"How much are Pan Youde and Qi Hui's lives worth?"

Chen Fang asked.

Xiao Xiao laughed and said, "Chen Fang, don't try to test me with such words. Do you think I'd be foolish enough to answer your question? I'm here now only to take the person from you; everything else, I can pretend never happened."

Chen Fang continued making tea.

Seeing that Xiao Xiao did not drink,

he emptied her teacup and refilled it.

He said, "Vice Mayor Xiao, this tea should only be savored hot to taste its essence. Once it cools, it doesn't taste good anymore."

"Are you determined to oppose me?"

Xiao Xiao asked.

Chen Fang gave a cold laugh and said, "Vice Mayor Xiao jests, you being a Deputy Bureau-level Vice Mayor and me merely a Division-chief-level Director of the Education Bureau—our ranks are leagues apart. Most importantly, you have a big shot backing you, the kind who could squash me with just a flick of a finger. Even if I had a hundred times the courage, I wouldn't dare oppose you."

"Fine, since you're sensible, hand over Zhao Yunpeng to me. I'll have my people withdraw from outside, and I can give you what I promised before."

Xiao Xiao said.

Chen Fang sipped his tea and said, "Of course, I can give you Zhao Yunpeng, but what use do you have for him now?"

"What do you mean?"

Xiao Xiao asked.

Chen Fang sighed deeply and said, "Zhao Yunpeng has already confessed. I'm aware of the schemes between you two now."

"As long as you hand him over to me, he's still useful to me." Xiao Xiao's expression changed, but she was still insistent.

Chen Fang waved his hand and said, "It's no use now. Yongfu Education Group has decided to postpone their investment in Jinde County, which means the project at Jinde Vocational Technical College might not start."

"What did you say?"

Xiao Xiao suddenly stood up.

An incredulous look fell on Chen Fang.

Chen Fang smirked, nodded, and said, "I'm not joking. When Zhao Yunpeng was confessing, I called Yongfu Education Group's Chairman Bi Yongfu. Thus, Chairman Bi is already aware of the matter, and he has also called the Provincial Department of Education about postponing this investment."

"Chen Fang! You bastard!"

Xiao Xiao, as if provoked, shouted at Chen Fang.

Her eyes also turned hazy and vicious.

Then she gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, fine, Chen Fang, you've got guts, ruining my plans. Just you wait and see how I deal with you."

After finishing,

she coughed softly.

Meng Shuwan, who had been standing behind her silently, suddenly pulled out a rubber glove from her pocket, wore it on her right hand, and then lifted her skirt.

On her thigh, there was a leather holster.

From the holster, she drew a pistol —

not some makeshift gun, but a legitimate pistol.

Meng Shuwan aimed the pistol at Chen Fang, her finger also resting on the trigger.

This scene was something Chen Fang had not anticipated.

He had dared to have this private conversation with Xiao Xiao because he was male, and the two others were females, whom he believed could never overpower him. However, he had never expected Meng Shuwan to be armed with a gun.

"Do you dare to shoot and kill me here?"

Chen Fang asked.

Xiao Xiao coldly asked, "Why wouldn't I dare?"

"There are police all around outside. How would you explain this gunshot afterwards?"

Chen Fang asked.

Meng Shuwan, her gaze vicious, said, "No need for explanations. I will die for my leader—it will all be me who killed you, nothing to do with the leader at all."

"Clever move, indeed a clever move. I, Chen Fang, calculated everything, but I still missed one thing—a person willing to die for Pan Youde must obviously have other devoted followers behind him. I just didn't expect that follower to be a frail woman, such a surprise, truly a surprise."

Chen Fang clapped and spoke.

Xiao Xiao's gaze was fierce and malevolent.

He said, "It's not too late to know now, but remember in your next life, never be so nosy. Curiosity killed the cat, you should understand that principle."

After speaking,

he said to Meng Shuwan, "Go ahead."

Just as Meng Shuwan was pulling the bolt of the gun, ready to fire, suddenly, the small door next to the tea room burst open.

With a click.

It alerted Meng Shuwan.

She quickly shifted her gun to the other side.

When the door opened and a familiar figure emerged, Meng Shuwan froze, and so did Xiao Xiao.

Stepping through that small door

was none other than Xiao Ting.

"Tingting, how come you are here?"

Xiao Xiao asked in surprise.

At that moment, Xiao Ting, tears filling her eyes, sobbed continuously, walking slowly over like a robot.

Xiao Xiao suddenly realized.

He turned to Chen Fang and said, "It was you, it must have been you who called her here, right? Shuwan, kill Chen Fang!"

Meng Shuwan's gun once again aimed at Chen Fang.

But Xiao Ting suddenly spread her arms wide, standing in front of Chen Fang, sobbing as she said, "Mom, don't blame Chen Fang. It was I who came to say goodbye to him myself, but I never imagined, never expected... you..."

"Didn't I tell you not to look for Chen Fang? Why don't you listen to me?"

Xiao Xiao shouted.

Xiao Ting wiped away her tears and said, "Mom, I know you didn't want the tragedy to repeat, but I like Chen Fang, I really do. I just wanted to say goodbye, but I never expected... you to be this kind of person. Why? Why is it like this? Did you really kill all those people? Are you even human anymore? Wuu wuu wuu..."

Seeing Xiao Ting's howling demeanor.

it was evident that she was truly heartbroken.

Xiao Xiao extended her hand, saying tenderly, "Tingting, don't cry, come to mom. Mom will protect your safety, I won't let anything happen to you. Come here quickly."

Xiao Ting shook her head and said, "No, I won't come over. You're too terrifying. You're a big demon, a complete demon who ruthlessly kills. I'm ashamed to have you as my mother..."

Such ruthless words.

shattered Xiao Xiao's heart.

Her tears also streamed down uncontrollably.

She said, "Tingting, anyone can say these things to mom, but you can't. All mom has done these years was for you. Do you know how much suffering mom has undergone these years? Living a lifetime as a mistress, never having a proper status, always living in the shadows, under others' criticism. A ruined life for mom is okay, but I can't let yours be. From the moment you were born, mom has been planning for you. Mom didn't want you to enter the political arena, mom had to use all her strength to protect you..."

"I wanted to save money for you, lots and lots of money. With money, you wouldn't have to worry about anything, you could live a peaceful life forever, not needing to rely on any man, not anyone, and live any kind of life you want. Not like mom, always hiding and holding back her true feelings..."

Xiao Ting stopped crying.

Looking at the frenzied Xiao Xiao in front of her.

She asked, "Mom, do you really know what I want? Since I was born, I was raised by a nanny, unlike other children who have their mom by their side. I didn't even know who my dad was. Do you know what my biggest dream was back then?"

"What was it?" Xiao Xiao asked.

Xiao Ting paused, then said, "It was for you to accompany me to school for parent-child activities, for you to attend my parent-teacher meetings, for you to hug me to sleep at home. Have you ever seen any girl who, in her twenties, still likes to sleep hugging her mom? Have you seen?"

This statement, like a thunderclap.

froze Xiao Xiao on the spot.

That is the truth.

Before Chen Fang appeared.

whenever mother and daughter met, Xiao Ting would always rush to sleep cuddled up with Xiao Xiao.

But Xiao Xiao had never thought about why.

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