My Marriage Partner is a Crazy Mermaid - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The Setup

Three years ago, when Xie Yuhan first inherited the Xie family estate, she reorganized the group’s entire industrial chain, shifting its focus toward electronic information.

In the beginning, there was no significant conflict between the Xie and Lu families. However, after a year or so, as the Xie family flourished and rapidly became the premier clan in Tan City, their prominence completely eclipsed the Lu family. Business opportunities are fleeting in a rapidly developing era, and with her ruthless vision, Xie Yuhan was always able to pinpoint the most lucrative ventures with precision. Many families were green with envy, their hearts filled with both admiration and jealousy.

The Lu family lineage was not particularly flourishing. By Lu Jiangshan’s generation, there were only four children: three legitimate children of Lu Jiangshan and one illegitimate son who lived in the shadows. The Lu family wanted to establish a marriage alliance with the Xie family to ride the wave of their success; while the Xie family was a rising power, the Lu family was no slouch either. Yet, for reasons unknown, they were flatly rejected by the Xie family.

As prominent figures in Tan City, being rejected so bluntly was a massive blow to the Lu family’s prestige. Privately, they hired people to snatch several projects away from the Xie family.

It seemed that because of this petty grievance, Xie Yuhan spent half a year—completely disregarding the group’s balanced development, sinking all her capital into driving up the costs of the Lu family’s projects. Ultimately, due to a ruptured capital chain, the Lu family was forced to declare bankruptcy.

That wasn’t the end of it. Xie Yuhan threatened the entirety of Tan City, forbidding any Lu family companies from operating there. Forced by circumstance, the Lu family—wishing for a comeback, had no choice but to move out of the city. From then on, Xie Yuhan earned the nickname “Xie the Madwoman.”

Lu Jiangya was Lu Jiangshan’s younger sister. She had a terrible relationship with him and was a haughty, proud young lady who looked down on the “rich second-generation” heirs who tried to get close to her. In the end, there was no news of her ever getting married—so how could she have a child?

Luo Miao pulled that specific document out. “Let me look at this one.”

“Lu Jiangya was a delicate, pampered socialite. How could she have given birth to a child while living in anonymity?”

Meng Ke leaned in to look as well. The birth date was in November, which matched hers.

“But she only has one daughter recorded. I remember Ruan Yalan saying the mother gave birth to twins; there should be another one.” In this matter, there was no reason for Ruan Yalan to lie to her.

“But information on the Lu family isn’t easy to find now. It’s been nearly three years, and no one knows which city they moved to.” Luo Miao sighed softly. “They might even be abroad.”

At the time, she had heard rumors while overseas. Xie Yuhan had gone completely insane, using any means necessary to hike prices and buy up scattered shares at a premium. No one dared to have any connection with the Lu family, so news regarding them naturally became scarce.

“Wait for me on this. I’ll go ask my brother,” Luo Miao thought. Her brother was a calculating old fox who understood the landscape of the Tan City business circles perfectly. Just because he didn’t get involved didn’t mean he didn’t know.

“Mm,” Meng Ke replied. Based on a woman’s sixth sense, Meng Ke felt that the original host’s mother was likely this Lu Jiangya.

“I’ll handle the rest of the investigation.” Luo Miao took over the task.

Meng Ke stared at her for a moment. Before she could speak, Luo Miao raised a hand. “Stop, stop, stop. What’s with that look? If you keep being this polite with me, I’m not helping you anymore!”

The original host had a tragic life, but the silver lining in her misfortune was having two friends who truly cared for her. Meng Ke pursed her lips and looked away, saying nothing more.

The wildlife rescue base in Tan City was named “Minggang.” It covered an area of over ten thousand square meters—larger than a football field—and its renovations were even better than the one in Qingcheng.

Besides Meng Ke, there were about ten other employees at Minggang whom Liang Xiao had scouted over the past year for various positions. Currently, nothing was lacking; they just needed to pick an auspicious day to officially start operations.

For work convenience, Meng Ke started a WeChat group. The daily messages in the group were mostly brief morning and evening greetings.

KK: I’m going to Minggang this afternoon to check on the final finishing work. If anyone is there, we can meet up.

Lemon Not Sour: Sister Ke, I’m here.

Orange So Sweet: Sister Ke, I’m here too.

KK: I’ll arrive around 3:00.

“OK!”

“+1!”

Plans rarely keep up with changes. Just as she hitched a ride, Liang Xiao called, saying there was a batch of Reeves’s Pheasants and Woodcocks that needed her to take over.

Qingcheng was surrounded by water, so the rescued wildlife there were mostly aquatic. Tan City was more secluded, and most of its wildlife were birds. The Reeves’s Pheasant is a Grade I national protected species, and the Woodcock is Grade II. Meng Ke didn’t dare delay; she asked for the general information and noted it in her memos.

She synchronized the info to the group. Conveniently, the two girls in the group were responsible for data statistics. Though the work came suddenly, it was handled methodically. Every half hour, the group reported progress. After two hours of emergency processing, the three new members were successfully moved in.

Since there was no one else at Minggang besides logistics, Shao Rou and Zhai Mingchen went to the entrance to wait for Meng Ke. After all, they had been looking forward to meeting this person for a long time.

“Have you heard about the new boss?” Shao Rou asked, full of curiosity.

“What do you think? It’s spread everywhere.”

Without exaggeration, even the stray dogs in Tan City had heard Meng Ke’s name.

#TheFakeHeiressintheTrueandFakeHeiressCase

#TheFiancéeistheRichestPersoninTanCity

#TheFiancéeisaDisabledPerson

Any one of these “melons” was earth-shattering, let alone the fact that Meng Ke was at the center of the controversy.

“I heard she’s hard to get along with. She didn’t give the Meng family any face during their welcome banquet,” Shao Rou said, feeling a bit apprehensive.

“Hard to say. She seems quite amiable when she talks in the group,” Zhai Mingchen replied.

“Amiable where? She only says a few words a day, without even using punctuation. She feels like the kind of boss who would tell me to get out at any moment.”

“You read too many novels,” Zhai Mingchen lightly patted her shoulder. “Think about it: if she really wanted to act like a high-and-mighty boss, why would she choose this job? Is she crazy?”

Shao Rou thought about it and realized that was true. Just as they were about to say more, a black car sped toward them from the end of the road. Minggang was in a remote area with only one building; it looked out of place, and almost no cars ever passed by. Both of them tensed up, their eyes fixed on the vehicle.

The car stopped in front of Minggang. The door slowly opened, a pair of white sneakers emerged, and Meng Ke bent down to step out.

Shao Rou was stunned at first sight. Meng Ke was dressed casually in a white short-sleeved T-shirt, light blue jeans, and white sneakers on her straight legs. Her outfit was very simple, but her aura was not weak at all. When her gaze swept over them, their movements stiffened for a second. Only then did they react and go to meet her. “Sister Meng.”

Meng Ke stood still and looked at the two, finally meeting her “online friends.” They introduced themselves briefly. Meng Ke nodded. “Take me inside to see.”

Aside from a hurried tour last time, Meng Ke hadn’t been to Minggang properly. She didn’t know the layout as well as they did. Last time, it was all hard renovations—hardly better than a model home. Now, the soft furnishings were all in place.

Past the main gate was a long corridor. After several twists and turns, they reached the main building, which was designed in a semi-pastoral style with many green plants. Meng Ke couldn’t even name some of the plants. Before traveling into the book, she had majored in botany, so this was fascinating to her.

Occasionally coming across a confusing turn, Zhai Mingchen would remind her from behind. After about five minutes of walking, they reached the rescue rooms.

The first Reeves’s Pheasant had a skin disease; its feathers had nearly all fallen out, making it look bald. The second one had a leg fracture and was limping. The Woodcock was better—it was just very small and had sustained some minor scratches. The two had handled the preliminary treatment perfectly, which pleased Meng Ke.

As Meng Ke watched intently, the two behind her began silently mouthing to each other, discussing their first impression of Meng Ke. “She’s so beautiful.” Zhai Mingchen rolled her eyes. “She smells so good.” Zhai Mingchen rolled her eyes again. She had long known Shao Rou was a beauty-lover, but she hadn’t expected her to crush on the boss. Zhai Mingchen felt a bit helpless.

“Is the information registered?”

“Yes, it is.”

With this level of national protection, these animals had to be reported. Any problems arising from irregular operations could easily lead to prison time. After inspecting the territory, the three went to the cafeteria. Meng Ke said, “Post an announcement in the group for everyone to come to work on time tomorrow.”

“Alright.” “When did Minggang start construction?”

Walking through it today, the scale and industrial chain here were more complete than in Qingcheng, and the buildings were more comprehensive. Why would Liang Xiao give this place up?

“It’s been about three years.” “Three and a half years,” Shao Rou answered from behind; she knew better than Zhai Mingchen.

Three years ago, Xie Yuhan hadn’t even jumped into the sea yet, and the richest family in Tan City was still the Lu family. For Liang Xiao to start planning so early was a bit strange.

“Boss, do you… know about the Meng family’s situation?”

“Hm?” Meng Ke raised an eyebrow. “What situation?”

“They are about to declare bankruptcy soon. Most of their shares have been sold off, but the final buyer is actually…” Zhai Mingchen cleared her throat softly. “Xie Yuhan?”

 “Mm.”

Why was Shao Rou bringing up the “wives'” business? Zhai Mingchen supported her forehead and looked down to eat.

Meng Ke knew about this. Whether the Meng family lived or died had nothing to do with her. Xie Jiaming had mentioned it to her: someone was targeting Xie Yuhan. Hating the house and everything in it, they wanted to bankrupt the Meng family, who were allied with her. However, they hadn’t found out who was manipulating things behind the scenes, so the Xie family intended to use the Meng family as bait. Because they were using the Meng family, Xie Jiaming felt very apologetic and asked for her opinion. Because Xie Jiaming was so polite about it, it left a deep impression.

But why did Shao Rou know?

“How do you know?” Meng Ke asked.

Her gaze was too sharp; a chill ran down Shao Rou’s back for a moment. “Meng Yingxue, that loudmouth, said it. People she used to look down on were mocking her, saying her family was about to go bankrupt—the words were very nasty. Of course, Meng Yingxue couldn’t take it, so she said the Xie family was going to help her or something. I happen to know that friend.”

“Sister Meng, I didn’t mean to bring it up on purpose. I just thought you didn’t seem to know, so…”

She was too calm. Today, if Xie Yuhan’s acquisition didn’t succeed, the Meng family would change hands.

“I know.” Meng Ke was a bit preoccupied. She should trust Xie Yuhan; she had long heard of her “thunderous” methods—she had never lost in business. As a grand villain, surely she could handle the Meng family.

But then she thought: if even Shao Rou knew, then almost everyone in Tan City knew. If Xie Yuhan publicly helped the Meng family and failed, the momentum she had built over the last three years would slowly crumble. She would no longer be invincible. Once that thought took hold, there would be no shortage of people wanting to cannibalize the Xie family. Meng Ke was secretly a bit worried.

“The driver is here to pick me up.” Meng Ke stood up. “You guys eat first. I might not come over for the next couple of days. Call me if anything happens.”

“Mm.” After Meng Ke left, Zhai Mingchen threw a peanut at Shao Rou. “You blockhead! Didn’t you see her expression was off?”

“But she needs to know. If the Meng family has a bad relationship with her, she can enjoy the show; if it’s a good relationship, she can still save it.”

“The circle of wealthy families is something people like us shouldn’t meddle in. I think you saw a beauty and your brain flew away.”

“Where is Xie Yuhan now?” Meng Ke asked.

Fortunately, to save time, she had called a Xie family bodyguard-cum-driver to drop her off, otherwise there would be no way to get from Minggang back to the city center.

“Tuhai Restaurant.”

“Take me there.”

Originally, there were no issues with the negotiations here. Xie Yuhan was full of confidence, only to discover upon arrival that it wasn’t the case—it seemed she had only just entered the trap.

Because they discovered it early, Xie Yuhan had long since instructed Xie Jiaming to have people watch the Meng family. The Meng family was indeed on a downward slope, but they were still a large clan. Swallowing them wasn’t that easy—otherwise, Ruan Yalan wouldn’t have dared to let Meng Ke take Meng Yingxue’s place in the marriage alliance.

Before coming, she had already had people buy up many scattered shares, but once at the table, she realized something was wrong.

As a mermaid, Xie Yuhan’s intuition told her the person opposite her was very dangerous. She had been negotiating with humans for three years; her ability wasn’t just talk. The person opposite her had no intention of negotiating at all—they were playing with her.

“Boss Cheng, after saying all that, you still haven’t let your boss come out. It makes you seem quite insincere.” Xie Yuhan curled her lips.

“As expected of Miss Xie, you actually discovered I’m not the boss. However, not just anyone is qualified to see our leader.”

Her eyebrows twitched slightly, and the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily. She was faintly excited, as if she had discovered some incredible secret. A playful light flashed in her normally calm eyes.

“Interesting,” she murmured softly, her fingertips casually tracing the rim of her cup.

“Conditions?” Xie Yuhan asked directly.

Cheng Xingguo seemed to have finally been waiting for these words. He chuckled, his previous arrogance completely gone. “Miss Xie, we truly want to cooperate. There are no special requirements. Drink this cup of wine, and I will have our boss come over immediately.”

Cheng Xingguo stood up, poured a glass of wine, and placed it on the rotating table. The wine glass slowly turned to face Xie Yuhan. Cheng Xingguo held down the table and raised his other hand slightly. “Miss Xie, please—”

Xie Yuhan stared at the wine. Her eyes brightened for an instant, a faint blue glow flashing. In just a second, Xie Yuhan saw clearly what was in the glass.

An aphrodisiac for mermaids. It was harmless to humans, and harmless to her as well—its only function was to force her to reveal her mermaid form.

Xie Yuhan beckoned to someone nearby. A bodyguard from the corner of the private room walked over and poured a glass of wine. “Boss Cheng, a toast for a toast.”

Looking at the wine the bodyguard brought over, Cheng Xingguo’s face didn’t look good. Xie Yuhan was so crazy, she wouldn’t drug him and “shark” him, would she?!

His hand trembled, and cold sweat broke out as he looked at the wine glass. Someone came up and patted his shoulder. Cheng Xingguo seemed to make a decision; he picked up the glass and drained it in one gulp.

Xie Jiaming saw things weren’t right and wanted to grab Xie Yuhan’s wine glass. Cheng Xingguo immediately stopped him. “Miss Xie must drink this one personally.”

Xie Yuhan brought the glass to her lips. She glanced at Xie Jiaming and whispered a reminder: “Meng Ke—”

After drinking, Xie Yuhan spoke: “Tell him to come over.”

The person to the side tapped their earpiece, not even saying a word. “He’ll be here in about half an hour.”

After the assistant spoke, the room fell into an eerie silence.

Xie Yuhan soon felt the changes in her body. Her palms grew hot, and her heart rate accelerated. The effects of that wine were faster than she had imagined; she feared she wouldn’t last half an hour. Xie Yuhan gritted her teeth in restraint. During that half-hour wait, she didn’t give Cheng Xingguo a single glance, and Cheng Xingguo tactfully ignored her.

Her body grew hotter and hotter, as if she were soaking in boiling water. She couldn’t control the urge to take off her clothes and jump into the water. In her mind, the image of Meng Ke kissing her surfaced uncontrollably. She wanted to see her the next second; she wanted to kiss her the next second.

Forty minutes later, a trace of fishy sweetness appeared in Xie Yuhan’s mouth. Slow footsteps sounded at the door of the private room. Everyone in the room looked over in unison.

“Miss Xie, long time no see.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it was like an unsheathed sword, instantly cutting through the silence.

Everyone was shocked—he actually knew Xie Yuhan. Xie Yuhan stared at him, and he looked back at her. He stared at her with eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, as if he were looking at his prey.

“Long time no see, Lu Jingchuan.”