C36 The Child's Father Is Gone!

Xiong Miao gasped in shock.

"You're practically robbing me! That couch has a tiny scratch, and you want a hundred thousand yuan for it? I might just sue you for extortion!" Su Mumu's fiery temper was not to be underestimated.

"Sue me? Are you aware that Director Zhan's couch is a limited edition, one-of-a-kind crocodile leather piece? Each seat costs a million. Even a minor repair costs a fortune. I'm only asking for a hundred thousand, which is the bare minimum," Gu Yi explained with patience.

Hearing this, Su Mumu fell silent.

Her poverty had limited her imagination.

She couldn't grasp the lifestyle of the wealthy.

Xiong Miao felt a pang of sympathy; she knew just how costly and luxurious Zhan Yeling's possessions were.

So, Xiong Miao gestured and mouthed to Su Mumu: play the pity card.

Su Mumu caught on immediately and turned on the waterworks: "Big brother, could you perhaps show a little mercy?"

"I'm not old; I'm not even married yet," Gu Yi responded, clearly displeased.

Su Mumu paused, then quickly corrected herself, "Little brother, could you maybe be a bit more lenient?"

Gu Yi felt uncomfortable at the mention of "little brother," sensing that something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Seeing that he didn't object, Su Mumu continued her sob story: "Just look at me, a simple girl all alone, trying to raise six babies. It's hard enough making ends meet, let alone coming up with a hundred thousand."

"And the children's father?" Gu Yi inquired.

Su Mumu glanced at Xiong Miao for guidance.

Xiong Miao made a diving and swimming gesture.

Interpreting Xiong Miao's signals, Su Mumu told the phone, "He jumped off a building."

Xiong Miao internally cringed. She had meant to indicate drowning. Jumping off a building seemed too harsh.

Gu Yi was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "Fine, then let's settle on fifty thousand."

Before Su Mumu could respond, the other person interjected, "That's the biggest concession I can make."

"Thanks, big bro—oops, I mean, thanks, little bro. I'll get in touch once I've gathered enough money," Su Mumu quickly replied.

With that, she promptly ended the call.

Xiong Miao let out a deep sigh.

Just when one wave settles, another rises.

She was truly exhausted.

"Miaomiao, I'm sorry. This mess is all because of me and my team. You wouldn't need to worry about paying back the 12,000 you borrowed from me; consider it a partial compensation for the 50,000 you owe. I share some of the responsibility, after all."

Su Mumu was broke, too.

Otherwise, she would have helped Xiong Miao shoulder the burden.

"There's no need for that. Things should be handled as they are. You've been thinking of us, and you've already done so much by taking care of the kids. I'm extremely grateful," Xiong Miao insisted, unwilling to take advantage of a friend even in tough times.

"Don't worry, I'm going to work hard to make money and sort everything out," Xiong Miao reassured her, giving Su Mumu's shoulder a comforting pat.

"Achoo!" She sneezed loudly right after speaking.

"Miaomiao, have you caught a cold?" Su Mumu asked, noticing her discomfort.

Xiong Miao shook her head. "It's just a minor cold, nothing serious. But I'll need you to look after the little ones for a bit. I have to attend a meeting at the company."

She knew that handling all the work alone would wear her out. She had to delegate some tasks to others.

Upon arriving at the company, Xiong Miao noticed a group of people huddled together, engaging in idle chatter.

This time, however, the gossip wasn't about her.

"Have you heard? Our CEO is actually a bastard."

"Yeah, the CEO's mother isn't recognized at all. Young Master Zhan is the legitimate and most esteemed member of the Zhan family."