
Only after closing her door did Mo Xiuchen move around the car to the driver's seat. He didn't fasten his seatbelt right away, but turned slightly, the dim glow of the overhead light reflecting in his deep, unreadable gaze.
Wenran looked down, avoiding his eyes.
After a long silence, his voice finally broke through—low and strained with suppressed emotion. "Ranran… from now on, keep your distance from your brother."
Her head jerked up, shock in her eyes as she stared at him.
Meeting his dark, penetrating gaze, a furrow formed between her brows. Her usually gentle voice now carried notes of doubt and subtle disapproval. "He's my brother. Why should I keep my distance?"
She could not comprehend it.
Had it been any other man, she would have agreed. But not Wenjin. He was her brother—her only family in the world.
Mo Xiuchen stared into her clear, water-like eyes, feeling a suffocating weight in his chest. He couldn't tell her the truth—not yet. That she and Wenjin shared no blood ties. That, despite living as siblings for over a decade, they weren't truly related.
It wasn't the time for her to know about her origins.
After a few seconds of silence, he muttered, "Even if he's your brother, there should still be a boundary between men and women."
At his words, Wenran's frown deepened. She looked at Mo Xiuchen's cold features, every line of his face etched with tension. It was clear—he truly minded.
Her mind echoed with the words he had said in the hospital room. She pressed her lips together and tried to speak as calmly and gently as she could. "Mo Xiuchen, I can compromise on everything else, but not this. I can't do what you ask."
His expression darkened. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. A low voice tinged with displeasure escaped his lips. "I'm only asking you to keep some distance, not to sever ties entirely."
Wenran's face went pale. She pursed her lips stubbornly and replied stiffly, "If not for my brother shielding me with his own body during that crash, I would have died with our parents—or, at the very least, the one lying in that hospital wouldn't be him, but me."
The meaning was clear: no matter his reasons, she would never distance herself from her brother.
Mo Xiuchen's face grew stormy. The more affection she showed Wenjin, the more unsettled he became. He recalled her holding her brother's hand, Wenjin gently stroking her hair…
And more than anything, he knew—Wenjin's feelings for her were not merely brotherly.
Jealousy surged in his chest, and without thinking, the truth slipped out: "He's not even—"
He stopped abruptly, catching her wide-eyed stare. To cover the slip, he coldly snapped, "You'd rather divorce me than stay away from your brother, is that it?"
The atmosphere in the car froze, thick with tension.