Volume 1, Chapter 53: What Business Is It of Yours That I Love His Money?

Lu Miao deliberately chose a window seat, hoping to bask in the sunlight.

Suddenly, a shadow blocked her sunlight, accompanied by a strong, pungent scent of perfume.

Lu Miao furrowed her delicate brows and looked up. Who dared to block her sunshine and pollute the air?

She saw Fu Yanxi’s face, heavily made up and exuding an arrogant air.

“Lu Miao, what kind of godforsaken restaurant did you pick that was so hard to find?”

It was a private kitchen tucked away in a quiet alley, remote and with terrible parking. Plus, it had scratched her car’s side mirror.

Fu Yanxi wore a look of grievance, venting her frustration on Lu Miao.

Seeing the displeasure written all over Fu Yanxi’s face, Lu Miao calmly lifted her cup, took a sip of tea, and with every gesture radiated composure. “Miss Fu, you followed me here. And now you’re upset?”

Fu Yanxi choked on the words and snapped back sharply, “Who cares about following you? I came to talk!”

Then, with a disdainful snort, she set down her handbag without permission and, as if it were her right, sat opposite Lu Miao.

Lu Miao didn’t bother with her brazen rudeness. Taking out her phone, she opened a voice call on WeChat, placed it face down on the table. “Ten minutes. Please make your purpose clear. Don’t waste my mealtime.”

Fu Yanxi ignored Lu Miao’s desire to eat and lifted her chin haughtily. “I advise you to stay away from my cousin. No man would take a woman like you seriously. He’s just playing with you.”

Fu Yanxi was in cahoots with Lu Qingcheng. After the Wang Mingcheng incident, Lu Miao had seen through Fu Yanxi’s schemes.

So when Fu Yanxi said such things, Lu Miao was not surprised.

Thinking of the man who had slept on her sofa, she couldn’t help but smile. “Do you really know your cousin? How can you tell he’s just playing with me?”

Her tone was even, but her presence was no less imposing.

“Hmph,” Fu Yanxi snorted coldly. “I knew you’d say that.”

She pulled out several photos from her bag and tossed them before Lu Miao.

Raising her chin, she said, “Open your eyes and take a good look.”

Lu Miao lowered her gaze to the photos on the table.

In the dim, lavishly decadent background, Fu Shiyue stood sternly by the door, two alluring women clinging to him.

His head was bowed in the low light, obscuring his expression, while the two women looking up at him smiled with a mixture of coy affection and desire.

Lu Miao’s fingers tightened around her teacup.

Fu Yanxi caught the subtle change on her face and sneered triumphantly. “If my cousin truly liked you, he wouldn’t be seeking other women. These photos were taken at Club 1999 by a friend. To him, you’re no different from these club prostitutes.”

“Club 1999?” Lu Miao looked up, tone casual, “That happened Monday night?”

Fu Yanxi was startled. “How do you know?”

Lu Miao smiled.

How could she not know?

Because that very night, Fu Shiyue had drunk tainted liquor and lost control, pressing a forceful kiss on her at her doorstep.

His eyes were bloodshot, fierce and wild, even biting her lip until it bled. How could she forget?

She even remembered clearly when Shen Lu told her that when Fu Shiyue sensed something was wrong, he immediately tried to leave the private room. His friends brought two women for him, but he pushed them away and stumbled to find her in confusion.

So what was Fu Yanxi doing? Twisting known facts to sow discord?

Lu Miao relaxed her grip on the teacup and said lightly, “It’s normal for men to have women on the side. What, I don’t get jealous but you do?”

Fu Yanxi was momentarily speechless, her face twitching. “You’re so generous, you don’t care that my brother has other women?”

She hadn’t expected to backfire, failing to rattle Lu Miao.

“Hmph, it’s clear you don’t truly like my cousin. You’re just after his money!”

Lu Miao turned her head calmly. “Whether I genuinely like him or just want his money, what does it have to do with you?”

“Lu Miao, you have such thick skin and shamelessness. I knew you only want my cousin’s money!”

Lu Miao shot back, “So what if I do? You’re just his cousin, even his mother agrees with us. What right do you have to oppose us? Living by the seaside and meddling in everything?”

“You’re trying to deceive my aunt! I won’t be fooled by a woman like you!”

Fu Yanxi, as if clutching Lu Miao’s tail, triumphantly raised her phone. “I recorded everything you said earlier. I warn you, leave my cousin now, or I’ll play the recording for him. He’ll kick you out for sure…”

“Fu Yanxi, how stingy you are,” Lu Miao sighed.

Fu Yanxi was shocked, eyes wide. “What? Stingy?”

Lu Miao nodded. “Usually, to persuade someone to leave, you pay them off—at least five million. You think a few words will make me leave? Are you out of your mind?”

Fu Yanxi flushed red, wanting to curse.

Glancing at the time, Lu Miao said coolly, “Alright, ten minutes are up. You can leave now, or I’ll have someone escort you out.”

“Always talking about money. Truly a penniless wretch with no parents!” Fu Yanxi sneered, not yet satisfied.

She stood up, grabbed the teacup, and splashed it at Lu Miao’s face.

But the moment Fu Yanxi spat out that she had no parents, Lu Miao’s expression darkened.

Quicker than Fu Yanxi, she grabbed the teapot, stood up, and mercilessly doused Fu Yanxi in return.

Splash!

The water was scalding hot; Fu Yanxi was caught off guard and drenched.

The teacup slipped from her hand, shattering on the floor. She screamed, clutching her face. “Ah! My face! It hurts!”

“I’ll teach you to watch your mouth,” Lu Miao said as she put down the teapot, unable to resist a jab, “Tsk, you and Lu Qingcheng are cut from the same cloth, always splashing water at people. No wonder you two became such close fake sisters.”

Fu Yanxi’s makeup was ruined; her cheeks burned red from the scald, and she was so furious her head throbbed, losing all reason.

“Lu Miao, you filthy bitch! You dare ruin my face? I’ll ruin yours too!”

She screamed and lunged at Lu Miao, claws aimed to scratch her face, determined to scar them both.

Before she could touch Lu Miao, a large, strong hand grabbed her firmly.

Fu Yanxi froze, turning her head to see a man with a dark, cold expression. Her body trembled, panic exploding across her face. “Co-cousin…”

Fu Shiyue’s brows were furrowed, his presence cold and menacing.

“Co-cousin, you came just in time! Lu Miao splashed me with boiling tea, trying to disfigure me. My face hurts so much!” Fu Yanxi wailed, attempting to throw herself into Fu Shiyue’s arms.

Fu Shiyue sidestepped, and Fu Yanxi fell hard to the ground with a cry.

The table blocked the view, and Lu Miao, seeing Fu Yanxi suddenly vanish except for a shoe by the table, peeked over. She saw her sprawled on the floor like a toad and couldn’t help but smile.

Fu Yanxi turned over and sat on the floor, utterly aggrieved. “Co-cousin, I hurt my knee when I fell. I can’t get up…”

She expected Fu Shiyue to help her up but was instead met with a stern reprimand.

“Fu Yanxi, I think you’re just bored with nothing better to do. Who told you to come here?”

Fu Yanxi’s face fell, confused. “Co-cousin, why are you scolding me? She started it! Don’t you know she doesn’t even like you? She’s only with you for your money…”

“Shut up!”

A fierce gust swept through. Fu Yanxi dared not breathe, frightened by Fu Shiyue’s dark expression. Tears streamed down as she sobbed, “I’m only doing this for your own good. How can you treat your own sister like this over a woman?”

“Fu Yanxi, you’re not wronged. Your cousin doesn’t blame you. He heard everything you said just now.”

Fu Yanxi couldn’t believe it. “What did you say?”

Lu Miao smiled faintly. “You think you’re the only one who knows about the recording?”

She took out her phone, lighting up the screen. It showed a call in progress between her and Fu Shiyue.

“From your very first word, your cousin has been listening on the other end.”