Mrs. Huo didn't expect that at this moment, instead of being scared and panicked, Ling Nuan would actually retort to her.
But she reacted quickly.
Looking at Ling Nuan with a worried and helpless expression, she said, "Ling Nuan, we're family. Of course I'm on your side, but..."
"But you think I'm rude and barbaric?" Ling Nuan directly voiced the unspoken meaning of Mrs. Huo.
Mrs. Huo's expression stiffened slightly.
There's a world of difference between saying something and leaving it unsaid.
"I'm sorry for causing such a scene at someone else's banquet. But if it happened again, I still wouldn't just stand there and take the beating. If I don't protect myself, can I expect those dark - hearted people hiding in the shadows to show mercy and let me go?"
Ling Nuan said this while looking at the people in front of her. But after she finished speaking, her gaze landed directly on Mrs. Huo and Huo Xiao, and the implication was obvious.
"Ling Nuan, what do you mean? Do you suspect that my mom and I were behind this?" Huo Xiao couldn't hold back and immediately confronted Ling Nuan.
She thought simply.
Ling Nuan had no evidence.
Ling Nuan smiled and said, "Which of my words mentioned that it was you and Second Sister - in - law who did this? Huo Xiao, you're so eager to jump out. Isn't it a bit like the proverb 'A guilty person gives himself away by conspicuously protesting his innocence'?"
"You!" Huo Xiao was extremely angry and then said, "You said there's a mastermind behind this. Who do you think it is?"
Ling Nuan continued to look at Mrs. Huo and said, "I don't know who's hiding in the shadows. But I have no grudges against those people. What on earth motivated them to risk offending the Huo and Wen families and come to beat me up on such an occasion?"
Huo Xiao's expression stiffened slightly.
Ling Nuan continued, "I think the person who ordered them to do this must be someone with influence. Someone who can make the Wen and Huo families turn a blind eye. After thinking it over, the Wen family wouldn't stage such a farce at their own banquet to disgrace themselves."
"Ling Nuan, we're family. What good would it do us if you embarrass yourself here?" Mrs. Huo interrupted Huo Xiao and spoke up.
"Second Sister - in - law, don't be in a hurry. I'm just suspicious. I didn't say it was you guys. After all, there are other families in the capital besides the Huo and Wen families." Ling Nuan said with a smile, a cold glint in her eyes.
Although she was in a mess, at this moment, she stood there neither overbearing nor humble, showing no sign of panic, and had already held her ground.
Anyone with a bit of sense could probably figure out what was going on.
It was only at this moment that Mrs. Huo realized that she had underestimated Ling Nuan.
Ling Nuan had always seemed submissive in front of her. She never expected that Ling Nuan would be so tough outside.
Mrs. Huo couldn't let this matter escalate any further.
She said, "Alright, no matter what the reason for this incident is, I'll talk to Dad when we get back. I'll ask Dad and Linsheng to give you an explanation. For now, you should apologize to the Wen family!"
At first glance, Mrs. Huo's handling of the matter seemed reasonable.
She would seek justice for Ling Nuan, and it was true that Ling Nuan should apologize for fighting at the Wen family's banquet.
But Mrs. Huo knew exactly how this apology would be misconstrued.
Fu Qili had been watching the show from the side, giving Ling Nuan enough room to perform. But when it was time for him to step in, he didn't back down.
"Second Sister - in - law, you're wrong, aren't you?" He smiled and said, "As a guest today, Ling Nuan encountered trouble here and was beaten up. It should be the Wen family apologizing to Ling Nuan. How can the victim be the one to apologize?"
Mrs. Huo: "..."
If Ling Nuan had said this, the Wen family would have been unhappy. But coming from Fu Qili, the situation was different.
Upon hearing this, a Wen family member quickly looked at Ling Nuan and said, "Miss Ling, we're very sorry about today's incident. You can rest assured that since this happened on our Wen family's territory, we will definitely give you an explanation. We won't let you suffer injustice here in vain."
Ling Nuan never made things difficult for innocent people.
"The Wen family is also a victim. Who would have thought that someone would cause trouble on such an occasion?" Ling Nuan's attitude softened.
Hearing Ling Nuan say this, the Wen family member felt relieved.
It was better not to have any conflicts. After all, the Huo and Wen families still had cooperation.
When their eyes fell on Ling Nuan's face again, the Wen family member said, "Miss Ling, do you want to get your wound treated first? I'll arrange for someone."
"No need. I'll take her to the hospital." Fu Qili said, sneering, "And by the way, we should check if there's a need for a rabies vaccine."
Everyone present: "..."
Ling Nuan pursed her lips and smiled.
It was no wonder that Fu Qili could be friends with Huo Linsheng.
After Fu Qili finished speaking, he looked at Ling Nuan and asked, "Shall we go?"
Ling Nuan nodded.
Huo Linsheng wasn't here. She had never been interested in the Wen family's banquet in the first place. Moreover, she was in no condition to attend the banquet now.
Ling Nuan nodded slightly to the Wen family members and then left with Fu Qili.
Before leaving, Fu Qili took off his suit and put it on Ling Nuan. He gave a meaningful look at the people who had fought with Ling Nuan and left a message, "Later, Huo Linsheng will contact you."
It was better to leave the job of avenging his wife to the rightful person.
Fu Qili's words scared those people. They immediately looked up at Huo Xiao.
Didn't Huo Xiao say that Ling Nuan and General Manager Huo didn't have a good relationship and that General Manager Huo wouldn't avenge Ling Nuan? And with her around, she would definitely stop the Wen family. But... why did it seem completely different from what Huo Xiao had said?
The Wen family members, who had been polite to Ling Nuan, now looked coldly at those people after Ling Nuan left and said, "Throw them out! And invite all their family members out! Our Wen family doesn't welcome you!"
As for who the mastermind was, that was the Huo family's business. The Wen family wouldn't interfere.
Just being kicked out of the Wen family's banquet was enough to bring them endless troubles.
Without doing anything else, once their family members were invited out of the banquet and learned that it was because of their daughters or sisters, they would surely fly into a rage.
"Good - for - nothing! You can't do anything right!"
"How dare you cause trouble at the Wen family's place? Get out! From today on, don't say you're my daughter!"
Scolding and slapping sounds continued.
Ling Nuan didn't care about these things. She had already gotten into Fu Qili's car and was on her way to the hospital.
"Where's Huo Linsheng?" Ling Nuan asked when they were alone.
"He encountered some things. Ask him yourself when you see him." Fu Qili didn't elaborate.
Ling Nuan didn't ask any more questions upon hearing this.
Ling Nuan's wound on her face wasn't serious. After getting it treated and getting some medicine, Fu Qili learned that Ling Nuan's phone was broken and asked his assistant to bring a new one.
After changing the SIM card to the new phone and turning it on, Ling Nuan found several missed calls from Huo Linsheng on her phone.
He must have been extremely worried when he suddenly couldn't reach her.
Ling Nuan was just about to call Huo Linsheng back when she received a WeChat message from Huo Xiao even faster.
Huo Xiao sent several photos.
There were photos of Huo Linsheng protecting Meng Shuluo behind him in the Huoshi parking lot and photos of him carrying Meng Shuluo into the hospital.
"Ling Nuan, you're just a clown."