He lured her deep into his trap, using both overt and covert methods to seduce her.

Song Zhi was puzzled.

It's not about money.

what is that?

Zhao Man, who was standing to the side, saw the doubt in her mind and said, "Think carefully about what despicable things you have done during this time, Song Zhi. If something really happens, it is because you killed your father with your own hands, and it has nothing to do with me!"

Upon hearing this, Song Zhi's breath hitched, and her face turned deathly pale.

The words Pei Jinnian had said to her before involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

She had thought that Pei Jinnian would deliberately make things difficult for her at work, and might even ruin her studio, thus forcing her to bow down and admit her mistakes to him.

But she never expected that Pei Jinnian would be so ruthless, actually extending his evil claws to her own father.

How could he dare to do such a thing?

What gives him the right to act so recklessly?

Song Zhi felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and her body trembled slightly uncontrollably.

Zhao Man stood aside, watching all of this coldly, a mocking smile on her lips.

She slowly said, "This is what happens when you offend Pei Jinnian. I warned you before, but you insisted on your own way and didn't listen to my advice at all. Now look what you've done, you're reaping what you sowed!"

After saying that, she turned around and instructed the man beside her to handle the discharge procedures.

Seeing the scene before her, Song Zhi was extremely anxious. She hurriedly shouted, "No! He absolutely cannot be discharged! I'm calling Pei Jinnian right now!"

She frantically pulled out her phone, found Pei Jinnian's number in the blacklist, and dialed it without hesitation.

The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered.

"Hey."

A clear, crisp female voice came from the other end.

Song Zhi was taken aback when she heard that familiar voice.

It turned out to be Meng Huan.

At that moment, Pei Jinnian was with Meng Huan and had even given her his phone to play with.

This surprised Song Zhi somewhat. Having been by Pei Jinnian's side for three years, the taboo Song Zhi remembered most clearly was Pei Jinnian's cell phone—she couldn't touch it.

But now, Meng Huan has received a call from Pei Jinnian, so it seems the two of them are having a serious talk.

Song Zhi snapped out of her thoughts and said calmly, "Where is Pei Jinnian? Could you please ask him to take the call?"

A disdainful snort came from the other end of the phone: "Senior Song, do you still want to keep bothering my brother?"

Song Zhi took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the urge to curse, and said, "Meng Huan, I'll emphasize again, let Pei Jinnian answer the phone."

Meng Huan chuckled lightly, her tone laced with sarcasm: "I just won't allow it."

After saying that, she hung up the phone without hesitation.

Song Zhi reluctantly dialed the number again. This time the call was answered, but there was no sound from the other end.

Song Zhi shouted Pei Jinnian's name into the phone, but received no response. She only heard rustling sounds coming from her phone.

Song Zhi knew perfectly well that all of this was done on Meng Huan's part.

In the end, Mr. Song was discharged from the hospital.

Song Zhi gazed quietly at the middle-aged man who remained unconscious, a pang of sorrow welling up in her heart.

This man, who was once incredibly successful, has now fallen to such a state.

Thinking back to what Zhao Man had said, Song Zhi understood that if he brought his father home like this, he would only be waiting for death to come.

"Mom, I'm begging you, please help Dad get a different hospital! I'll figure out how to cover the costs."

Song Zhi pleaded with Zhao Man in a low, humble voice.

Zhao Man merely glanced coldly at the emaciated man on the hospital bed, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes, before saying indifferently, "Have you ever considered that letting your father live like this, half-dead, is also a form of torture for him?"

Song Zhi's pupils contracted sharply, her face filled with disbelief. She stared blankly at her mother, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn't utter a word.

"You..." Her voice choked, and she couldn't say anything more.

Zhao Man didn't stop and continued, "Your father has been very good to me all these years, really good."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhi looked at her mother with confusion.

She really couldn't understand why, if she knew that Song's father was good to her, he would still treat him like this.

Song Zhi opened her mouth, "Why?"

Zhao Man smiled slightly: "Zhizhi, have you ever thought that it's your father who likes me, but it's a one-sided liking?"

Song Zhi looked at Zhao Man in shock, as if she had never met her mother before.

Zhao Man sighed softly, "Forget it, your father is like this now, what's the point of saying these things?"

Song Zhi wanted to ask more questions, but the ward door was pushed open, and the man who had just left walked in. He went straight to Zhao Man's side and said softly, "Manman, it's all taken care of."

Zhao Man chuckled softly, "Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Song Zhi stood quietly to the side, looking at the middle-aged man in front of her.

She always felt something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Walking out of the sanatorium in a daze, Song Zhi watched helplessly as her father was put into a minivan.

She instinctively wanted to follow, but Zhao Man stopped her.

"Zhizhi, I will arrange things for your father. Although he can't stay in a nursing home, he will still have all the necessary caregivers and medical equipment."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhi clearly did not believe it.

How could someone who just said they would hate to look at someone even once possibly make arrangements?

Before she could speak, the man beside her said, "Your mother will take care of everything, so don't worry."

His tone was gentle, but Song Zhi detected an undeniable authority in it.

Song Zhi looked up at the man. He had a kind face and gentle eyes, and he spoke to her with a smile. But for some reason, Song Zhi felt a strange sense of unease towards him.

Song Zhi's gaze slowly shifted to the man, her eyes filled with undisguised mockery: "My family affairs are none of your business, you outsider."

Upon hearing this, the man's face instantly turned ugly, his lips trembled slightly, but he did not utter a single word in rebuttal.

However, at that moment, Zhao Man suddenly stood up. Without hesitation, she walked in front of the man, blocking his view, and then reprimanded him in a stern tone: "How can you speak to your elders like that? This is your Uncle Chen!"

Seeing how Zhao Man was so biased in protecting that man, Song Zhi understood the relationship between the two.

Song Zhi sneered, "Mom, you and Dad are still husband and wife, aren't you? Dad isn't dead yet, and you're already so impatient..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Man suddenly raised her hand and slapped Song Zhi hard across the face.

"Shut up!" Zhao Man roared furiously.

Song Zhi covered her burning, aching cheek, her eyes red as she glared at the middle-aged woman in front of her.

Seeing this, the man standing nearby quickly tried to calm things down, saying, "Manman, don't get agitated. Let's talk this out. How could you hit the child?"

Zhao Man's chest heaved with anger as she gasped for breath, "If she were any more sensible, would I have needed to hit her? From childhood to adulthood, she has never given me a moment's peace. I really shouldn't have given birth to her."