After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Setting a Trap

It was noon a week later when Ming Shu’s mother, Qin Shu, arrived at the company.

Ming Shu had not told Professor Shen about Qiao Li’s visit. She had felt a subtle anxiety all week, thinking Qiao Li, having failed once, might come looking for her again. To her surprise, the person who came was her own mother.

To gain entry to the company, Qin Shu told the security and receptionists that she was Ming Shu’s mother. She had dressed up specifically for her visit to Ming Shu’s company and looked like a woman who retained her charm, though lacking a certain elegance, she possessed an inherently strong presence.

Neither the security guard nor the front desk receptionist stopped her, as it was easy to see that Qin Shu and Ming Shu were mother and daughter. They bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance, though their temperaments and eyes were vastly different.

After Qin Shu completed the registration, she headed upstairs. The front desk staff, noting it was lunchtime, offered a reminder, “Ms. Qin, it’s lunchtime now. Your daughter might be in the employee cafeteria.”

Having been kindly given directions, Qin Shu’s strong face managed to squeeze out a smile, and she said “Thank you.” Although it was a thank you, the voice was noticeably distant and cool.

Coming over without warning, Qin Shu felt a little nervous.

Even if she didn’t like this daughter, Qin Shu had to admit that, in some ways, Ming Shu was much stronger than her.

Ming Shu had been well-behaved since childhood, more obedient and sensible than other children, studious, and hardworking. After graduation, her salary was quite decent among her peers. She was faultless towards her brother and parents, but Qin Shu couldn’t get over that emotional barrier in her heart.

Qin Shu arrived at Ming Shu’s company cafeteria but didn’t go in. She stood at the entrance, looking around, her gaze both assertive and hesitant. When people entered or exited, she would quickly move aside. In this place, filled with young people more capable than her, she felt very uncomfortable.

“Who is that person? I saw her standing by the cafeteria entrance for a while.”

“Looks like she’s looking for someone, but she won’t come in. Maybe she’s not from our company.”

Some employees sitting with their backs to the cafeteria entrance discussed softly. Ming Shu was sitting with her back to the door. Ling Han, who sat opposite her, saw Qin Shu outside the cafeteria first and was startled. She couldn’t be sure, but Ling Han felt the woman outside the cafeteria looked somewhat like Ming Shu. The distance was a bit too far to confirm.

“Ming Shu, look at that person at the door,” Ling Han said.

Ming Shu turned her head to look and was stunned.

Mom?

Ming Shu put down her chopsticks and rose from her seat, but she had no idea what to do next.

Seeing Ming Shu’s reaction, Ling Han basically confirmed the relationship between the two and said, “Go, Ming Shu. I’ll wait for you here.”

Ming Shu hesitated for a moment, then started walking out of the cafeteria. Qin Shu felt a complex mix of emotions seeing Ming Shu finally notice her and willing to come out to meet her. She quickly moved aside, hiding behind the door, where she couldn’t be seen by the people inside the cafeteria.

“Mom… Mom.” The moment Qin Shu disappeared, Ming Shu anxiously called out, stammering slightly.

Stepping out, she was relieved to see Qin Shu still standing behind the door.

Face to face, neither spoke.

Ming Shu wasn’t sure if Qin Shu had heard her call out “Mom” and lowered her head slightly.

Qin Shu said, “Let’s talk somewhere more private. There are too many people here.”

“I’ll go tell my colleague not to wait for me.” Ming Shu paused after saying this. Meeting Qin Shu’s indifferent gaze, she felt slightly choked. Given their current relationship, she didn’t need to ask for Qin Shu’s permission.

Ming Shu returned to the cafeteria to inform Ling Han, then left.

Ming Shu led Qin Shu to the top floor. There was no one here, so no one would overhear their conversation.

It was noon, the hottest time of the day. On the top floor, the sun was so glaring they could barely keep their eyes open. Ming Shu raised one hand to shield the sun, and the other rested on the scorching hot railing. It was hot, but she didn’t move her hand. At this moment, she desperately needed some support.

Qin Shu said, “I came to see you, but it’s really nothing major.”

Ming Shu raised her eyes and looked intently at Qin Shu. She thought something must have happened; otherwise, having already severed their mother-daughter relationship, Qin Shu wouldn’t seek her out.

“Did the Qiao family come to cause trouble?” Ming Shu asked the suspicion in her heart.

Qin Shu raised an eyebrow under the harsh sun, but was quickly deterred by the blazing light, forcing her to squint. She had a slight eye problem, making her prone to tearing up when exposed to direct sunlight, and her eyes were already starting to water, though she didn’t notice it herself.

Ming Shu instinctively stepped in front of Qin Shu, finding a spot that perfectly shaded Qin Shu from the sun. She also handed over the tissue she had with her. Qin Shu didn’t take it, wiping her tears with her hand instead.

“It’s nothing serious,” Qin Shu said, turning her face away. Ming Shu awkwardly retracted the hand holding the tissue. “You haven’t answered my question.”

“You guessed right,” Qin Shu said.

Ming Shu’s biggest fear had come true.

“It’s still nothing major. The Qiao person’s methods are pathetic, thinking that a small amount of petty profit, coupled with coercion, can buy us off and make us compromise.”

Ming Shu remained silent. She recalled the time her parents had nearly sold her to Boss Huang.

“Your father and I won’t starve. Thanks to you, Wen Xuan’s future is also secured. The Qiao family can’t do anything to us. But you, you don’t act like my daughter, Qin Shu. Since you’ve married Professor Shen, and it’s a good match, you need to hold onto it firmly. Don’t let the Qiao family break you up easily.”

“If you get thrown out, we’ve already severed ties. We won’t take you in,” Qin Shu said, looking sideways and upward.

Although Qin Shu’s tone was cold and utterly devoid of warmth, Ming Shu still felt a glimmer of affection. Her focus was on the fact that her parents hadn’t been tempted by the Qiao family’s offer or succumbed to their threats.

“Alright, I have nothing else to say to you. I’m leaving.” Qin Shu turned to go downstairs, not sparing Ming Shu another glance, seemingly without any attachment.

Ming Shu watched Qin Shu’s retreating figure. Another question was stuck in her throat. She wanted to ask how the Qiao family had made things difficult for them, but she ultimately didn’t ask.

Since they were able to hold up, it must be within their tolerance limits, Ming Shu thought to herself.

Knowing about this incident, Ming Shu knew she had to do something.

She also went downstairs, found the visitor log at the front desk, and saw that Qiao Li had left her name and contact information before.

Ming Shu found Qiao Li’s number and dialed it directly. She had received a call from Qiao Li once before but hadn’t saved the number. This time, she saved it.

The phone connected. Qiao Li asked with a cloyingly sweet voice, “Hello, may I ask who this is?”

“I am Yan Mingshu.” Ming Shu gripped her phone nervously, revealing her name.

“It’s Ming Shu. Why did you suddenly call Auntie Qiao? Are you regretting it and wanting to accept the condition Auntie Qiao offered before, hmm?”

“No.”

“No? Then why are you calling Auntie Qiao?”

“Whatever business you have with me, don’t go looking for my parents. I’ve already severed ties with them.”

“Oh~ Severed ties, have you? That’s even better. Whatever I do to them, you don’t need to worry about it.”

Ming Shu gritted her teeth. “What exactly did you do to them?”

“Nothing much. Isn’t your mother working at a car wash? I just pulled some strings to get her fired. I paid double her salary before she was fired, so it’s not too much of a loss.”

Car wash? Ming Shu could hardly imagine the proud Qin Shu working at a car wash.

“And your father, that was even simpler. I just gave him 500,000, and he eagerly said he wouldn’t care about you, his daughter, and that I could do whatever I wanted with you. When you’re completely discouraged, he’ll take you back and sell you for a better price again.”

“With a pair of parents like that, Auntie Qiao can’t help but feel sorry for you,” Qiao Li said, feigning sadness.

Ming Shu said, “I don’t believe you.”

“Don’t believe me?” Qiao Li laughed. “You have no choice but to believe me. If you apologize to Auntie Qiao now, I can still give you 2 million. With money, you can control your own life, so you won’t be despised by the woman who is barely your mother, and you won’t be sold by your gambling father.”

“Ming Shu, you don’t have much time to consider this.”

“What do you mean?” Ming Shu asked with a pounding heart.

“What else could it mean? Your father took 500,000 from Auntie Qiao and said he would take you away from Junlan within a week. Today is the deadline.”

“Impossible.”

“Still don’t believe it, Ming Shu? Should Auntie Qiao call you naive, or just naive? Auntie Qiao has shown great sincerity by offering such a good deal. If you still don’t agree, you’re being ungrateful.”

Ming Shu angrily hung up the phone. When Ling Han found her, she was trembling in the sunlight.

“What’s wrong, Ming Shu?”

“Nothing.”

“You don’t look like nothing is wrong. Are you feeling unwell? Why don’t you take some compensatory leave or a sick day?” Ling Han suggested.

Ming Shu thought about it and said okay. She knew it would be difficult for her to concentrate on work this afternoon, and Ming Shu didn’t want to slack off in such a poor state.

“I’ll help you with the paperwork. You rest for a bit. Let Professor Shen come pick you up.”

Ming Shu nodded. “Thank you, Ling Han.”

“Don’t mention it. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Ling Han smiled.

Ming Shu genuinely couldn’t smile and just nodded in response.

Having decided to take leave, Ming Shu didn’t call Professor Shen to pick her up to go home to the villa. She wanted to go to her old home first, the dilapidated old residential building. She wanted to talk to her father to confirm some things.

She didn’t want to believe Qiao Li’s words.

She hailed a taxi and took the stairs up to the familiar door of her old home, but she no longer had the key to open it. She raised her hand to knock.

She knocked several times without a response. Just as she thought no one was home, a young man’s voice sounded lazily from inside, “Who is it?”

“Wen Xuan, it’s me.”

Yan Wen Xuan, whose nap had been disturbed, was initially very impatient. Upon hearing the familiar voice, the irritation on his face vanished, and he excitedly opened the door.

“Sis, why didn’t you call me before coming back?”

Ming Shu didn’t rush to answer. She first looked at Wen Xuan’s hand.

“It’s fine, Sis. My hand has healed very well. It’s almost the same as before. If you don’t believe me, we can wrestle thumbs.”

Ming Shu looked at her younger brother with concern. “You still need to be careful.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Sis.”

Ming Shu raised her hand to smooth down her brother’s messy sleep hair and asked, “Is Dad not home?”

“No, he’s out working. Don’t worry, Sis. Dad has really changed. He goes to the construction site every day. He gets paid daily, and he gives it all to me to save when he gets back.”

Ming Shu nodded in surprise. It seemed Wen Xuan’s strategy of self-mutilation had been quite effective.

“Did the Qiao family come?”

“Yes, they did.” Yan Wen Xuan smiled slyly. “Sis, come with me.”

Ming Shu was led by Wen Xuan to his room, where he opened a suitcase. “The Qiao family sent this, 500,000. The Qiao family were very excessive when they said it. They wanted us to force you to give up your sister-in-law. Dad originally didn’t want to take it; he didn’t want to ruin your happiness. I was the one who took it.”

“Wen Xuan, you…” Ming Shu was shocked.

“Don’t worry, Sis, let me finish.” Wen Xuan closed the suitcase, no longer looking at the money, and said disdainfully, “They thought 500,000 could ruin my sister’s happiness? How is that possible?”

“Then why did you accept it?” Ming Shu didn’t understand.

“Sis, leave later tonight. I’ll take you to see a good show.”

“What good show?”

“Don’t ask, Sis. You’ll know then. You go back to your room and rest first.”

Ming Shu was pushed back into her room by her brother. Entering the room, Ming Shu was surprised to find that her room was still the way it was, having not been turned into a storage room. Everything was the same as before. Before sitting down at the desk chair, Ming Shu touched the surface. There was no dust, indicating someone was still helping to clean her room. Was it Mom, or her brother?

Ming Shu lay down on the desk, still wondering about the “good show” Wen Xuan mentioned, and fell asleep.

In the evening, she was woken up by the sounds outside. Both her parents had returned and were talking loudly with Wen Xuan in the living room, arguing fiercely about something. Ming Shu couldn’t hear clearly, but it wasn’t appropriate to rush out.

A little later, a group of people burst in, their voices strangely loud. Ming Shu heard clearly that this group said they were there to inspect the results. The moment they opened their mouths, they said that their Boss Qiao had instructed them to check if they had brought Yan Mingshu back.

Ming Shu’s heart instantly leaped to her throat.

She heard a muffled thud outside, something smashing onto the ground, and Ming Shu’s heart skipped a beat with it.

“Take your dirty money back. We don’t want it,” Yan Wen Xuan said.

The bodyguards sent by Qiao Li were bewildered. They glanced at the suitcase of banknotes on the floor, then at the young man who was now full of vigor and anger. They clenched their fists, the knuckles cracking.

“Alright, you little brat, you dare to mess with us!”

Several bodyguards rushed at Yan Wen Xuan, intending to beat him. Yan Wen Xuan cried out in pain. Qin Shu saw that her son was acting and didn’t know how to cooperate, standing aside without moving. Yan Hongbo, however, became anxious. “You step aside! My son just had surgery on his hand! Can you afford to pay if you break it?”

Yan Wen Xuan still took a few solid punches and spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground from the pain. Ming Shu heard the commotion outside growing louder and couldn’t help but rush out. Just then, new people entered from outside.

The newcomers were the police. They quickly controlled the muscular bodyguards in black, one by one. Ming Shu pushed the door open and saw this scene just as Shen Junlan, who had rushed over from outside, arrived.

Their eyes met. Both were stunned. Ming Shu rushed over to check on her brother first, worried about his fingers being hurt again.

Yan Wen Xuan acted earnestly, “Sister-in-law, you rushed over too. That’s great. You can take my sister home safely later.”

“Mmm,” Shen Junlan replied.

Ming Shu was still confused. How did Professor Shen seem to know about Wen Xuan’s plan?

But now was not the time for private questions. The police needed to take statements, which was essentially the phase for lodging complaints.

Yan Wen Xuan, his face sporting a few bruises and wincing in pain, pointed at the suitcase on the floor and said, “This group of people, instructed by the Qiao family, used money to force us to harm our own family. We refused, and they beat us.”

“Harm who?” the police asked.

“My sister, Yan Mingshu.”

Yan Wen Xuan took out the audio recording he had made earlier and played it publicly. “I knew they had ill intentions the last time they came to our door, so I deliberately kept evidence. They brought weapons like sticks then, so we had to agree first, thinking that if they dared to come again later, we would call the police.”

Ming Shu listened to the recording as well. The recording contained some of Qiao Li’s own words, involving monetary transactions, threats to personal safety, and suspicions of abetting human trafficking. She talked about packaging Ming Shu up and selling her to any location, the further the better, ideally never to return, so her daughter could legitimately be with Professor Shen without any future worries.

Qin Shu also added to the complaint, “Officers, they also used special methods to make me lose my job.”

“And me. I was inexplicably beaten up at the construction site a few days ago,” Yan Hongbo also told the police about his experience.

With one piece of evidence after another, the police took them all to the station for detailed questioning and statement-taking. They legally summoned Qiao Li, who quickly arrived. Seeing Ming Shu’s entire family, along with a perfectly composed Shen Junlan, sitting there, she was stunned. She only continued forward when the police called her name.

Qiao Li was taken to a separate interrogation room.

“Qiao Li, Yan Wen Xuan is accusing you of hiring people to commit violence against the Yan family and forcibly attempting human trafficking through money. Do you have anything to refute?” the police asked.

Qiao Li listened to the officer’s questioning, looking sideways, as if her gaze could penetrate the walls and still fix on the Yan family. She had realized she had walked into a trap.

The anger of being set up completely overtook her, and Qiao Li completely ignored her facial expressions, her face looking vicious.

No matter what, what belonged to her daughter, she would absolutely not let anyone take away.

“Qiao Li, do you have anything to refute?” the police asked again.

“I want to call my lawyer.” Qiao Li said only this, and then remained silent.

A while later, Shen Muhua received the news and rushed over, his face ashen. He valued his reputation the most, but in a short period of time, the mistress who had given him the most face and her daughter had both been taken into the station, which was incredibly humiliating.

Not to mention, at the police station, he saw his own biological daughter.

“Junlan.” Shen Muhua approached her with a complicated expression.

Shen Junlan held Ming Shu’s hand, didn’t look Shen Muhua in the eye, and spoke bluntly, “Ms. Qiao is over there. You can go see her there.”

Shen Junlan pointed towards the iron bars.

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