C74 I will be Lawless

No sooner had they stepped inside than Pei Qiuyu's car pulled up.

Lin Xuan hadn't mentioned it to her, but once he arrived home, he made a call to Sun Jianguo.

Sun Jianguo answered the phone with evident joy, "Mr. Lin, what brings you to call me today?"

Lin Xuan instructed, "Just a reminder to take good care of that bronze pot."

Sun Jianguo chuckled, "Rest assured, Mr. Lin, I'm taking excellent care of it. It's my prized possession, thank you so much."

Lin Xuan probed further, "You still caught up with work?"

Sun Jianguo responded, "The grand opening is just around the corner, so there's plenty to do. Tomorrow, I'm off to apply for the business license. Like you suggested, I'm starting a small business. Otherwise, how am I going to afford a decent dowry for Qian Qian's family?"

Hearing this, Lin Xuan shook his head. Sun Jianguo was a straightforward and naive man, qualities that Soong Jiaoqian exploited to deceive him.

With this in mind, Lin Xuan pressed on, "Who's listed as the legal representative on the business license?"

Sun Jianguo's laughter filled the air, "It's in Qian Qian's name. We're about to tie the knot, and she said having her name on it would show my commitment."

Lin Xuan chuckled to himself, 'Well, it doesn't really matter whose name it is, since you'll be sharing life together as a married couple.'

But inwardly, Lin Xuan lamented, 'This poor fool, being taken advantage of and still helping the culprit count the loot!'

Soong Jiaoqian had him wrapped around her finger, keeping him busy while she made plans to cheat on him and was even plotting to dump him.

Once her name was on the business license, she could easily turn on him, leaving Sun Jianguo with nothing, stripped of everything he had.

She was truly a venomous one.

With this thought, Lin Xuan inquired once more, "So, where's your fiancée at the moment?"

"Her?" Sun Jianguo replied with a laugh, "She's out dining with her best friend. She even called to say that if they stay out late, she might just spend the night at her friend's place."

Lin Xuan let out a cold laugh. "You just take her word for it?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Jianguo bristled with irritation. "What's gotten into you, Mr. Lin? You're beating around the bush with all these questions. If you've got something to say, out with it."

"Fine, I'll get straight to the point," Lin Xuan replied. "While I was viewing properties at Four Seasons, I saw your fiancée, Soong Jiaoqian, cozying up to another man, calling him 'darling.' You might be the last to know, but it seems she's been unfaithful."

Sun Jianguo chuckled dismissively. "Mr. Lin, that's absurd. You're surely mistaken."

"Our Jiaoqian isn't like that. I suspect you're upset because she was cold to you today. Don't take it personally," he added, his voice taking on an edge. He suspected Lin Xuan was being spiteful, trying to smear his fiancée's name because she had snubbed him.

Lin Xuan asserted confidently, "There's no mistake. It was definitely her."

"Mr. Lin!" Sun Jianguo's tone grew harsh. "I'm aware I didn't extend an invitation to you today due to prior commitments, but as I've said, I plan to invite both you and Qiuyu as a token of my appreciation. Please, refrain from speaking ill of my fiancée."

Lin Xuan was astounded by Sun Jianguo's naivety and self-delusion. It seemed the saying was true: there's something despicable about the pitiable.

Sun Jianguo was nothing short of a blockhead. If it weren't for the fact that he was Pei Qiuyu's classmate and a genuinely straightforward guy, Lin Xuan wouldn't have bothered with this mess.

With a grave tone, Lin Xuan pressed on, "Sun Jianguo, how can you be so blind? Your wife-to-be is with another man who's planning to buy her a place, and for all you know, she's probably already moved in with him! I'm calling to warn you..."

But before Lin Xuan could finish, Sun Jianguo cut in, frantic. "Lin Xuan! Enough with the slander! I know Qianqian better than anyone! Buying a suite? We're about to get married. Who would she be buying a suite with?"

"If it weren't for the fact that you're Qiuyu's husband and you've helped me before, I would have hung up on you a long time ago! No, I'm still considering suing you for slander!"

Lin Xuan furrowed his brow and replied, "If my words can't rouse you to sense, then pretend I said nothing. You're on your own."

With that, Lin Xuan ended the call.

He regretted not recording the couple's affectionate moment to show him.

At dinner, Pei Qiuyu shared the news about buying a house with Lee Moxiang.

Lee Moxiang was overjoyed. "Qiuyu, I always said you'd do well! And now, look at you, buying a big house!"

While talking, she nudged Lin Xuan with her chopsticks. "You, find a job tomorrow, even if it's just as a security guard. No more loafing around at home."

"Do you really think you're good enough for our Qiuyu?"

"Mom, why bring this up again?"

Pei Qiuyu expressed her displeasure, "This was supposed to be a happy occasion, and now you've made it awkward for everyone."

Lee Moxiang retorted, "I'm just trying to knock some sense into him. It's shameful for a grown man to be jobless and aimless. I'm embarrassed to even step outside."

"Let's just eat," Pei Qiuyu said, adding food to Lee Moxiang's bowl.

Lin Xuan, however, smiled and reassured, "Mom, don't worry. I'll start job hunting in the next couple of days."

Lee Moxiang shot him a look. "Worry less about me, and that'll be better than anything."

Then, turning to Pei Qiuyu with a smile, she said, "Take me to see the new house tomorrow. It'll cheer your dad up too."

After dinner, while washing dishes, Lin Xuan received a call from Sun Jianguo.

Initially, he didn't want to answer. The guy was hopelessly misguided. Lin Xuan had tried to warn him, but Sun Jianguo twisted his words and was ready to turn on him, which was infuriating.

But then he thought, the guy was pitiable in his own way, so Lin Xuan answered and asked, "What do you need?"

Sun Jianguo's voice came through the phone, choked with sobs: "Mr. Lin, you're a good man, and I've wronged you! I was too narrow-minded, failing to see the kindness in others."

Lin Xuan, recognizing the tone of someone who had come to a harsh realization, felt a pang of discomfort—he could never bear the sound of a grown man crying. "So, you've come to understand the situation?" he inquired gently.

"Yes, after our talk, I didn't want to believe it. I even called Qian Qian's—ugh, that wretched woman's—best friend, only to find out she was out of town on vacation," Sun Jianguo explained through tears.

"I sensed something was off. Luckily, I had given her that phone, the one with a feature to set a guardian's number. I clicked it on a whim and used it to track down a villa. I caught them red-handed, but her lover and his driver beat me up and dumped me on the roadside. Some kind soul called 120 and got me to the hospital..." His voice broke down into sobs.

"Mr. Lin, I believe you now. Please don't hold it against me. I've got no one else to turn to, no one else to share my troubles with. Why is my luck so wretched..." Sun Jianguo's voice was drowned in his weeping.

Lin Xuan let out a sigh, his irritation softening. "I don't blame you. Which hospital are you at?"

"I'm at the downtown hospital. I'm broke, Mr. Lin. I'm begging you, please help me. The doctor says I have multiple fractures and need to be hospitalized for at least a week. The bills are mounting into the tens of thousands, and I'm out of options. That bronze pot is still in the shop; maybe you could sell it for me to cover the hospital expenses..."

Lin Xuan's brow creased with concern. "Didn't the people who attacked you offer to cover your medical costs?"

"They scoffed, saying that not demanding money from me was mercy enough..."

Anger flared within Lin Xuan. "Did you report this to the police?"

"They threatened me, said that going to the police would only make things worse for me. They dared me to report them, promising it would end badly for me..."

"Outrageous!" Lin Xuan exclaimed, his voice rising with indignation. "You just wait, I'm on my way!"

"Please hurry, Mr. Lin... If you don't, the doctors are going to throw me out of my room..." Sun Jianguo's plea was punctuated by his sobs.