Chapter 8

Lin Xueqing’s jealousy towards Mama Huo had always been apparent.

But stealing things?

What did Lin Xueqing steal from her?

Before Mama Huo could figure it out, Ye Leyao changed his shoes and came over to sit next to her, cheerfully saying, “Mama Huo, I’m back!”

Mama Huo smiled, but before she could speak, Lin Xueqing, who was sitting beside her, cast a disdainful glance at Ye Leyao and sneered, “As expected, a child that’s not your own just doesn’t grow close.”

Mama Huo’s face changed slightly at these words, and she immediately gave Lin Xueqing a warning look.

Lin Xueqing didn’t notice Mama Huo’s warning gaze at all and continued, “If you ask me, children need strict discipline, you can’t spoil them, otherwise, they won’t know who’s good to them! My brat was rebellious some time ago and said he didn’t want me as his mother. So I gave him a good beating, and now he’s behaved! But I’m still angry, I really don’t want him anymore!”

Lin Xueqing was implying that Ye Leyao still called her “Mama Huo” instead of “Mom.”

Ye Leyao’s parents died in a car accident when he was five, at an age where he could already remember things.

Mama Huo and Ye Leyao’s mother were best friends, and after Ye Leyao was born, she recognized Mama Huo as his godmother. Since then, he had always called her “Mama Huo.”

So, even though Mama Huo later adopted Ye Leyao, she didn’t make him change the way he addressed her.

She was worried that forcing Ye Leyao to change would sadden him, and she forbade anyone in the family from bringing up the topic in front of him.

Even now, with Ye Leyao grown up, the family rarely discussed the matter in his presence, let alone made him change his way of addressing her.

The entire Huo family didn’t mind, so who was Lin Xueqing to be displeased?

Mama Huo was already showing some anger, but with Ye Leyao present, she didn’t want to cause a scene.

She glanced at Ye Leyao and saw that he looked unaffected, which made her feel a bit relieved. Just as she was about to change the subject, she suddenly heard Ye Leyao’s confused voice—

[Oh, from what Second Aunt said, does she know that the adopted son is actually her husband’s illegitimate child with his mistress?]

Mama Huo’s expression changed.

What?

[Back when Second Uncle brought the child home, Second Aunt didn’t like him much. But Second Aunt’s health isn’t great, and the doctors advised against her getting pregnant again. Second Aunt is extremely traditional and believes that without a son, the family line can’t continue. The Qing Dynasty has been gone for how long, and she’s still stuck in the past!]

[Because of this, Second Aunt agreed to adopt the child. But that child wasn’t from an orphanage! He’s the illegitimate son of Second Uncle and his mistress!]

[If I remember correctly, that mistress lives in the same neighborhood as Second Aunt, right?]

Mama Huo’s eyes widened instantly, her anger subsiding a bit.

Could this be true?

Ye Leyao was still trying to recall the storyline, opening the notes app on his phone.

[Yes, yes, I’m not mistaken. Second Uncle did buy an apartment in the same neighborhood for his mistress. He claims to take the adopted son to foreign language classes every day, but he’s actually taking him to his biological mother’s place.]

[The adopted son acting up and not wanting her as a mother anymore… probably because he found out Second Aunt isn’t his biological mother, right? After all, Second Aunt is very strict with the adopted son, while the mistress always sweet-talks and spoils him when they meet. How could the adopted son possibly like Second Aunt?]

[So is Second Aunt feeling heartbroken now?]

[But being heartbroken or not, stealing Mama Huo’s jewelry is still unforgivable!]

[Two million!]

Ye Leyao furrowed his brow. That two million was more than all the money he had saved up before!

[No, I have to find a chance to tell Mama Huo about this… that money must be recovered!]

Mama Huo had been looking at Lin Xueqing with a bit of pity, but hearing this, her eyes widened in shock.

Steal?

You said steal?

Two million?!

How much of her jewelry did Lin Xueqing actually steal?!!

Mama Huo was so furious that her chest hurt.

Lin Xueqing wasn’t Mama Huo’s biological sister but her cousin.

When their uncle was young, he was busy with business, so Lin Xueqing often stayed at their house.

From a young age, Lin Xueqing was competitive and liked to compare herself with Mama Huo.

She compared body shape, appearance, grades, and even marriage.

When Mama Huo and Papa Huo got married, Lin Xueqing looked down on the Huo family for being a small family and refused to attend the wedding, cutting off contact with her.

Later, Mama Huo and Papa Huo worked hard together, and the Huo Group successfully went public, becoming a leading company in the industry. On the other hand, the Chen family that Lin Xueqing carefully selected gradually declined, with the business nearly going bankrupt. Lin Xueqing then came running back.

Mama Huo, remembering their childhood together, helped Lin Xueqing and the Chen family a lot.

But in return, she raised an ingrate!

No wonder Mama Huo couldn’t find a necklace before, thinking she had carelessly misplaced it. It turned out Lin Xueqing had stolen it!

Mama Huo was furious, glaring angrily at Lin Xueqing.

Lin Xueqing had been waiting for Mama Huo’s reaction, but instead of agreement, she was met with a glare.

A sudden wave of panic hit her.

Why was Mama Huo glaring at her?

Could she have found something out?

It shouldn’t be.

She always acted carefully, and if she had been discovered, she wouldn’t be sitting here calmly.

Could it be because she said something about Ye Leyao?

That was possible.

In Mama Huo’s eyes, this adopted son without any blood relation was more important than her own niece!

Thinking of this made Lin Xueqing even angrier. After she gave birth to her eldest daughter, her health was poor. Seeing that Mama Huo adopted Ye Leyao, she wanted to send her daughter over for Mama Huo to raise.

But Mama Huo refused without hesitation!

For this, Lin Xueqing resented her for a long time and also hated Ye Leyao.

Why should someone with no blood relation to the Huo family get a share of their wealth?

Now she had just told the truth, and Mama Huo was giving her such a hateful look. Lin Xueqing felt even more frustrated and looked at Ye Leyao with some displeasure, preparing to educate him on behalf of Mama Huo: “Leyao, what do you think?”

Ye Leyao was still recalling the plot, and when he heard her, he was momentarily confused before saying, “Just throw it away.”

Lin Xueqing was taken aback: “Who do you mean throw away?”

Ye Leyao, puzzled, said, “Didn’t you say you don’t want Jiawang anymore?”

Jiawang was Lin Xueqing’s beloved adopted son.

[Since he’s not her biological child and is an ingrate, it’s better to stop raising someone else’s child as soon as possible.]

Ye Leyao was sincerely suggesting it.

But Lin Xueqing was choked by his words.

Mama Huo almost couldn’t hold back her laughter.

He wasn’t wrong at all!

But there was no way Lin Xueqing would throw away her precious son.

Although Lin Xueqing was indeed strict when disciplining her child, in their family, the person with the highest status was still her adopted son.

When she first brought the adopted son home, she even considered not wanting her biological daughter and wanted to send her to Mama Huo to raise.

Mama Huo had to persuade her for a long time before she reluctantly took her daughter back.

And now.

The child she had spoiled for so many years turned out to be her husband’s illegitimate son.

It would be interesting to see Lin Xueqing’s reaction when she found out the truth.

After saying this, Ye Leyao realized that abandonment was a crime, so he changed his suggestion, “Or Second Aunt, you could divorce and give up custody?”

[But before the divorce, she has to return the money.]

[I vaguely remember Second Aunt stealing a particularly important piece of jewelry, which caused Dad and Mom to… what was it exactly?]

Lin Xueqing was so angry that her face twisted.

So, after all her sarcastic remarks, Ye Leyao actually thought she was talking about her precious Jiawang?!

Ye Leyao finally found the record in his notes, and his inner voice suddenly amplified:

[I remember now! The engagement ring! Second Aunt stole and sold the engagement ring that Dad gave to Mom! Then the ring ended up in the hands of a woman coveting Dad, and Mom thought Dad secretly gave it to her. That’s why they got divorced!]

Just as Papa Huo walked in, he heard this shocking revelation, and his movements froze as he looked at Mama Huo.

The engagement ring was sold by Lin Xueqing?

And they got divorced because of it?

What on earth was going on?!

Mama Huo was even more shocked. She cherished that engagement ring so much that she rarely wore it for fear of losing it. And now it turned out Lin Xueqing had stolen and sold it?!!

Lin Xueqing’s face looked bad. She hadn’t noticed Mama Huo’s expression change or seen Papa Huo at the door. She was still angry at Ye Leyao’s earlier words.

Just listen to what Ye Leyao is saying!

She only wanted to educate him a little, and he suggested she should get divorced!

No, today she must make this arrogant brat realize that he is just an outsider. Why should he stay in the Huo family?

Lin Xueqing said coldly, “Ye Leyao, you’re just an outsider—”

“Lin Xueqing!” Mama Huo couldn’t hold back anymore and interrupted her sharply.

Lin Xueqing was startled by the voice and swallowed the rest of her words. She turned to look at Mama Huo and finally noticed her extremely unpleasant expression.

She hadn’t even said anything yet, and her cousin was already defending Ye Leyao like this?

Lin Xueqing felt even more annoyed, “Cousin, I didn’t even say—”

“Xiaoyao is my son, and you,” Mama Huo paused before continuing, “are just a guest.”

Lin Xueqing’s face turned bright red instantly, and anger surged within her.

Seeing she wanted to say something more, Mama Huo spoke again, “By the way, I recently discovered that quite a few of my jewelry pieces are missing.”

Mama Huo’s voice was icy, and her eyes were fixed unblinkingly on Lin Xueqing as she spoke.

Lin Xueqing’s eyelid twitched violently, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe. Her anger dissipated instantly, and her blood ran cold.@@novelbin@@

She couldn’t hide the panic on her face and lowered her eyes, not daring to meet Mama Huo’s gaze.

She really found out?

That’s impossible?!

Lin Xueqing forced a smile, which looked somewhat ugly, “Re-really… I remember, cousin, you’ve always been forgetful. Could it be you misplaced them?”

At this moment, Papa Huo also walked in and gave the butler a look, “Why not check the surveillance footage?”

Lin Xueqing’s expression became even more unpleasant, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her nose. She squirmed uncomfortably and mumbled a couple of words, then picked up her bag and stood up, “Cousin, Cousin-in-law, now that you’re back, I’ll just…”

“Don’t be in such a hurry,” Mama Huo gave her a slight smile, “It’s almost mealtime. How can we not invite our guest to stay for dinner? Right?”

The last sentence was directed at Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao nodded vigorously, “Right!”

[I was just thinking about how to tell Mama Huo about Second Aunt stealing her jewelry, and it turns out Mama Huo already knew! No wonder she’s Mama Huo!]

[So, are we about to have a confrontation in court?]

[Wow, this is so exciting!!!]

Papa and Mama Huo silently covered their ears to protect them from the loud excitement.

It wasn’t necessary to be this excited.