Chapter 450

Chapter 450 The Women Who Stand Behind You

Jiang Qingyuan paid no attention to the commotion in the courtyard. In fact, from the moment she heard Wang Qin’s voice, she already knew what fate awaited her.

As she had always said, in this Jiang family compound, no one capable of matching her in wit had ever been born.

In the past, she had always held herself back for the sake of the Jiang family, swallowing her anger in silence. Now, with just a slight leveraging of the situation, Wang Qin had ended up being driven out of the house.

Thinking of everything this sharp-tongued sister-in-law had done to her over the years, Jiang Qingyuan let out a cold smile, her eyes devoid of any trace of pity.

She stood in front of the mirror, looking at her swollen cheek, then soaked a towel in cold water and pressed it against the side of her face.

Gazing at her own reflection, Jiang Qingyuan’s eyes gradually began to fill with a misty blur.

Over all those years, she had lost so many things — she didn’t know whether she could ever get them back…

…………

Meanwhile, Bai Qinchuan of the Bai family seemed to be dealing with troubles of his own.

“Qinchuan, tell your uncle — did Jiaming die for nothing? Is our Bai family really powerless to punish Su Rui?”

“Qinchuan, aren’t you supposed to be the family’s future heir? Why can’t you get justice for Jiaming? A life for a life is the most basic principle — why is Su Rui still walking free?”

“No matter what, Jiaming was a member of the Bai family. He’s dead, and his killer is still alive — that’s a disgrace to the Bai family!”

“Exactly, the Bai family’s face has been thoroughly slapped. Qinchuan, if you want to become the head of the family, handle this properly — otherwise, don’t count on our votes!”

Ever since he got home, the doorway to Bai Qinchuan’s bedroom had been blocked by a crowd of elder relatives, all arguing nonstop, even cursing and swearing, so badly that putting on headphones inside his room did nothing to help.

Having reached the absolute limit of his patience, Bai Qinchuan finally opened the door and called out with his hands pressed together: “Uncles and aunties, it’s not that I haven’t tried. I really have done everything I could. Who could have known Su Rui had so many powerful people backing him? In front of those people, I’m no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot.”

“Uncles and aunties, please, just let me off the hook — there’s truly nothing I can do about this.” Bai Qinchuan looked like he was on the verge of tears.

“I don’t care. Bai Qinchuan, Bai Jiaming was my son and a member of the Bai family. No matter what, as the future heir of this family, you owe me an explanation!” a man who looked to be around fifty years old shouted furiously.

After all that pleading and begging with no effect whatsoever — and with the other side only growing more aggressive — Bai Qinchuan was naturally fed up: “You want an explanation from me? Your precious son caused so much trouble out there that he dragged the Bai family’s name through the mud all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Why don’t you give me an explanation?”

Bai Jiaming’s father never expected Bai Qinchuan to say something like that. He trembled with rage, pointing a finger right at him: “Bai Qinchuan, don’t forget — you still have to compete for the position of family head. If I don’t cast my vote for you, you could very well lose that seat!”

Bai Qinchuan shot him a contemptuous glance and said coldly: “Bai Jiaming, that useless piece of trash, had it coming. And for raising a son like that, you can’t escape your share of the blame!”

The crowd of distant Bai family relatives who had been making all the noise fell silent, watching Bai Qinchuan with uncertain, wary expressions.

Bai Qinchuan was tall and broad to begin with, standing nearly a head taller than most of these relatives. He swept the room with a cold gaze and said: “You all share the Bai surname — that much is true. But have you ever stopped to think about how much the Bai family has given you over the years, and how much you’ve given back? Other than riding the Bai family’s name to throw your weight around and bully people outside, what good have any of you ever done?”

Bai Qinchuan raged with furrowed brows, his spit flying several meters.

“That bastard Bai Jiaming committed enough crimes out there to be shot several times over. If the family hadn’t stepped in to smooth things over, he would have been dead long ago! Absolutely disgraceful — he deserved what he got!”

“And you.”

Bai Qinchuan pointed at Bai Jiaming’s father and said: “Last year you racked up 3,000,000 in gambling debts at a casino in Macau and couldn’t pay them back — wasn’t it me who had the family finance department wire the money over? Otherwise you’d have had your fingers chopped off on the spot. I haven’t even asked you yet — have you paid back that 3,000,000 shortfall?”

Bai Jiaming’s father flushed crimson and couldn’t say a word.

The more Bai Qinchuan spoke, the angrier he got, itching to give the old man a good beating: “And now, before you’ve even paid back my 3,000,000, you’re here pointing your finger in my face and screaming at me. Who do I think I am? I’m Bai Qinchuan! Do you really think you can point at me and curse at me whenever you feel like it?”

The crowd was berated so thoroughly that not a single person could fight back!

“Never mind whether I become family head or not — but if I do, the first thing I’ll do is kick trash like you out of the family. The farther you go, the better. You can fend for yourselves!”

Bai Qinchuan was utterly domineering at that moment. When he finished speaking, he gave Bai Jiaming’s father a hard shove and pushed his way through the crowd!

“A bunch of idiots!”

Bai Qinchuan got back in the car and glanced at Nightingale sitting in the driver’s seat, dressed head to toe in black. He said irritably: “What are you looking at? Drive!”

“Where to?” It was rare to see the Bai family’s eldest young master so flustered, and she couldn’t help finding it a little amusing. In this whole wide world, perhaps only that one man could push Bai Qinchuan to such a state.

“Find a highway and just drive a few laps. I need some air.” Bai Qinchuan had given up on getting any more sleep anyway. He might as well get out and change his surroundings — otherwise this Bai family compound was truly going to suffocate him.

“Alright.”

Nightingale said nothing more, and the Audi Q5 roared away from the estate.

“I need to take a day off tomorrow,” Nightingale said suddenly.

She was wearing a pair of black fitted shorts today, with a black fitted tank top on top. Although nothing revealing was exposed, the smoking-hot figure she had built through years of training was on full display without reservation.

Whether it was because he had no interest in women or for some other reason, despite the fact that Nightingale’s outfit radiated a strong sense of uniformed allure that was practically an invitation to sin, Bai Qinchuan didn’t spare her a second glance.

“Are you going back to Cuisong Mountain?” Bai Qinchuan guessed Nightingale’s purpose right away. Every time this woman took time off, it was to go back up the mountain to visit her master — she never did anything else.

“Yes, I’m planning to stay for half a month,” Nightingale said plainly.

“Sure, you haven’t had a break in a long time. Good timing — go rest up.” Bai Qinchuan agreed without hesitation. He also understood that the two of them didn’t have a strictly hierarchical relationship.

Nightingale gave a slight nod, though a flicker of complex emotion passed through her eyes.

…………

Su Rui had no idea that while he and Huang Jingwei were fooling around in the sleeper car, such major things had been happening back in the capital with both the Bai family and the Jiang family.

Having company made the journey feel like it flew by. When they got off the train, Huang Jingwei was practically hanging off Su Rui’s arm, and this uninhibited little wild girl didn’t mind at all that her two peaks were being flattened against his arm.

Li Ruihao and Xie Zhenbo followed behind them, eyes practically shooting flames at the sight.

“When are we going to get her alone?” Li Ruihao cracked his knuckles.

“In the next couple of days. What’s the rush — are you worried a cooked duck is going to fly away?” Xie Zhenbo stared at Huang Jingwei’s shapely figure from behind and swallowed — it seemed he was getting a little impatient himself.

After exiting the station, a black Passat was already waiting at the entrance. When the driver spotted Huang Jingwei, he waved hurriedly: “Jingwei, over here!”

“Brother Li, I’m here.”

Huang Jingwei waved at Su Rui and said: “Oppa, I’m heading off. Wait for my call, okay?”

Su Rui smiled and waved back, watching Huang Jingwei leave.

But when his eyes landed on the license plate of that black Passat, a look of amusement crossed his face.

“A Ninghai Municipal Committee car.” Su Rui shook his head with a smile and muttered to himself: “Using a government vehicle for personal errands these days — now that’s bold.”

Li Ruihao and Xie Zhenbo naturally didn’t recognize government license plates. Seeing Huang Jingwei leave, they had no further interest in bothering Su Rui, exchanged a glance, and went their separate ways.

Bikang Group headquarters building.

Lin Aoxue sat at her desk, expression grave, issuing orders in a calm and methodical manner.

After just a few days, this young woman seemed to have grown even colder than before.

“Bikang Group Pharmaceutical Company Six is to immediately cease all cooperation with Enko Pharmaceuticals. Yes — don’t worry about the losses on the distribution side. I want Enko Pharmaceuticals permanently blacklisted by Bikang.”

“Construction on the new capital project is also to be halted immediately. Replace the contractor within one day. Why? Because that contractor has the Bai family’s name behind it!”

“Bikang is to spend the next year building out its own distribution channels. From this point forward, Dumei chain pharmacies are banned from selling any Bikang products!”

…………

Every order Lin Aoxue issued over the phone seemed likely to cause Bikang no small amount of financial loss, yet she pressed forward without hesitation, her voice remaining cool and emotionless throughout.

Every company whose partnership she was terminating had the shadow of one of the major clans behind it.

After a moment’s thought, Lin Aoxue picked up the phone again: “Immediately mobilize every connection available to me. Gather evidence of regulatory violations at these companies. Don’t submit it to the local disciplinary committee — post it directly online and draw public attention.”

This time, the major clans had joined forces to set a trap for Su Rui, and they had thoroughly enraged Lin Aoxue.

Just as she had dealt with the Song family before, this time Lin Aoxue was going to make them pay in her own way — for Su Rui’s sake.

Although these moves wouldn’t inflict any substantial damage on the five major clans, these small wounds would one day become scars too deep to heal.

After issuing the series of orders, Lin Aoxue knew that Bikang’s stock was almost certainly going to drop again.

But she didn’t care.

Over the past two days, Lin Aoxue had been unable to sleep, tossing and turning, her mind filled entirely with the image of Su Rui.

That shameless grin of his, his pointless teasing — all of it was deeply branded into her heart.

Whenever she thought of that midnight movie theater, Su Rui holding her close, fearless in the face of a powerful enemy, Lin Aoxue felt as though her whole being was melting — and after that melting came a deep, overwhelming wave of worry and anger.

She didn’t know what would happen to Su Rui, but she had to make those who dared to touch him pay a painful price.

Lin Aoxue knew she had already fallen in deep, but she didn’t mind. All these years, everything she had done had followed four words as her guiding principle — follow your heart.

In truth, if Zhang Ziwei hadn’t notified her, Lin Aoxue would never have learned of Su Rui’s arrest. When she saw that girl in the white dress, her face full of anxiety, a flash of jealousy had indeed crossed her heart — but after that jealousy passed, Lin Aoxue forced herself to calm down and began thinking about how to use Bikang’s resources to apply pressure on the five major clans.

And that was precisely what set Lin Aoxue apart from every other woman.