She realized she had no chance of winning. Everything was in his control. She was like Sun Wukong in the palm of the Tathagata; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape.
She foresaw the Tong family’s decline, her clear eyes now clouded. Looking at him, she struggled to focus. “I forgot about the Han family. You’re a step ahead,” her laugh was dry and bitter. “The Han Electronics’ shares in the Tong family are small, but their influence in the board of directors is significant. Yi Feng’s appeal in the Tong family is too low, not even comparable to Tong Yitian. How could he convince the board?”
I calculated everything, but I overlooked the human factor.”
A glimmer of admiration flashed in Di Xihuang’s eyes. She possessed extraordinary analytical skills and decisive adaptability—qualities essential for an excellent enterprise leader, which Tong Yifeng and Tong Yitian could not match. Yet, she was willing to hide her talents, becoming an unremarkable little flower.
Since entering the Tong family at five with Liu Qiusi, she had always served as a supporting green leaf, often overlooked. Even he had been lax in his vigilance due to her seemingly ordinary exterior. If she weren’t inexperienced, his meticulously planned scheme for over a decade might have fallen apart.
“Now I understand why you allied with the Han family. Just to prepare for contingencies like today, right? Such a comprehensive deployment couldn’t have been considered overnight,” her eyes began to focus. “What are you trying to achieve by designing against the Tong family? Or what does the Tong family have that you want?”
His handsome face drew closer. “What do I want? No, I’m reclaiming what originally belonged to me.” His low voice carried a cold, ruthless edge.
“The Tong family belongs to you?” Ou Xueman was astonished.
“No,” Di Xihuang shook his head, his crystal-clear eyes flashing a predatory light. “The Tong family? Hmph, it’s irrelevant to me. But whether it’s the Tong family or you,” his thin lips exhaled a cold breath, “it’s important to Tong Baichuan.”
Her confused eyes gazed into his. Could he be targeting Tong Baichuan? Suddenly, a sentence he’d once said flashed through her mind: “This is how Tong Baichuan treated my mother. Now, I’ll let you, his most beloved daughter, taste the humiliation my mother endured.”
What kind of grudge was hidden here? Ou Xueman became even more perplexed.
He awakened her most primal desires, leaving her entrapped in the emotion he created. She struggled, but her hands waved aimlessly in the air, trying to grasp something, yet found only emptiness.
In his rhythm, waves of pleasure followed, and she surrendered, low moans escaping beneath his rapid breathing.
Sweat dripped from his resolute jaw onto her face, seeping into her skin. Afterward, abandoned, he walked into the bathroom. Misty steam blurred the glass, casting his handsome figure hazy and indistinct, just as she could never quite understand him.
He was like a devil, luring out the hidden evil and desires in people’s hearts, coldly watching them struggle.
The dim light softly projected on him, droplets of water gathering at the ends of his hair, wetting his exposed skin. His cold face was hidden in shadows, yet his ruthless appearance was etched into her heart, leaving an indelible mark.
“Why?” her voice was muffled but calm, concealing turbulent emotions beneath.
Di Xihuang flipped his bangs, scattering water droplets in the light. He glanced in her direction, where she curled up in shadow.
“Why do this to me? Didn’t you hate my father? Don’t you hate me?” she asked again, her words laced with self-loathing.
She hated herself for sinking into the desire he created, letting him play with her at will.
Tearing off his bathrobe, he put on clothes and ignored her pain. “Just a release,” he said.
A tragic smile spread across her lips as she clung to her last hope. “Why did you marry me?”
Di Xihuang replied, “Marrying you was to destroy everything your father has,” and as he walked to the side door, he looked back at her, “And you are what your father treasures most.”
“Hahaha…”
“She laughed, her laughter filled with the pain of shattered hope. ‘So I’m on your list of things to destroy, right?’
He gave her a mocking smile, coldly declaring, ‘Don’t despair so soon. This is just the beginning of total destruction.’
Her body froze, stiffly looking up at him. ‘What do you mean?’
Di Xihuang’s voice was as cold as winter wind. ‘All the countermeasures you and Tong Yifeng have taken will destroy the Tong family. But don’t worry, the Tong family won’t collapse so quickly. As long as your father uses the nearly 300 million ST fund in his hands, the Tong family still has hope.’
Ou Xueman was stunned, then suddenly understood. ‘So… your real purpose is the ST fund in my father’s hands.’
Di Xihuang paused. ‘What do you think?’ he said, twisting the door open and walking out.
Just as he was about to close the door, Ou Xueman whispered, ‘Even if the Tong family collapses, my father won’t touch that fund.’
He didn’t seem to hear, but the door closed slower. Just before it closed, he said, ‘We’re going back to Hong Kong tomorrow.’
Owen made a hurt expression, pointing at Di Xihuang. ‘I was his best man that day!'”
When you fainted, I caught you, unlike this heartless one who just stood by and watched.”
Di Xihuang glanced at him indifferently, “Are you that free? My salary for you is astronomical. It seems I haven’t given you enough work to match it.”
“You’re heartless! I’ve worked like an ox for you!” Owen exclaimed.
Before fainting, Ou Xueman, seeing Di Xihuang catch her, quietly said, “Thank you.” Her voice was low but audible enough for everyone in the car to hear. Both Di Xihuang and Owen looked at her with complex expressions that she couldn’t fully comprehend. One thing was clear: neither was an easy character.
Overnight, the Tong family’s situation changed dramatically. No one knew what method Di Xihuang used, but Tong Corporation’s stocks plummeted and were massively sold off. Strangely, he didn’t acquire stocks; instead, he seemed to be waiting for something.
What was he waiting for? Ou Xueman slightly raised her head and glanced at him reading the morning paper.
A few strands of hair fell across his forehead as he focused on the newspaper, his thin lips tightly pressed, and his white casual clothing unable to hide his noble bearing and ruthless aura.
Noticing something, his lips curved into a beautiful arc, adding a hint of wickedness to his cold yet perfect face. Sensing her gaze, his cold eyes swept towards her.
The smile on his lips indicated he was in a good mood, but his words remained icy: “Wondering how to deal with Tong Corporation’s current crisis?”
Putting down the newspaper and sipping his coffee, he lowered his eyelids, long eyelashes hiding the light in his eyes. “Actually, it’s simple. If your father invests that ST fund into Tong Corporation, everything will be resolved. While I’m not interested in acquiring Tong Corporation, others might be. If he acts quickly enough, he can ensure Tong Corporation isn’t taken over.”
“Aunt?” Di Xihuang rose to greet her but hesitated when he remembered Ou Xueman was still present.
“They saw me at the airport and followed my car here,” Di Ying’s cold voice surprisingly carried a hint of anticipation, causing Di Xihuang’s brow to furrow.
“More than one person?” His sinister eyes barely showed a trace of softness. After a moment of silence, he said, “Tina, let them come in.”
Ou Xueman nervously looked towards the entrance, spotting Di Xihuang standing before her. He ordered, “Go to your room.”
She knew arguing would be futile, so she glared silently and went upstairs.
Upon entering her room, she encountered Tina’s professional smile. “Madam, do you need something?”
