Reborn to Stew Soup (GL) 169

Chapter 169: The Scheme Succeeds

Dong Yuannan’s parting words gave Qiao Rubai a new idea. Since her rebirth, she had been focused on preventing the events of that fateful day. But now, with Xue Yi’s reappearance, she wondered… why? Preventing him was important, but so was understanding the motive. Xue Yi wasn’t a random killer, he had status, why would he do such a thing?

Despite her investigation, she hadn’t found much on Wan Nan, Ke Minglang, or Xue Yi, especially Ke Minglang, whose background was obscure, the further back she went, the less she found. And she was running out of time. The deeper she dug, the greater the risk of exposure. If Wan Nan discovered her investigation, and she wasn’t prepared, she would be in danger.

Hence the collaboration with Dong Yuannan, a desperate gamble.

She had been lucky, using her foreknowledge, she had secured her position within the Qiao family, gaining access to resources. The success of the revised “Imperial Secrets” script had been profitable and cemented her control over Qiong Yu. And with Yang Lianyi’s investment in Reality Online, disguised as Mengguan’s stake, the show’s and the game’s success had greatly benefited her, just in time to counter the other real estate companies. Fortunately, thanks to her proactive approach, she now had the leverage to negotiate with Dong Yuannan.

Money was just a tool, staying alive was the priority. Mi Hongdou’s being targeted had shown her the imminent danger, and her collaboration with Dong Yuannan progressed in secret. She knew that with someone like Xue Yi, they had to act quickly and decisively. Finding the truth was important, but not at the cost of her own life.

While Qiao Rubai was laying the groundwork, others were also busy.

Just a few days after her agreement with Dong Yuannan, Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin, while grocery shopping, were confronted by Mi Yu. Mi Yu rushed towards Mi Hongdou, crying and accusing her of abandoning her father, who was supposedly on his deathbed, now that she was famous and rich, how heartless.

Before Mi Hongdou could react, several people intercepted Mi Yu, even confiscating a camera from a nearby person who was clearly filming.

This was the first time Mi Hongdou had seen Qiao Rubai’s people in action, they were efficient. But she hadn’t expected their first intervention to be because of Mi Yu.

Although the camera was confiscated, someone else had filmed the scene, and it was now online. And just like the earlier smear campaign against Mi Hongdou’s cooking, a wave of trolls appeared, accusing her of being unfilial, of abandoning her father now that she was famous.

Qiao Rubai, hearing about this from her security team, was speechless. Such an easily refuted accusation, what was the point? If it weren’t for the fact that the private investigators had already traced it back to Wan Nan, she would have thought her rivals were idiots…

Both the cooking accusations and the “unfilial daughter” accusations were easily debunked.

Murder in the past life, just a smear campaign in this one, why the change in tactics? Qiao Rubai couldn’t understand, she could only deal with the current situation.

She called Mi Hongdou.

Qiao Rubai told her that to prevent the kind of trouble Mi Hongcai and Mi Yu had caused in her previous life, she had already obtained statements from the children, now adults, who were present when Mi Hongdou injured her shoulder. They all confirmed that Mi Yu, wanting to teach her half-sister a lesson, had deliberately caused the accident.

Although it was an accident, Mi Yu’s intentions had been malicious.

In her previous life, even after their falling out, Mi Hongdou hadn’t revealed this. She had only told Yang Lianyi and Qiao Rubai…

Qiao Rubai said that they were now ready to move against Wan Nan and didn’t have time for Mi Hongcai and Mi Yu’s petty games. She wanted to release everything, even the information about Mi Hongcai’s business troubles and his faking an illness to smear Mi Hongdou. She wouldn’t give them any face, they didn’t deserve it.

Mi Hongdou was shocked, both by the information about Mi Yu and the news about Mi Hongcai’s business failing earlier than in her previous life.

Mi Yu had just made a scene, Mi Hongdou hadn’t intended to be so ruthless, just to ignore them. But if they continued, it might affect her and Qiao Rubai’s safety, so she agreed.

After hanging up, Mi Hongdou felt conflicted. Compared to Qiao Rubai, who was handling everything, she felt… useless.

Those reborn protagonists in novels, they always get special abilities, perhaps Qiao Rubai, also reborn, is my… golden finger.

After getting her mother’s consent, Mengguan and Qiong Yu issued a joint statement, or rather, a story: the story of her parents’ divorce, of Mi Yu’s cruelty, of Mi Hongcai’s business troubles and his faking an illness.

Qiong Yu, with evidence, signatures, receipts, recordings, effectively silenced the trolls.

The trolls were stunned. In the online world, there were usually… rules of engagement, a back-and-forth before the big reveal. This immediate counterattack… how could they fight back?

A sexist father abandoning his wife and daughter, a cruel younger sister harming her older sister, a failing businessman faking an illness to smear his own daughter… who would want to acknowledge such a family! How could they still criticize Mi Hongdou for not being filial?!

In her previous life, Mi Hongcai and Mi Yu had been a constant source of trouble… but in this life, thanks to Qiao Rubai’s decisive action, they were silenced. Mi Hongdou wasn’t sure how she felt.

This smear campaign’s quick resolution surprised not just Mi Hongdou…

Xue Yi had been feeling uneasy recently. Nothing major, just a series of minor setbacks, like bumping into someone, but they affected his mood. And his son had been sick, two days of diarrhea, even the doctor’s prescription hadn’t helped, and he had to take them to the hospital for IV drips. He wondered how that woman even took care of the child when he wasn’t there.

With his son recovered, his mood had improved, then he saw Mengguan and Qiong Yu’s joint statement. It seemed Mi Hongdou was fine, lucky her, but with Reality Online about to air on TV, “that person” wouldn’t let her off so easily.

He hadn’t expected that “that person” wouldn’t just target Mi Hongdou…

The Mi Hongcai and Mi Yu incident made Qiao Rubai decide to act. This failed smear campaign, someone would be unhappy, it was a good time to accelerate her plan.

And Xue Yi had to report this failure to Ke Minglang. Qiao Rubai, after studying their profiles, understood their dynamic.

Ke Minglang, due to his health, rarely went to the company, mostly communicating via phone.

Although he might not be angry about this failure, to be safe, Xue Yi decided to visit him in person, face-to-face interaction often helped. He thought he understood Ke Minglang, despite his mood swings.

But self-deception was a dangerous thing.

Thanks to the moles within Wan Nan, Xue Yi, despite his caution, now had a listening device on his phone. And just as he was leaving for Ke Minglang’s villa, a “clumsy” receptionist, bumping into him while carrying a stack of files, attached another one to his pants.

Qiao Rubai knew that if she didn’t hear what she wanted today, she would have to abandon the investigation and take action, she couldn’t wait any longer.

As Xue Yi drove towards Ke Minglang’s villa, a package was delivered.

Three minutes later, the package, opened on Ke Minglang’s desk.

A minute later, a servant outside the study texted, “Things being smashed.”

Ten minutes later, Xue Yi arrived.

Seeing the trashed study, he was shocked. After the last failed attempt, Ke Minglang had just smashed a cup…

“I was careless…” Xue Yi said, not making excuses, accepting the blame.

Although they were lovers, everything he had came from Ke Minglang. He loved him, but he was also accustomed to their unequal status.

“Heh, careless, you say.” The only undamaged things in the study were the wheelchair and its occupant, facing away from him.

Ke Minglang slowly turned his wheelchair, picked up a piece of paper from his lap, and threw it at Xue Yi. “Careless, weren’t you?”

Xue Yi picked it up, his eyes widening in shock. It was a birth certificate.

“This birth certificate… it’s for a friend’s… child…” he said, his expression unchanged.

“So your friend… had a child… with your father?” Ke Minglang sneered, rolled back to his desk, grabbed a handful of photos, and threw them at Xue Yi. “Oh, I’m wrong, the child is six years old, your father has been dead for ten years, so… she had a child with a ghost?”

Xue Yi didn’t need to pick up the photos, he recognized them, from his recent trip to the hospital with the child, who… looked very much like him, more and more so… he had planned to send him abroad next year…

He couldn’t admit it, but Ke Minglang’s words made him frown.

Although embarrassed, he was still rational. “Who gave you this?” he asked, trying to deflect the question.

“Who gave it to me? A ghost! Let me see you… and that bastard child, hahaha…” Ke Minglang laughed, but his eyes were cold. “Xue Yi, you better explain yourself!”

Qiao Rubai, with the listening devices, had followed Xue Yi to the villa. Now, she sent a text message.

The ringing of a phone.

Xue Yi took out his phone and saw it was the woman. He was about to ignore it when Ke Minglang sneered, “What, your woman is calling? Answer it, why are you afraid?”

Xue Yi, no longer easily provoked, ended the call and said to Ke Minglang gently, “This is a misunderstanding, photos can be faked, someone is behind this, believe me, give me some time to investigate.”

The birth certificate was official, he couldn’t deny it, but the photos… he would send the child abroad, then find someone to prove the photos were fake… he thought, then his phone buzzed again.

A text message. From the woman: “They took our son.” His heart lurched, and ignoring Ke Minglang, he rushed out of the study and called her back. Her phone was off… He called their landline, and the nanny, crying, answered. A group of people had come, looking for the madam and the young master, showing their photos. The madam, sensing something was wrong, had tried to lock them out, but they broke in and took the young master. The madam, hiding on the balcony, had also been taken… the nanny was alone now.

Photos, kidnapping…

Xue Yi returned to the study. “Minglang… you took them?”

“Took who? Are you questioning me?!” Ke Minglang sneered.

“The child… did you take him?” Xue Yi asked, trying to stay calm, this seemed like a setup, he couldn’t lose control.

Ke Minglang’s expression had turned icy since Xue Yi left. Now, he exploded. “You had a bastard child, and you’re questioning me?! That bastard was taken? Good riddance! You two, no, all three of you, deserve to be… fish food. Perhaps he’ll float to the surface tomorrow, don’t worry.” He wanted to hurt Xue Yi with his every word.

Xue Yi, initially hoping it wasn’t Ke Minglang, now, seeing his reaction, was almost certain it was.

“Minglang, he’s my son, and if you want, he can be yours too. Please, let him go…” Xue Yi knelt before him. “My mother, before she died, wanted me to continue the Xue family line. After she had him, I never touched her again, I swear.”

“Who wants a bastard you had with a woman! Get out!” Ke Minglang slapped him. His earlier anger, now released in that one slap.

They had been together for almost ten years, and even with his temper, Ke Minglang had never hit Xue Yi before.

Xue Yi’s face burned, but his heart felt cold.

He touched his stinging cheek and sneered. “Yes, the child I had with a woman is a bastard. But Fang Yiqin’s child, also born from a woman, is your precious treasure! You don’t want my child, but you want Fang Yiqin’s, and he doesn’t even want you as his father!”

“You bastard!” Ke Minglang, his deepest wound exposed, threw everything on his desk at Xue Yi.

This time, Xue Yi easily dodged them.

“Yes, I’m a bastard, a cuckolding bastard. You’re so sentimental, still pining for Fang Yiqin after all these years, fine. But look at you, you’ve become a creep! You call Lu Gaoshi every day, asking about Ji Junxin’s every move, what she eats, what she drinks, who she meets… you’re a pathetic stalker! Fang Yiqin has been dead for over twenty years, but he’s still between us! You care more about his daughter than you care about me! Have you ever considered my feelings?! I’m the one being cuckolded by a dead man!”

“Get out! How dare you say his name! You disgusting thing, get out!” Having thrown everything, Ke Minglang tried to ram his wheelchair into Xue Yi.

“Why can’t I say his name? Fang Yiqin wanted a child, and you let him go. He had a son, a happy family, and then you tried to seduce him. Do you remember how he died? You were driving, you crashed the car, and he died. And you still have the nerve to say his name?” Xue Yi’s years of resentment poured out. “His wife, after giving birth, you tried to trick her into marrying you, so you could raise his son. But she was lucky, she died after childbirth, escaping you. You couldn’t be a father, so you became a creepy stalker!”

“You’re the creep! May you never have children!” Ke Minglang, unable to reach Xue Yi, his face pale, his eyes bloodshot, yelled.

“So you’re not going to return my son?” Xue Yi bent down and grabbed Ke Minglang’s face. “It’s fine, I’ll never have children, neither will you, and neither will Fang Yiqin. You just want to watch Ji Junxin, hoping she’ll continue Fang Yiqin’s line, fulfilling his wish. Unfortunately, she likes women. Your Fang Yiqin, he married for nothing!” Xue Yi, assuming Ke Minglang had taken his son, and seeing his unyielding anger, attacked his deepest wounds: Fang Yiqin and Ji Junxin. Ke Minglang was furious, but… he couldn’t stand, not after the accident.

Xue Yi had always been subservient, and Ke Minglang had grown accustomed to it. He hadn’t expected… Xue Yi’s betrayal, her words about Fang Yiqin… unforgivable. He wheeled himself to the window, took a few deep breaths, then turned back, his voice calmer now. “Considering you’ve been with me for six years, let’s end this amicably. I’ll have them release your son, you can take him and leave, and never appear before me again. Take the money you earned, leave the company shares.”

“I…” Xue Yi was stunned.

“Don’t say anything, just wait. I might change my mind,” Ke Minglang said and wheeled himself out of the study.

Xue Yi was silent. He hadn’t meant to anger Ke Minglang, he didn’t want to leave. He regretted his words, those were Ke Minglang’s deepest wounds, how could he not know? He loved him deeply, Ke Minglang’s pain was his pain… There are no kind words in an argument… He would apologize and make amends after getting his son back. It was his fault, after all…

But he never got his son back, never had a chance to apologize.

After drinking the water Ke Minglang handed him upon returning, the sharp pain in his stomach made Xue Yi realize why Ke Minglang, despite his earlier rage, had suddenly become so… reasonable.

“Where did you get… this poison?” Xue Yi gasped, dialing 120.

Ke Minglang sat calmly in his wheelchair, not stopping him. “The doctor said I wouldn’t live past ten years, and it wouldn’t be a pleasant death. I prepared this for myself, so I could… die peacefully. But it seems… you’re not feeling very well. Don’t worry, it will be over soon. After you die, I’ll remember you. Do you want me to… raise your son?” He spoke cheerfully, as if Xue Yi was about to become a grandfather.

While Xue Yi was giving his address to the emergency operator, Ke Minglang continued, his tone casual, “Are you… dying already?”

“It seems so… who knows,” Ke Minglang smiled. “Do you have a name for your… grandson?”

Qiao Rubai, in a black van parked nearby, her face pale, her hand trembling as she removed her earpiece, asked the private investigator, “If… the person we bugged dies… can it be traced back to us?”