Jiayi knew the old man wanted to speak with Huo Zhenyang alone, so she picked up her handbag: "I’ll go out and wait for you."

George stayed behind.

Seeing Jiayi leave, Huo Tianpei looked at Huo Zhenyang with a solemn expression: "Did Jiayi move back to Disheng?"

Huo Zhenyang could guess what the elder wanted to inquire about, his tone like still water. "Mhm."

"Didn’t you two divorce?" Huo Tianpei asked tentatively.

Huo Zhenyang’s lips moved subtly, seemingly finding the old man’s question somewhat unnecessary: "So what if we divorced? We can also remarry."

"You’re planning to remarry? When?" Huo Tianpei was surprised.

Remembering that Jiayi was not yet ready, Huo Zhenyang’s brows slightly furrowed: "No rush, we can talk about it later, but Jiayi and Zaizai will stay at Disheng, just like before."

After contemplating for a while, Huo Tianpei’s face grew stern: "I don’t understand the matters of young people breaking up and reuniting. I never could control you, but you talk of divorce and then remarrying just as casually. What if, after some time, you have another argument and consider divorcing again?"

Huo Zhenyang grew impatient: "Not possible anymore."

"Alright. But just a few months ago, you initiated the divorce. In such a short time, you’ve brought Jiayi back to the Huo Mansion without any official status and started talking about remarrying. How do you expect outsiders to view you? As fickle? Is marriage a joke to you? Moreover, it hasn’t been long since the murder case. Although I believe that Jiayi couldn’t have done such a thing, my belief is irrelevant. Many people outside still associate Jiayi with the case... She’s always labeled as a suspect..."

Huo Zhenyang’s eyes turned colder, interrupting Huo Tianpei’s words: "What do you want, Dad?"

"Don’t rush into remarriage for now. Have Jiayi move out. I can provide her with the best accommodation in the whole city, somewhere close to Disheng if you wish to visit her anytime," Huo Tianpei said straightforwardly, his demeanor exuding the authority of a family patriarch.

Huo Zhenyang was adamant: "She won’t leave Disheng again. Wherever I am, that’s where she’ll be."

"Why won’t you ever listen to advice? I’m not asking you to separate, just to maintain some distance for a while, until the dust settles on your divorce and the murder case," Huo Tianpei said with growing frustration, his blood pressure rising slightly, but he was used to his son’s defiance; this was a minor matter he could still handle.

Huo Zhenyang’s lips curled slighty with sarcasm: "Are these suggestions from Su Yan?"

Huo Tianpei’s cheeks stiffened: "It doesn’t matter who suggested it, it’s for your own good, for the Huo Family’s good."

The influence of a pillow whisper is truly formidable.

Nothing compares to the words of the person by your side.

Huo Zhenyang, containing the chill in his heart and fixing his gaze on Huo Tianpei, said playfully: "Dad, please pass a message to Su Yan for me; tell her to take care of herself and not to worry about other matters."

This sentence held a deeper meaning, a warning to Su Yan not to stir up trouble, or it would only end worse for her.

Naturally, Huo Tianpei did not understand the implication, seeing that Huo Zhenyang not only did not heed but retorted, his brow furrowed: "Remember, you’re the CEO of Huo Group, the eldest son of the Huo Family. Your every word and action represent the Huo Family, and your marital status also affects the outsider’s perception of both the Huo Family and the Huo Group. It’s not just about you!"

In the room, an impasse had formed between father and son.

——————

In the hallway of the suite.

Jiayi, with her handbag slung over her shoulder, was pacing back and forth, waiting for Huo Zhenyang to come out.

Thinking of the look Huo Tianpei gave her before leaving the room, she could vaguely guess what he wanted to discuss with Huo Zhenyang. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Probably wanted to inquire about her current situation with Huo Zhenyang and their future plans.

The door banged open, and the assistant’s voice came through: "Is there anything you need, ma’am?"

Su Yan stepped out, her gaze falling onto Jiayi: "Nothing much, just haven’t seen Jiayi in a long time, thought I’d have a chat with her." As she spoke, she lifted her pale fingers, gesturing for the assistant to leave.

The assistants exchanged glances, the two young women standing before them were of similar age and were once mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but the looks they exchanged were filled with chilly flashes of daggers and swords.

The world of the wealthy is indeed full of bizarre troubles.

The group left.

This entire floor had been reserved by the Huo Family, and the hallway was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jiayi had long wanted to exchange a few words with her, but never had the chance, and now faced her calmly without any avoidance.

Looking at Su Yan now felt like facing a venomous snake or a fierce beast, waves of disgust rolling over her, accompanied by an indescribable chill.

Su Yan let out a light chuckle: "I didn’t expect you to move back into Disheng, you really do have some tricks up your sleeve."

"Don’t think everyone is the same as you, achieving everything by scheming. Don’t you get tired of living like that?"

Jiayi raised her chin, looking at her with a somewhat pitying gaze.

Su Yan hated being spoken to with that tone and expression.

It made her feel like she was still that despised orphan girl from many years ago!

But she had clearly transformed into a swan, so why should anyone look down on her?

Hatred and humiliated rage started to spread bit by bit in Su Yan’s heart, her graceful face contorted with the mocking words:

"So what if I used schemes? At least now I am rightfully Mrs. Huo of the Huo Family. And you? Nameless and without status, moving back into your ex-husband’s house—where’s your pride? After spending so many years as a bastard, have you become accustomed to being looked down upon? No matter what, you’re at least now the daughter of a government official, right? Is this how you disgrace your Chu Family—"

"Slap!"

Jiayi’s hand swiftly connected, landing a slap across Su Yan’s face.

Su Yan staggered back a few steps, staring at her in disbelief: "You hit me? You dare hit me; what right do you have to—"

Before she could finish, Jiayi stepped forward and grabbed her by the collar.

Su Yan had never seen that kind of look in her eyes, eyes filled with cold frost, exuding a chill that seemed to penetrate from the spine to the scalp.

Snapping back to reality, Su Yan struggled to break free, only to feel Jiayi yank at her collar fiercely and kick out hard at her knee.

"Ah, it hurts—" Su Yan cried out in pain from her knee, about to call for the assistants, when Jiayi already closed in, her dark eyes swirling coldly like icy stars:

"Whatever I owed you, I’ve long since repaid. From now on, it’s your turn to pay back."

Sweat broke out on Su Yan’s back, unsure if it was due to the sharp pain in her knee or her chillingly cryptic words: "What do you mean by that..."

Jiayi’s lips curled into a strangely cool smirk: "You’ve forgotten what you’ve done so quickly? It’s been months now; do you still have nightmares every night? You’ve lost a lot of weight, your skin is dry. No amount of thick foundation can hide those dark circles, must be sleeping poorly, right? But of course, who could sleep soundly when there’s someone bloody and mangled standing at the foot of your bed every night, demanding retribution..."

"Shut up!" Su Yan screamed lowly, covering her ears: "I don’t understand what you’re talking about, what bloody and mangled, what demanding retribution, what nonsense are you spewing?"