64: Chapter 64 The Liu family actually made their own daughter fill the hole!

At 2:00 PM, in front of the glass doors of Singularity Technology, Liu Mingxuan stood with two burly men in black short-sleeved shirts, his face as dark and stormy as the weather. He reached out to press the security access panel, but the screen flashed a "Visitor Not Registered" prompt, and a jarring alarm immediately sounded.

"Open the door! I'm Liu Ruyan's brother!" Liu Mingxuan pounded on the glass door, his knuckles turning red. "Make her come out and see me!"

Old Zhang from the security office quickly ran over, clutching a rubber baton, his tone stern: "Mr. Liu, park regulations require all unfamiliar visitors to register in advance. Furthermore, President Zhang specifically instructed that you are not permitted to enter the office area."

After Liu Mingxuan caused trouble last time, Zhou Yurou not only installed a new security system for the company but also repeatedly emphasized to the property management and security staff: "Whenever anyone from the Liu family arrives, no matter who it is, you must contact us first. Under no circumstances are you to let them in casually."

Liu Mingxuan gritted his teeth in anger but didn't dare to force his way in. Old Zhang was a military veteran, and the rubber baton in his hand wasn't just for show. Moreover, two young security guards stood behind him; if a real fight broke out, the men he brought might not have the advantage.

"Fine, just you wait!" Liu Mingxuan pulled out his phone and dialed his father's number. "Dad, they won't let me in. You and Mom need to get over here right now!"

Half an hour later, Liu Zhengguo and Zhao Lan arrived. Zhao Lan was wearing a simple, elegant dress and carrying a transparent box of strawberries; the fresh strawberries were coated in water droplets and looked particularly tempting. She walked up to Old Zhang, pinching the edge of the box with her fingertips, her tone cautiously ingratiating: "Officer, thank you for your hard work. These are strawberries we just bought; please, have some. We just want to see our daughter, nothing else. We'll just chat for a moment and leave; we definitely won't cause any trouble."

Seeing her reddened eyes, Old Zhang glanced toward the office area, feeling a bit conflicted. Zhou Yurou happened to see this scene through the glass, exchanged a look with Zhang Fan, and walked out: "Mr. Liu, Mrs. Liu, please come in. We can talk in the meeting room."

She muttered to herself—Zhao Lan looked as gentle as a neighbor's aunt, so how could she let Liu Ruyan be mistreated? But then she thought, if there is an overbearing husband at home, a weak-willed mother often can only watch helplessly as her child suffers.

In the meeting room, when Liu Ruyan was called over by Zhou Yurou, she thought her mother had missed her. As soon as she sat down, Zhao Lan quickly pushed the strawberry box toward her, her eyes filled with hidden heartache: "Ruyan, these are the cream strawberries you love most. Mom bought them especially for you."

Seeing the strawberry box in Zhao Lan's hands, a flash of surprise crossed Liu Ruyan's eyes—back when she lived with her foster parents, her foster mother had only bought her a box of cream strawberries once after she got first place on an exam. That was the first time in her life she had ever eaten strawberries, and it was the only sweetness in her childhood.

As soon as she sat on the sofa, Zhao Lan quickly pushed the strawberry box in front of her, her fingertips lightly brushing the back of her hand, her voice as soft as cotton: "Ruyan, these are the cream strawberries you love most. Mom went to the morning market specifically to pick them out, they are still fresh."

Liu Ruyan picked up a strawberry. As soon as the cold flesh touched her lips, the gentleness on Liu Zhengguo's face instantly vanished, and his tone turned as cold as winter ice: "Liu Ruyan, stop eating. Come home with us now."

"Dad?" Liu Ruyan was stunned for a moment. "I haven't finished work yet, and the place I live is close to the company, so there's no need to..."

"What work!" Liu Zhengguo slammed his hand on the table. The strawberry box shook, and several strawberries rolled onto the floor, their red flesh smashed to pieces. "Liu Mengqi's scandal has blown up so big, the engagement with the Lin family is about to fall through, and your brother's company is on the verge of bankruptcy! You must replace Liu Mengqi and marry Lin Zhe to secure the Lin family's 80 million investment! This is your responsibility as the Liu family's biological daughter, and you can't escape it!"

Liu Ruyan's face turned instantly pale: "I won't marry! I have a job, and I don't want to marry someone I don't even know!"

"Whether you want to or not, you will marry!" Liu Zhengguo's voice rose, his eyes cutting into her like knives. "We raised you for so many years; now it's time for you to repay us! Without the Liu family, do you think you could have finished university so peacefully? You would have starved to death on the streets long ago!"

Zhao Lan instinctively wanted to take Liu Ruyan's hand, but after a fierce glare from Liu Zhengguo, her hand froze in mid-air. She could only softly plead: "Ruyan, Mom knows this is unfair to you, but your brother's company... the Liu family really can't hold on much longer. Just think of it as helping Mom, okay?" Her voice was choked with tears, her eyes full of guilt, yet she dared not say another word to contradict Liu Zhengguo.

"Raised me?" Liu Ruyan stood up abruptly, her voice filled with years of suppressed grievance, tears finally welling up in her eyes. "When you found me, I was already in university! In these three years, have you given me a single cent? My tuition was paid for by competition prize money, and my living expenses were earned by working part-time! When you took me to the Liu family, you made me live in the storage room. When Liu Mengqi framed me for stealing, you scolded me without even asking for the truth! Now that the company is going bankrupt, you suddenly remember that I'm your daughter? My life is not a bargaining chip for you to trade!"

These words, like a long-dammed flood, finally poured out. She straightened her back, and even though tears were welling up, she didn't let them fall—she didn't want to show weakness in front of this pair of "parents."

"You ungrateful wretch!" Liu Mingxuan jumped up in anger and reached out to hit her. "How dare you talk to Dad like that! If it weren't for the Liu family giving you the chance to return to your roots, you'd still be working at the bottom, unable to even afford strawberries!"

"Stop!"

The door to the meeting room was flung open, and Zhang Fan rushed in, grabbing Liu Mingxuan's wrist. His fingers were like iron pincers; with a slight application of force, Liu Mingxuan howled in pain, cold sweat instantly soaking through the back of his shirt. "Mr. Liu, you want to hit my employee in my company?"

Zhang Fan shielded Liu Ruyan behind him, his gaze sweeping over Liu Zhengguo and Zhao Lan. His tone was calm but carried an oppressive weight: "Liu Ruyan is an employee of Singularity Technology, a core employee. I have a responsibility to protect my people, regardless of whose daughter she is. She is an adult with full civil capacity and has the right to choose her own marriage and life. Your so-called 'family matter' is essentially forcing her to trade her life for an investment. This isn't a lesson; it's a transaction! And," he paused, looking toward the door, "you can ask the colleagues outside if they are willing to let you take her away."

The meeting room door was pushed open. Wang Chengsi and Gu Jingshen stood at the doorway with a dozen or so employees, each of their gazes filled with hostility. Gu Jingshen shook his phone: "I've already recorded it. If you dare to pressure Ruyan again, I'll release the video and let everyone see how the Liu family forces their own biological daughter to be a substitute bride!"

Looking at the surrounding employees and then at Liu Ruyan's reddened eyes, Zhao Lan's tears finally fell, but she only dared to tug on Liu Zhengguo's sleeve and whisper: "Old Liu, let it be. Ruyan doesn't want to..."

"Let it be what!" Liu Zhengguo shook off her hand, his face livid. "We are taking her today! Liu Ruyan, if you don't come with us, don't ever acknowledge us as your parents again!"

But looking at Liu Mingxuan, whom Zhang Fan still had a grip on, and the hostile gazes of the employees, he ultimately didn't dare to force the issue. "Fine, fine! We're leaving!" He dragged Liu Mingxuan away and pulled the still-crying Zhao Lan along. "But remember this: if the Liu family falls, don't think you'll have it any better!"

The family of three left with their tails between their legs. Watching Zhang Fan's broad back, a warm current suddenly surged in Liu Ruyan's heart—this was the first time she had felt someone protecting her so firmly, shielding her behind them and blocking out all the storms.

"Are you okay?" Zhou Yurou handed her a cup of warm water and gently wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes.

"Thank you, President Zhang, thank you, Sister Zhou, thank you everyone." She sniffled, wiped away her tears, and a faint smile slowly curled at the corners of her mouth. "I'm fine now. Let's go back to work; the Digital Power project is still waiting to be wrapped up."

Wang Chengsi smiled and waved his hand: "The project isn't urgent. You take a break first; I'll keep an eye on the test logs for you."

Gu Jingshen also leaned in and slapped her on the shoulder casually: "Exactly! Once you've rested enough, dinner is on me tonight. Let's go have hotpot to celebrate chasing away that bunch from the Liu family!"

Liu Ruyan nodded and stood up with Zhou Yurou. Her fingertips unconsciously tightened around the cup in her hand, as if it contained not just warm water, but a "warmth" she had found that she could hold onto with peace of mind.