The moment He Man saw Jiang Pinzhen, her face suddenly panicked. She never expected that Jiang Pinzhen would be right outside the door. Judging from the situation... she didn't know when Jiang Pinzhen had come or how long she had been standing there.
The bodyguard beside her still had one arm around He Man's shoulder. At the same time, He Man quickly pushed the bodyguard away, then stood up from the sofa in a flurry and tidied up the clothes that had just been pulled out of place.
Now that Jiang Pinzhen could still come to find her, it meant that in her heart... the fact that she was her daughter hadn't changed.
Thoughts flashed through her mind like lightning. He Man put on a warm smile and wanted to go up and hold Jiang Pinzhen affectionately. "Mom, why did you come? You should have called me first so that I could go out to pick you up."
Jiang Pinzhen felt a jumble of emotions. Since she had heard all the things He Man said before, she coldly pushed away the hand that He Man had stretched out.
"Call in advance?" Jiang Pinzhen carefully sized up He Man. Her look was as if the daughter she had carefully raised for sixteen years had suddenly turned into a stranger standing in front of her. It was also the first time she clearly realized how vicious He Man's thoughts were. "If I had called you first, I'm afraid I wouldn't have heard those words just now."
When all the facts were laid out in front of her, she finally believed that what Ye Yanxi had said was true. On her way here before she arrived at the Chu family, she had still been wondering if Ye Yanxi had framed He Man.
The result... was beyond her expectation. It turned out that the daughter she had doted on for sixteen years was a ferocious beast. For her sake, she had even abandoned her own biological daughter back then. Moreover, because of He Man's sweet words, she had hurt Ye Yanxi again.
In this way, the rift between them as mother and daughter would only get deeper.
The reason why Ye Yanxi still didn't want to forgive her until now was this.
Jiang Pinzhen felt a belated regret.
Looking at He Man with a cold expression, she then sneered. "I've always treated you as my own daughter. As a result... because of you, I almost lost my own daughter."
"Mom." He Man was also flustered. "Please listen to me. You misheard just now. I didn't say anything, Mom..."
"Who's your mom?" Jiang Pinzhen said with a cold face. Her face was full of grief and more of self - hatred. "I don't have a daughter like you."
"Mom, you've really misunderstood. I've grown up by your side for so many years. Don't you know what kind of person I am?" He Man looked at Jiang Pinzhen sincerely, and her trembling hand wanted to grab her arm.
But Jiang Pinzhen disgustedly dodged before He Man could touch her. He Man's hand instantly froze in the air.
"For sixteen years, you've really hidden your true self well. I've finally seen your true face today. I was blind before and was fooled by you. From now on, I won't believe a single word you say."
"Mom!" He Man called out tremulously, her tone mournful. Then she knelt down with a thud, her eyes red. "Don't be angry, Mom. I did these things because I had no choice. I was afraid that you would abandon me and drive me out, so I did something wrong. Mom, you have to believe me. I have absolutely no ill intentions towards you."
Even though He Man was crying and repenting now, she didn't gain half a bit of Jiang Pinzhen's sympathy. Jiang Pinzhen just looked at her coldly.
"That's enough, Manman. Stop acting hypocritically. The moment you had the intention to kill my own daughter, you were no longer my daughter." Jiang Pinzhen's words were heartless and cold, cutting off He Man's last glimmer of hope. "From beginning to end, you were never my daughter."
Seeing that Jiang Pinzhen was completely disappointed in her and no longer recognized her, He Man still refused to give up. "Mom, I was wrong. Please forgive me this time. I promise I'll be obedient from now on. I just beg you to forgive me."
Seeing He Man crying uncontrollably and her voice becoming hoarse from shouting, if it had been before, Jiang Pinzhen would have already lovingly hugged her into her arms.
But now, she just coldly watched all this, with a clear mind.
The commotion here attracted the attention of the Chu family's butler. Jiang Pinzhen just happened to see the butler and a few others passing by. So she pointed at the bodyguard behind He Man who was trying to escape and shouted loudly, "Come quickly! This man just tried to kill me. Quickly arrest him."
As soon as she finished speaking, the butler immediately led his men in and subdued the bodyguard.
The bodyguard was also flustered at this moment. He didn't know what Jiang Pinzhen would do to him in the future, so he was scared pale. "What are you doing? I didn't try to kill Mrs. He. Let me go. You've misunderstood."
But the people holding him didn't move. So the bodyguard turned his pleading eyes to He Man. "Miss He, please say something fair for me. I didn't try to kill Mrs. He."
But He Man just turned her cheek and no longer looked at him. Then the butler led his men and took the bodyguard away.
Judging from Jiang Pinzhen's attitude, she wouldn't let the bodyguard go. If she intervened again, she was afraid that Jiang Pinzhen would have her arrested too.
Now that everything was irreparable, she had no choice but to remain silent and watch the bodyguard being taken away.
Everything happened so suddenly. In an instant, it seemed like she had lost everything. She had thought that Jiang Pinzhen was her last hope, but now the situation was hopeless.
He Man lowered her head, her mind blank.
She knew that Jiang Pinzhen wouldn't easily let her go. She was just waiting in agony for how Jiang Pinzhen would deal with her.
Sure enough, after the bodyguard was taken away, Jiang Pinzhen called a few more bodyguards.
These bodyguards were actually from the He family. They had been sent to the Chu family to protect He Man when she got married. So when Jiang Pinzhen gave the order, they followed it without hesitation.
Jiang Pinzhen specifically instructed the team leader in charge. She told him to monitor He Man at all times in the future and not allow her to take a single step out of the Chu family.
Hearing Jiang Pinzhen's emotionless order to confine her, He Man was completely stunned.
Such confinement restricted her personal freedom. What was the difference between this and being in jail?
"Mom, I'm begging you. For the sake of the sixteen years I've accompanied you, don't lock me up. I'll definitely be obedient from now on."
"When you were doing evil things, you should have thought about the consequences!" Jiang Pinzhen issued another cruel order. "All of you remember. If you find He Man taking a single step out of the Chu family in the future, then... break her legs."
What a cruel order. She actually wanted to break her legs. This was a warning that she shouldn't even think about going out in the future.
"Also, from today on, I'll freeze all your bank accounts. Since you've used your money for improper deeds, you might as well not use a single cent. Since you're married to Chu Beize, from now on, stay in the Chu family obediently and be a proper member of the Chu family."
Without the status of the He family's daughter, if she had no value in the Chu family, Chu Beize would despise her even more.
"Mom, please don't be so cruel. Let me go. Let me divorce Chu Beize. After the divorce, I'll leave City S far away and never appear in front of you again. Please let me go." He Man begged Jiang Pinzhen tearfully, futilely grabbing at the corner of Jiang Pinzhen's clothes.
As long as she wasn't trapped in the Chu family forever, she might still have a chance after getting out. If she was put under house arrest, her life would be over.
Jiang Pinzhen flatly refused her. "Don't even think about it!"
These three harsh and heartless words completely shattered He Man's hopes. She slumped down, releasing Jiang Pinzhen's sleeve listlessly.
Actually, Jiang Pinzhen really wanted to send He Man directly to the police station. She had done so many shady things and deserved to be punished by the law. But thinking of Ye Yanxi's request, she decided to follow it.
After leaving the Chu family's villa, Jiang Pinzhen felt a bit lost. The stone in her heart became even heavier.
She took out her phone, hesitated for a while, and then dialed Ye Yanxi's number. After a few rings, Ye Yanxi finally answered.
"Hello..." Her tone was still cold and indifferent, full of estrangement.
Hearing Ye Yanxi's voice, Jiang Pinzhen suddenly thought of all the grievances Ye Yanxi had suffered over the years. A warm current welled up in her eyes, and for a moment, she choked up and couldn't speak.
Not hearing Jiang Pinzhen say anything, Ye Yanxi raised her voice and said hello again.
Jiang Pinzhen then calmed down her emotions and quickly replied, "Xiaoxi, I'm here. I'm here."
"What's the matter?" It was like a polite greeting between strangers, polite but cold.
Hearing Ye Yanxi's cold voice, Jiang Pinzhen felt that it was all her own fault. She blamed herself for being deceived by He Man's words back then and hurting Ye Yanxi again and again. It was only natural that Ye Yanxi was hostile towards her.
"Xiaoxi, I've finished all the things you told me to do." Jiang Pinzhen paused for a moment. "I've now learned the whole truth. Xiaoxi, it was Mom who was wrong before. I wrongly blamed you."
"Got it. I'm still busy. I'll hang up first." Ye Yanxi spoke in a matter - of - fact tone.
"Wait, Xiaoxi!" Jiang Pinzhen was afraid that she would hang up the phone soon and said anxiously, "There's one more thing. Please listen to me."
"What else do you want to say?"
"Xiaoxi, it was Mom who did something wrong before. So, can you... give me a chance to make it up to you?"
The knuckles of Ye Yanxi's hand holding the phone turned white. The hidden emotions in her eyes flashed by, but unfortunately, Jiang Pinzhen couldn't see them.
After a while, Ye Yanxi still said in a cold and distant tone, "I'm busy."
After saying that, without giving Jiang Pinzhen a chance to speak, she simply hung up the phone.
On the other side, Jiang Pinzhen heaved a heavy sigh, her eyes full of loneliness.
The incident of He Qiuyang had caused quite a stir in the company. Everyone was excitedly discussing it during working hours.
When it was almost time to get off work, Ye Yanxi was in a daze when her phone suddenly rang.
She picked it up and glanced at it. It was Xiao Yu calling.
After answering the call, Xiao Yu's deep voice came from the other end. "Come up directly later."