Chapter 16: Mom, Dad, Are You Kissing?

“I'm taking revenge on you? You took advantage of me when I was unconscious, and now you say I'm taking revenge?”

Chu Mengyao’s chest heaved with anger as Zhao Qiang still refused to admit the truth. Her stunning face was flushed with fury, her trembling body biting her lip in frustration.

“Zhao Qiang, I’m telling you, our cooperation ends here. Today, I will see to it that you end up in prison.”

“You were the one who took advantage of me! I kindly took you to a hotel, and who would have thought you—”

Zhao Qiang shuddered at the shameful memory. A grown man being overpowered by a girl was humiliating beyond words. He had left early the next morning, overwhelmed by embarrassment.

“That’s nonsense. How could I take advantage of you?” Chu Mengyao trembled with rage, her delicate features flushed bright red. Zhao Qiang was blatantly fabricating lies.

“Did you forget you were drugged?” Zhao Qiang’s voice carried a hint of helplessness and grievance. When he saw she had been drugged, he acted out of kindness to help her. Not knowing where her home was, and unwilling to bring a girl back to his place, he booked a room for her at a nearby hotel. But Chu Mengyao clung to him, refusing to let him leave.

“Impossible. Even if I was dazed, you’re a grown man. Couldn’t you have resisted?” Chu Mengyao’s eyes blazed with fury. This was clearly a lie, an attempt to shirk responsibility. Such an irresponsible man deserved nothing but contempt.

She admitted she was drugged, but she refused to accept that she could have ever taken advantage of Zhao Qiang—absolutely impossible.

“I did resist, but you’re so strong. I never stopped resisting...” Zhao Qiang faltered, his voice growing faint, his face full of grievance. Being completely drained the first time was humiliating enough. Now, he had become the villain. Who could he turn to for justice?

“Heh, I’m strong, am I?” Chu Mengyao laughed incredulously, then quickly nudged Chu Siqi beside her. “Siqi, you tell them.”

“Sister, you are a bit strong...” Chu Siqi tugged her ear and lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper, unwilling to meet anyone’s gaze. She was just telling the truth.

“Even if I’m a bit strong, am I stronger than you men?” Chu Mengyao’s voice rose in challenge. “You two bystanders, speak up!”

With that, she kicked Xiao Zhou and Hu Biao, who were watching the drama unfold. She counted them as allies and didn’t hide anything.

Xiao Zhou’s seat trembled at the sudden kick, a jolt running through him. But he was used to the CEO’s domineering style.

“Boss, it’s all in the past. Let’s not bring it up again,” Xiao Zhou tried to mediate.

“Enough chatter. Speak up.” Chu Mengyao ignored him. In her mind, it was always that man’s fault, never hers.

Xiao Zhou dared not say more, focusing on driving, eyes fixed ahead, silent.

Hu Biao kept playing his game, head down, grinning foolishly, trying to lower his profile.

“Oh, so it was me forcing you!” Though no one spoke, the situation was clear.

Chu Mengyao ground her teeth. “Even if I forced you, didn’t you call for help? You’re a grown man. Did you just stand there and let me do that to you?”

Zhao Qiang was clearly playing innocent on purpose.

“No man gets forced by a woman like that. I was embarrassed...” Zhao Qiang had considered calling for help, but if the police got involved, it would be over. He’d be accused of assaulting a drunken girl. Even if he explained, he’d be the laughingstock. If it spread at school, he’d become a joke.

Thinking it over, Zhao Qiang fell silent, enduring a humiliating night.

---

“Y-You...” Chu Mengyao clenched her fists, anger overwhelming her reason. She kicked Zhao Qiang fiercely.

At that moment, Xiao Zhou, the driver concentrating on the road, suddenly saw an elderly woman dart across the street and slammed on the brakes.

Due to inertia, Chu Mengyao lost balance and lunged forward.

Zhao Qiang had no time to react and was knocked down under her.

Their lips accidentally met in an intimate kiss.

The sudden scene stunned everyone in the car.

Xiao Zhou’s eyes widened, his hands frozen on the steering wheel.

Hu Biao’s fingers paused mid-swipe on his game, his foolish grin frozen.

Chu Siqi’s mouth dropped open, disbelief written all over her face.

Soon, as if sharing a silent agreement, they all quickly averted their eyes—some looking out the window, others focusing on their phones—pretending nothing had happened.

Zhao Qiang inhaled a sudden sweet fragrance unique to Chu Mengyao, momentarily losing himself.

“Daddy, Mommy, are you kissing?” Little Peach climbed in front of them, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Little Peach, come here,” Chu Siqi hurriedly pulled her away, fearing she’d get involved.

“Daddy, Mommy, Little Peach wants a kiss too!” Little Peach said innocently.

Chu Siqi’s face darkened. Now was not the time for mischief, little princess.

“Xiao Zhou!” Chu Mengyao shouted angrily.

“Boss, someone just crossed the street,” Xiao Zhou muttered, cursing the old woman under his breath.

“Ms. Chu, it’s not my fault,” Zhao Qiang said, speechless after being forced again by that woman.

“Move off me!” Zhao Qiang was baffled. “You’re on top of me, and you want me to move?”

“Boss, your legs are squeezing me too tightly.”

“You...” Chu Mengyao was furious. She quickly got up, wiping her lips hard, eyes blazing as she stared daggers at Zhao Qiang.

She had trained in Taekwondo; instinctively, she had treated Zhao Qiang as an opponent and used grappling moves.

“You bastard!” Chu Mengyao’s voice came out through gritted teeth.

“Boss, to be honest, you were the one who pounced on me.” Zhao Qiang feigned innocence. “Now you see, I couldn’t resist you!”

“You...” Chu Mengyao was so angry she couldn’t retort.

The atmosphere in the car turned awkward and tense, as if the air itself stiffened.

“Boss, I won’t bring up the past anymore.” Zhao Qiang felt this wasn’t the place to stay and wanted to leave quickly.

“Let me off here. I can go home myself.”

“Let you off? What about your kid?” Chu Mengyao said coldly.

“Kid?”

Zhao Qiang looked at Little Peach in confusion.

“Daddy, Mommy, please don’t argue,” Little Peach said sadly, her eyes full of fear and unease.

“Boss, don’t joke. This isn’t funny.”

Zhao Qiang’s scalp tingled. It had been just one night, forced, no way could there be a child.

“What? Denying it now?” Chu Mengyao raised an eyebrow. “If you think I’m lying, let’s do a paternity test!”

“Xiao Zhou, go to the largest paternity testing center in the capital city,” she said decisively, without a trace of hesitation.

“I believe you. I believe!” Zhao Qiang saw how certain she was; this was no joke.

To dare demand a paternity test meant Chu Mengyao was absolutely sure.

Unexpectedly, after living his life over, he even had a daughter.

No wonder he felt an inexplicable closeness when holding Little Peach.

“Little Peach, Daddy’s got you!”

Even after being wronged so cruelly by the Liu family, being reborn and finding his daughter eased Zhao Qiang’s anger.

“Daddy, are you really my daddy?”

“Daddy, I missed you so much!”

Little Peach kissed Zhao Qiang’s cheek, her cherry lips sweet like honey.

All the other kids had daddies—now she finally had one.

“Boss, what’s my daughter’s name?”

“Surely it’s not Chu Taozi?”

Zhao Qiang asked eagerly. The name didn’t sound right.

Whether she shared his surname didn’t matter; the important thing was his precious daughter.

Chu Mengyao was different from Liu Ruyan. As a favored daughter of heaven, she wouldn’t toy with an ordinary guy like him.

“What’s it to you?”

Chu Mengyao snatched Little Peach away, forbidding him from touching her.

“My sister likes peaches, so she named her Chu Tao,” Chu Siqi laughed. The family of three was finally reunited.

“Why are you laughing?” The eldest sister’s glare silenced Chu Siqi immediately.

Zhao Qiang was exasperated. The name was so casual he even wanted to rename Little Peach.

“Zhao Qiang, if that’s the case, does that make me your sister-in-law?” Chu Siqi said cautiously, sensing her sister’s dark mood.

“No way. I’ve only met Ms. Chu once; the child is just a coincidence.”

“Boss, I want to rename my daughter. Don’t worry, she won’t take my surname.”

Little Peach had been with Chu Mengyao since birth, and Zhao Qiang hadn’t helped at all.

Naturally, the child bore Chu Mengyao’s surname; he dared not hope for more.

Taking Little Peach back to Zhao’s home to meet his parents was unrealistic.

“Sister-in-law? Don’t say nonsense.”

“Rename? I’m the mother, so I should name her.”

“Zhao Qiang, the previous agreement still stands.”

“Get out of the car now!”

Chu Mengyao’s expression shifted suddenly. After years of searching, she had finally found the scoundrel who had wronged her—it was herself. How could she not be furious?

“Boss, don’t push me. Leave your contact info!”

Zhao Qiang wasn’t ready to leave yet—he’d just reunited with his precious daughter a few minutes ago.

“Contact info? Why? Leave now! What do you need contact info for?”

“Little Peach might miss her daddy. Then she can call me.”

“You’re dreaming. How could Little Peach miss you?” Chu Mengyao laughed. The daughter had been with her all this time. How could she long for a stranger just met? Zhao Qiang was way too full of himself.

“Then leave an address. I want to visit Little Peach when I have time.”

Zhao Qiang wanted one last look at Little Peach. Being separated so soon after meeting her was hard to bear.

“What do you want to see? Solve your mess with Liu Ruyan first!” Chu Mengyao snorted and slammed the car door shut.