Even After My Death
Chapter 451 - 362: System: I Discovered a Secret

Chapter 451: Chapter 362: System: I Discovered a Secret

Huo Li stepped out of the private room and immediately saw Huo Kaiping and Jiang Ning, who had her back to him, standing in the corridor.

After hearing Huo Kaiping’s words, Jiang Ning let out a cold sneer, "Could it be that what I just heard was the barking of a dog?"

Huo Kaiping was taken aback, his brows furrowed as he was just about to retort, but Jiang Ning had no desire to listen to his babbling. To her, speaking even a word more to such a person was a waste of time.

Jiang Ning’s attitude towards the Huo family members was genuine disdain; she looked directly at Huo Kaiping, her eyes and brows icy, her voice as cold as ice, "Step aside."

Seeing Jiang Ning’s attitude, Huo Kaiping’s brow furrowed again.

Although Jiang Ning had previously said that when they met again, they would all be strangers, how could she forget that they were still related by blood? For whom was she putting on this condescending act?

During the two years she lived in the Huo Family Villa, Jiang Ning had clearly tried to ingratiate herself with him on multiple occasions!

Huo Kaiping lifted his head, his expression haughty, just as he was about to argue with Jiang Ning, he caught a glimpse of Huo Li walking closer behind her.

Huo Kaiping was slightly startled, "Big brother, you came out too?"

Big brother... Huo Li?

Jiang Ning’s eyebrows knitted slightly, and within a moment, Huo Li had reached the pair. He looked toward Huo Kaiping and said succinctly, "You go back to the private room first."

As the next heir to the Huo Corporation, Huo Li had even more say in the Huo family than Huo Song, so even the usually arrogant and unruly Huo Kaiping and Huo Kaian had to tuck their tails and obediently listen in Huo Li’s presence.

Naturally, after Huo Li spoke, Huo Kaiping, without a word, nodded and quickly left.

Once Huo Kaiping was gone, Huo Li then turned his gaze to Jiang Ning and began in a gentle voice, "Jiang Ning, do you have time now for a meal together?"

Jiang Ning: "..."

Jiang Ning looked up at Huo Li, who was dressed in a sharp, dark suit, tall and outstanding in stature, his appearance refined and handsome, exuding a mature and steady aura.

Jiang Ning flatly refused, "I don’t have time."

She began to walk away when Huo Li lifted his hand, blocking Jiang Ning’s path, "I was on a business trip recently and wasn’t aware of what happened at home. Where are you living now? When are you free? We should have a good talk."

Jiang Ning had lived with the Huo family for two years and had come to understand the personalities of its family members to some extent.

Undoubtedly, the most indifferent of the Huo family was Huo Li. During the two years Jiang Ning lived in the Huo Family Villa, Huo Li had almost never initiated a conversation with Jiang Ning, his glances at her always aloof and cold.

He wasn’t as simple-minded as Huo Kaian and Huo Kaiping, who were easily swayed by Huo Miao’s provocations, bouncing around in front of Jiang Ning after being instigated by her each time. Of course, it could also be that Huo Miao felt Huo Li wasn’t as easy to manipulate as the twin brothers, so she rarely tried to influence Jiang Ning in front of Huo Li.

However, during the two years Jiang Ning lived with the Huo family, Huo Li had always treated Jiang Ning as an utterly unconnected stranger.

This was the first time he had lowered himself to speak to Jiang Ning, and so at length.

There must be something abnormal for him to do so.

Huo Li was also a member of the Huo family, and Jiang Ning did not believe that the Huo family members could harbor any good intentions.

Her hands hanging by her sides clenched into fists; if this were not a restaurant but a deserted alley or the Huo Family Villa, Jiang Ning would have, at the very least, thrown a punch at him.

Running into the Huo family members one after another gave Jiang Ning the feeling as if she had stepped on several dead rats consecutively, utterly disgusting.

Jiang Ning snapped coldly,"Get lost, stay away from me."

She pushed Huo Li’s hand blocking her path and quickly walked away.

Huo Li stood in place, calmly watching Jiang Ning’s retreating figure, his originally gentle face suddenly turning cold, his eyes deepening, expressionless.

Jiang Ning’s appearance on the trending searches today was immediately reported to him by his assistant.

The better Jiang Ning’s online reputation, the worse it became for the Huo family.

The switched identities of Jiang Ning and Huo Miao were no longer a secret, and with Huo Miao’s prior involvement in the entertainment industry, the issues between them had become a hot topic. Fans of Jiang Ning could effortlessly search and dig out the stories involving Jiang Ning, Huo Miao, and the Huo family.

The more people liked Jiang Ning, the more they boycotted the Huo family.

Lately, Huo Li had been thinking about how to knock Jiang Ning off her pedestal as the internet’s darling, but he had yet to find an ultimate solution.

He had someone thoroughly investigate the charitable acts Jiang Ning had been doing recently, only to find they were all true and not just Jiang Ning putting on a show.

He even considered replaying the old trick of buying internet trolls to slander Jiang Ning, but every one of the troll farms turned him down upon hearing his request. They refused to accept the job, claiming that although they earned their money as trolls, they still had patriotism and conscience.

Until there was irrefutable evidence proving Jiang Ning was a bad person, they wouldn’t defame her even for money!

Huo Li: "..."

If Jiang Ning had any dirt, Huo Miao wouldn’t have had to resort to hiring people to write malicious articles and pay trolls to leave bad reviews to defame Jiang Ning in the past.

Of course, he had done all that because he hadn’t been able to get in touch with Jiang Ning before. Now that he had met her, he naturally still hoped that Jiang Ning would return to the Huo family.

That way, the netizens’ impression of the Huo Corporation might change for the better.

And if he promoted the story well, perhaps the recently plummeted stocks of Huo’s might recover completely.

Yet Jiang Ning didn’t give them the slightest chance; her defiance and disgust were almost spilling out from her eyes.

Huo Li’s handsome face remained cold and indifferent.

At that moment, as Jiang Ning, who had been walking ahead, suddenly turned around and met Huo Li’s expressionless gaze straight on.

Huo Li was caught off guard, a trace of surprise flickered in his eyes, and it was too late to hide the chilliness on his face.

And Jiang Ning, as if she anticipated his change in demeanor, merely glanced at him before looking away.

Jiang Ning pushed open the private dining room door where she and Qi Xingzhou were supposed to have dinner, and strode in.

She knew it—none of the Huo family members were any good.

[Sigh.]

The System in her mind let out a sigh.

Every time it appeared in Jiang Ning’s mind, it was to either urge her to undertake a task or to notify her about the issuing or completion of one.

This was the first time Jiang Ning had heard it sigh.

Jiang Ning couldn’t help but ask, "System, what’s wrong?"

The System, agonizing, covered its eyes: [I just scanned something, and I’m not sure if I should tell you.]

Jiang Ning: "Hmm?"

She continued chatting with the System in her mind while returning to her seat.

The restaurant served food quickly; Jiang Ning felt like she hadn’t been gone long, yet the table that had been empty was now filled with steaming dishes.

Qi Xingzhou was sitting in his seat, not fiddling with his phone. His utensils were cleanly laid before him, evidently waiting for Jiang Ning.

"Why aren’t you eating?" Jiang Ning took her seat and said, "It’s just the two of us; no need to be so polite."

At this moment, the System in her mind couldn’t help but speak up mournfully: [Host, let me tell you a secret, there’s an improper transaction between Huo Miao and Huo Song.]