Chapter 158: Chapter 0158: Alright, I believe you

“Nothing, did I wake you up?”

Huo Tingxiao watched as Mu Lan sleepily stretched out her hand to rub her eyes, a gesture so ordinary and yet, in his eyes, indescribably adorable.

“No, I was already not sleeping deeply, you… really, are you okay?”

Actually, Mu Lan really wanted to ask if it was because he had met Pei Zhao today that he was acting so out of the ordinary.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Mu Lan didn’t continue to press the question, as it was obvious that Huo Tingxiao did not want to discuss it.

She felt inexplicably uncomfortable, as if she wasn’t trusted, but then she thought that the trust between them had always been fragile in the first place.

Moreover, everyone has secrets they don’t wish to share.

However, remembering the words Pei Zhao had said before, Mu Lan still decided to seek clarity.

“Huo Tingxiao, had we ever discussed divorce before I lost my memory?”

A flicker of an unusual emotion passed through Huo Tingxiao’s eyes.

“No. Why would you suddenly bring that up?”

Mu Lan did not intend to hide anything and directly relayed to Huo Tingxiao what Pei Zhao had told her.

“According to him, I must have known him before I lost my memory, and he even said I’ve changed a lot in personality.

He also said I was going to divorce you, but then I had the car accident and lost my memory.

Of course, this is all what Pei Zhao claims.”

On the surface, Huo Tingxiao remained calm, but inside, he was engulfed by turmoil. Could it be that the overseas number he had never managed to trace was Pei Zhao?

Was Mu Lan talking to Pei Zhao when she sent the divorce papers?

But how did they know each other? And what had transpired between them?

If it hadn’t been for the divorce papers, Huo Tingxiao would have never considered that Mu Lan might suggest divorce. If she had decided to divorce him after accumulating enough disappointment over the seven years, there must be a final straw that broke her resolve.

He had many questions in his heart, yet he couldn’t get the answers from Mu Lan, as she had lost her memory.

“Do you believe what he said?”

Mu Lan pondered before responding.

“I don’t know. If Pei Zhao was lying, he must have had a motive.

What’s his motive? To drag me into the dispute between you two?

Honestly, it seems unnecessary, after all…”

We are a couple only in name, although our relationship has seemed to improve slightly recently.

Mu Lan did not voice this last thought; why she chose not to, she couldn’t quite make out.

“You never mentioned divorce to me before you lost your memory.”

Huo Tingxiao tactfully concealed the matter of the divorce agreement, considering that Mu Lan had the accident before she could deliver the papers, thus what he said wasn’t exactly untrue.

Now that the relationship between the two of them was finally showing signs of improvement, and having recognized his feelings for Mu Lan, Huo Tingxiao did not want anyone to disrupt their marriage.

Not even Pei Zhao!

“From now on, don’t believe anything Pei Zhao says, he just wants to target me.”

Mu Lan looked at Huo Tingxiao, then after a moment’s thought she said,

“Huo Tingxiao, everything you’re telling me is true, right?

You’re not lying to me, right?”

Huo Tingxiao’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart couldn’t help feeling a bit guilty.

He just didn’t want things to get more complicated. After figuring out the truth, he planned to explain everything to Mu Lan.

“Yes, I’m not.”

Mu Lan didn’t dwell on the matter any further, as she had seen the changes in Huo Tingxiao over the past few days.

“Okay, I believe you. It’s late, we should rest.”

“Yes.”

The next day, after breakfast, Huo Tingxiao did not go to the company but instead contacted Lin Yize directly.

“Huo President calling so early in the morning is an honor that I hardly deserve.”

The voice on the phone belonged to Lin Yize, speaking in a mocking tone, but Huo Tingxiao had no time to engage in a verbal battle with him.

“Give me Pei Zhao’s address.”

Lin Yize sneered.

“So now you act as if you’re my boss? Such an authoritative tone makes me quite uncomfortable.”

Huo Tingxiao narrowed his eyes, exuding a deadly aura, with his voice carrying a warning and hint of danger.

“You can choose not to tell me, as long as you can bear the consequences.”

Lin Yize paused, but eventually gave Huo Tingxiao the address.

It wasn’t out of fear of the threat, but because Pei Zhao instructed early in the morning that if Huo Tingxiao wanted to meet, he should not be refused.

Huo Tingxiao had never imagined that Pei Zhao would actually settle in a hotel owned by the Huo Family.

Pei Zhao was accompanied by a pair of twin bodyguards, standing stationed behind him.

The looks they cast at Huo Tingxiao were all wary.

“You guys step out, we have something to discuss in private.”

The bodyguard brothers exchanged glances, then turned and left.

“It seems like Mu Lan has told you about our conversation, that’s why you’ve come to find me in such a hurry.

Unexpectedly, after she lost her memory, your relationship with her actually improved.”

Pei Zhao didn’t beat around the bush but got straight to the point.

His hand rested on the control joystick on the handle of his wheelchair, and he quickly made his way to the sofa.

“I have some good tea here. I can’t do it myself, so I’ll trouble you to lend a hand.”

Huo Tingxiao watched Pei Zhao, who seemed unconcerned, suppressed his rage, and pretended to be nonchalant about boiling water, making tea – before long, the room was filled with the fragrance of tea.

The clear tea looked tempting and glossy, Pei Zhao picked up a cup with a smile, tasted it, and nodded in satisfaction.

His leisurely demeanor made Huo Tingxiao narrow his eyes, then he asked:

“How did you meet Mu Lan?”

The smile on Pei Zhao’s face became more pronounced.

“Guess?”

Huo Tingxiao had little patience and his tone turned cold.

“I don’t have time to play guessing games with you.”

Pei Zhao sighed.

“How come you haven’t changed at all over the years? Not a hint of humor – no wonder Mu Lan couldn’t stand you and insisted on divorcing you.

Ah, men should be considerate and have a sense of humor to be liked by women.”

Huo Tingxiao stared at Pei Zhao with penetrating eyes.

“Was it you who encouraged her to divorce me? That foreign number she’s been frequently contacting, that’s you, isn’t it?”

Pei Zhao just smiled.

“I can’t answer that… after all, I promised Mu Lan I’d keep it a secret for her.

If you really want to know the truth, you could ask her.”

Huo Tingxiao’s face went cold, and he snorted.

“You know full well she lost her memory and has forgotten the past seven years.”

Pei Zhao spread his hands, shrugged his shoulders, looking insufferably smug.

“Well, there’s nothing I can do. I’ve always kept my promises – whatever I promise, I make sure to do.

However, I could offer you a piece of different information, whether you’re interested in hearing it is up to you.”

Huo Tingxiao looked at Pei Zhao’s inscrutable smile, feeling a coldness in his eyes as if they’d formed ice.

“Huo Tingxiao, that look in your eyes, I always feel like you are gazing at an enemy, and yet… it was you who wronged me, so why does it seem like I’m the one who owes you something?

Indeed, in this day and age, debtors are the real masters.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com