Chapter 174: Family Debt

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the car.

Xu Jialu placed his laptop on his lap and glanced at the rearview mirror. He asked, “Are you going to let Lin Zhihuan get away with this?”

It was obvious by now that Lin Zhihuan was the mastermind behind this, and Bai Qingyu was just a tool.

“No!” Xu Youyou said as she raised an eyebrow, “She’s so wicked. Why would I let her go?”

Xu Jialu nodded. Then, he asked, puzzled, “Then, why did you say those words about leniency to the Lin family to that woman in the end?”

Xu Youyou blinked her eyes innocently as she said, “She likes Lin Yin so much. If I don’t say that, what if she decides to take the fall for Lin Zhihuan?”

Xu Jialu was stunned. When he reacted, he said, “Oh, you also know how to sow discord?”

Xu Youyou pursed her lips before she said, feigning innocence, “What do you mean by sowing discord? I don’t understand.”

Xu Jialu chuckled. “Tsk! You’re just pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger.”

Xu Youyou pretended like she did not understand Xu Jialu’s words and turned to look at Mo Shenbai before she said, “I’m hungry. I want to eat at Sky Garden.”

“Alright.”

It was rare that Xu Youyou wanted to eat. Let alone Sky Garden, even if she wanted to eat on the moon, he would find a way for her.

“I’m hungry too!” Xu Jialu chimed in.

‘After working for two days non-stop, I’m f*cking starving!’

Xu Youyou pouted. “Didn’t you say you’re going to lodge a police report? You have to cooperate with the investigation.”

Xu Jialu: “?”

Xu Jialu said indignantly, “Hey, are you sure you’re my f*cking biological sister?”

Xu Youyou shook her head. “Didn’t Mom say previously that you’re not her biological son?”

Xu Jialu: “….”

Mo Shenbai told Cang Ming to stop by the roadside so Xu Jialu could get out of the car. Before Xu Jialu got out, he said, “Thank you for your hard work, Brother-in-law.”

Xu Jialu: “…”

‘F*ck! You’re not human! You’re an animal!’

Xu Jialu kicked the pebbles at the roadside. After thinking about it, he thought to himself, ‘Forget it. If I eat with them, I’ll only be forced to watch their public display of affection. At that time, no matter how delicious the food is, it’s still going to be unappetizing! It’s better to deal with the matter at hand first before I eat!’

…

Xu Youyou and Mo Shenbai were seated at the same table in Sky Garden.

The exquisite plates on the table all held Xu Youyou’s favorite food.

Although Xu Youyou was very hungry, she ate very slowly.

Mo Shenbai helped her pick the dishes and filled her soup bowl, taking meticulous care of her.

After the meal, the duo returned to Moon Pavilion.

…

Mo Zhiyun had completed her task earlier so she had crawled back to her room to catch up on her sleep.

When Mo Shenbai returned home, he received a few calls. The last one was from Pei Chuan.

Pei Chuan informed Mo Shenbai that Bai Qingyun had been taken away by the police for questioning and that the relevant evidence had also been submitted to the police.

When interrogated, Bai Qingyu told the police that the post on the university forum was posted by Lin Zhihuan at an Internet cafe. She claimed that all she did was send a message to Old Madam Xu.

After the police identified the mastermind behind the matter, they immediately left to bring Lin Zhihuan to the police station.

When the police arrived at the Lin family house, Lin Zhihuan was not around. Her parents insisted that they did not know her whereabouts.

With that, the police began their search for Lin Zhihuan.

Everything was done very quickly and efficiently.

After listening to Pei Chuan’s report, Mo Shenbai sighed in relief inwardly. He looked at Xu Youyou, who was playing with her phone, from the corners of his eyes before he lowered his voice and said, “Investigate Bai Qingyun’s affairs when she was abroad.”

Although Bai Qingyu was only used by Lin Zhihuan, she still hurt Xu Youyou. The law might let Bai Qingyu go, but Mo Shenbai would not let her go so easily.

As for Lin Zhihuan, Mo Shenbai was not anxious. Even if Lin Zhihuan was hiding in a rat hole, she would have to eventually come out.

After ending the call, Mo Shenbai walked to the couch and sat down. He asked softly, “What are you doing?”

“Surfing the Internet,” Xu Youyou replied in a sweet voice.

Mo Shenbai stroked her hair and asked, “What’s so interesting?”

‘She’d rather look at the phone than me…’

Xu Youyou stopped playing with her phone and looked at Mo Shenbai. She smiled faintly, and her gaze carried a hint of shyness as she asked, “Why do I feel like you’re becoming more and more…”

Xu Youyou bit her lip. She did not finish her words.

“Becoming more and more what?” Mo Shenbai asked despite knowing the answer.

Xu Youyou turned away. “I won’t say it. Hmph!”

Mo Shenbai reached out and held her chin, turning her face toward him. His dark eyes seemed to be burning as he asked, “Youyou, you remember now, don’t you?”

Xu Youyou hid it very well from Xu Jialu and the Xu family, but Mo Shenbai could tell with just a glance that she must have remembered something about the past. There was a shadow in her smile that others could not see.

Xu Youyou smiled slightly as she lowered her gaze and said, “What are you talking about? I don’t remember anything…”

“Youyou…”

This one word held a lot of meaning.

Xu Youyou looked at him, slightly annoyed. “I clearly acted very well! Even Grandma was fooled by me! Why weren’t you fooled?”

Mo Shenbai held her fair hand and held it against his chest as he said, “That’s because you’re in my heart. I know your every expression and smile.”

Xu Youyou could feel Mo Shenbai’s heart beating under his chest. The heartbeats were strong and steady. Her ears were burning, and there was a smile in her eyes. However, she turned away as she said, feigning annoyance, “I won’t be able to lie to you in the future.”

Mo Shenbai raised an eyebrow and asked, “You’re still thinking about lying to me?”

“Everyone has something they don’t want to talk about. If that’s the case, then one can only lie.”

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t wish to do so. I’ll never force you,” Mo Shenbai said slowly in a low voice, “However, don’t lie to me. Never lie to me.”

Xu Youyou’s heart moved when she met his gaze. She nodded. “I promise I won’t lie to you.”

‘I’ll never lie to you going forward. As for the lies in the past… Since it has already happened, nothing can be changed…’

Mo Shenbai smiled faintly. He reached with his other hand and stroked her face as he asked, “Why did you lie to them?”

Xu Youyou lowered her head. After a moment of silence, she said with a hint of loneliness, “I don’t want them to worry, and I don’t want them to blame themselves, especially when Grandma’s condition isn’t too good right now. I don’t want her to worry about me every day.”

For these reasons, Xu Youyou pretended she had forgotten about being bullied and humiliated.

Mo Shenbai’s heart ached for her. After a moment, he asked, “Do you still blame Xu Jialu?”

Xu Youyou raised her head to look at Mo Shenbai. Her eyes were shining brightly as she said, “I never blamed my brother, to begin with. He was young and immature. He was a child, after all. He was worried that if I returned home, I’d steal our parents’ love from him. I understand these things. If I were in his shoes, I might not be any better than him.”

“But he hurt you,” Mo Shenbai said in a slightly tense voice. When Xu Jialu told him those things that night, he really could not help but beat Xu Jialu up.

The smile on Xu Youyou’s face was like the sun during summer; it was bright and warm. She said, “Well, families owe each other in this way, right? We bicker and fight, unintentionally hurting each other, but it doesn’t take away the love.”

Mo Shenbai was stunned by these words. Something flashed in his eyes, but Xu Youyou did not notice it.

Xu Youyou continued to say, “I’m living very well now. I have my parents, my brother, my grandmother, and…” She paused to look at him before she said softly, “And I have you…”

After a moment, Xu Youyou added, “I like the present Xu Youyou who’s always happy. So, I won’t let the past drag me down to the abyss. I don’t want to hurt the people around me, and I don’t want to hurt myself either. Moreover, I’ve promised Zhiyun that I’ll make you happy.”