Song Jinning was aware that the letter she wrote herself, “Locking our tear filled eyes, regretting not meeting you before becoming betrothed,” was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Bai Jinyi’s face burned with humiliation, but luckily it wasn’t too visible because her skin was darker and had been slathered with thick foundation, concealer and blush. Against Song Jinning’s unexpected strikes, Bai Jinyi instinctively stepped back. Right now, she had no idea how much Song Jinning knew or to what extent the Bai family would help her… She could only insist one thing, “What letter? What are you talking about? Don’t shift the blame! –If you’re talking about the letter you wrote to Huo Guanyuan, then I can tell you that the Ministry of Justice and the military had handwriting experts identify the writing is yours. How do you explain that? Are you saying that the Ministry of Justice and the military are faking it too?”
“Physicist Bai, we are talking about you. Why are you dragging other people into it?” Gu Nianzhi interrupted Song Jinning and Bai Jinyi’s confrontation. She was afraid that Song Jinning would say too much in her anger and let the Bai’s know about their trump card. It wouldn’t be good if they are prepare with a counterattack.
“Of course we believe the handwriting experts from the Ministry of Justice and the military. There is no doubt to the authenticity of that letter. –You think they’re like you, a big faker?”
“You’re the faker!” Bai Jinyi wanted nothing more put to rip her throat out. She had labored for so many years and certainly had her own achievements. Gu Nianzhi was making it sound like all her successes in life were fabricated and was so aggrieved she wanted to cry.
“I already said that the Huo family’s affairs have nothing to do with me!” She turned to look at Huo Guanchen and wanted nothing before but to take her ring off and lob it at Song Jinning’s dazed face. However as soon as she looked up, she saw Bai Yueran standing behind Huo Guanchen. Bai Yueran had been quiet all this time and appeared calm. However she subtly shook her head when she saw Bai Jinyin motion to take the ring off. Bai Jinyi’s hand paused and her brain spun for a long time before she finally gave up taking it off. Instead, she rubbed it between her fingers. She looked at Huo Guanchen and spoke gently, “Guanchen, everything that happened today was my fault, I embarrassed you. I said all those things because I was angry. You’re the one who understands me the most and know why I started a relationship with you. I never hid my feelings about your older brother from you. All these years you’ve treated me well, and I know that. But people change–I changed and you changed. If I tell you that I’ve already forgotten your older brother a long time ago, and that you’re the only one in my heart, would you forgive me? The past ten years time had proven that we’re the perfect match for each other.”
Gu Nianzhi’s mouth twitched as she listened and she could already feel Song Jinning’s elbow tremble slightly. She sighed internally, Song Jinning must be feeling horrible right now? “Physicist Bai, can you say these faker than fake mushy words to General Huo behind closed doors? You have to consider the fragile souls of all of us here… Looking at your old and wrinkly play out an idol drama makes us all want to puke!” Gu Nianzhi covered her eyes like she couldn’t stand watching anymore.
Bai Jinyi originally wanted to use these honeyed words to touch Huo Guanchen’s heart, because she knew exactly what his sore spot and weakness was… As long as she had him firmly by her side, even ten Song Jinning’s would be no match for her. But with Gu Nianzhi’s interjection, she couldn’t swallow her pride and continue to “confess her love.” She glared at Gu Nianzhi and sneered, “Today was Guanchen’s and my engagement ceremony and you two showed up to make a mess of things. Now you’re saying it’s my fault? That’s the world’s greatest joke.”
“Bai Jinyi, don’t worry. I’m certainly not here to mess things up.” Song Jinning was slightly pale, but her voice held steady, “I’ve been divorced with Huo Guanchen for ten years and although I have no memory or feelings about it, it’s a fact that it happened. All legal processes were completed and I recognize that.”
Bai Jinyi’s eyes flashes with smugness, and her visage visibly relaxed, “Good that you know it. How can the new come without the old leaving? Don’t get hung up, with your looks, it won’t be hard for you to remarry.”
“That’s my personal business, no need for you to worry about it.” Of course, Song Jinning wasn’t here to catch up with Bai Jinyi, “The divorce is one matter, but you slandering my reputation to make me get divorced is a injustice that I demand be corrected.” Song Jinning spoke as she finally looked at Huo Guanchen for the first time.
The corners of Huo Guanchen’s mouth twitched fiercely, but he remained silent and only stared blankly at Song Jinning. Time seemed to have froze for this woman for the past 16 years, her face was even more beautiful than 16 years ago. She was so beautiful it made people speechless.
“Huo Guanchen, I’ll make it clear now. Whether it was in the past, present or future, I never have and never will betray my husband. Not only did I not physically cheat, but I’ve never even had any man aside from my husband in my heart.” Song Jinning spoke plainly and her misty eyes shimmered with tears, making her extraordinarily beautiful. Huo Guanchen was cast under her spell and couldn’t help walking towards her.
Bai Jinyi gathered her wits and knew there was no way she would let Huo Guanchen go. She hastily grabbed him and spat at Song Jinning, “And you just said you aren’t here to mess things up?! You’re confessing to my fiance at our engagement ceremony, am I a dead person to you?!”
“Well didn’t you treat Mrs. Song as a dead person back then? You sauntered into their home with treating Mrs. Song as an excuse, then secretly seduced her husband. Why can’t she even speak now? Looks like it’s typical Bai family behaviour–total hypocrisy…” Gu Nianzhi jabbed at Bai Jinyi with displeasure.
Song Jinning also raised her slim, curved brows, “Which part of that was confessing to your fiance? Tell me, we have all these people here present after all.”
“So you’re still denying it?” Bai Jinyi repeated Song Jinning’s words with a sneer, “‘Whether it was in the past, present or future, I never have and never will betray my husband. Not only did I not physically cheat, but I’ve never even had any man aside from my husband in my heart,’ Is this not a confession to my fiance?!”
Gu Nianzhi chuckled on the side, her sweet voice melodious to the ear. She cocked her head to smooth her hair and said to Bai Jinyi, “Physicist Bai, can’t you understand words? Mrs. Song made it clear, whether it be the past, present or future, her loyalty is only reserved for the man that is her husband. –May I ask, is your fiance her husband?”
“Well isn’t he?!” The words slipped out before Bai Jinyi realized she fell into Gu Nianzhi’s trap again.
“Hehe, if you know that your fiance is still Mrs. Song’s husband and you still went on to get engaged with him, then aren’t you blatantly a mistress that broke up a military marriage?!” Gu Nianzhi’s sharp tongue interrupted her words, “Look carefully, your fiance is Mrs. Song’s ex-husband, ex-husband! –Do you know how to write the words, ex-husband? And Mrs. Song’s virtue is only reserved for her husband. As for ex-husband…” She didn’t look at Huo Guanchen and smiled, “…There’s no need for Physicist Bai to make things any easier for Mrs. Song.”
“Silence! What right do you have to interrupt when your elders are speaking? You insolent child.” Bai Changhui couldn’t stand it anymore and defended Bai Jinyi. Out of everyone in the Bai family, Bai Changhui was the closest with Bai Jinyi.
Gu Nianzhi pouted and shrunk back behind Song Jinning. Song Jinning gave her hand a pat and icily turned to Bai Changhui, “Mr. Bai here, Miss Gu is my legal representative, her words are my words.”
Both Bai Jinyin and Bai Changhui exchanged a look, they could sense that this was going to be tricky. “Song Jinning, these are private matters between you and I. We can find time to deal with it privately, you’re making everyone uncomfortable here. Even if you don’t intend on getting back together with Guanchen, everyone will think otherwise.” Bai Jinyi rolled her eyes as she shoved the words back into Song Jinning’s mouth.
Gu Nianzhi certainly wouldn’t stand to see Song Jinning suffer in silence, so she immediately shot back, “Physicist Bai, you’re mistaken. It’s obvious to everyone that Mrs. Song has no intention of getting back together, you’re the only one paranoid about it. That’s understandable, given that you know that she’s miles ahead of you. I’m glad that you know a bit about your own limitations, you’re not so hopeless after all.”
“You–!” Bai Jinyi had been repeated provoked by Gu Nianzhi and her blood vessels were about to pop.
“Today we’re not here for your fiance, nor are we asking to get back together. Don’t overthink it. –We’re here because there is a matter of life or death.”
Song Jinning cooly glanced at her, then shifted her gaze to Huo Jialan, who was being propped up by the Huo family servants. Her voice was icy, “Come here, Jialan. I have something to ask you.”
Huo Jialan shuddered and appeared unwilling as she turned her head in refusal. She didn’t even want to look at Song Jinning.
“Huo Jialan, what’s wrong? Don’t you loathe the woman who force your mother to commit suicide? Now that truth is out and you hated the wrong person, why aren’t you apologizing?”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t hesitate to rip through Huo Jialan’s meek pretense, “You hated Mrs. Song for ten years and abused her for ten years. I really respect you as a filial daughter and won’t say anything if you did it all out of revenge for your mother. After all, you were fooled by Physicist Bai and thought your mother died because of Mrs. Song. But now Physicist Bai has confessed that she lusted after your father, and was the one who caused your mother’s death. How come you’re not even a little disgusted by her? That’s strange, are you really a filial daughter? You tortured Mrs. Song for so many years, was it really to avenge your mother?”
“Of course it was for my mother!” Huo Jialan was getting flustered by Gu Nianzhi, “How did I abuse her? She ate well and lived well…”
“Shut your mouth.” Gu Nianzhi cut her off coldly, “Don’t make me reveal all the things you’ve done the past years. All the Huo family servants are still alive and the small suite on the third floor that Mrs. Song lived in is still untouched. Think again if you want to muddle the truth right in my face.”