Mo Xiuchen wrapped one arm around her waist and grasped both her hands with the other, his voice gentle as he reminded her,
"Ranran, don't let your mind wander. Look at the video—that hideous woman is Xiao Yuting's new flame?"
Wen Ran rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, speechless. This man really had a sharp tongue. No matter how unpleasant Linda was, regardless of what she looked like before her surgeries, the current Linda could at least pass as a stunning beauty. Yet from his mouth, she was reduced to 'hideous.'
Mo Xiuchen chuckled lowly, his lips brushing against her ear in a whisper,
"In my eyes, every woman is ugly—except my Ranran."
The warmth of his breath lingered on her earlobe, soft and tinged with seductive masculinity, making her heart tremble. Her pale cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she turned her head slightly to the side.
"You're the one talking nonsense. Focus on the video."
"You watch the video. I'll watch you."
A charming smile played on Mo Xiuchen's lips as he gazed intently at the shy little woman in his arms. The blush painting her face stirred something deep in him—far more captivating than the video could ever be.
Wen Ran felt as if her cheeks were ablaze. If she hadn't gradually adapted to Mo Xiuchen's recent transformation, she would have suspected the cold, emotionless man she married had been swapped with someone else entirely.
And yet, he delivered sweet nothings with the ease of breathing, his smile teasing rather than tender.
She shot him a glare, opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it and fell silent.
Thankfully, Bai Xiaoxiao and Luo Haofeng were too distracted by the video of Linda meeting her future in-laws to notice the situation on their side. Otherwise, she'd have wished for the ground to swallow her whole.
Mo Xiuchen's phone rang. He rose to answer the call, giving Wen Ran a moment of respite. At first, she was curious how Luo Haofeng would reveal Linda's true colors to the Xiao family—send them documents? Call them directly? Or perhaps stage a 'coincidental' encounter?
Eventually, the truth became clear, leaving her more than a little surprised. Just who was Luo Haofeng? She'd lived in G City for over a decade yet never heard of him.
The video of Linda mocking and belittling her and Bai Xiaoxiao, as well as clips of her pre-surgery face, began playing on the suite's LCD screen.
Linda, all grace and poise, had just been presenting herself as the epitome of refinement. The moment her own voice rang from the speakers, her expression shifted in an instant. Her once-smiling face lost all color, drained to a ghostly white.
"Ha!"
Bai Xiaoxiao burst into laughter. Watching Linda's pallor and the anger darkening the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Xiao, she clutched her stomach, laughing until she could barely stand.
"Yuting, what is the meaning of this?"
Father Xiao's face had turned ashen. He had praised Linda to the skies, claiming she outshone Bai Xiaoxiao by leagues. But the footage told a completely different story.
Though Bai Xiaoxiao could be a bit headstrong, she was genuine—her affection for the elder Xiaos sincere and heartfelt. One glance made it clear who the true lady was. Regardless of how glowingly Xiao Yuting spoke of Linda, this video laid everything bare.
Linda and her companion's sarcasm and aggression hadn't affected Bai Xiaoxiao and Wen Ran at all. In fact, the two foolish women had exposed their own ugliness and become the joke of the hour.
Xiao Yuting stood dumbfounded, unaware of when Linda could've possibly met Bai Xiaoxiao—she'd never even mentioned it.
"Linda, what's going on here?"
Pressed by his father, he turned to face the now visibly trembling Linda, her lips quivering yet speechless.
Her mind had gone blank. Staring at him, she could barely process the brief clip that had shattered the elegant image she had painstakingly crafted.
She stammered, voice shaking,
"I—I don't know what's happening…"
"You don't know? That's you in the video!"
Xiao Yuting's tone darkened. "When did you meet Bai Xiaoxiao?"
"I—I haven't seen her. I never said any of those things. I don't know where this video came from!"
In another private room, Bai Xiaoxiao stared at the screen in disbelief. Linda was outright denying everything—including having ever met her. In all her 23 years, she had never witnessed something so absurd.
Beside her, Luo Haofeng sneered, "Let's see how she explains the plastic surgery footage next."
Bai Xiaoxiao's eyes lit with mirth.
"She'll probably claim she doesn't even know the woman in the video—and that someone's out to get her."
The contrast between Linda's pre- and post-surgery faces was staggering. How could Xiao Yuting be so blind, choosing such a phony over any other decent woman?
Reading her thoughts, Luo Haofeng chuckled wickedly,
"Your taste in men is truly tragic—falling for someone as clueless as Xiao Yuting. Not to brag, but if it were me, I wouldn't let a woman like Linda carry my shoes, let alone touch my bed. Just the thought makes me nauseous!"
As if to prove his point, he dramatically mimed gagging.
Bai Xiaoxiao's laughter evaporated, replaced by a sharp glare.
"And you think you're any better? All men are the same—no exceptions. You're probably filthier than most, who knows how many women you've been with. Disgusting!"
"Bai Xiaoxiao, are you looking to die?!"
One moment Luo Haofeng was teasing, the next, his face darkened, voice cold and menacing—like a completely different person.
Bai Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow defiantly.
"Oh? Are we not allowed to speak the truth now?"
Luo Haofeng snorted coldly and retorted,
"Don't lump me in with your precious Xiao Yuting. I may be charming and suave, but I have standards. I don't fall for every skirt I see, and I certainly don't sleep with just anyone."
Bai Xiaoxiao burst into laughter again, about to respond, but her attention was abruptly drawn back to the screen.
The LCD now displayed a slideshow of Linda's pre-surgery photos, accompanied by a narration. Then came a clip of her undergoing the actual procedures.
If the previous video had shaken her composure, this one utterly destroyed it. Linda stood frozen—mute, motionless, utterly unable to think or react.
"This is the woman you chose?"
Father Xiao's fury erupted, veins bulging at his temples.
"If you don't break it off with her this instant, I'll make a public announcement severing all ties with you!"
Had he not been restraining his wrath, he might have already hurled a chair at Xiao Yuting's thick skull.