Chapter Eighty-Seven: Terms

Neither Jiang Fu'an nor Jiang Tianxiang had anticipated that Lü Dongmei would be so unyielding. With an attitude like this, there wasn’t even room for a conversation to begin! It seemed utterly hopeless to negotiate.

“Director Lü, why break up a loving couple?” Jiang Tianxiang, unwilling to concede, pressed on.

“My daughter is half of a pair; he’s nothing but a common fowl!” Lü Dongmei jabbed a finger at Jiang Fu'an.

Jiang Tianxiang frowned. Lü Dongmei's words were going too far.

“Have you considered that by forcibly separating them, your daughter might once again lose hope?” Jiang Tianxiang said quietly.

“What nonsense! My daughter hasn’t lost hope—she’s only in the hospital with a common cold!” Lü Dongmei’s expression shifted slightly. Deep down, she had indeed worried about what Jiang Tianxiang described.

“A common cold? Director Lü, we’re all adults here—there’s no need to lie. Wasn’t it because you tore them apart that your daughter became despondent and tried to take her own life?”

Jiang Tianxiang, a shrewd man, had known the truth from the moment he heard that Xue Xiaorong had been hospitalized—it was surely a suicide attempt for love.

“Is it that the Jiang Group doesn’t want to continue doing business?” Lü Dongmei said in a low voice.

Jiang Tianxiang was briefly taken aback; he hadn’t expected Lü Dongmei to threaten him.

He glanced at Jiang Fu'an at his side. As his only uncle, he couldn’t simply stand by and watch his nephew lose his chance at happiness.

Steeling himself, Jiang Tianxiang pressed on, debating further with Lü Dongmei.

“I heard that when Director Xue Beiping married you, he was just the owner of a small electronics factory. At the time, his fortune probably couldn’t compare to Jiang Fu'an’s now.”

“Yet, Director Lü, you still married him, and together you’ve built one of the top companies in the country,” Jiang Tianxiang reasoned.

“Are you lecturing me?” Lü Dongmei’s face darkened.

“Not at all. I just wonder—can’t youth be given a chance?” Jiang Tianxiang replied.

“Blame it on his background, then. Call me snobbish or heartless if you wish, but that boy will never be with my daughter!” Lü Dongmei retorted coldly.

“Uncle, let’s just go.” Jiang Fu'an clenched his fists, then released them helplessly. It was his own poverty that was to blame.

In truth, Jiang Fu'an was not poor, but compared to the Xue family, he certainly was.

“Yes! Go! The farther the better! Stay away from my daughter!” Lü Dongmei ordered.

Jiang Fu'an turned to leave, but a large hand fell on his shoulder.

“Go? Why should you leave?” Qin Tian had appeared beside Jiang Fu'an without anyone noticing.

Brother Snake, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes at the sight of Qin Tian. He still remembered the grudge from before.

Yet Huang Qinhu had long warned him not to provoke Qin Tian further.

But Brother Snake was not one to suffer a loss quietly. He would find a way to settle the score.

“Who are you?” Lü Dongmei frowned. She had just managed to send Jiang Fu'an away, and now another troublemaker appeared.

“Director Lü, isn’t it? Some people are indeed born unfortunate.” Qin Tian said, patting Jiang Fu'an’s shoulder.

Jiang Fu'an lowered his head even further, feeling more inferior than ever.

“I’m glad you understand. Then take him away quickly!” Lü Dongmei sneered, thinking Qin Tian knew his place.

“I think you misunderstood me. When I said someone’s birth was unfortunate, I meant you, not him.” Qin Tian smiled, patting Jiang Fu'an’s shoulder again.

Jiang Fu'an jerked his head up, baffled by Qin Tian’s words.

Lü Dongmei was also startled, then looked at Qin Tian with a darkened expression. “What do you mean by that?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Director Lü?” Qin Tian replied with a smile.

“You’re saying I was born unfortunate?” Lü Dongmei was amused.

She was born into a prominent family, with a solid background, excellent grades from a prestigious university, and a smooth, almost charmed, career. How could that be called unfortunate?

“Yes, that’s right.” Qin Tian nodded.

“Tell me, in what way was I born unfortunate?” Lü Dongmei asked, half-laughing in disbelief.

“You’re ill. You were born with it. Isn’t that misfortune enough?” Qin Tian said bluntly.

Jiang Fu'an, Jiang Tianxiang, and the others paled at his words. To speak to Lü Dongmei like this—surely she would explode with rage, and they’d all be in trouble.

Jiang Tianxiang warily glanced around. If Lü Dongmei ordered Brother Snake and his men to attack, he’d risk his life to hold them off so Jiang Yingying could escape.

But to everyone’s surprise, Lü Dongmei didn’t erupt; instead, she looked utterly bewildered.

“Have you been investigating me?” Lü Dongmei’s tone was displeased.

“Don’t you realize there’s a big ‘illness’ written across your face?” Qin Tian gestured with his finger.

“What on earth do you mean?” Lü Dongmei pressed, frowning.

“Exactly what I said. You were born ill,” Qin Tian shrugged.

“How could you possibly know that?”

Lü Dongmei thought her medical records were well protected, impossible for anyone to discover. The doctors she’d seen were all reliable and wouldn’t leak information. How could Qin Tian know about her illness? Was he guessing?

“I told you, there’s a big ‘illness’ written on your face.” Qin Tian smiled, gesturing again.

Everyone else looked on in shock. By responding this way, wasn’t Lü Dongmei indirectly admitting to her illness?

Lü Dongmei also realized her mistake, but with so many eyes upon her, it was impossible to cover it up now.

“The illness must be tormenting you, isn’t it? Hard to treat, too?” Qin Tian went on.

“What is it you want from me?” Lü Dongmei demanded.

“Nothing much. I’d just like to propose a deal,” Qin Tian said.

“What kind of deal?” Lü Dongmei was unsure what trick he was playing.

“I’ll cure your illness, and you’ll stop interfering with Jiang Fu'an and your daughter,” Qin Tian replied.

“Impossible!” Lü Dongmei rejected the offer without hesitation.

“Are you sure? On a day like today, your illness is bound to flare up again, isn’t it?” Qin Tian grinned slyly.

A faint blush crept onto Lü Dongmei’s cheeks. Indeed, with the weather today, her illness was likely to act up again.

Wait—given Qin Tian’s knowing look, could he really know everything?

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider? I really can cure you,” Qin Tian coaxed.

“Countless experts have failed, and you think you can do it?” Lü Dongmei admitted, she was tempted.

This illness had tormented her for years, and it was hard to speak about openly. Though it only manifested in adulthood, doctors had told her it might have been present since birth.

So, to say she was born unfortunate—there was some truth to it…

“How will you know unless you try? Just answer me: if I cure you, will you agree to my terms?” Qin Tian pressed.

“Fine! If you can cure me, I’ll stop standing in their way!” Lü Dongmei agreed, gritting her teeth.