Rich Cat A Would Never Fall in Love with a Fake Heiress - Chapter 37

The man before her was aged and frail, his wrinkled skin flushed with an unhealthy red. Mo Li frowned.

He was dying. A decaying, rust-like aura spread from him to every corner of the hospital room.

His features were utterly plain, without a trace of dignity, mediocre, yet capable of so many cowardly and despicable acts.

How could the elegant and radiant Madame Li have married such a man, wasting her entire life on him? It was utterly undeserved.

Mo Li felt no pity for the man and only wished to leave quickly. Yet, Mo’s father kept exchanging pleasantries with Luo Liming, their probing and deferential banter eventually turning into hearty laughter and grand plans right beside the sickbed.

The visiting hours should have ended long ago, but the two of them chatted nonstop until noon, with no one from the nursing station coming to hurry them along. Growing impatient, Mo Li stepped outside to send a message to Mo Wang.

Pulling out her phone, she noticed Mo Wang’s messages were already waiting in the chat window.

[Catnip Miss: Waiting for you to come back for lunch.]
[Catnip Miss: Luo Liming has lost his mind. Don’t bother with him.]

“Catnip Miss” was the nickname Mo Li had secretly assigned to Mo Wang.

A faint, gentle smile touched her lips. “I see. Why did you come today?”

The chat box soon showed “Typing…”

[Tang Yuan’s Mom: Collecting a little payment from Luo Liming. After all, I don’t work for him for free.]

That was indeed Mo Wang’s style, never fighting a battle without some gain.

Hearing the conversation in the room shift to vague murmurs and perfunctory tones, Mo Li knew their business talk was nearing its end. She quickly typed, “Wait for me to come back,” and turned off her phone screen.

Luo Liming escorted Mo’s father all the way to the hospital entrance. Before parting, he even opened the car door for him, bowing and nodding with exaggerated sincerity.

In his words and actions, he carried himself as if the Luo family’s enterprise were already under his control.

Mo Li watched the sanatorium shrink into the distance behind them and couldn’t help but wonder.

But he wasn’t Luo’s father’s biological son, he had no right to inheritance. Once the police uncovered everything, who would end up with this coveted fortune?

But that was no longer her concern.

Mo Li turned back, leaning against the car seat and closing her eyes.

Mo’s father snorted pointedly. “The Luo family’s second son is already negotiating business deals for the group, while you run off at the sight of a ready-made opportunity.”

He made no mention of his old friend lying on his deathbed.

Everyone knew Old Master Luo didn’t have long to live. Luo Liming had no intention of letting him wake up.

Mo Li propped her chin on her hand, refusing to even glance at him, and stared out the window until the car stopped at the company building.

Without a hint of reluctance, she stepped out of her father’s car and coldly watched until it disappeared from view.

Only then did Mo Li take out her phone again, her expression softening. “I’m not busy this afternoon. I’ll come home for lunch.”

…

It was rare for both of them to have free time at noon. Mo Wang held Tang Yuan in her arms, while Mo Li clung to Mo Wang as they curled up on the sofa, waiting for the delivery driver to bring their food.

Mo Li and Tang Yuan took turns playing with the strands of Mo Wang’s hair on either side.

Mo Wang patiently pulled her hair back from the two mischievous creatures.

The atmosphere was as tranquil and peaceful as ever.

Mo Li suddenly asked as if casually, “Will you be coming to the shareholders’ meeting in a few days?”

Mo Wang’s hand, which had been pressing on the cat’s paw pad, paused. Tang Yuan let out a dissatisfied meow, jumped off the sofa, and ran away.

After a long silence, she lowered her eyes, seeming uneasy, as if hiding something: “I’ll be there.”

Over the years, Mo Wang had always held shares in the Mo family’s company, though not many, which was why she had never attended any shareholders’ meetings before.

This year, however, she was breaking from the norm. Mo Li had a vague premonition that everything Mo Wang had been meticulously planning all these years was finally about to erupt.

When that happened, whether it was their relationship, the distribution of power within the Mo family, or their peaceful life, everything would be turned upside down.

Both of them fell silent, heads bowed.

Mo Li curled her fingers, knowing how abrupt and unreasonable her request sounded, but she mustered the courage to ask anyway: “Can you not go?”

“I know you’ve suffered a lot in the Mo family, from Mother, from Father, even from me.”

Mo Li grabbed Mo Wang’s wrists, meeting her slightly flustered gaze, and spoke urgently: “But that’s all in the past, isn’t it? We’re living well now. No matter how jealous or upset those people are, they can hardly hurt us anymore.”

“Can’t we just… keep things as they are?”

Mo Li’s voice grew even softer: “I know it’s easy for me to say this, and I don’t fully understand what you’ve been through. I have no right or reason to stop you, but…”

She wrapped her arms around Mo Wang’s shoulders, resting her head helplessly against her like a child who had failed to get her way: “I love you. I want to stay with you like this forever.”

A soft chuckle sounded in her ear. Mo Li sat up to find Mo Wang looking genuinely pleased.

“I’m happy to hear you say that. But I don’t want to keep things as they are.”

Mo Wang clasped her hands on her knees, sitting in a perfectly proper posture. In an instant, the smile on her face became formal, cold, and artificial.

“However, I cannot grant this request.”

Mo Li stared at Mo Wang as if seeing a stranger. She had faced her with many expressions before: anger, disgust, joy, confusion, despair, but never with this businesslike mask.

“From the day I was adopted by the Mo family at the orphanage, I realized that good things must be fought for. And even if you do nothing, trouble will find you.”

Mo Wang averted her gaze: “Let me tell you a story.”

The Maria Orphanage stood quietly deep in the dense forest. The elegant European-style villa was beautiful and refined, with the freshly painted white fence still not quite dry.

It was like a castle in a fairy tale, where a warrior ventures into the dark forest, defeats layers of monsters, and stumbles upon a castle imprisoning a princess in a clearing at the very heart.

Lunchtime arrived, marked by a clear, melodious bell.

The meal was already neatly arranged on the marble table: premium ham, caviar, out-of-season fruits vibrant and glistening with droplets, stacked into a small tower.

The aroma of roast chicken stuffed with apples filled the air. The teacher, An Suna, dressed in a black dress, licked her lips and contentedly stroked the expensive diamond necklace around her neck.

With a single glance from her, the teacher standing guard by the door pulled it open.

Outside, the children had already formed a perfectly straight line. Their posture was rigid, and despite the enticing scent of the food, their delicate faces remained lifeless, devoid of any desire.

An Suna saw nothing amiss in this. These “fine goods” were destined for noble families, and there, disobedience or lack of discipline would not be tolerated.

Satisfied, she nodded, and only then did the children slowly take their seats.

Among the orphans, the most delicate and obedient girl sat beside An Suna, a spot reserved specifically for her. An Suna never hesitated to personally oversee the most precious of her “merchandise.”

Patiently waiting for the girl to settle, An Suna took her arm, handling her face with extra care. Even her freshly done manicured nails were held back, careful not to scratch the girl’s cheeks.

An Suna meticulously inspected her face, confirming there were no blemishes, then examined her earlobes.

The newly pierced ears showed a dull redness, with the wounds slightly sticky, as if on the verge of inflammation.

“This looks hideous. Number 30, tomorrow you must wear earrings to cover it up.”