Cheng Jie’s people had held their breath and investigated for two days, but they only found some superficial and well-known information. Although Cheng Jie was annoyed by this, he reluctantly reported the findings to his father.

Upon hearing this, Cheng's father sighed heavily and said sadly, "Ah, leave it. There's no need to continue."

"Father, do you think Hua Yan also contributed to this?" Cheng Jie was taken aback. At the Hu family banquet, Hu Li, who came from a prestigious family and was flattered by many, had proposed to that woman in front of everyone.

The woman he once found most annoying and indifferent was now someone cherished by others. How unpredictable life is. However, that woman now carried a blend of elegance and resilience, an aura unmatched.

"It's useless to say anything now. Just focus on gathering wealth. Even if we can’t stay in high society, we can still live comfortably." Although Cheng’s father’s words were harsh, they were the most realistic foresight. Cheng Jie felt bitter but knew his father was right.

When Cheng Jie left the study, before he could return to his bedroom, Cheng Yunqi dragged him into her room.

Feeling irritated, Cheng Jie was about to lose his temper when Cheng Yunqi spoke, "Brother, what did you talk about with Father? Can our family get through this crisis?"

Her naive thoughts made him feel a mix of sadness and helplessness. "We might have to leave Haibin City... The company probably can't hold on. Be prepared."

"Is it true? How could it be, Brother?" Cheng Yunqi, who had lived luxuriously for over twenty years, shivered upon hearing they might fall into poverty.

She remembered a girl who was once a cherished princess but fell into misery after her family’s downfall. Other girls mocked and humiliated her, while boys bullied her until she cried.

Back then, Cheng Yunqi had joined in the ridicule. Though it was a childhood memory, it suddenly resurfaced, magnifying her fear of facing a similar fate. How would she face her former friends?

"It’s true." Cheng Jie’s voice was filled with helplessness and distance. Seeing her brother’s increasingly gaunt face, Cheng Yunqi swallowed her anger and, trying to be understanding, said, "Brother, take care of yourself. Let me know if you need help."

Cheng Jie’s expression softened as he looked at Cheng Yunqi, feeling comforted. He forced a smile and said, "I will. You should also control your temper."

"Don’t worry, Brother. I won't cause any more trouble."

"Okay..." Cheng Jie hesitated before asking, "Any news from the Cheng family?"

Cheng Yunqi’s face showed sadness, and she slowly said, "No. Since they left, there's been no news. Brother, you shouldn’t count on them."

"Right." Cheng Jie knew he couldn’t rely on the Cheng family. Cutting off a false hope eased his mind slightly.

Meanwhile, Hu Li, who was staying with Hua Yan at the villa, finished reading the last document and stretched. He went downstairs and saw Hua Yan lying on the sofa, reading a book with her head tilted back. He thought to himself that this careless girl would ruin her eyesight. Frowning, he pretended to be upset and said, "Sit up to read. You'll ruin your eyes."

Annoyed by his words, Hua Yan rolled her eyes and said, "You're a jinx."

Hu Li, pretending to be angry, tapped her forehead and took the book from her hands, placing it on the coffee table. He then pulled her into his arms and chatted casually.

"The Cheng family won’t recover this time, so you can worry less."

Hua Yan had already heard some of this from her secretary. Now, hearing Hu Li’s reassurance, she smiled and replied, "Got it. Just keep an eye on things for me, just in case." Since she wanted revenge, she didn’t want the Cheng family to have any chance of a comeback. Though she didn’t want a life for a life, she didn’t want them to be carefree either.

Stolen novel; please report.

Seeing Hua Yan’s understanding, Hu Li felt relieved and then discussed their wedding plans with her, "What do you think about our wedding date?"

"Let's talk about it next year. My dad won't be back soon, and I want to wait for him." Besides, Hu Li's parents wouldn’t remain silent forever.

"That’s fine. The New Year is approaching. Would you like to spend it here with me?" Hu Li asked hopefully.

Hua Yan pondered for a moment before shaking her head. This year, no one from her family in the capital would return to their hometown, and Old Yang had no relatives. If she didn’t go back, the house would be lonely, and Old Yang would feel bad. She and Hu Li would have plenty of time together in the future.

Sometimes, Hua Yan would mention wanting duck tongues from a certain restaurant the night before, and by the next day, the dish would always be on the table. When she wanted to raise some squirrels, Old Yang would soon find a few for her. Whenever Hua Yan had a headache or a cold, Old Yang was more worried than anyone else. Having someone who cared for her like this was truly her fortune.

"Alright, when I have time, I'll come to the capital to be with you."

"Sigh, if you do that, your mother will blame me for everything," Hua Yan sighed.

Hu Li was amused by her act and said, "I didn't know you cared about such things."

Hua Yan rolled her eyes at him again and said, "I can't show all my worries on my face."

After having dinner with Hua Yan, Hu Li went out. When he had nothing to do, Hua Yan's father's call came.

First, he asked how she had been doing for so long, and secondly, he mentioned that he had heard about the Cheng family's situation. Hua Yan was surprised that her father, being so far away, knew about the Cheng family, which showed he still remembered their past deeds.

Knowing Hua Yan was involved, her father didn’t blame her. Like Hu Li, he told her not to worry about the Cheng family anymore. After discussing the Cheng family, Hua Yan told her father about Hu Li’s proposal, their plan to discuss the wedding date next year, and how Hu Li’s parents seemed to disapprove. Her father pondered for a while and told her to follow her heart and not to worry about external matters.

Although Hua Yan's father was also unhappy about Hu Li’s parents’ disapproval, he had experienced too much and didn’t show concern. In fact, Hu Li had long informed Hua Yan's father about his family’s situation and how he planned to handle it to ensure Hua Yan’s future happiness. Both Hu Li and her father kept this from Hua Yan.

In the end, her father mentioned he wouldn’t be home for the New Year because some old friends with special abilities were preventing him from returning, insisting he stay and cook a delicious New Year’s Eve dinner for everyone. Hearing the joy in her father's voice, Hua Yan felt relieved.

After exchanging many words of advice with her father, they hung up. Hu Li didn’t come back at noon but called to tell her to have lunch on her own. She ate a light meal and then went to the greenhouse to read.

At this time, Hu Li was at his mother’s villa, and Ke Shaozheng was also present. Hu Li was there regarding the previous incident with Maozi and Huang Shulang. Hu's mother and Ke Shaozheng had communicated after the failure, and now, faced with Hu Li’s inquiry, they maintained a calm exterior.

"Do you believe some nonsense someone spouted?" Hu's mother said displeased.

"My cousin is becoming more like a woman, easily swayed," Ke Shaozheng chimed in. Despite his outward calm, his inner turmoil was evident. Hu Li’s deep gaze occasionally fell on him, making him feel more intimidated in front of Hu Li than Hu's mother.

Hu Li glanced at his mother, who was trying to shift the blame, and said calmly, "You should know how things really are."

These cold words made Hu's mother pause, worried that Hu Li might know many details. However, she was still unwilling to admit her mistake. She continued to evade the issue, with Ke Shaozheng occasionally supporting her.

After several rounds, Hu Li’s patience wore thin. He placed a recording device on the table and turned it on. The room was filled with a chilling scream, causing Hu's mother to frown and Ke Shaozheng to shiver instinctively.

This was followed by Maozi and Huang Shulang hoarsely recounting the entire incident in detail. The more they spoke, the more Hu's mother and Ke Shaozheng's faces stiffened.

No intelligent person could miss the underlying messages in Maozi and Huang Shulang's words, all pointing towards Hu's mother and Ke Shaozheng. Hu's mother couldn’t maintain her composure and fell silent, while Ke Shaozheng lowered his head like an ostrich.

Although Hu Li didn’t intend to openly warn them, his thorough investigation made it clear that they should be more cautious in the future.

Seeing that it was already dark and the matter resolved, Hu Li, thinking of Hua Yan, left without staying long. As soon as he left, the atmosphere in the room lightened, and both Hu's mother and Ke Shaozheng breathed a sigh of relief.

"Aunt, my younger brother's aura is now on par with Uncle’s," Ke Shaozheng said, worried that Hu's mother might blame him for the failure against Hua Yan, quickly flattering her.

Hu's mother suddenly smiled, proudly saying, "Of course, he is my son after all." But then her expression turned sad, "But now that he’s grown, he has his own ideas and conflicts with me."

Ke Shaozheng patiently comforted Hu's mother with sweet words before leaving late at night. That night, he vented his day’s frustrations and unhappiness on a woman.