Chapter 45.1: Shipping the Original Couple

　　At that moment, one could see the impatience shown on Huo Rongshen’s aloof face.

　　Since she had long since grown used to that aloof mien of his, Qi Yao was unaffected by it. Before long, she finally caught up to him and even kept a firm hold on his arm, blocking his path.

　　In the face of a beautifully clad woman amidst the large crowd, Huo Rongshen merely drew his brows together once more.

　　Without a second thought, Qi Yao regurgitated the speech she had prepared beforehand. “Jiang Dai must have tattled on me, didn’t she? She has always acted one way around males and another with females, so please don’t believe her! It was because Yin Shitong could no longer put up with the fact that her uncle was involved with Jiang Dai; that’s why she had said too much. As for me, I had merely said a few words in fairness, so I hadn’t provoked Jiang Dai in any way, yet she and Bai Zhi ridiculed me in front of everyone.” 

　　Qi Yao continued, “Jiang Dai has always feigned a gentle and easygoing facade in front of you, but she’s never like that with girls. Hence, she would only have struck her because only ladies were in the vicinity since the male guests had yet to arrive. That’s why…….”

　　Huo Rongshen asked coldly, “Are you done?”

　　Since it did not seem like he believed her, she wished to continue. Yet, who would have expected Huo Rongshen to raise an unexpected question? 

　　“This has nothing to do with me, so why are you explaining this to me?”

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　　It would make perfect sense if she could obtain assistance after her divorce since she had concurrently acquired a new source of income outside of the family. 

　　In any case, she had married into the Huo family. Even if it was the wealthiest family, there was a limit to the number of assets she would be able to accumulate. After all, the people in the Huo clan were not fools, so who in their right mind would even set aside money for a woman who had just entered the family for a year?

　　With that being the case, she might have to set her eyes on the inheritance if she wished to acquire more.

　　However, Father Huo had only just turned 60, so it was unlikely that he would pass away within the next 10 years. Even so, a division within a large family, like the Huo clan, would not occur easily. Therefore, Jiang Dai’s plans to obtain the inheritance from Father Huo remained elusive.

　　As opposed to sticking around to brave through the years, she might as well take on a different path while she was still young and beautiful.

　　Huo Rongshen did not wish to let this woman twaddle with him any further. After all, he had never liked to utter anything unnecessary.

　　However, Qi Yao’s words evoked a sense of discomfort within him.

　　As for those rumors about Jiang Dai, wasn’t that how they had first begun to spread? 

　　Even though Jiang Dai insisted on getting a divorce, that was also all these nonsensical speculations came about.

　　However, it was not discomfort that he felt when she was speaking, but instead, it was annoyance.

　　If Jiang Dai had indeed done it for the sake of his money, why would she, in turn, want to get a divorce? God knows how he longed to send prayers of letting Jiang Dai covet his assets.

　　‌‌‌‌If he could utilize assets to bind this woman to him in the first place, why would there be a need for him to be so depressed and dejected for all these months?

　　All in all, Qi Yao’s claim was not only a mockery towards Jiang Dai, but it was also an insult to him.

　　Lowering his head, Huo Rongshen favored Qi Yao a rare stare.

　　For her to have met his eyes so suddenly, thrashing waves of excitement washed over her, so much so that her heart had nearly skipped a beat.

　　“In your knowledge, Qi Yao, marriage is a woman’s tool for generating profit, isn’t it?”

　　Having heard this, Qi Yao was taken aback for a moment before she hastened to explain, “N-No! Of course, that’s not true! My feelings for you, Rongshen, is a youthful girl’s exceptionally pure adoration. I only like you for who you are, and it has nothing to do with your background and assets. Y-You should also know that based on my Qi family’s social status, I can always pick someone from the countless privileged males to become a match endowed with considerable assets. Why would I need to waste so many years of my youth on you?”

　　Huo Rongshen refuted, “If you had no intention of using marriage to gain profits, why would you relate it to Jiang Dai?”

　　Stunned, it took Qi Yao a while to respond. “That’s because…… With her ordinary family background, Jiang Dai had married into a wealthy family, which is clearly out of her league. This is simply the truth that is known to all.”

　　“No, Jiang Dai has never aspired to climb socially. Based on her overall qualifications, she was supposed to be compatible with the most outstanding male.” As he said so, Huo Rongshen was devoid of all facial expressions.

　　Just as the look of astonishment overtook Qi Yao’s face, he added, “In my opinion, the foundations of a healthy marriage lie on feelings, and it shouldn’t involve social climbing. If marriages were as per your belief, I’m the one who’s out of Jiang Dai’s league and not the other way round. I do indeed own a considerable amount of assets, but these were merely passed down from my ancestors, and all I’m only required to do is to keep watch over them. Yet, Jiang Dai could create infinite value with her limited resources by herself. Qi Yao, one should be pure and bright. Everyone had witnessed how Jiang Dai was able to revive the Bao Li Group, whose share price had fallen to as low as $2.50 and was about to be delisted from the stock market, within a short time.”

　　Upon hearing that, the initial slight astonishment Qi Yao had felt in the beginning had gradually grown to speechlessness.

　　At this juncture, she seemed to have difficulty wrapping her head around Huo Rongshen’s words.

　　So, that meant…… Wait, he had actually belittled himself for the sake of Jiang Dai?!?!?

　　With that in mind, Qi Yao felt as though she just had a dreadful nightmare; One that was far more horrifying than being coldly rejected by Huo Rongshen.