Chapter 221
Li Xiaolian and Shi Yanfeng were not killed by the truck.
But they were left half-dead.
They were covered in blood, with broken foreheads and scraped cheeks.
When the truck charged, Shi Yanfeng was still rolling on the ground throwing a tantrum.
By the time he realized what was happening, the wheels were right in front of him.
His limbs went weak, his courage shattered. He didn't even have the strength to get up.
He could only watch as the truck closed in.
"Mom—"
He screamed hoarsely.
He thought he was done for, but the truck swerved at the last second.
It brushed past the hem of his clothes.
Shi Yanfeng stood frozen.
When he came to his senses, he realized his pants were soaked.
The swerving truck headed straight for Li Xiaolian.
Li Xiaolian covered her head and ran, but the truck chased her like a cat playing with a mouse.
It wouldn't kill her, but it wouldn't let her go either.
It was just toying with her, teasing her.
Li Xiaolian ran, hid, and screamed like a madwoman.
She was utterly exhausted, but her survival instinct kept her going.
Until...
She ran headfirst into a tree trunk. Her face was covered in blood as she collapsed.
Only then did the driver stop and drive away.
"Mom... Mom, are you okay?" Shi Yanfeng scrambled over on his hands and knees.
Li Xiaolian lay motionless, blood gushing from the wound on her forehead.
Shi Yanfeng tried to cover it with his hand, forgetting it was covered in urine.
"Mom! Wake up!"
He called out countless times before Li Xiaolian finally opened her eyes.
"What happened to me?" Her eyes were dazed.
Suddenly remembering, her face turned deathly pale. She trembled all over.
Her teeth chattered.
As if she was still trapped in that immense terror.
"Let's go..." She gripped Shi Yanfeng's hand tightly, her nails digging into his flesh. "Let's go! Get out of here now!"
"...Why?"
"Wait for that person to come back and run us over?!"
Shi Yanfeng also recalled the earlier danger and hurriedly helped Li Xiaolian up.
Mother and son scrambled away from the scene.
They rushed to the hospital where Isabella Langley was and got their wounds treated.
"Mom, I... I'm so scared..."
"We can't stay here anymore. Ethan Roscente is too ruthless!" He actually wanted their lives!
Li Xiaolian finally realized the wealthy were not to be trifled with.
Shi Yanfeng: "Should we call the police?!"
"The driver is long gone, and it was a blind spot for cameras. Would the police even care?"
Besides, calling the police would expose their extortion attempt.
"But Ethan Roscente hasn't given us the money yet!"
Li Xiaolian gritted her teeth: "He wants us dead. Why would he give us money? He was deliberately stalling!"
"Then all this was for nothing?"
Li Xiaolian's eyes darted: "Not exactly without gain..."
Shi Yanfeng was stunned.
...
In the hospital room, Isabella Langley waited for her mother and brother, but it wasn't what she expected.
"Ethan Roscente gave you three million. Hand it over." Li Xiaolian stood by the bed, arms crossed, gauze wrapped around her head.
Isabella Langley was shocked: "Mom, how are you hurt?"
"It's all because of you! If it weren't for you, why would we have provoked Ethan Roscente?"
With no benefits left, Li Xiaolian couldn't be bothered to play the loving mother.
Shi Yanfeng: "Ethan Roscente is so vicious. You didn't warn us? Did you want us dead so you could keep the three million for yourself?"
Isabella Langley hurriedly defended herself: "I didn't! Why would I harm you? I didn't know he was this ruthless either!"
Li Xiaolian sneered: "You were with him for so long, and you didn't know what he's like?"
Shi Yanfeng: "Exactly! I'm badly injured. The medical bills are high. Ethan Roscente isn't paying, so you have to compensate us!"
"Don't pretend to be poor. Ethan Roscente said he gave you three million!"
Thinking of this, Li Xiaolian was furious. She had money but hid it, letting them take the risks while she reaped the rewards.
Isabella Langley's eyes darted, lips pressed tight: "I have no money now. I can only give you twenty thousand..."
"Bullshit! I know your tricks! Where's the card? Where did you hide it?"
Li Xiaolian knew her daughter too well. She must have secretly kept the money!
Ignoring Isabella Langley's cries, she searched everywhere.
Isabella Langley tried to get out of bed to stop her but was held back by Shi Yanfeng.
"Stay put! Mom and I worked for you, almost got run over. Taking some money is only right!"
Li Xiaolian rummaged through the drawers and finally found the bank card in the backpack.
"Fengfeng! Come quick!"
Shi Yanfeng's eyes lit up.
"That's my money! Give it back!" Isabella Langley desperately tried to get out of bed. That card held all her savings.
Originally three million, she had spent some, leaving just over a million.
If taken, she would truly have nothing left!
Shi Yanfeng shoved her hard: "You were hiding money after all. I never thought you were so scheming!"
Li Xiaolian: "Fengfeng, no more talk. She's my daughter. I can take her money if I want. Let's go home!"
If it weren't for Isabella Langley, they wouldn't have so much trouble. If she had money, why not say so earlier, making them run around for nothing.
"Mom, Fengfeng—you can't do this—that's my money—"
She chased after them, her eyes full of despair: "...Take the money, but don't leave me... Mom..."
Li Xiaolian didn't look back.
Isabella Langley collapsed in the corridor, wailing.
At that moment, she felt abandoned by the whole world.
...
Learning that Li Xiaolian had taken Shi Yanfeng and left Kyoto, taking all of Isabella Langley's money, Ethan Roscente smiled with satisfaction.
He called the hospital: "Freeze the account. Suspend all expenditures."
"What about Miss Langley's hospitalization fees..."
"Did you not understand? Freeze and suspend. What happens to her is for the hospital to handle according to regulations."
That afternoon—
"Miss Langley, you have recovered. You may be discharged."
"I'm not leaving. I'm waiting for him." Isabella Langley sat on the bed, eyes vacant, like a soulless puppet.
"If you wish to continue staying, please go to the first floor to pay. Here is the bill..."