Rich Cat A Would Never Fall in Love with a Fake Heiress - Chapter 36

For decades, the Luo and Mo families had been both partners and rivals. Mo Li soon received a call from her father, instructing her to accompany him to visit the elder Mr. Luo.

In truth, everyone understood the underlying reason: they were merely observing the elder Mr. Luo’s decline and sizing up his successor.

If they could establish a connection, they would nurture and curry favor, hoping to gain a valuable ally in the future. If the successor proved incompetent, they would seize the assets by any means necessary, through theft, force, or deception.

Mo Li shook her head. In Luo Licheng’s generation, there were only two children. Luo Licheng was imprisoned, and Mrs. Li’s child had met a tragic death. Luo Liming, who had no blood relation to the family, had no legitimate claim to the inheritance.

Without any other arrangements, the assets would likely be confiscated by the state.

However, she said nothing of this to her father and simply complied with his request.

Not long after, her father’s car arrived downstairs. Even though they were sharing the same vehicle, father and daughter remained silent.

After a prolonged silence in the car, Mo’s father suddenly spoke.

“How is Mo Wang doing?”

Mo Li was about to brush off the question when her father sharply cut her off: “Don’t lie to me. I saw her picking you up at the estate the other day.”

She had no choice but to nod.

“She’s doing alright. Qiang Wei Pharmaceuticals leads the medical industry in the production of pheromone-related drugs.”

Her father sighed upon hearing this. “She has always been clever, but the Mo family must not be associated with her. We can provide her with money, enough to live comfortably for the rest of her life, but she must not meddle in the Mo family’s affairs.”

Mo Li wanted to ask, why not?

During the Mo family’s most perilous time, it was thanks to Mo Wang that the family business wasn’t dismantled and sold off piece by piece by Mo Huli, her second uncle. Didn’t such efforts deserve recognition?

But she kept her thoughts to herself.

Her father continued, “When we gave her that name, she should have understood not to hope for things that don’t belong to her. She was always precocious, I thought she would grasp that.”

Mo Li frowned, unable to hold back any longer. “Even so, you shouldn’t have driven her out. Whether as a daughter or an employee, she has always been exceptional.”

Mo Li had heard a little about it, recounted casually by Mo Wang one evening.

After her father expelled Mo Wang, he first forced her to study abroad for three years.

By the time she returned, all her previous connections and achievements had vanished. The only company she had fought for, Qiang Wei Pharmaceuticals, was on the verge of collapse due to the lack of leadership.

It was only with the financial help from Mrs. Li that she gradually managed to revive Qiang Wei Pharmaceuticals.

Though Mo Wang’s tone had been detached, the hardships and risks she endured were something she had to swallow alone. Mo Li could easily imagine how much she had suffered.

Mo’s father, however, was displeased with Mo Li’s defiance and raised his voice.

“But the money I gave her is enough to last her a lifetime, something she would never have experienced if she had stayed in that orphanage-”

Mo Li impatiently interrupted him, “The money she helped you earn and the losses she recovered are enough to buy another Mo family!”

Her father clenched his fists, as if contemplating striking her, but then remembered the driver, an outsider, in the car.

He forcibly suppressed his anger and said coldly to Mo Li, “You’re still speaking up for her now. Just wait until the shareholders’ meeting this week, once you see her share ratio, you’ll understand.”

He looked Mo Li up and down disdainfully. “You’re counting the money for the person who’s selling you out.”

Mo Li grew even more displeased. Of course, she knew Mo Wang held some shares in the Mo Corporation and was continuously acquiring more.

But her father’s confident expression, as if Mo Wang would inevitably betray them, cut deeply into her heart.

Truthfully, Mo Li couldn’t be entirely sure of Mo Wang’s true intentions either. The constant arguments over interests from years ago had become a thorn embedded in the place called trust within her heart.

Seeing that Mo Li remained silent, her father snorted triumphantly, like a victorious general.

…

A long while later, the car finally came to a slow stop. Luo Liming hadn’t arranged for his father to be admitted to a top-tier specialized hospital. Instead, they had arrived at a convalescent home in the suburbs.

Mo’s father waited for the driver to open the door before leisurely stepping out of the car.

The entire hospital felt devoid of vitality. Luo Liming had been waiting downstairs and, as the car stopped, personally came forward to greet them, shaking Mo’s father’s hand.

“Uncle Mo, I apologize for not receiving you properly and having you come all this way to visit. If my father were conscious, he would be immensely touched.”

After saying this, he wiped away nonexistent tears from the corners of his eyes, his expression one of profound grief.

Watching this, Mo Li thought that even the most renowned actor might not be able to feign sincerity as convincingly as he did.

Mo’s father, who was particularly susceptible to the flattery and formalities of the business world, put on the airs of an elder and patted Luo Liming’s shoulder reassuringly. “Why didn’t you arrange for a better hospital for Xingchen? Are there issues with the funding? Don’t worry, I can help arrange a better hospital.”

Xingchen was the name of the elder Mr. Luo. In reality, Luo Xingchen was several years older than Mo’s father and could be considered a senior in the business world, hardly someone Mo’s father should address so casually.

Luo Liming, however, seemed completely unbothered by this.

“Uncle Mo, I appreciate your kindness,” he said, shaking his head. Mo’s father feigned a look of surprise.

“We’ve already been to major hospitals. My father’s condition is likely beyond hope. Although this hospital may not have the best reputation, its medical equipment is comprehensive, and the scenery is beautiful.”

“I just hope that whenever he wakes up, he can see the view outside. Perhaps if he’s in a better mood, a miracle might happen?”

After hearing this, Mo’s father sighed emotionally. “You’re truly filial.”

Luo Liming remained expressionless but glanced covertly at Mo Li, as if feeling somewhat guilty. “It’s the least a child can do.”

Mo Li had no intention of exposing him. Suppressing the nausea she felt from watching such a poorly acted farce, she followed them upstairs to visit.

When the elevator doors opened, several nurses at the station were cracking melon seeds and eating fruit while chatting. Only when they noticed the visitors did they hurriedly stand up, brushing the seed shells off their clothes.

Mo’s father frowned. “Why are the nurses here so unprofessional?”

One of the younger nurses took offense at this. “If you have money, go to a big hospital. Why come to this shabby place to show off?”

With that, the group resumed cracking melon seeds as if nothing had happened.

Mo Li finally understood: Luo Liming was keeping the elder Mr. Luo barely alive, forcing him to suffer in this place until he died of sheer frustration.

Ignored by the nurses, they followed Luo Liming to find the patient’s room.

The corridor was empty and cold, filled with the scent of disinfectant. The footsteps of the group echoed clearly, even producing a faint reverberation.

The figure at the end of the hallway gradually came into focus.

It was Mo Wang.

She had long heard the commotion and turned to face them.

Her attire was elegant yet refined, her face adorned with a polite smile. Her lighthearted tone starkly contrasted with the heavy atmosphere.

“It’s been seven years, Dad.”

All eyes were fixed on Mo Wang. Mo’s father wore an expression as if he had seen a demon from hell, but having experienced many storms in life, he quickly suppressed the faint trace of guilt in his heart and replaced it with a look of disgust.

“What are you doing here? Planning to scavenge the company like a hyena?”

Mo Wang remained unperturbed.

“Of course not. You know I grew up without a father, so I came here to observe a heartwarming father-son scene.”

At these words, both Mo’s father and Luo Liming changed their expressions, one with anger, the other with guilt.

Mo’s father scolded, “You lived in my house for over a decade, eating my food and wearing my clothes. What do you mean by ‘growing up without a father’?”

Mo Wang smiled. “Since I owe you so much over the years, Chairman Mo, why not consider a collaboration with Qiang Wei Pharmaceuticals? It’ll bring you both fame and fortune, consider it my repayment.”

She turned and actually reached into her bag as if to pull out some documents, but then, as if remembering something, she withdrew her hand.

She wore an apologetic expression.

“My apologies, I forgot you’re no longer in charge. A friend in the medical system told me you’ve been having some health issues.”

As she spoke, her eyes glanced downward at Mo’s father’s lower body.

“You should focus on recuperating. I think this sanatorium is quite nice, I can take care of your living expenses here.”

Her words left Mo’s father fuming with rage.

Mo Wang gave a polite but distant nod to Mo Li and Luo Liming, then picked up her bag to leave.

As she passed by, Mo Li caught a glimpse of Mo Wang winking playfully at her, as if completely unfazed by her father’s words.

Seeing that she was unaffected, Mo Li felt relieved.

Mo’s father sat on a chair outside the ward for a long time before finally catching his breath, while Luo Liming patted his back soothingly.

Mo’s father complained to Luo Licheng about raising an ungrateful wretch as he slowly straightened up.

To ensure the patient’s rest, usually only one person was allowed in the ward at a time.

However, since this sanatorium had no nurses on duty, that rule no longer applied.

The bedside table in the ward was filled with flowers, while Luo’s father lay unconscious on the bed, tubes inserted all over his body. His hands and feet were severely swollen, appearing precarious.