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Chapter 56
Ten thousand yuan was transferred to Alipay.
Huo Mei Shu was just about to speak when she heard the notification sound from her own cell phone. She quickly took out her phone and saw that it was a transfer from her own brother standing in front of her.
Huo Shao Ting put away his phone with his face still cold and looked at her, "This is the hardship fee for taking care of your sister-in-law these past few days. When your sister-in-law is discharged from the hospital and I return to Shenjing, we can discuss if you need anything else."
Huo Mei Shu: "..."
As expected of her brother, he actually tried to bribe her with money!
"Your sister-in-law is not having an easy time. My mother's side needs your help speaking positively. I know you've always wanted to organize a music concert. I'll give you this money to use for wherever you want to hold it."
Huo Shao Ting thought some more and felt it still wasn't enough. He had been a bit harsh with his words last time. Although Rong Dai had her reasons for doing what she did, it did end up hurting Huo Mei Shu and his mother's feelings. Some compensation was necessary.
Huo Mei Shu was speechless again. She finally saw her brother's "true colors" - he resorts to bribing at the slightest disagreement!
But...she somehow goes for it anyway! How unfair is this! What sin had she committed to end up with a brother like this!
Not only does he force-feed her dog food, he wants to "humiliate" her with money!
"Alright, alright, I got it. I'll definitely say something. You should leave now, sister-in-law is still hungry."
Huo Mei Shu really couldn't stand it anymore and hurried him out.
Seeing her reaction, Huo Shao Ting knew she had accepted it, and finally left the hospital reassured.
After he had left, Huo Mei Shu let out a long sigh of relief, before entering the ward several seconds later.
"Sister-in-law, my brother has left."
She saw Rong Dai sitting on the bed in a daze, holding a cup of water, with suspicious red flush on her cheeks. She couldn't help but glare at the sky.
She was really asking for it, coming here to eat dog food for no reason!
Rong Dai snapped back to reality. Seeing it was her, she quickly put the cup on the stand next to the bed.
"Mei Shu, thank you for your trouble."
Huo Mei Shu shrugged. She opened the thermal food container and started scooping porridge while looking her up and down, "Even though your injury is on your leg, you're still a patient. That kind of thing...there's no rush when my brother is around."
Rong Dai's face immediately turned red as she hurriedly explained, "Mei Shu, it's not what you think..."
"You're husband and wife. After such a life-threatening experience, it's natural for emotions to run high, like a raging fire. And my brother was a monk for so many years, I can understand. But you can't be like this now. My brother can't control himself so don't let him act recklessly."
Rong Dai: "..."
How did this get more and more preposterous? And the more she explained, the less clear it became!
"Here, you've been lying in bed for two days. The IV fluids can't replace meals. Drink some light porridge first to settle your stomach. Once your appetite comes back, I'll make you some soup."
Huo Mei Shu blew on the hot porridge to cool it down before handing it to her. She pulled up a chair and sat at the bedside.
"Thank you." Rong Dai gave thanks. She was quite hungry so she finished the plain porridge one sip at a time.
"You just woke up so this much is good for now. I'll make some pigeon soup for you tonight to help your wounds heal faster."
Huo Mei Shu took back the bowl and carefully instructed her. She showed no signs of their previous argument.
On the other hand, Rong Dai still remembered the incident. And such a serious matter had occurred in less than half a month. She didn't need to think to know the chaos that must have erupted outside.
This time, she had definitely brought disaster to the Huo family. So she felt rather restrained.
Huo Mei Shu crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair, her long legs stacked, looking quite roguish.
She stared at Rong Dai for a few seconds before speaking up.
"Tell me, what exactly is going on between you and that Zuo Ran woman? The truth is already out but I still want to hear you explain in your own words. I can't let my brother be cuckolded by you like this. I need to confirm you have normal preferences."
Rong Dai felt awkward. This little sister really dared to ask.
But she knew she couldn't avoid this matter sooner or later. She would have to provide an explanation to the Huo family eventually.
Whether or not the original host had difficulties, such deception was hard to tolerate even for an ordinary family, let alone the Huo family was no ordinary family.
She looked at Huo Mei Shu solemnly, pondering for a bit before speaking up.
"I'm very sorry about this matter, for hiding it from all of you and deceiving the Huo family."
Huo Mei Shu pressed her lips together without speaking, just watching her calmly. Rong Dai didn't need to explain this point that she already knew.
"But my preferences are completely normal. Otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to marry Shao Ting. Back then, my mother only brought this up because she wanted me to escape Zuo Ran's control and live a normal life. After finding out Grandma was from the Huo family, she had no choice but to speak up. Because normal families have no way of dealing with Zuo Ran."
"That is indeed true." Huo Mei Shu nodded. Just thinking about Zuo Ran's obsessive madness made her feel afraid.
"Your brother treats me very well, but I...hate myself." Rong Dai lied without batting an eye.
No matter if the encounter with the original host in her dream was real or not, the original host was gone. She was herself now so she had to say this.
"Zuo Ran is mentally twisted. She is capable of anything. I've wanted to escape countless times over the years but each time I tried to leave, she would hurt my mother to punish me." Rong Dai's eyes dulled with helplessness and fear, and also a trace of anger.
"Her preferences are very warped. To avoid her harming my body, I could only silently endure her manipulations. I thought that after marrying into the Huo family, she would be intimidated and leave me be."
"But I never imagined she would be so deranged and cruel. At first, she only said she wanted money and would leave me alone after getting it. I still had some savings left by my mother and gave it all to her. I was so desperate for a normal life."
As she spoke, she unknowingly became emotional herself, with tears welling up in her eyes.
If not for personally experiencing Zuo Ran's torment, perhaps she wouldn't feel so deeply about this. She likely wouldn't be able to understand the despair in the original host's heart.
"But her appetite grew larger and larger. I...I had no more money, so I could only take the things you and mother and grandma gave me and sell them to give her money. I thought that would satisfy her, but she was still greedy, threatening and intimidating me. If I rebelled, she said she would tell Shao Ting and all of you. Then I..."
Tears rolled down Rong Dai's cheeks. The terror of being held captive by Zuo Ran assaulted her once more and she couldn't help trembling all over.
"The last time I went to see her, I wanted to make things clear with her. I knew I had wronged Shao Ting and your kindness towards me. So...I wanted to come clean, but when I thought about how deranged she was, that she actually wanted to kill me!"