Shen Shaoqing couldn't solve this problem.
He hated Huo Xiao to the core, but at this moment, the only person who could save Qingnuan was Huo Xiao.
So he went to find her.
"Qingnuan is my life's work. I can't let the company go under like this!" Shen Shaoqing was seething with anger, but he still suppressed it and tried his best to speak in a gentle tone. "Xiaoxiao, the Huo family has a wide network of connections in Jing City. As long as you're willing to help me, the company will surely get through this difficult time."
When Huo Xiao received the call from the manager, she felt a bit guilty, fearing that Shen Shaoqing was coming to settle scores with her.
But seeing that Shen Shaoqing was now seeking her help, she immediately perked up.
She let out a soft scoff and replied, "It's your life's work. What do you come to me for? Weren't you determined to divorce me? Why should I help an ex - husband who's still in the middle of a divorce?"
Shen Shaoqing was furious, but at this moment, he had no choice but to humble himself.
"Xiaoxiao," he walked up to Huo Xiao, crouched down halfway, and took her hand. "There have been so many misunderstandings between us. It was my fault. I shouldn't have been so hung up on your relationship with Qi Yang."
Huo Xiao was taken aback for a moment.
Shen Shaoqing lowered his head, his eyes reddening. "No man can accept his wife's betrayal. I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears. I wanted to believe you, but every time, the image of you two hugging each other would flash through my mind."
Shen Shaoqing looked extremely pained. "Later, this incident even made a scene at our wedding and became common knowledge. Many people laughed at me behind my back, saying that I was a gigolo willing to tolerate such a huge humiliation. I... I was so angry, but I had no way to prove anything. I got confused for a moment and took out all my emotions on you."
"Xiaoxiao, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me one more time?"
Shen Shaoqing was sincere in his words, and all these things had indeed happened.
After the farce at the wedding, Shen Shaoqing, once a rising star, had become the laughingstock of a gigolo and a phoenix man in everyone's eyes.
The reason why Shen Shaoqing was no longer willing to pamper Huo Xiao was not only because of Ling Nuan's departure but also this incident, wasn't it?
Huo Xiao knew all this.
The anger in her heart towards Shen Shaoqing suddenly dissipated a bit.
"Are you really just taking it out on me? Don't you love Ling Nuan?" Huo Xiao tried to steady herself and asked as coldly as possible.
At the mention of Ling Nuan's name, Shen Shaoqing's heart ached badly, but he forced a smile on his face. "Xiaoxiao, don't you see that everything I've done is just to make you care more about me?"
Huo Xiao was stunned.
"If I really liked her, how could I have abandoned her and been with you? From the very beginning to the end, I was just using her, using her abilities. Otherwise, why would I have tricked her into signing a non - competition agreement in the first place? Now that she's left Qingnuan, she won't be able to work in the field of computer science for the next few years."
As if to prove that what he said was true, Shen Shaoqing even found the electronic version of Ling Nuan's non - competition agreement and showed it to Huo Xiao.
This was indeed the first time Huo Xiao had heard about this.
Her heart wavered. If Shen Shaoqing really loved Ling Nuan, how could he have made her sign such an agreement?
Thinking back on her relationship with Shen Shaoqing, everything had been fine before. It seemed that their relationship had really started to fall apart after the incident with Qi Yang.
Shen Shaoqing continued, "I do have feelings for Ling Nuan, but it's not love. It's just the bond between companions who have walked together for so many years. I also feel a bit guilty towards her. After all, it was really my fault that I drove her out of the company. So sometimes I wanted to make up for it and help her when I could."
"But Xiaoxiao," Shen Shaoqing held Huo Xiao's hand, his tone extremely sincere. "I know who I really love. I only love you. You, me, and our baby. We're a family."
As he spoke, Shen Shaoqing opened his phone album.
There were many photos of the child in his phone album.
"Look, I go to see our child whenever I'm free. I was afraid that if I saw you, I might hurt you unconsciously, so I only dared to go and see our child secretly. Look, how cute he is."
Looking at the photos in the album, Huo Xiao's heart completely softened.
The child was still in the hospital, but Huo Xiao had never visited. Whenever she thought of this child, she would only remember the terrifying things childbirth had brought her, and she even hated the child in her heart.
But Shen Shaoqing would take the time to go and see the child.
Even if it was just looking at the child in the incubator through the glass.
Huo Xiao was deeply touched.
If Shen Shaoqing didn't love her, how could he love this child?
Huo Xiao was so touched that her eyes turned red. She explained, "I was indeed with Qi Yang before, but it was all before I met you. I've long since cut off all ties with him."
"I know. It's my fault. I'm too suspicious. Xiaoxiao, it's not your fault." Shen Shaoqing still took the blame on himself.
Huo Xiao was so touched that she cried and hugged Shen Shaoqing.
"Do you know how sad I've been these days?" Huo Xiao sobbed.
Shen Shaoqing hugged Huo Xiao. Behind her back, where she couldn't see, his eyes were full of disdain, but his tone was incredibly gentle. "I'm sorry, Xiaoxiao. We won't divorce. We'll never divorce in this lifetime, okay?"
"Okay!"
Huo Xiao was coaxed into a good mood.
After being coaxed, without Shen Shaoqing having to say anything, Huo Xiao wiped away her tears and said, "Shaoqing, don't worry. I'll go and find my dad right now. If my dad can't solve it, I'll go and find grandpa. Everything will be fine. The company is your life's work. How could I just sit back and watch it fail? Moreover, it was also my fault."
Shen Shaoqing was extremely angry inside, but on the surface, he said, "The company is ours. The company's money is naturally yours. What's wrong with you using your own money? We should blame the person who reported us behind our backs."
Huo Xiao agreed whole - heartedly!
"Shaoqing, don't worry. I'll go and find my dad right now!"
Huo Xiao couldn't wait a moment longer and immediately left. Shen Shaoqing watched her leave with tears in his eyes, looking touched.
After she left, his expression remained gentle, but as soon as he turned around and entered the bathroom, he started to wash his hands frantically, as if he was so dirty for having hugged Huo Xiao.
...
As soon as Shen Shaoqing went to find Huo Xiao, Ling Nuan knew about it.
"Tsk, they were at loggerheads just a while ago, but as soon as something happened to Qingnuan, he rushed to Huo Xiao for help." Qin Rao sneered, then looked at Ling Nuan curiously. "Do you think Shen Shaoqing can persuade Huo Xiao to help him?"
Ling Nuan let out a scoff. "Do you know why Shen Shaoqing was willing to drive me, the technical core, out of the company just to be with Huo Xiao? It's because Huo Xiao is stupid and easy to control."
"Then are you just going to sit back and watch Huo Xiao help Shen Shaoqing? What exactly are your plans?" Qin Rao was extremely curious.
He had only helped Ling Nuan investigate the situation at Qingnuan. He knew nothing about Huo Xiao.
"It depends on how far Huo Xiao can go," Ling Nuan replied.
This answer made Qin Rao even more curious.
The time to wait for the answer wasn't too long.