Card Room (Rebirth)

10 years ago, Li Mo was still in high school.

He took first place in the exam and carried his bag to go home. He thought that he could get praise from his father. As a result, he entered the door and found Li Zhemin coaxing his youngest son in a low voice. His mother, Xia Yue was angrily scolding him. “Fighting with someone and hitting them in the eye! Tell us, not only do we have to pay the medical expenses but we have to apologize to them. You really disgraced us!”

Li Fei, who was still in junior high school, cried out, “He scolded me first and I hit him with a stone. How could I know that it would hit him in the eye?”

Li Zhemin smiled. “Okay, children fighting is nothing. Isn’t it just medical expenses? We can afford it. That Niu Dapeng, he always looked down on me when I competed with him for the position of manager and now he is just making a big deal out of a molehill. I’ll give him some money so he can take his son to check his eyes. Don’t scold Xiao Fei, Xiao Fei didn’t mean it.”

Li Fei looked up tearfully and saw his older brother staring at him coldly. He shrank back and said, “B-Big Brother is back.”

Only then did the couple notice Li Mo.

Li Zhemin spoke lightly, “You’re back? Aren’t you staying on campus?”

Li Mo replied quietly, “The school’s monthly examination is over and today is a day off. I sent you a message.”

Li Zhemin touched his nose and smiled. “Oh, I was too busy and forgot. Let’s have dinner together in the evening. Li Fei, go and play with Father.”

He didn’t ask his eldest son about the result of the exam. Li Mo saw him take away Li Fei and his original joy was gone. He wondered calmly, “Mother, what are we eating tonight?”

Xia Yue’s voice was cold. “Xiao Fei loves to eat hotpot so tonight is hotpot.”

He wanted to say that he didn’t like spicy food but the woman had already turned to go to the kitchen and he couldn’t bear to say it. Li Mo headed upstairs, opened his diary and wrote, “I am also their son but I always feel like, for them, I’m a redundant existence. Since childhood, my father only cares about Li Fei. My mother never held me. Why?”

That night, the four people ate hotpot at home. Li Fei took large bites while telling Li Zhemin interesting anecdotes about his class. During the entire process, Li Mo didn’t say a word. He rinsed away the chilli with water while Li Zhemin and Xia Yue turned a blind eye to his actions, only giving dishes to Li Fei.

The neglected teenager’s eyes were full of disappointment and loneliness.

……

Li Mo got excellent results in his university entrance examination and entered a large university studying business administration.

That day, he left and Li Zhemin didn’t send him away. Li Zhemin only gave him a card and a message. “There is 200,000 on the card. This should be enough for four years of university expenses. If it isn’t enough then find me again.”

Li Mo clung to the card and went to the university alone to check-in.

During his four years in university, Li Mo never went home. Every holiday, he went to work and didn’t spend the 200,000 yuan his father gave him. Instead, he made money on his own from a young age. To his dismay, his parents never asked why he didn’t come back or ask if he was liking university life. It was as if for them, it didn’t matter if Li Mo came home or not.

In their circle of friends, his parents took his little brother travelling with them every holiday. The photos taken of the family of three looked happy.

Li Mo gradually got used to this and stopped contacting his parents.

Four years passed quickly. In Li Mo’s fourth year, he listened to the school’s arrangements and went to a company for an internship. Then he met Shu Xiaomeng, who happened to be interning at the same company.

Compared to the reticent Li Mo, she was a lively and lovely girl. She smiled all day and was always happy and energetic, no matter how busy.

One time, the company organized a party and Li Mo sat alone in a corner eating. Shu Xiaomeng ran over to him and said, “You are called Li Mo? I heard that you are in the management department of Huada. So good!”

Li Mo was very handsome and often had girls coming to him. He frowned and just wanted to leave when the girl handed him a glass of juice with a smile. “I just squeezed the juice and it is very fresh. Have a drink!”

She was carrying a plate to deliver juice to everyone. Before Li Mo could react, she put the cup full of juice into his hand. Li Mo watched her back and his face was stiff.

He frowned and tasted it… very sweet, it was the taste of peaches.

From that day on, he noticed Shu Xiaomeng. The girl was sunny and cheerful and seemed to be pampered by her family when growing up. She was always kind to people and good at baking. She often made delicious desserts and brought them to the company. Li Mo was always given several pieces by her. He wanted to refuse every time but he was flustered by the girl’s warm smile and could only accept them with a stiff expression.

During that time, Shu Xiaomeng fed him a lot of sweets and his always thin body actually gained some weight. He gradually developed favourable feelings for Shu Xiaomeng.

On the day when they finished the internship, the department heads took the initiative to host a party to say farewell to everyone. Li Mo didn’t like to eat spicy food but he couldn’t eat nothing with so many people gathered. He had to eat so food. Then when he went home in the evening, he had acute appendicitis. Li Mo was sweating with pain. He called his father but Li Zhemin didn’t answer, so he had to call an ambulance for help.

By the time the ambulance came, he was pale from the pain and shock. He was quickly taken to the hospital and in the emergency room, he saw a familiar figure. Shu Xiaomeng’s strained voice entered his ears. “Isn’t this Li Mo? What’s wrong…”

The doctor said, “He has acute appendicitis. Are you his family? His condition is dangerous and a ruptured appendix might cause an abdominal infection. We need to perform emergency surgery. Can I trouble you to sign the informed consent form?”

Shu Xiaomeng shook her head in a hurry, “No, I’m not his family. I’m just a colleague.”

Li Mo’s forehead was covered with sweat as he lowered his voice and said, “I can sign for my own surgery. I have no family. Whether I live or die, I can only be responsible for myself.”

He endured the severe pain from his abdomen and took the informed consent form from his doctor, quickly signing his name on it. His pale appearance made Shu Xiaomeng feel distressed and she hurried to follow him.

Liu Xiaoyan called out behind her. “Xiaomeng, you are going the wrong way! Xiaoyu is in the cardiology inpatient department. Why are you running to the emergency department?”

Shu Xiaomeng told her, “Sister Yan, you go and see Xiaoyu first. I will come later! A friend of mine is having surgery.”

She ran outside the emergency room and sat anxiously in the hallway, hoping that Li Mo would be fine. After an hour or so, Li Mo was pushed out. He was pale but looked much better.

Shu Xiaomeng immediately went forward. “Li Mo, how are you? Are you in pain?”

LiMo was stunned and looked at her with amazement. The girl’s clear eyes were full of worry. At this moment, she felt some heartache. He was on the operating table and his parents turned a blind eye to him. Meanwhile, this girl who barely knew him had been waiting for him outside the operating room.

Li Mo turned his head stiffly. “I’m fine.”

Shu Xiaomeng asked the doctor, “How is his condition?”

The doctor said, “Fortunately, the rescue was timely. He needs to stay in the hospital for observation for two days and he will have to temporarily eat liquid food.”

Shu Xiaomeng nodded and followed his hospital bed to the emergency room.

After the doctor left, Li Mo whispered, “Why are you at the hospital?”

Shu Xiaomeng said, “I have a good sister with congenital heart disease. Recently, she hasn’t been very comfortable and went to the hospital for a check. I came to see her and happened to see you. By the way, do you want to inform your family…”

Li Mo interrupted her. “No need.”

Shu Xiaomeng let out an ‘oh’ sound and didn’t speak again.

Li Mo told her, “Go see your sister. I’m fine.”

Shu Xiaomeng hesitated for a moment before standing up. “Then have a good rest. I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

Li Mo thought she was just being polite. As a result, the next morning she actually came and even cooked porridge. “The doctor said that you have to eat liquid food so I made some light porridge for you.”

Li Mo took it with a complicated expression and drank the porridge. The sweet and soft rice porridge warmed his stomach as well as his heart. For the first time, he found that it was so good to be cared for.

……

On the day of his discharge, Shu Xiaomeng came over. Li Mo got down from his hospital bed and whispered as he stared into her eyes, “You are so diligent in going to the hospital and give me porridge every day. Other people think that you’re my girlfriend.”

Shu Xiaomeng’s face reddened and she hastily explained, “I came to see Xiaoyu and also brought you food. Don’t misunderstand…”

Li Mo smiled as he saw her blushing expression. “I want to misunderstand.”

“What?”

He told her, “Be my girlfriend.”

Facing his deep eyes, Shu Xiaomeng hurriedly bowed her head. In fact, she liked him but Li Mo was too cold and she didn’t dare say it. She could only silently take care of him. She didn’t expect him to be the one who spoke first. Shu Xiaomeng blushed and didn’t answer. The next moment, he gently held his hand.

Shu Xiaomeng blushed but didn’t pull away. She was led away by him.

Li Mo was an outwardly cold but inwardly hot person. He was very considerate. After three months together, their relationship was stable and they lived together at Li Mo’s request. LI Mo was a gentleman and rented a house with two bedrooms and one living room, enduring the urge to touch her. On the other hand, Shu Xiaomeng didn’t hold back. On her birthday, she acted and deepened her relationship with Li Mo.

Since then, the two people became even sweeter. Li Mo was very cold to outsiders and had a ‘come near me and die’ expression. However, after returning home, he would hold Shu Xiaomen in her arms and spoil her—because this girl was his angel.

After cohabiting for a year, Shu Xiaomeng found out that she was pregnant. Li Mo decided to marry her and went to visit her mother. He didn’t expect Shu Ping to know his name and for her face to suddenly whiten. “Your father is Li Zhemin?”

Li Mo nodded. “Yes.

Shu Ping pointed at him like he was a ghost. “You are the new president of the Li Company? Why are you lying to my daughter?!!”

She was very agitated and her hands were shaking. Shu Xiaomeng was a bit confused and hurriedly stood up, pulling at her. “Mom, he didn’t lie to me. We are free to love…”

Shu Ping exclaimed angrily, “Shut up! You don’t know what a scum his father is! How good can a son educated by Li Zhemin be? He is deceiving you. Don’t be fooled by his appearance!”

Li Mo frowned and stood up. “Auntie, I don’t know the grievances between you and my father but I am sincere to Xiaomeng. I came to visit you because I hope to get your…”

Shu Ping was stimulated enough to lose her mind and repeated, “I don’t agree, you immediately get lost!”

Li Mo sensed something was wrong and whispered, “Auntie, you calm down first. I will visit again another day.”

Once he returned to the company, he commanded people to check the past grievances between Shu Ping and Li Zhemin. He personally visited Mrs Mei, Niu Dapeng and Liu Yuming, all retirees of the company. The truth he discovered made his hair stand up. His father was actually such a scum! His biological mother died of an overdose of sleeping pills shortly after giving birth to him.

Li Mo’s face was gloomy as he sat in his office alone for a long time. Then he found the company’s lawyer and the other side soon confessed honestly. “Chief Li, this can’t be blamed on me! Your mother knew your father cheated and wanted a divorce. The agreement had been written but she committed suicide not long after. Since the agreement was only the first draft and she hadn’t signed it yet, there was nothing I could do.”

Li Mo was cold. “Do you believe she committed suicide? Why didn’t you tell the police about this?”

The lawyer was speechless and Li Mo stared sharply at him. “My father gave you money to be quiet, right?”

The lawyer bowed her head and spoke with a bitter expression, “I-I knew your mother’s death was suspicious. She had decided to divorce and couldn’t suddenly commit suicide. However, she was dead, dead. I couldn’t take her lead and offend your father…”

Offending Li Zhemin who was about to become the company’s master for a dead person was indeed something only a fool would do. It was human nature for lawyers to take advantage of the situation. LI Zhemin didn’t blame him and was silent for a moment before whispering, “Did Li Zhemin ask you to make a will? For example, give all his shares to his youngest son Li Fei?”

The lawyer was stunned. “H-How do you know about this?”

Li Mo sneered. “I finally understand why he hates me so much. It is because I was born through abnormal means when he raped my mother. My presence reminds him of how he killed his wife to seize power. He probably has nightmares when he sees me.”

Li Mo turned to look at the bright lights blazing outside and spoke softly, “Is this will notarized yet?”

The lawyer trembled. “Not yet. Li Fei isn’t 18 yet and your father means to… you are more powerful and will first help raise the company. Then once Li Fei graduates from university, he will have Li Fei study in the company.”

Li Mo smiled. “Then he will give his shares to my idiot brother and have me work for him, right?”

The lawyer bowed his head awkwardly.

“Since the will hasn’t been notarized, it doesn’t exist. If something happens in the future, please shut up like you did in the past. I’ll pay you more.”

The lawyer said, “However, even if there is no will, according to the inheritance law, his spouse and children have the right to inherit. Your stepmother is the first heir and can receive half the property. The remaining half will be split equally between you and your brother…”

Li Mo asked dismissively, “What if the company becomes an empty shell before the court’s decision. Then there won’t be much property for them to inherit.”

The lawyer, “……”

The assets were gradually transferred out of Li Zhemin’s clothing company while Li Mo’s real estate company was getting bigger and bigger. Li Zhemin, who retired and was flaunting his son’s wealth, knew nothing about it.

Shu Ping knew that her daughter was pregnant and her attitude started to gradually change.

Shu Xiaomeng told her every day that Li Mo wasn’t a scum and was especially good to her. They had been together for more than a year and she believed Li Zhemin would be a good husband and a good father. After their marriage, they would have no dealings with Li Zhemin.

Shu Ping cried and begged to her daughter before reluctantly accepting their relationship.

However, it was unknown where but Li Zhemin heard that Shu Xiaomeng and Li Mo were in love. He actually went to find Shu Xiaomeng privately, pointing at her face and cursing her. “Did you seduce my son for money? A girl from a single family like you with no education, how are you worthy to be my daughter-in-law? How much money do you want to agree to leave Li Mo?”

Shu Xiaomeng struggled to endure her anger. “Uncle, Li Mo and I are free to love. I don’t care if he has money or no money.”

She raised her beg to leave. Li Zhemin got up to stop her and as a result, Shu Xiaomeng was tripped by him and fell hard down the stairs. All the blood caused Li Zhemin to be frightened. He thought the girl was scamming him and threw a sum of money at her before turning to escape.

Shu Xiaomeng lay pale on the ground. Once Li Mo came, he saw such a picture. His pupils shrunk. The girl suffering and helpless on the ground was his love. He couldn’t tolerate anyone hurting her. Li Mo rushed over to pick her up, sending her to the hospital only to discover the child was gone. Shu Xiaomeng was crying and couldn’t breathe while Li Mo stayed sullen beside the bed, fists clenched tightly.

He suddenly had a crazy idea. Back at the company, Li Mo found the personnel director and spoke with a blank expression. “My father is idle and bored after retiring. He should go out on a trip to get some fresh air. You should contact Mrs Mei and ask her to make a list of retirees.”

He sorted out the list, contacted the tour group and arranged the train.

Li Mo sent an email to everyone who had a grudge against Li Zhemin. He also asked the guide Qin Shiyue to send a list of drugstores where insulin could be bought to the WeChat group, telling the group to make sure to bring insulin. If they didn’t have it, rush to buy it.

In order to ensure that Li Zhemin would never return, Li Mo privately used Li Zhemin’s name to send a message to Zheng Weiguo. “Old Zheng, shouldn’t you repay the money you owe me? There are five years of borrowing plus interest, the repayment amount should be 10 million yuan. I’ll give you one last chance. After this trip, if you don’t pay it back then I’ll go to court and sue you.”

Zheng Weiguo’s face was white with fear and he quickly called Li Zhemin. “Old Li, I will definitely pay back that money! Bring the loan note with you and when I get the money, I’ll give it to you face to face.”

Li Zhemin had some doubts but the other person paying back the money wasn’t a bad thing. Therefore, he took the loan note with him.

On the day of the departure, Li Mo didn’t come.

He sent a text message to his father. “Have a nice trip.”

Train 7311.

At 3:40 in the morning, Shu Ping decided to do it only to be dissuaded by Mrs Mei.

The old lady’s voice was hoarse. “You shouldn’t only think about yourself. Think about your daughter. Xiaomeng still needs your care. Once you kill Li Zhemin, Xiaomeng and Li Mo will never be able to…”

She grabbed the syringe from Shu Ping’s hand, opened it, sucked the insulin into the needle tube and pushed open the door of Room 2. Shu Ping hurriedly stopped her. “Sister Mei…”

Mrs Mei pushed her away and spoke firmly, “I have been diagnosed with bone cancer and don’t have long to live. I am the one who started all of this so let me end it personally.”

Li Zhemin slept soundly. However, Zheng Weiguo and Liu Yuming actually weren’t asleep. Both men’s ears pricked nervously as they listened to the movements of the lower bunk. In the darkness, there was the sound of someone opening Li Zhemin’s clothes. Then old hands slightly trembled as they injected the insulin into his body. The door closed and there was a slight cough in their ears.

Zheng Weiguo waited a long time before rolling out of bed. He wanted to strangle Li Zhemin with a rope only to find that Li Zhemin was dead. He immediately got back into bed and decided to pretend that he didn’t know anything.

Moments later, Liu Yuming also got out of bed and found that Li Zhemin’s body had become cold. There was a smile on his face as he crawled back to bed to sleep.

Mrs Mei turned herself in and other evidence pointed to her so Li Zhemin’s case was soon closed.

Li Mo was very calm when the police informed him that his father had been murdered. He went to the police station to claim the body and brought Li Zhemin’s body home. Li Fei was so frightened by the sight that he started crying and Xia Yue’s face was pale. “How could this be…”

Li Mo told her, “I will trouble Auntie to bury him. You don’t need to tell me the location of his grave. I won’t go to sweep his grave.”

Xia Yue stared. “W-What did you call me?”

Li Mo stared at her with cold eyes. “Auntie, when my mother was pregnant, wasn’t it because you hooked up with him and my mother saw it that she became angry and prematurely gave birth? Later, she planned to divorce him so he killed her and inherited her property. Perhaps this was also your idea?”

Xia Yue’s face instantly whitened.

Li Mo smiled. “No wonder why you didn’t even hold me for so many years. All your care was given to Li Fei while I was left to the babysitter. I always suspected that I wasn’t really yours.”

Li Fei was dazed. “Brother, what are you talking about?”

Li Mo stared at her coldly. “Tomorrow, the law firm will liquidate his property. No matter what, you are his legal wife and son so the two of you must be present.”

The next day, the company’s lawyer entered the office with a thick pile of documents to clear up the finances.

Li Zhemin’s company had long been an empty shell. The split-up assets weren’t enough for the two of them to even buy a car. Xia Yue couldn’t believe it and double-checked the accounts. Meanwhile, Li Mo was expressionless.

Xia Yue exclaimed, “How can your father’s company be worthless? Is this what you fucking did?”

“Yes.” Li Mo shrugged. “Unfortunately, you have no proof.”

Xia Yue was stunned and heard him say, “Just like I know it in my heart that the two of you killed my mother but there was no evidence.”

He picked up a pen and quickly signed the property inheritance consent form. “I am very busy and can’t accompany you.”

Xia Yue stopped him as he got up to leave. “Li Mo, I want to sue you. You must’ve transferred the assets!”

Li Mo spoke coldly. “Feel free at any time.”

He turned and simply left. That woman and her idiotic son trying to bring him down? Dream on. His methods were very clean and there was no evidence left in the accounts. An investigation would just find that the company had poor management and normal losses. Li Zhemin’s clothing company would soon go bankrupt while his life was only beginning.

Li Mo remembered the day when he nearly died of appendicitis. He was pushed out of the operating room and saw the girl with eyes full of worry. In this world, he had no relatives and no one to care about. All except for Shu Xiaomeng.

Li Mo strode to the hospital. In the hospital bed, Shu Xiaomeng was pale and staring out the window.

The police investigation of Shu Ping ended because Mrs Mei voluntarily confessed. Shu Ping was cleared of suspicion and returned to the hospital to take care of her daughter.

Li Mo pushed open the door, held a bunch of roses and knelt in front of Shu Xiaomeng. He gently held the girl’s pale hand, eyes calm and sincere. “Xiaomeng, marry me.”

Shu Xiaomeng covered her mouth and looked at her mother, sobbing.

Li Mo also looked at Shu Xiaomeng and whispered, “The things my father owes you can’t be repaid. Let the past end completely. I promise you, I will cherish Xiaomeng for my entire life. I will fully compensate Xiaomeng for the resentment of the previous generation. I will try my best to make her happy. Please be assured and give her to me.”

Shu Ping’s eyes were wet and she twisted her head to hold back her tears. “Xiaomeng’s thing… she is her own master.”

Li Mo glanced at Shu Xiaomeng, her voice extremely gentle. “This child will be added to the balance. We will have as many children as you want in the future. Will you marry me? Xiaomeng, let me take care of you.”

Shu Xiaomeng choked up as she took the flowers from his hand. “Yes.”

The two hugged each other tightly. Shu Ping saw this scene and thought that if Ruirui was still alive, she would like Xiaomeng as a daughter-in-law? She and Ruirui were once like sisters. If it wasn’t for Li Zhemin, they wouldn’t have become this way.

Now Li Zhemin was dead and the two generations of grievances had finally completely ended.

Shu Ping also wasn’t in the mood to interfere with the children’s affairs. She thought that she should listen to Sister Mei’s words and travel around to relax. She would live to be 80 years old and have a full life. In this way, she wouldn’t waste the freedom that Sister Mei had given her.

Outside the window, the sun was just right. Shu Ping stood by the window and a long-lost smile finally appeared on her face.