The CEO’s Unkown Wife
Chapter 584: Not Being Manipulated_1

Chapter 584: Chapter 584: Not Being Manipulated_1

"I don’t have that much money," Cheng Bingbing said coldly.

She had no intention of continuing to financially support her parents and unskilled brother who only cared about their own greed.

She wasn’t alone now—she had a baby to consider.

In the past, she used to give everything she earned to her parents without a second thought.

Now, she had to start thinking for herself and the child in her belly.

Her parents and brother were like a bottomless pit, no matter how much money she earned, it was never enough to meet their demands. Therefore, she decided to stop sacrificing herself for them.

"How could you not have money?" her mother’s sharp voice echoed in her ear.

"I’m working on a film. I haven’t been paid yet because the filming isn’t finished, and the director asked that I refrain from doing any other work during the shooting period." Cheng Bingbing made up an excuse.

"Your brother’s girlfriend is pregnant. If we don’t provide for her, she’s going to have an abortion." Her mother’s voice trembled with anxiousness. "I don’t care how you do it, but you must come up with three million within a week."

"There’s no way I can do that, you should figure it out yourselves," Cheng Bingbing refused, showing no signs of softening.

Her mother pressed on relentlessly, "Then go sell yourself, keep those rich men company. Dine and drink with them, even sleep with them. They just have to shed a few pennies and it would be enough to provide for our family."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Bingbing felt as if her heart had been thrown to the ground and trampled until it was nothing but a pulp.

She couldn’t believe that these were words a mother could say to her own daughter.

If the baby in her belly were a girl, she’d rather suffer and die than let her girl live an uncomfortable life.

Was she really her natural mother?

Why would she go to such lengths to insult her own daughter, just because she wasn’t born a son?

Fury swelled up in Cheng Bingbing’s heart.

Having always been obliging to her family, Bingbing finally lost her patience and snapped, "Forget about me not having money. Even if I were to be wealthy, I wouldn’t give you anything. I’d rather throw it into the sea."

Seeing her resistance, her mother was furious.

She threatened angrily, "Are you rebelling, girl? Do you believe we could reveal everything to the media..."

Her line of threat was interrupted as Bingbing, losing her patience, hung up.

The inclusion of threats for money wasn’t unexpected to her.

She had long since grown tired of it.

After hanging up, Bingbing, who until now had been strong, slowly crouched down, cowering into a little ball. Tears welled up in her eyes, dropping uncontrollably onto the floor.

She had always heard people say that there were no mothers who did not love their own children in this world.

But her life experience made her unable to believe this.

Her mother didn’t love her!

Thinking about that made Bingbing even sadder and her tears flowed even faster until suddenly...

A concerned voice came from above, "Bingbing, are you okay?"

Her body froze upon hearing this. She recognized the voice—it was Huo Qilin’s. Deep down, she didn’t want her love interest to see this pitiful side of her.

Trying to gloss over the situation, she forced back her tears, lowered her head, and tried to speak casually, "I’m fine. I just feel a bit stuffy inside the theater and I came out for some fresh air."

"You go back and continue watching the movie. Don’t mind me; I’ll be fine in a bit."

Huo Qilin could tell that she was trying to get rid of him.

However, he remembered someone saying that it’s best not to leave a girl alone when she’s in a bad mood.

So he chose to stay and knelt by Bingbing. He took a tissue out of his pocket, stretching out his hand, "First, wipe your tears."

Bingbing stiffened. She knew there was no way she could hide her emotions now.

She decided not to pretend anymore. She took the tissue Huo Qilin offered, wiped her tears, and raised her head again, "Aren’t you watching the movie? Why did you step out?"

He responded, "You said you were going to the restroom. When you didn’t come back for a while, I got worried and came looking for you."

"Thank you," Bingbing said, feeling moved.

"What was wrong?" Huo Qilin asked, concerned, recalling how she cried. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No," Bingbing shook her head.

There was no way anyone could help her with her family issues.

Huo Qilin knew well that Bingbing wasn’t being honest with him. But if she didn’t want to share, he wouldn’t push her. Instead, he asked, "The movie hasn’t ended yet. Do you want to keep watching?"

Although Bingbing had stopped crying, she still felt sad inside. She was in no mood to watch the rest of the movie.

"Never mind," she refused.

"Lets’s go eat something. There’s no trouble a good meal can’t solve. And if there is, we’ll just have two meals," Huo Qilin suggested.

Because of the phone call, Bingbing didn’t want to be by herself. Being alone would only make her feel even more pitiful.

She nodded and went with Huo Qilin to have a meal.

Knowing she was in a bad mood, during dinner, Huo Qilin kept cracking jokes to cheer her up.

She had been in a bad mood, but she felt much better by the end of the meal. Not because Huo Qilin’s jokes were particularly funny.

What lifted her spirits was seeing the man she liked trying so earnestly to cheer her up.

After dinner, they went their separate ways.

Huo Qilin escorted her to the hotel where her cast was staying before he left.

Bingbing stood there, watching him leave, until his figure had completely disappeared from her sight. Only then did she reluctantly turn away.

After parting ways with Bingbing, Huo Qilin took out his phone and dialed a number—his elder brother—Huo Qichen. "Brother, did they start giving out keys for the new properties we developed? Are there any still unsold?"

Every time the Huo family developed a new property, they always kept some of the best houses either as presents for clients, or for their family members.

"What’s up? You want one?" Huo Qichen asked, somewhat surprised.

"Not for me, for my friend," Huo Qilin clarified. "She’s looking to buy, but hasn’t found something she liked. If there are any left unsold, let’s sell one to her."

Huo Qichen raised an eyebrow, "Girlfriend?"

Huo Qilin had always been averse to getting involved in any business-related matters due to the complications of their family dynamics.

In the past, Huo Qichen would always reserve two houses for Huo Qilin, but he would refuse. Yet now, he proactively asked about the new developments for someone else.