Chapter 73: You Felt Sorry for Me

When she got home and saw the empty house, Yang Zhao frowned in dissatisfaction. “What time is it? Why hasn’t Hua Man come back yet?”

Not seeing the person she wanted to see made Yang Zhao’s mood plummet instantly.

She walked to the window and looked outside.

Just as she was about to call Hua Man, she suddenly spotted a sneaky woman looking up at the building, searching for something.

Once she recognized the woman’s face, Yang Zhao’s expression slowly darkened.

Perfect. She hadn’t even settled the score with her yet, and now the woman had delivered herself right to the door.

She was about to call someone to grab the woman when, in the next moment, Hua Man appeared.

The woman had clearly come looking for Hua Man. Upon seeing her, she rushed out and grabbed Hua Man’s arm.

Yang Zhao narrowed her eyes.

Her gaze locked onto that hand, the malice in her eyes barely contained.

Downstairs, Hua Man looked at the woman whose face was full of pleading.

She pursed her lips. This was the woman who had installed the camera in her doll.

She had reviewed the woman’s information and photos that afternoon.

Yu Shan had already investigated the hidden camera in the doll thoroughly. This woman was truly detestable. She had previously loved secretly filming their family’s Manman and even posted the videos on social platforms for profit, all while pretending to be on good terms with Hua Man on the surface.

Even the first gift Hua Man had given her had come from this woman’s hands.

At that thought, the malice in her eyes grew even denser.

The mere idea of having caressed that crocheted rabbit countless times made her want to vomit.

A bitch like this deserved a hundred lashes at least.

With a cold face, she headed outside.

Downstairs, Cen An was tearfully pleading, “Senior, I really didn’t know there was a camera inside. I’m truly sorry.”

Hua Man pulled her hand free. Yang Zhao hadn’t told her the results yet, but she already had her suspicions.

She calmly countered, “You really didn’t know?”

Cen An nodded vigorously like a pestle grinding garlic. “Senior, I really didn’t know!”

“If you didn’t know, then how did you know my exact address? Why couldn’t you hold back and come find me instead of sharing my outrage and asking if I’d caught the real culprit?”

Cen An’s expression froze.

“You’re too hasty, Cen An,” Hua Man said, lowering her head with a hint of cold detachment on her face. “Everything will go through legal channels. If you’re truly innocent, then rest easy. If the law doesn’t punish you, I won’t hold this against you either.”

With that, Hua Man tried to walk past her.

Cen An quickly grabbed her again. “Senior!”

She gritted her teeth. “Fine, I admit it. I was the one who placed that camera.”

Hua Man raised her gaze and looked at her steadily.

“But it didn’t capture anything major! Just some footage of you eating. It wouldn’t cause any real harm to you, Senior. Isn’t your response a bit too much?!”

“Too much?” Hua Man savored the two words carefully.

“Isn’t it?” Cen An replied, her tone laced with indignation. “It was just a camera. It didn’t capture anything, and yet you’re making such a big fuss and taking it to court!”

“Senior, you know my situation. If this goes on my record, my whole life will be ruined by you!”

“The university might even…”

Before she could finish, Cen An felt a powerful force yank her away. In the next second, a sharp slap rang out, her head buzzing as a burning pain spread across her cheek.

She clutched her face and looked up in disbelief.

When her gaze met the other woman’s face, her surge of anger slowly extinguished.

She remembered this face.

It was this woman who had discovered the camera that day.

The woman’s aura and sharp presence made her too intimidated to act out.

“Too much?”

Yang Zhao unceremoniously grabbed Cen An’s hair, her voice calm yet laced with madness. “Want me to show you what really too much looks like?”

With that, she started dragging the woman toward the nearby flower bed to smash her head into it.

Cen An let out a shrill scream.

Hua Man quickly pulled Yang Zhao back. “Yang Zhao.”

Yang Zhao narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re going soft and want me to let her go.”

Was she some great philanthropist?

The woman had just tried to turn the tables on her, and now she wanted to speak up for her?

“I said I won’t go soft,” Hua Man replied as she pulled Yang Zhao’s hand back. She gently squeezed Yang Zhao’s reddened, swollen hand from the slap and said calmly, “Don’t dirty your hands on someone like this.”

The gentle look in Hua Man’s eyes instantly dispelled all of Yang Zhao’s agitation.

Yang Zhao contentedly let her hold her hand, her disdainful gaze falling on the woman. “You’re right. This woman’s got thick skin. I’d just end up hurting my hand on her.”

Then, she said to the woman, “Get lost right now, or I’ll have the bodyguards throw you out.”

Dressed in designer clothes, exuding nobility, and with such a domineering temper, she clearly wasn’t someone to mess with. Cen An didn’t dare say another word. Clutching her face, she ran off immediately.

Hua Man led Yang Zhao back upstairs.

“That woman was the mastermind behind the camera,” Yang Zhao said grimly on the way up. “Hua Man, your taste in friends is terrible. How could you befriend someone like that? Do you know what she did to exploit you?”

“What did she do?”

By then, they had reached the fourth floor.

Seeing the front door still wide open, Hua Man couldn’t help but want to rub her forehead.

Thanks to Yang Zhao, there were now many valuables in the house. Leaving the door open like this made her genuinely worried about thieves.

“She secretly filmed you.”

Yang Zhao’s tone was ominous. As soon as Hua Man turned around after closing the door, Yang Zhao pinched her chin.

Hua Man paused slightly and looked at Yang Zhao calmly.

She had grown accustomed to Yang Zhao pinching her like this, so it didn’t faze her much.

“Hmm?” Seeing no particular reaction from Hua Man, Yang Zhao narrowed her eyes and leaned closer, her gaze deepening. “You’re not angry?”

With that, she applied a bit more pressure.

Hua Man tilted her head slightly to free her chin. In a flat tone, she said, “Didn’t you say we’d go through legal channels?”

Then, she reached out and pinched Yang Zhao’s face.

Yang Zhao always liked doing this to her, and now that she tried it, she somewhat understood why.

The gesture felt like taking control, dominating the other person in presence.

Hua Man’s sudden move stunned Yang Zhao completely.

In the next second, Hua Man lowered her eyes and looked at her indifferently. “The eldest miss who’s been kicked out and is freeloading?”

Yang Zhao: “…”

So cute.

I want to kiss her.

She laughed out loud, then flicked her tongue lightly across Hua Man’s palm, her eyes gleaming. “Yeah, we’re going legal, baby.”

Hua Man’s gaze froze, and she immediately tried to pull her hand back.

Unfortunately, she was a step too slow. Yang Zhao’s hand covered the back of hers, and she could clearly feel the soft touch of Yang Zhao’s lips on her hand.

Yang Zhao looked perfectly calm as she spoke, but Hua Man could sense the madness lurking beneath that facade.

She yanked her hand away at once.

Seeing this, Yang Zhao didn’t get angry. Patiently, she asked, “She filmed a bunch of videos of you and posted them online. They got good traffic, she took ads, and made a nice profit off you.”

Hua Man pressed her lips together.

She knew Yang Zhao was telling the truth.

Hua Xi had mentioned before that she’d seen videos of her on social platforms.

So she’d suspected someone close was filming her secretly, but she hadn’t expected it to be Cen An.

Yang Zhao sighed faintly. “Now she tried the same trick again, planting a hidden camera at your place. Manman, aren’t you mad?”

As she spoke, she brushed Hua Man’s arm, then leaned in to sniff her. Frowning, she said, “You still smell like her.”

Like a dog?

Hua Man stepped back.

She took out the medicine kit and found some ointment for reducing swelling and bruising.

“Your hand.”

Hua Man turned to Yang Zhao.

Yang Zhao chuckled lightly. “What for?”

She knew full well but wanted to hear Hua Man say something she liked.

Unfortunately, Hua Man didn’t oblige.

Her wrist was seized, and feeling the forceful pull, Yang Zhao raised an eyebrow.

She was tugged over and soon pinned on the sofa. Hua Man’s voice was low: “Sit still. Don’t move.”

“Are you ordering me around?” Yang Zhao countered, grabbing Hua Man’s hand before she could pull it away.

Hua Man’s gaze paused. Just as she exerted force to withdraw, Yang Zhao suddenly gasped as if in pain.

Hua Man froze immediately, not daring to move.

Her eyes quickly scanned Yang Zhao’s hand, but before she could spot anything, Yang Zhao burst out laughing:

“Baby feels sorry for me.”

It was said with absolute certainty.

Hua Man: “…”

After a moment of silence, she pulled her hand free, squeezed out the ointment, and smeared it on without mercy, a bit viciously.

This time, Yang Zhao really felt the sting.

She hissed. “Lighter.”

Then, unable to resist, she tilted her head to watch Hua Man’s expression. “Embarrassed and angry now?”

Hua Man said nothing, just focused on rubbing the ointment in evenly.

That slap from Yang Zhao had been fierce.

The fair, tender palm was a bright red patch. How could someone be so delicate, damaging herself while hurting the enemy?

“Don’t use your hands next time.”

She couldn’t help but speak up.

Yang Zhao pouted. “If I don’t, will you?”

Hua Man: “I can.”

Yang Zhao’s gaze sharpened. Had she misheard?

She looked at Hua Man again. “You’ll hit her?”

Hua Man dodged the question. “You have knives and shields. No need to get your hands dirty.”

Not getting the answer she wanted, Yang Zhao clicked her tongue and fell silent.

Once the ointment was applied, Hua Man washed her hands and went past Yang Zhao to the fridge.

Yang Zhao watched her intently for a moment before pressing again. “She did all that, and you’re not mad?”

She couldn’t detect any emotional shift on Hua Man’s face.

As Hua Man selected ingredients for dinner, she replied calmly, “I am mad, but she’ll get the punishment she deserves, so she’s not worth me staying angry over her.”

Her gaze suddenly stopped on something in the corner of the fridge. Hua Man lowered her eyes.

In the next instant, a slender hand swooped in. Thud. Yang Zhao tossed it into the trash.

Yang Zhao’s expression was indifferent. “You still have the appetite for something that bitch gave you?”

Then, she grabbed a bunch of vegetables from the fridge and shoved them into Hua Man’s hands, lifting her chin like a little peacock. “We’ve got plenty of ingredients. We don’t need her crap.”

Hua Man smiled faintly. “Okay.”

The gloom that had been weighing on her heart seemed to lift quite a bit. She didn’t have many friends to begin with, and losing Cen An made even fewer.

The chattering Yang Zhao behind her continued:

“Where’s that little brat? Why didn’t she come back with you?”

“It’s too late today. I’m not stewing soup.”

“Why aren’t you reacting? Don’t you love the soup I make the most?”

Hearing that, Hua Man looked at her. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that.”

“You’re such a closet tease, of course you wouldn’t say it outright.” Yang Zhao shrugged it off. “But I can tell. You like it.”

Hua Man was at a loss for words.

Closet tease.

The term landing on her felt oddly irrefutable. She did like that soup; it was a fact.

Did liking it but not voicing it make her a closet tease?

If so, then yes, she was that type.

She changed the subject. “What will happen to Cen An?”

“You still have the bandwidth to worry about others? Didn’t you say she wasn’t worth it? Then why care?” Yang Zhao sneered. “Don’t worry. Legal channels alone will give her plenty to deal with.”

At least a few years inside.

Seeing Hua Man silent, Yang Zhao furrowed her brows. “Going soft?”

“No.”

Hua Man didn’t understand why Yang Zhao kept assuming she’d let Cen An off. She asked, “In your eyes, am I some saint who forgives the whole world?”

“Aren’t you?” Yang Zhao tilted her head.

Hua Man: “…No.”

So Yang Zhao really saw her that way?

“How would I know if you don’t say?” Yang Zhao hugged her from behind, pressing her face against Hua Man’s back and sighing faintly.

Hua Man fell silent.

Feeling the softness against her back for a moment, she closed her eyes briefly. “Let go. I need to chop vegetables.”

“So heartless.” Yang Zhao sighed again but obediently released her. “But who am I to disobey you?”

Hua Man’s gaze flickered slightly, but she quickly remembered that the pickup time she had agreed on with Yang Zhao was almost up.

What a headache…

By the time dinner was nearly ready, the phone rang. It was from the Rehabilitation Center—they had brought Hua Xi over.

Hua Man glanced at the vegetables still stir-frying in the pan and was about to turn off the heat to head downstairs when Yang Zhao said, “I’ll go.”

“You?”

Hua Man hesitated.

“She’s right downstairs. I guarantee I’ll bring her back to you safe and sound.” Noticing her reluctance, Yang Zhao clicked her tongue. “I’m not going to eat her or anything. What are you still worried about?”

With that, she headed straight out.

Her palms felt cool and refreshing, even if there was an unpleasant smell lingering. Yang Zhao’s mood remained upbeat, and as she went downstairs, she couldn’t resist lifting her hand to inspect her palm closely.

A bit of the white ointment still hadn’t fully absorbed, leaving it sticky and gooey.

Downstairs, Hua Xi was standing with a woman.

Hearing the footsteps, Hua Xi lit up with joy. “Sis!”

“Hello, are you here to pick up Little Xi?” The staff from the Rehabilitation Center clearly knew Hua Man and wasn’t about to hand the child over to a stranger without verification.

“Yes.” Yang Zhao was in high spirits.

“Why is it you?” Hua Xi’s smile vanished in an instant. She drooped her brows and eyes, grabbing the hand of the woman beside her. “Teacher Liu, this is a big bad egg—she’s not my sister!”

Teacher Liu hesitated.

The woman in front of her seemed to know the child, but their relationship didn’t look amicable at all. It was hard for her to hand Hua Xi over without reservations.

Especially when she saw the other woman impatiently pinch the child’s cheeks and tug at them, saying in an overbearing tone, “Little brat, I’m your sister’s girlfriend. Be nice to me, or I’ll toss you into the sea to feed the sharks.”

Teacher Liu forced a smile. “Sorry, I need to confirm with the guardian first.”