Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Ren Luoyang groaned slightly as he woke up again. He tried to leave the hospital ward in a hurry when a gasp came from Mui.

"Dad!"

She rushed to his side and forced him back on the bed. "Where do you think you are going?"

He was slightly breathless with a mild pain circulating along his forehead.

"Office…I must go to the office. The employees are distressed…"

"Luoyang!" Ren Cuifen stood on the other side of the bed, hands on her waist.

Though her own health was not in a good shape, she couldn't see herself lying helplessly on the bed while her husband and daughter fought the crisis. Seeing him collapse had almost left her in a state of shock if not for Mui.

"Cuifen! I thought you were resting!" He threw a soft glare at her.

"I thought you were resting too!" She glared back fiercely.

"Ugh both of you just rest!" Mui exclaimed, frustrated. "And Dad, I will handle the employees. Also, sis is back so we will figure something out so shoo."

"No, no…" he said, "This is too serious. How can I leave you two alone to deal with this all by yourself? Let me talk to them again."

The door opened just then and Alix came in, sweeping her gaze past the trio.

"Sis!!!"

The feeling of finding an oasis in the desert was as real as it could get for Mui and she ran towards her, breaking down into tears. She hugged her hard, leaving her breathless.

"Okay, stop it."

Alix made a weird expression, who wasn't used to such hugs and expressions. She slightly pushed her away but seeing her haggard state, it clearly looked how she had been doing her best in holding the fort all on her own. Her gaze turned milder at that.

She walked up to the bedside and folded her arms. "You want to kick the bucket so soon?"

"Alix, you are back."

Though he wanted to hide it, a distinct sense of relief washed over his face.

"How was the Paris trip?"

"Don't dodge my question."

Ren Cuifen sniffled. "I have been telling the same thing!"

"I am also referring to you," her eyes narrowed at Ren Cuifen. "You two don't have to take your wedding vows of living together and dying together too seriously."

He pursed his lips. "How can I rest easy when our company…"

His unsaid words brought a mistiness in everybody's eyes. Their hearts were crushed to see the company in this state for whom the couple had worked so hard to build.

"Stop with those pitiful expressions. The company isn't going anywhere."

Mui sniffled, wiping her eyes. "But the audit investigation is being a pain in the ass. Our funds are also locked because of them!"

"Money is not the problem anymore. The employees and vendors have been paid."

The trio blinked at her simultaneously as if they couldn't register it.

"Huh?"

"Yup."

Ren Luoyang's eyes widened. "Are you serious? But how? How could we have gotten such a huge amount of money?"

Alix was silent for a beat. "Liu Jun helped out."

That made their jaws drop at once.

Ren Cuifen held her chest. "Wait a minute. You mean that Liu Jin paid the amount? The full amount that we needed for payroll and contracts?"

"Plus the debt."

Mui choked heavily at that point who thought she was very close to getting admitted herself.

"T-That's insane! Do you know how much money that is?" She could barely hold her balance together.

"It's a big deal for us, it's pocket change for the Lius'."

Ren Luoyang shook hard, his mind spinning with dizziness. "Hold on, hold on! I know the Liu family is very wealthy but helping out another family's financial difficulties like this…Why would Liu Jin agree-"

Suddenly the couple gulped back their words. It was all too clear that Jin loved Alix but the latter had rejected him.

"I-Is it solely because…he loves you?" Ren Cuifen asked with a quiet breath.

Mui was dumbfounded. "He would go so far just because he loves her?"

"Quiet, Mui!"

Ren Luoyang held her hand. "Alix, are you hiding something from us? Tell us the truth."

"It's true that that is the reason," she plainly said.

They didn't know how to react. More than feeling the joy of seeing their money problem solved, they were worried about how they could pay it all back to Jin. It was impossible.

"He had given me a blank cheque a few days back when he got released from custody. I didn't accept it."

Mui gasped. "Why would you reject a blank-"

One glare from her mother was enough to shut her mouth.

"Just like that?" Ren Luoyang asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

Alix didn't mention the contract part because it was pointless. If Jin had played a losing game where the papers would have been meaningless, then it only held namesake value.

She continued. "Though he pulled us out of the crisis, I wouldn't use the free money. My self-respect and dignity won't allow that."

It was how the husband and wife felt too. It was too burdensome to accept his help, especially when there was no way to pay him back. He might not need it or want it but that didn't mean they would selfishly use his kindness.

"Which is why I have married him."

Ren Luoyang swore he almost got another stroke.

"W-What!"

The mother, father and the sister stared at her, aghast

Ren Cuifen stammered. "W-What are you talking about? What marriage?"

"I am just returning from the Civil Affairs Bureau."

She unzipped her purse and took out a small red booklet. She opened it which clearly stated the marriage registration between Ren Alix and Liu Jin.

They stared at it unblinkingly for a long, long time.

"This…" Ren Luoyang said harshly, "Ren Alix! I appreciate his help but that doesn't mean you get married to him just because you feel indebted! That cannot be the basis of any marriage!"

"Debt is not the basis of our marriage either, Mr. Ren."

They looked up at once and found Jin in the room, who stood beside Alix's chair. He stared at her for a moment and then shifted his attention to the parents.

"Debt will never be the basis of our marriage. I love her. I will do everything I can to make her love me back. That's all there to it."