The Ninth Breakup - Chapter 1

Shen Linzhou, who was giving me the silent treatment, posted on his social media.

“A hundred likes and we break up!”

Soon, ninety-nine people had liked it.

I knew Shen Linzhou was waiting for me to go down and coax him, apologize, and win him back, just like the previous three times.

But this time I was truly exhausted. I quietly liked the post, making it exactly 100 likes, fulfilling Shen Linzhou’s wish to break up.

From that day on, I stopped paying attention to Shen Linzhou, and instead, I kept avoiding him.

Ten days later, Shen Linzhou’s friend sent me a message.

“Linzhou has been waiting for you to back down. Tomorrow is his birthday. Buy him a gift and celebrate his birthday, and you two will be back together!”

I simply replied, “No time!”

I really didn’t have time. My flight to Hong Kong was taking off tomorrow.

Shen Linzhou, as you wished, we will never see each other again.

After I discovered that Shen Linzhou indulged Ma Xiaoyu, a financially struggling student sponsored by the Shen family, in changing my college application, I lost my temper with Shen Linzhou.

Shen Linzhou didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. Instead, he thought I was being overdramatic and unreasonable.

“It was just a joke; it’s not like it can’t be changed back. Xiaoyu was in a bad mood that day, and I just wanted to cheer her up.”

“Now that she’s not angry, you can just change it back.”

My voice trembled, indignant at Shen Linzhou’s frivolous and uncaring attitude.

“Just because she’s in a bad mood, she can casually fill out someone else’s college application? Do you know that’s a crime? I have every right to sue her!”

“I already told you, I told her to fill it out, the responsibility is mine! If you want to sue, sue me!”

“It’s such a small thing. You found out, just change it back, right? You’re really so immature! Sun Jiaqi, if you keep being so persistent, I’ll have to reconsider our relationship.”

Shen Linzhou knew I couldn’t leave him. When we argued, he always threatened me with a breakup.

Speaking of it, Shen Linzhou and I were always very harmonious before Ma Xiaoyu appeared.

Since Ma Xiaoyu showed up, Shen Linzhou and I have been constantly arguing because of her.

This was the fourth time Shen Linzhou and I had argued over Ma Xiaoyu. The previous three times, Shen Linzhou chose to threaten me with a breakup.

And I, spineless, had always chosen to back down and endure.

This time was still the same. Shen Linzhou was certain I would back down because I loved him.

After saying this threatening remark to me, he waited for me to give him an out and proactively apologize and reconcile.

But I didn’t back down like the previous three times.

Just now, watching Shen Linzhou impatiently scold me while looking down, smiling, and replying to Ma Xiaoyu’s messages.

I suddenly felt incredibly weary.

I had no desire to apologize and kept a straight face, saying nothing.

Shen Linzhou waited for a while, seeing no sign of me backing down, apologizing, or admitting fault.

He clicked his tongue, stood up with his phone, and left.

I sat quietly alone in the chair, staring blankly at the computer screen.

After sitting for an unknown amount of time, my phone rang, and several voice messages came in.

I clicked on them, and on the other end was Ma Xiaoyu’s sweet voice: “Jiaqi, are you angry because of the joke I made? Why don’t you give her a call and ask her to come over? I’ll apologize to her in person, okay?”

Shen Linzhou’s impatient voice: “No need! If she wants to be angry, let her be. I’m not her dad; I don’t have to keep indulging her!”

“Oh, Linzhou, please don’t talk like that. I’m telling you, girls need to be coaxed. If you do this, Jiaqi might misunderstand and you’ll push her further away.”

“I don’t have time to coax her, whatever! She really thinks highly of herself. If it weren’t for my grandpa forcing me, I wouldn’t care for Sun Jiaqi so much. She’s clingy and cries all the time. I’ve been sick of her for years!”

“That’s true, Sun Jiaqi is made of water; she cries at the slightest thing. I’ve never seen such a dramatic girl.” This was the voice of Shen Linzhou’s friend, Min Hao.

“Exactly, weak and overly dramatic. Every time I mention breaking up, she proactively cries and apologizes, admitting her fault. I’ve been so sick of it all these years! I wish she wouldn’t talk to me. That way, I can get rid of her!”

Min Hao chuckled nearby: “Getting rid of Sun Jiaqi is impossible. She’s a clingy one. I bet if you don’t go home tonight, she’ll come crying to you tomorrow, apologizing and admitting fault.”

“Come on, let’s make a bet! The loser buys dinner!”

Shen Linzhou didn’t come back that night.

And I didn’t bombard him with calls demanding to know his whereabouts like before.

After my parents passed away, Grandpa Shen brought me into the Shen family, and I studied alongside Shen Linzhou.

Shen Linzhou took great care of me. When I was bullied at school, he was always the first to stand up for me.

Shen Linzhou and I were always in the same school from elementary to middle to high school.

I came to the Shen family when I was three, and I had been living with Shen Linzhou for ten years, day in and day out.

Shen Linzhou remembered my menstrual cycle; he would make me brown sugar ginger tea when I had stomach cramps.

He would help me buy sanitary pads. We were inseparable, as close as two people could be.

Because of this, everyone said I was Shen Linzhou’s little child bride, and Shen Linzhou never denied it.

So, in that sense, after ten years of constant companionship, I had already grown accustomed to Shen Linzhou being a part of my life.

I truly couldn’t live without him.

I had always dreamed of my future with Shen Linzhou: we would go to the same university, we would graduate together, and we would get married and have children.

I always thought that nothing could ever come between Shen Linzhou and me.

Unfortunately, our peaceful harmony changed with the arrival of Ma Xiaoyu, the financially struggling student sponsored by the Shen family.

Ma Xiaoyu approached the Shen family in her second year of high school. Her mother was ill and needed medical expenses totaling one million yuan.

Ma Xiaoyu pleaded with the Shen family. She knelt before Grandpa Shen, bowing her head repeatedly, begging him to save her mother.

The Shen family wasn’t lacking one million yuan. Grandpa Shen was a very kind person.

Grandpa Shen agreed to help Ma Xiaoyu, and her mother received treatment.

Seeing Ma Xiaoyu’s pitiful, hardworking, and filial nature, Grandpa Shen even arranged for her to transfer to our school.

He also provided a house for Ma Xiaoyu and her mother to live in for free.

Shen Linzhou and I were very sympathetic to Ma Xiaoyu’s story. We would go to the hospital together to visit her mother.

We would also help Ma Xiaoyu with her studies.

The three of us had always been harmonious until that day.

I went to deliver some chicken soup, stewed by our family’s auntie, to Ma Xiaoyu’s mother. At the door of the hospital room, I overheard a conversation between Ma Xiaoyu and her mother.

Ma Xiaoyu’s mother asked her, “Is your relationship with Young Master Shen progressing?”

“Yes, Shen Linzhou likes me a lot. It’s just that Sun Jiaqi is like a leech stuck to him, and I can’t separate them for a while.”

“Then you need to hurry! The Shen family is the richest in Beicheng. As long as you latch onto Young Master Shen, your chance to change your destiny will come. In the future, we can live in a big villa, drive luxury cars, and never have to live this lowly, poor life again.”

“Mom, don’t worry, I will definitely win over Shen Linzhou!”

I hadn’t expected to hear such a conversation. My astonishment and disbelief caused me to make a sound, and then the mother and daughter discovered me outside the door.

Both their faces flashed with panic.

I felt very uncomfortable.

Knowing that Ma Xiaoyu and her mother might be faking their pitifulness to gain the Shen family’s sympathy, I considered whether or not to tell Shen Linzhou everything.

But before I could say anything to Shen Linzhou, Ma Xiaoyu made her move against me.

She asked to meet me and tearfully explained that it was all her mother’s idea. Her mother was ill and thought she didn’t have much time left, only wanting to find her a good future.

She said it was her mother’s wishful thinking, and she was only reluctantly cooperating to humor her mother.

She even bowed to me, begging me not to tell Shen Linzhou any of this.

I reached out to help her up.

But she grabbed my hand, and we both fell into the park lake.

I could swim and desperately climbed ashore, calling for help, while Ma Xiaoyu, unable to swim, almost drowned. She inhaled too much water and was hospitalized for several days before waking up.

Upon waking, Ma Xiaoyu accused me of pushing her into the river, saying I tried to murder her.

She also claimed I acted out of jealousy because Shen Linzhou helped her.

Of course, I denied Ma Xiaoyu’s accusations. I told Shen Linzhou that Ma Xiaoyu deliberately pulled me into the water.

I thought Shen Linzhou would believe me and take my side, but I was terribly wrong. Shen Linzhou frowned at me:

“Jiaqi, just tell me what happened between us. There’s no need to lie to me!”

“I didn’t, everything I said is true. Ma Xiaoyu deliberately pulled me in.”

“Jiaqi, Ma Xiaoyu can’t swim at all, and you can.”

Shen Linzhou thought that since I could swim and Ma Xiaoyu was a complete novice, Ma Xiaoyu couldn’t possibly risk her life to frame me.

“She knew I would call for help, Shen Linzhou. Ma Xiaoyu and her mother are plotting to seduce you to live a good life…”

I had no choice but to reveal Ma Xiaoyu and her mother’s scheme against Shen Linzhou. Shen Linzhou sighed: “Jiaqi, what can I say? Even if you like me, you shouldn’t slander other girls, right? I really don’t like it when you do that!”

Shen Linzhou didn’t believe a single word of my explanation. He told me that just a few days ago, Ma Xiaoyu had proactively approached him, saying I disliked her.

Then, Ma Xiaoyu’s mother, not wanting to affect her relationship with Grandma and Shen Linzhou, had already proactively approached Grandpa Shen to move out of the house provided by the Shen family.

The mother and daughter had already rented a shabby and small apartment outside.

Grandpa Shen asked Feng Mei why she wanted to leave, and Feng Mei stammered, saying she didn’t want Ma Xiaoyu’s presence to cause misunderstandings between me and Shen Linzhou.

In her words, Feng Mei implied that I was secretly bullying Ma Xiaoyu because of Shen Linzhou.

Ma Xiaoyu and Feng Mei proactively moving out proved their innocence, while my telling of Ma Xiaoyu and Feng Mei’s plan at this moment was interpreted by Shen Linzhou as me being jealous, fabricating things to drive them away.

Shen Linzhou didn’t believe me. In the end, because of Ma Xiaoyu’s self-orchestrated drama, Ma Xiaoyu and Feng Mei, who had moved into a dilapidated house, were moved back to their original house.

Shen Linzhou said this was his compensation to the mother and daughter for the harm I had caused Ma Xiaoyu.

I was utterly unable to defend myself, becoming an unsympathetic figure in this incident.

I hadn’t expected to be manipulated by Ma Xiaoyu and Feng Mei. I was unwilling and tried everything to prove myself, to show that Ma Xiaoyu was two-faced.

But Ma Xiaoyu and her mother were too cunning. Not only did I fail to prove their ulterior motives, but I was also calculated against again and again.

Ma Xiaoyu claimed I was behind it when she was bullied and locked in the restroom.

She accused me of giving her milk with laxatives when she had diarrhea during an exam.

I, being naive, couldn’t contend with Ma Xiaoyu, that scheming b***h.

Her malicious tricks were endless, and no matter what I said, Shen Linzhou wouldn’t believe me.

Later, Ma Xiaoyu deliberately stole my parents’ ashes, tore them up to provoke me into slapping her, so that Shen Linzhou would witness it firsthand and conclude that I had truly been bullying her all along.

Shen Linzhou was utterly disappointed in me. Because of Ma Xiaoyu, he repeatedly suggested breaking up.

And I, time and again, humbly sought reconciliation, trying to find flaws in Ma Xiaoyu.

Ma Xiaoyu’s cunning was truly too advanced; I couldn’t possibly win against her.

She learned about my college agreement with Shen Linzhou and even had the audacity to plan to destroy my exam admission ticket.

She followed Shen Linzhou home, secretly entered my room, stole my admission ticket, and destroyed it.

Fortunately, I discovered it later and managed to get a replacement in time, preventing a major disaster.

Ma Xiaoyu was despicable and shameless, resorting to countless underhanded tactics against me in private, but on the surface, she was the best at pretending.

She would frequently shed pitiful tears, bringing up her tragic background, her sickly, hardworking mother who even scavenged for garbage.

I don’t know if Shen Linzhou fell for her and started a new relationship, or if he just felt sorry for her.

All I knew was that Shen Linzhou hurt me again and again for Ma Xiaoyu, and I humbly and repeatedly swallowed my pride to win him back.

I genuinely couldn’t bear to give up my relationship with Shen Linzhou.

And I also genuinely wanted Shen Linzhou to see the true face of Ma Xiaoyu, that despicable, shameless green tea b***h.

Unfortunately, my efforts never succeeded; instead, they pushed Shen Linzhou further and further away.

Ten years of Shen Linzhou’s care and affection for me, he had already become an indispensable part of my life.

Cutting him off would cause me immense pain, so when Shen Linzhou frowned at me, proposed a breakup for Ma Xiaoyu, I chose to concede and apologize again and again.

But this time, hearing Shen Linzhou’s impatience and indifference in Ma Xiaoyu’s voice messages.

I finally realized how ridiculous my humility was.

It turned out that Shen Linzhou didn’t believe me not because of Ma Xiaoyu’s clever tactics, but because Shen Linzhou had actually started to get tired of me deep down.

He stood on the opposite side of me all along to get rid of me.

In that case, Shen Linzhou, as you wish, I will not back down and reconcile this time!

And the college application you had Ma Xiaoyu help me change, I won’t change it back!

I didn’t change my college application back to the university Shen Linzhou and I were supposed to attend together. Instead, I called the Hong Kong teacher who had extended an olive branch to me.

“Teacher, I’ve thought it through. I accept your invitation to study in Hong Kong!”

The teacher was very pleased: “That’s right. Your situation is special, so we’ll open a green channel for you and provide a generous scholarship. This way, you won’t have to worry about tuition fees for your studies.”

After changing my application to Hong Kong, I finally felt at ease and lay down to sleep.

That night, I slept very soundly.

I didn’t worry about Shen Linzhou staying out all night, nor did I call him to ask about his whereabouts.

The next morning, I scrolled through Ma Xiaoyu’s social media.

“Young Master was drunk, so I took care of him all night! I’m so exhausted!”

The accompanying picture showed Shen Linzhou lying naked and sound asleep on Ma Xiaoyu’s bed in the room she shared with her mother.

Shen Linzhou actually went to Ma Xiaoyu’s house and stayed there all night, even sleeping on her bed.

It hurt a little, but it was much better than before.

I got up, washed, changed, and went out.

Returning with large and small bags, I pushed open the door and heard Ma Xiaayu’s sweet laughter.

In the living room, Ma Xiaoyu and Shen Linzhou sat side-by-side on the sofa, looking at something on a tablet.

Hearing the sound, both turned their heads. Shen Linzhou glanced at me and coldly looked away.

Ma Xiaoyu, however, stood up and came over: “Jiaqi, you’re back? You bought so many things! Let me help you?”

Ma Xiaoyu said, reaching out to help me with the bags. I avoided her touch.

She fell to the floor with a thud, like she had no bones. Shen Linzhou suddenly stood up and rushed over. He helped Ma Xiaoyu up from the ground and glared at me:

“Sun Jiaqi, what kind of fit are you throwing now? Why did you push Xiaoyu?”

“I didn’t!”

“Still denying it! If you didn’t push Xiaoyu, how did she fall?”

“Isn’t it just because I took Xiaoyu out to relax last night? Isn’t it just because I got drunk and stayed over at Xiaoyu’s house? If you’re angry, take it out on me, what’s with taking it out on Xiaoyu?”

“I didn’t even touch Ma Xiaoyu’s hand, and she fell! If you don’t believe me, you can check the surveillance.”

Hearing me suggest checking surveillance to prove my innocence, Ma Xiaoyu, who had been tearfully silent, finally spoke.

“It’s not Jiaqi’s fault. My foot just slipped. It hurts so much!”

Shen Linzhou’s expression stiffened, realizing he had wrongly accused me. However, he didn’t apologize. Instead, he helped Ma Xiaoyu, his face full of concern, “You scraped your hand. I’ll put medicine on it for you.”

I looked at the triumphant provocation in Ma Xiaoyu’s eyes, withdrew my gaze, and went upstairs.

Ma Xiaoyu probably thought I would be furious, cry, and throw a hysterical tantrum.

That was the old Sun Jiaqi. After hearing Ma Xiaoyu’s recording last night and seeing Shen Linzhou lying naked on Ma Xiaoyu’s bed, I would never do such a foolish thing again.

I didn’t go downstairs again and stayed quietly in my room.

It wasn’t until dinner time that the auntie came upstairs to call me.

Ma Xiaoyu hadn’t left and was helping the auntie carry dishes out.

As she walked past me, carrying a bowl of scalding hot soup, I instinctively stood up and moved aside.

Ma Xiaoyu had already anticipated my movement. As I stood up, I collided squarely with her.

Ma Xiaoyu’s screams were deafening, and a large portion of the scalding hot soup spilled onto her.

She cried, her tears falling like rain: “Jiaqi, I was just kindly bringing you soup, how could you…”

Ma Xiaoyu had learned her lesson. After failing to frame me for pushing her in the living room, she now manufactured a physical contact incident.

I was unable to defend myself.

Shen Linzhou looked at me with a disappointed expression. He pushed me aside and busied himself with treating Ma Xiaoyu’s scalds.

He was busy comforting Ma Xiaoyu, not once looking at me.

He didn’t notice that not all the soup had spilled on Ma Xiaoyu; I also suffered some scalds.

He didn’t notice that he had roughly pushed me, causing me to fall to the ground, scraping my knees and back.

The scraped areas and scalds burned, but the pain in my heart was far worse.

Finally, Shen Linzhou came out, holding Ma Xiaoyu, whose scalds were bandaged. He coldly ordered me, “Apologize!”

I looked up and met his gaze. Ten years of living together, ten years of constant companionship, and I couldn’t see a shred of tenderness or affection in Shen Linzhou’s eyes.

There was only disgust and indifference.

He warned me, syllable by syllable: “Xiaoyu is generous enough not to quibble with you. This time, just apologize, and this matter will be over!”

“What if I say no?”

“Sun Jiaqi, are you challenging my bottom line?” Shen Linzhou’s voice hardened.

“If you don’t want to break up with me, you’d better apologize obediently!”

He once said we would never separate, but now he was using a breakup as a bargaining chip for someone else.

Shen Linzhou was too certain that I couldn’t leave him.

He was sure I would back down and apologize.

But this time, he was terribly mistaken.

I gazed into his eyes and, very slowly, syllable by syllable, said, “I will not apologize! Do as you please!”

Shen Linzhou left angrily with Ma Xiaoyu.

I followed suit and left. The scrapes on my arm and back, along with the scalds, hurt a lot.

I took a taxi to the hospital. The doctor treated my scalds, applied medicine, prescribed more, and gave me instructions.

On the way back, I received a call from my good friend: “Jiaqi, did you and Shen Linzhou argue again? He’s now taking Ma Xiaoyu and a bunch of his friends to the resort. They’re preparing to set off fireworks there to please Ma Xiaoyu.”

“Oh, and Shen Linzhou also posted on his social media. Did you see it? A hundred likes and he’ll break up with you! It’s already at 99 likes!”

I opened Shen Linzhou’s social media and indeed saw that striking breakup declaration.

“Want to break up! A hundred likes and we’re done! If not, I’m a b******!”

Below it, there were already ninety-nine likes.

Scrolling further up, I could see three identical posts from Shen Linzhou.

All of them stated “a hundred likes and we break up.” The previous three times Shen Linzhou posted such things, I was terrified.

I would immediately call him, crying, begging for reconciliation.

I would apologize, admit my mistakes, and plead with no dignity, begging Shen Linzhou not to break up with me.

This time, after seeing the post, I didn’t panic and call Shen Linzhou to reconcile like the previous three times.

Instead, I stared closely at the image accompanying Shen Linzhou’s post.

The image was of a resort plaza, with brilliant fireworks lighting up the sky. A group of vibrant young men and women stood together, looking up at the sky.

Shen Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu stood in the center, their hands tightly clasped. The fireworks were dazzling and exquisitely beautiful.

My eyes welled up slightly, and I recalled Shen Linzhou’s solemn promise to me.

“Jiaqi, after we finish our exams, I’ll set off a fireworks display of love for you to declare our relationship!”

Shen Linzhou had given this fireworks display of love to Ma Xiaoyu early.

I stared at the post for a long time, then raised my hand and tapped the “Like” button below.

The breakup post finally reached a perfect hundred likes. Shen Linzhou and I would have no future together; we were parting ways.

I took a screenshot and exited.

I wasn’t very sad; in fact, I felt a little relieved.

Back at the Shen family home, I spent most of the night tidying things in my room, packing all the gifts Shen Linzhou had given me into boxes.

These gifts were all from Shen Linzhou over the past ten years, filling several boxes.

Since we had broken up, it wasn’t appropriate for me to keep these gifts.

Before I left, I planned to return all these gifts to Shen Linzhou.

After Shen Linzhou posted that breakup message, he waited for Sun Jiaqi to call and reconcile.

But his phone never rang. Could it be that Sun Jiaqi hadn’t seen the post?

He irritably opened his social media, only to see that the latest like count had already reached a hundred.

And the newest like was from Sun Jiaqi herself.

How dare she?

A surge of anger welled up in Shen Linzhou’s heart; he felt like he was about to explode!

At that moment, Ma Xiaoyu’s soft voice came from beside him: “Oh, Jiaqi is angry! She actually liked Linzhou’s breakup post?”

A bunch of his friends immediately checked the social media post. Exactly a hundred likes, no more, no less, and the last like was from Sun Jiaqi.

Everyone exchanged glances, looking at Shen Linzhou’s darkened face. Someone immediately unliked the post.

The number of likes instantly dropped by half from 100. Shen Linzhou, however, felt a surge of anger stuck in his chest, unable to go up or down, making him incredibly uncomfortable.

Sun Jiaqi, how dare she!

She really disappointed him!

He had already given her an out. If she had just followed it and called him to reconcile, like the previous three times, everything would have been over.

He could overlook her scalding Ma Xiaoyu. He would even have had her come over and set off an even more spectacular fireworks display for Sun Jiaqi there.

After all, he remembered his promise to Sun Jiaqi: he was going to put on an unparalleled proposal fireworks show for her after graduation.

Now, Sun Jiaqi wasn’t taking the hint; instead, she liked the post, challenging him. Did she really want to break up?

She was an orphan who had lived in his house for ten years. If they broke up, where would she go?

Shen Linzhou was absolutely sure Sun Jiaqi wouldn’t break up with him. Her actions were just challenging his dignity.

If he didn’t teach Sun Jiaqi a lesson, she wouldn’t behave.

Shen Linzhou decided to give Sun Jiaqi the cold shoulder for a while longer, to give her a chance to realize her mistake!

Shen Linzhou didn’t return that night, and he continued not to return for the next few days.

He went traveling with Ma Xiaoyu. Ma Xiaoyu’s social media posted dozens of times a day.

All of them were photos of her and Shen Linzhou traveling outside.

They walked through ancient streets together, climbed mountains together, and sought peace and made wishes at the stone temple on the mountaintop.

They wandered through the night market with fireworks, sharing a single cup of milk tea.

Shen Linzhou even went bungee jumping with Ma Xiaoyu.

He held Ma Xiaoyu, and they both leaped from the high platform, their hands tightly intertwined.

Ma Xiaoyu captioned it: “This moment of heartbeat is only for you!”

I liked it: “Congratulations!”

Within seconds of my like, all of Ma Xiaoyu’s show-off posts disappeared.

And my phone rang. It was Shen Linzhou’s friend Min Hao: “Jiaqi, Linzhou is coming back tomorrow. Are you going to pick him up?”

“Pick him up for what? We’ve already broken up.”

“No… are you serious? Don’t be stubborn. We all know you’ve been having a tough time recently. Linzhou still has feelings for you. Tomorrow is his birthday; just take the initiative, humble yourself, and this matter will be over, and everyone will be happy.”

I didn’t understand what was so “happy for everyone” about it. My breakup with Shen Linzhou was his initiative.

I was just going along with his wishes.

A breakup is a breakup. Shen Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu have already been on such affectionate trips; it would definitely be inappropriate for me, his ex, to appear at his birthday.

Moreover, I had already bought my plane ticket to Hong Kong; I was leaving tomorrow.

I didn’t have time to celebrate Shen Linzhou’s birthday.

But everyone seemed to take my clingy behavior for granted. Shen Linzhou’s friend didn’t even give me a chance to explain before hanging up.

The next day at noon, I picked up my luggage and left the Shen family home, where I had lived for ten years, heading to the airport.

After checking in my luggage, I went to process my boarding pass, unexpectedly encountering Min Hao.

Seeing me, Min Hao immediately came over: “Jiaqi, you’re here to pick up Linzhou, right? He’ll be out soon!” Min Hao said, dialing Shen Linzhou’s number: “Linzhou, Jiaqi is here to pick you up!”

I was utterly speechless and bypassed Min Hao, walking straight to the check-in counter.

I didn’t care what Min Hao and Shen Linzhou were saying, as I was about to leave this place.

Everything about them no longer concerned me.

As soon as Shen Linzhou got off the plane, he received a call from his best friend Min Hao, who said that Sun Jiaqi had come to the airport to pick him up.

Hearing this news, the gloomy expression on his face instantly brightened.

Shen Linzhou turned to look at Ma Xiaoyu, who was closely following him: “You go through that channel. Don’t come out with me, so Jiaqi won’t misunderstand.”

A hint of displeasure flashed in Ma Xiaoyu’s eyes, but she obediently agreed.

Shen Linzhou then called Min Hao, asking him to immediately arrange roses to give to Sun Jiaqi.

It had been so many days, and he and Sun Jiaqi had been in a cold war.

They hadn’t spoken a word. During this time, he had been waiting for Sun Jiaqi to call him proactively.

But Sun Jiaqi never called.

This was too unusual!

Shen Linzhou inexplicably began to panic. He deliberately took those intimate photos with Ma Xiaoyu and deliberately had Ma Xiaoyu post them on her social media, wanting Sun Jiaqi to see them and get angry, jealous, and call him to cause a scene.

Unfortunately, when the photos of him and Ma Xiaoyu bungee jumping were posted, Sun Jiaqi, who had never shown any reaction, commented below, congratulating them.

Shen Linzhou was furious. He had Ma Xiaoyu delete all her previous social media posts.

He no longer had the heart to travel with Ma Xiaoyu to provoke Sun Jiaqi. Instead, he bought a ticket for the next day, asked Min Hao to call Sun Jiaqi to remind her about his birthday, and asked Sun Jiaqi to pick him up.

Sitting on the return flight, Shen Linzhou felt uneasy. He had a feeling that something had slipped out of his control.

It wasn’t until he got off the plane and received Min Hao’s call that the worry in his heart finally subsided.

The past few days without Sun Jiaqi had been so difficult. He swore that this would be the last time, and he would never treat Sun Jiaqi like this again.

After Shen Linzhou exited the VIP channel and received the expensive roses Min Hao had prepared, he anxiously began searching for Sun Jiaqi.

But he couldn’t find any trace of Sun Jiaqi. Shen Linzhou dialed Sun Jiaqi’s number.

It kept showing as busy.

Who was she talking to?

Shen Linzhou frowned. Could she be preparing a gift for him?

Today was his birthday, and every year on his birthday, Sun Jiaqi would meticulously prepare a gift.

After such a long cold war, today was the perfect opportunity. Sun Jiaqi must have prepared a big surprise for him.

But time passed minute by minute, and Sun Jiaqi didn’t appear, nor did any surprise.

When he tried calling her again, the call went straight to voicemail.

Shen Linzhou’s patience wore thin. Frustration and annoyance made him glare menacingly at Min Hao: “Where is she? Didn’t you say she was coming to pick me up?”

Min Hao rubbed his head, also bewildered: “I saw her. I called you after I saw her. When I finished the call and looked back, she was gone.”

Shen Linzhou was extremely agitated. Since he couldn’t get through on the phone, he had to send a message: “I know you came to pick me up. Stop hiding, come out quickly!”

The message disappeared into the void. Behind him, a pitiful, sobbing voice echoed: “Linzhou! I saw Jiaqi!”

Shen Linzhou turned his head in surprise, and immediately saw Ma Xiaoyu standing behind him, her face bearing five clear finger marks, and several bloody scratches on her hands, her eyes brimming with tears.

He had no time to care about Ma Xiaoyu’s disarray: “You saw Jiaqi? Where is she?”

“She’s over there. She seems to still be angry with us. When I saw her and proactively spoke to her, she not only cursed at me but also slapped me several times and insulted you as shameless.”

Ma Xiaoyu said, taking out her phone and playing a recording. Sun Jiaqi’s voice clearly came through:

“Don’t talk to me about trash. Trash should be recycled by the trash can. You two pieces of trash, just lock yourselves up and don’t come out to harm others!”

Hearing Sun Jiaqi’s words, Shen Linzhou’s forehead veins throbbed, and he said, word by word: “Where is she now?”

“I don’t know! She cursed at me, scratched and bit me, and slapped me, then she just left. I don’t know where she went.”

Sun Jiaqi’s voice on Ma Xiaoyu’s phone continued:

“I’m a clean freak; I detest dirty things the most. Since Shen Linzhou has already rolled into bed with you, just lock yourselves up, get married on the spot, and don’t disgust me!”

Shen Linzhou’s forehead veins throbbed. He threw the roses in his hand to the ground, stomped on them several times in a fit of rage, and stormed out of the airport.

I never thought I’d run into that disgusting Ma Xiaoyu again as I was leaving.

She deliberately blocked me, provoking me: “Sun Jiaqi, you’re really shameless. You’ve clearly broken up with Linzhou, yet you’re thick-skinned enough to come back for him.”

I was utterly speechless: “Which eye did you use to see me coming back for him?”

“If you’re not coming back for him, what are you doing at the airport? Still stubborn, huh? Do you know, everyone is betting on how limitless you can be? After all, Linzhou posted that breakup on his social media, and it already has a hundred likes. Yet you’re still shamelessly pestering him. You’re the most shameless person I’ve ever met.”

“I’m telling you, Linzhou and I have been together every day recently. We eat together, sleep together, inseparable. Linzhou said he has no feelings for you at all and only admitted to you because he was forced…”

Hearing Ma Xiaoyu’s words, anger welled up inside me, and I retorted a few times.

She then gave a sinister laugh: “Don’t you believe me? Do you know why Linzhou didn’t stand by you and support you when I deliberately framed and wronged you before? It’s not that he didn’t want to stand by you, it’s because he had to make a choice. Even though you grew up with him, he loves me more now!”

Ma Xiaoyu even gloated about those past incidents where she framed me, and she said my parents deserved to die young, and that if my parents hadn’t died young, I wouldn’t have even been qualified to approach Shen Linzhou.

Rage surged within me, and I slapped her, telling her to get married and registered with Shen Linzhou on the spot, and then I left.

After several hours of flying, the plane landed at Hong Kong Airport.

My senior sister, who picked me up at the airport, took me to the school and helped me settle in, then suggested we have dinner together.

My senior sister was from Hong Kong, spoke very standard Mandarin, and was very easy to get along with.

Being new to the city, I also wanted to get familiar with the environment, so I agreed to her dinner invitation.

My senior sister and I had dinner and then walked around the neighborhood for a while before she dropped me back at school.

I returned to my dorm to get ready for bed when my phone rang.

It was Min Hao, Shen Linzhou’s best friend. I ignored it.

Min Hao persistently kept calling, and I impatiently answered, “What do you want?”

“Jiaqi, come over now! Linzhou’s birthday is waiting for you!”

“Shen Linzhou and I have already broken up. Why would I, his ex, need to celebrate his birthday?”

Min Hao was so surprised he stammered: “That… that… when did you two break up? Didn’t Linzhou say you’d only break up after a hundred likes? His social media post doesn’t have a hundred likes yet.”

“Who says it doesn’t have a hundred? I have a screenshot here.” My tone was very impatient.

“Exes should be like the dead, never interacting again. I hope you never call me about Shen Linzhou’s matters again. I don’t care.”

Before hanging up, I seemed to hear a heavy gasp from the phone, followed by a loud crash.

It sounded like something had shattered.

What did it have to do with me? I put down my phone and went to the bathroom to wash up.

After washing up, I found that my phone had received a video from Min Hao.

Shen Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu, dressed in evening gowns, were surrounded by a group of people, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes.

Cheers echoed through the entire room: “Kiss! Kiss!”

Min Hao quickly followed the video with a text message: “Jiaqi, if you don’t come now, Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu might just kiss!”

Shen Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu were already sleeping together, so wouldn’t kissing be a normal thing?

I ignored Min Hao’s message. To avoid being disturbed, I turned off my phone and went to sleep.

Shen Linzhou’s birthday party was grand, held at Beicheng’s most famous club.

All attendees were Shen Linzhou’s friends, and each brought a gift for him.

Shen Linzhou sat on the sofa, his expression not as happy as expected.

He wasn’t interested in the gifts from his friends and even seemed bored when socializing.

Sitting beside Shen Linzhou was Ma Xiaoyu, dressed in a small evening gown, looking exquisite.

Ma Xiaoyu kept trying to talk to Shen Linzhou in a sweet voice to capture his attention.

But Shen Linzhou was very cold towards her, his gaze constantly fixed on the door of the private room, filled with anticipation.

Ma Xiaoyu felt a burning anger inside. Others might not know Shen Linzhou’s thoughts, but how could she not?

Shen Linzhou was clearly waiting for Sun Jiaqi to come and celebrate his birthday.

She had already deliberately clipped Sun Jiaqi’s recorded words and played them for Shen Linzhou. A proud person like Shen Linzhou should, in theory, no longer have any expectations for Sun Jiaqi, yet he was still distracted, still looking forward to Sun Jiaqi’s arrival.

She hoped Sun Jiaqi wouldn’t come.

Ma Xiaoyu prayed in her heart, and perhaps her prayers worked, because Sun Jiaqi, who was supposedly madly in love with Shen Linzhou, never showed up.

Time passed by, minute by minute. Shen Linzhou checked his watch countless times, and finally, after sitting idly for four hours, he spoke in a deep voice: “Start!”

“Jiaqi isn’t here. Why don’t we give her a call and ask? After all, she’s never missed your birthday,” Min Hao, Shen Linzhou’s best friend, reminded him.

Shen Linzhou tacitly agreed to Min Hao’s suggestion. Min Hao immediately dialed Sun Jiaqi’s number.

The phone rang several times before it was finally answered. Sun Jiaqi’s cold conversation with Min Hao was clearly heard by everyone in the room.

Sun Jiaqi said that she and Shen Linzhou had already broken up and would be strangers for the rest of their lives.

Ma Xiaoyu was ecstatic upon hearing this. Shen Linzhou furiously kicked over the expensive red wine bottle that spelled “Happy Birthday” in the room.

Millions of yuan worth of red wine spilled onto the carpet. The club manager immediately changed the venue, and the birthday party continued as usual.

However, Shen Linzhou, the protagonist, showed no enthusiasm. Finally, Min Hao suggested playing truth or dare, where the loser would kiss a person of the opposite gender in the room.

Shen Linzhou predictably lost. Min Hao told Shen Linzhou to pick someone to kiss, even pushing Ma Xiaoyu toward Shen Linzhou, telling them to pose, while he started recording a video.

Ma Xiaoyu clearly saw that Min Hao sent the video to Sun Jiaqi after filming it.

Everyone waited for Sun Jiaqi to rush over and stop them, but after half an hour, there was no reaction.

Min Hao called, but Sun Jiaqi’s phone was turned off.

Shen Linzhou didn’t kiss Ma Xiaoyu. Instead, he drank one cup of depressing alcohol after another.

Finally, Shen Linzhou passed out drunk and was taken to a room upstairs in the club to rest.

Ma Xiaoyu didn’t leave. Instead, she stayed, feigning concern for the drunken Shen Linzhou and claiming she wanted to take care of him.

Once only the drunk Shen Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu remained in the room.

She took out a small spray bottle from her bag and sprayed it a few times at the sleeping Shen Linzhou.

This was something Ma Xiaoyu’s mother, Feng Mei, had spent a fortune to get for Ma Xiaoyu.

It was said that this substance, when inhaled, could make a person highly aroused.

Ma Xiaoyu nervously watched Shen Linzhou. Within a few minutes, Shen Linzhou opened his eyes and pounced on Ma Xiaoyu.

Ma Xiaoyu cried and begged for mercy.

Shen Linzhou didn’t stop. Finally, she somewhat reluctantly rolled onto the large bed in the room with Shen Linzhou.

Shen Linzhou woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and a confused mind.

He stared at the ceiling for a while before he noticed something was off beside him. He turned his head and saw Ma Xiaoyu, stark naked.

Shen Linzhou almost sprang up into a sitting position, “What are you doing here?”

Ma Xiaoyu, lying beside Shen Linzhou with her eyes closed, heard Shen Linzhou’s question and opened her eyes blankly.

When her gaze met Shen Linzhou’s angry eyes, Ma Xiaoyu immediately teared up: “Last night… you… you drank too much… you forced me despite my resistance… I… boo hoo…”

Ma Xiaoyu squeezed out a few tears, trying to make Shen Linzhou believe she was forced, but unfortunately, her explanation wasn’t fully articulated before he lashed out.

Shen Linzhou raised his hand and slapped her across the face: “Bh! Are you fing scheming against me?”

One side of Ma Xiaoyu’s face instantly swelled up like a bun from the direct hit.

This was not the scenario Ma Xiaoyu had rehearsed beforehand.

Ma Xiaoyu had imagined Shen Linzhou’s reaction upon seeing her in bed with him.

He would definitely be very angry and furious!

Shen Linzhou would certainly think it was due to his drunken antics.

So, she had to portray herself as a victim, to make Shen Linzhou believe she was innocent, and that Shen Linzhou had forced her while drunk.

Therefore, she began to act according to her mother’s instructions. She expected Shen Linzhou to ask for details, but she never imagined Shen Linzhou wouldn’t ask anything and would just slap her directly.

Not only did Shen Linzhou slap Ma Xiaoyu hard, but he also grabbed Ma Xiaoyu’s hair, “Tell me, did you f***ing use some shameless trick on me?”

Ma Xiaoyu shook her head like a rattle: “No… no…”

“No? Why don’t you look in a f***ing mirror? With a face like that, how could I possibly sleep with you?”

Shen Linzhou was truly enraged!

He and Sun Jiaqi had promised each other that their first time would belong only to each other.

That’s why he had controlled himself all this time, no matter how much Ma Xiaoyu flirted and tempted him.

He could see Ma Xiaoyu’s feelings for him, and he enjoyed Ma Xiaoyu’s gentle and considerate care, like a servant at his beck and call.

He even thought that when he and Sun Jiaqi were together, if Ma Xiaoyu still idolized and loved him, he wouldn’t mind giving Ma Xiaoyu a little taste of sweetness. After all, men generally enjoy being admired and loved by women.

He had never imagined that his first time would be with Ma Xiaoyu.

Shen Linzhou couldn’t accept that his first time was with someone like Ma Xiaoyu.

What kind of beautiful women hadn’t Shen Linzhou seen? Why should he be defiled by trash like Ma Xiaoyu?

Shen Linzhou felt disgusted, sickened.

He couldn’t believe he would voluntarily sleep with someone like Ma Xiaoyu. There was only one possibility: Ma Xiaoyu had used some unspeakable means against him.

Shen Linzhou was too angry!

Ma Xiaoyu could worship him, like him, even love him.

But in Shen Linzhou’s heart, she was nothing more than a maid, a kind of bed warmer from the past.

Only if he willed it could he have physical intimacy with Ma Xiaoyu. If he didn’t, Ma Xiaoyu’s actions were a crime.

This was truly disgusting and made him feel terrible!

Shen Linzhou couldn’t accept this outcome. He punched and kicked Ma Xiaoyu, demanding to know if she had used tricks on him.

Poor Ma Xiaoyu, after offering herself to Shen Linzhou last night, was abused by him and was in pain all over.

She woke up still expecting to feign weakness and have Shen Linzhou dote on her as before.

She never dreamed she would be beaten, and so violently.

She immediately cried out for her mother, begging non-stop for Shen Linzhou to let her go, but Shen Linzhou had no intention of stopping.

Shen Linzhou was truly too angry!

Sleeping with Ma Xiaoyu was, for Shen Linzhou, like a beautiful young lady being defiled by a filthy, low-class criminal—it utterly disgusted him.

How dared this lowly Ma Xiaoyu scheme against him?

Why didn’t she look in the mirror? What was she anyway? Was she even worthy?

At this point, he finally understood what Sun Jiaqi had said to him back then.

Ma Xiaoyu and her mother were both despicable, with ulterior motives.

He had initially believed Ma Xiaoyu and Feng Mei’s one-sided story, thinking Sun Jiaqi was simply jealous, narrow-minded, and couldn’t tolerate others.

Now that the needle had pricked him, Shen Linzhou finally sobered up.

Thinking that he had actually been in a cold war with Sun Jiaqi because of this fraud Ma Xiaoyu, and that he had used this fraud Ma Xiaoyu to provoke Sun Jiaqi.

Shen Linzhou wished he could slap himself several times.

Of course, he wouldn’t hit himself, so he vented all his anger on Ma Xiaoyu.

Fists rained down on Ma Xiaoyu’s body, and he also kicked her.

Ma Xiaoyu was dragged off the bed by her hair and brutally beaten. At first, she cried out that she was innocent, but later, realizing that her pleas were useless, she could only beg Shen Linzhou to let her go.

Shen Linzhou, of course, did not let go until Ma Xiaoyu was bleeding from her nose and mouth. Only then did he stop.

This matter was not over. Shen Linzhou furiously called Min Hao: “That b***h Ma Xiaoyu schemed against me! She actually dared to scheme against me! She’s driving me mad!”

Min Hao woke up startled from his sleep and gasped when he heard that Shen Linzhou and Ma Xiaoyu had slept together.

“How could this happen? What do we do now?”

“This matter must never reach Jiaqi. If Jiaqi finds out that Ma Xiaoyu and I slept together, she will never forgive me! We must keep this absolutely quiet!”

After Shen Linzhou finished speaking, his gaze fell on Ma Xiaoyu, who lay on the floor like a pile of mud: “If this gets to Jiaqi’s ears, both you and your mother will die!”

Ma Xiaoyu shivered, nodding frantically: “Don’t worry, I won’t reveal anything! Never, even if I die!”

Shen Linzhou saw Ma Xiaoyu’s naked, disgusting form, spat, and strode away.

Shen Linzhou left the hotel and immediately called his family bodyguards: “Investigate! Arrange for people to immediately investigate what this b***h Ma Xiaoyu has been doing behind my back. Don’t just investigate her, but her mother too!”

Shen Linzhou felt an inexplicable panic. He was now certain that Ma Xiaoyu sleeping with him had an ulterior motive.

She meticulously got into his bed, certainly not out of gratitude or a desire to sacrifice herself.

She definitely had another agenda.

Shen Linzhou was certain he would not marry Ma Xiaoyu. To prevent Ma Xiaoyu from taking drastic measures, he had to get rid of Ma Xiaoyu and nip any potential problems in the bud.

Sending Ma Xiaoyu and her mother away would cost some money. What Shen Linzhou was most worried about now was Sun Jiaqi finding out about him and Ma Xiaoyu.

He had to stabilize Sun Jiaqi. Shen Linzhou frantically rushed home.

The auntie was cleaning the house, and he didn’t see Sun Jiaqi.

He thought Sun Jiaqi must be sleeping in her room and asked the auntie: “Is Jiaqi not up yet?”

The auntie paused: “Miss Jiaqi isn’t home, young master?”

“Not home? Where did she go? To a friend’s house?”

“No, Miss Jiaqi went to study. Didn’t you know, Young Master?”

“Study? How is that possible? School hasn’t even started enrolling yet.”

“I don’t know that, I just know Miss Jiaqi left with her luggage yesterday.” The auntie’s words made Shen Linzhou’s heart race even faster.

He pressed the auntie for more information, but the auntie didn’t know where Sun Jiaqi went to study.

She only knew that Sun Jiaqi packed several large suitcases, said she was going to study, and also said she wouldn’t be coming back again.

Shen Linzhou couldn’t get any more information. He ran upstairs and pushed open Sun Jiaqi’s room door.

The room was clean and tidy, with several large boxes in the center.

He quickly walked over and saw a piece of paper on top of the boxes: “Shen Linzhou, these are all the gifts you gave me. I’m returning them to you!”

He picked up the paper, looking at Sun Jiaqi’s familiar handwriting. He recognized every word but couldn’t understand what Sun Jiaqi meant.

She had packed up all the gifts he had given her over the past ten years and returned them to him. What on earth was she trying to do?

Shen Linzhou couldn’t figure out the reason, or perhaps he had already guessed but didn’t want to admit it.

He trembling dialed Sun Jiaqi’s number, but the phone was busy.

After several consecutive attempts, Shen Linzhou finally realized it belatedly.

The call might not be going through because Sun Jiaqi had blocked him.

He hurried downstairs, asked the auntie for her phone, and dialed. This time, the call connected.

Sun Jiaqi’s gentle voice sounded: “Auntie, is something wrong?”

“It’s me. Where are you now?”

Hearing Shen Linzhou’s voice, I frowned slightly: “Shen Linzhou, we’ve already broken up. My whereabouts have nothing to do with you, do they?”

Shen Linzhou actually retorted, “Who said we broke up? I don’t agree.”

“Shen Linzhou, are you going back on your word? You yourself posted on your social media that a hundred likes meant a default breakup. I’ve already screenshotted it, everyone should be well aware, right? Besides, you’ve been living with Ma Xiaoyu all this time, doesn’t that explain the facts?”

“Jiaqi, Ma Xiaoyu and I are nothing; I just…”

“You don’t need to explain anything about you and Ma Xiaoyu to me. I said, we’ve already broken up, and your business has nothing to do with me.”

“Jiaqi, after so many years of our relationship, how can you be so heartless?”

I didn’t quite understand what Shen Linzhou meant. We had implicitly broken up for so long; had he lost his mind?

He actually came to question me.

I was very impatient. I didn’t think there was anything I needed to say to Shen Linzhou.

After he treated our agreement as a joke, as something to amuse Ma Xiaoyu, what right did he have to ask me?

No one forced him to seek out Ma Xiaoyu. No one forced him to make things difficult for me, bully me, or scold me because of Ma Xiaoyu, right?

When he pushed me down for Ma Xiaoyu, when he posted that social media message about breaking up with me for Ma Xiaoyu, when he set off fireworks all over the city for Ma Xiaoyu, when he took Ma Xiaoyu traveling everywhere, did he really believe I would wait for him to come back without any self-respect?

He thought too highly of himself and too little of my self-respect.

“Shen Linzhou, the path is your own choice. Since you’re already with Ma Xiaoyu, then stay with her.”

“I didn’t!”

“You didn’t have a relationship with Ma Xiaoyu?” I asked indifferently.

Shen Linzhou fell silent. Before last night, he could confidently answer that he hadn’t.

But now, he felt inexplicably guilty.

Shen Linzhou’s hesitation made me scoff: “Shen Linzhou, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. You make me despise you immensely.”

Shen Linzhou’s voice trembled: “Where are you? Where are you now? We agreed to go to school together. The auntie said you’ve already started school. That’s not true, is it?”

“We did say we’d go to school together, but you filled out my application for a different university just to make Ma Xiaoyu happy?”

“I just… didn’t I tell you to change it back?”

“Why should I change it back?” I retorted indifferently.

“You… Jiaqi, don’t scare me. I apologize to you! Tell me where you are, and I’ll apologize and admit my mistake. I’ll do anything you want!”

“No need! Shen Linzhou, not all apologies are accepted. Between you and me, it was sealed the first time Ma Xiaoyu framed me and you sided with her. So stop pestering me. Let’s just leave it at that.”

I hung up the phone after saying that. When Shen Linzhou called again, I refused to answer.

After several consecutive calls were rejected, Shen Linzhou became even more agitated.

He had to find out where Sun Jiaqi went.

He wanted to find Sun Jiaqi immediately. Shen Linzhou was preparing to arrange for someone to check Sun Jiaqi’s flight information.

Ma Xiaoyu’s mother, Feng Mei, came uninvited and forced her way into the Shen family villa.

Feng Mei, abandoning her usual sickly and fragile demeanor, stood glaring aggressively at Shen Linzhou, pulling along a bruised and swollen Ma Xiaoyu. “Young Master Shen, I demand an explanation for my daughter.”

Shen Linzhou looked at the unfamiliar Feng Mei and frowned: “What explanation do you want?”

“You slept with my daughter, ruined her innocence, shouldn’t you give my daughter an explanation?”

“I ruined her innocence? Didn’t she use tricks to seduce me? How could I possibly be interested in such a disgusting thing?”

Shen Linzhou recalled last night’s events, and anger flared within him.

Feng Mei saw Shen Linzhou’s utterly disgusted expression and understood.

She had hoped her innocent-looking daughter would get into bed with Shen Linzhou and then marry him. Now, seeing Shen Linzhou’s disgust for Ma Xiaoyu, she knew marrying him was out of the question.

Since marriage to Shen Linzhou was impossible, she only had one other path.

“In any case, it’s a fact that you forced my Xiaoyu. I’ve already taken Xiaoyu to the hospital for a medical examination. There’s also surveillance at the club, plus Xiaoyu’s phone recorded what happened. Our Xiaoyu was struggling desperately, resisting. You forced her, and you even beat her up. This is illegal.”

Shen Linzhou looked at Feng Mei and curled his lips slightly: “So, can you just get to the point and tell me what you want?”

“One hundred million! As long as you give us one hundred million, we won’t pursue what happened last night.”

“What if I say no?”

“Then don’t blame us. I’ll release the video. I’ll hire a lawyer. Young Master Shen doesn’t want that kind of situation to happen, right?”

Feng Mei’s attitude was firm, as if she were determined to win.

Shen Linzhou was furious but laughed instead: “You’re dreaming! I won’t give you a single penny.”

“Young Master Shen wouldn’t want to go to jail, would he? I have nothing to lose. Young Master Shen should think about his future and the Shen family’s reputation. If this matter escalates, the impact on the Shen family’s company, on Young Master Shen’s reputation, and on Old Master Shen himself, would be far more than a mere one hundred million.”

“Are you threatening me?” Shen Linzhou asked, enunciating each word.

“I’m not threatening, just advising. Young Master Shen, why escalate a situation that you can easily resolve with a flick of your finger?”

Feng Mei was well-prepared. She was convinced that Shen Linzhou wouldn’t dare to stand up to her.

After all, rape was not a minor crime. If Shen Linzhou, being so young, was exposed for rape, his life would be ruined.

The matter was no longer something Shen Linzhou alone could decide. He had no choice but to tell Old Master Shen about it.

Old Master Shen, who was vacationing abroad, was furious when he learned the truth.

Old Master Shen had been in the business world for so many years; he was not an ordinary person.

He hadn’t expected such a huge incident to happen at home just three months after he went abroad.

Old Master Shen immediately flew back. Like Shen Linzhou, Old Master Shen believed that Shen Linzhou had been framed.

Old Master Shen arranged for people to investigate all of Feng Mei and Ma Xiaoyu’s movements.

He also called me and asked about what had happened before. I told Old Master Shen everything about Ma Xiaoyu and Feng Mei’s schemes.

Old Master Shen understood. Having managed in the business world for so many years, how could he be matched by people like Feng Mei and Ma Xiaoyu?

Feng Mei and Ma Xiaoyu were still dreaming of getting rich.

Old Master Shen had already arranged for people to investigate Feng Mei’s background.

Feng Mei was not at all the woman in the fabricated story about being abused and abandoned by a man.

She was a gold digger who committed all sorts of shameless acts, forced to hide with her illegitimate daughter Ma Xiaoyu by the legal wife, unable to live normally.

Feng Xiaoyu had good grades but was about to drop out because she couldn’t afford tuition.

Coincidentally, the Shen family was doing charity, and Ma Xiaoyu was sponsored to continue her education.

After Ma Xiaoyu was sponsored by the Shen family, Feng Mei started to scheme.

She and Ma Xiaoyu orchestrated everything to seek help from the Shen family. Old Master Shen had been doing charity for so many years and never dreamed that Feng Mei and Ma Xiaoyu were a pair of shameless people.

Because the medical expenses were a drop in the bucket for the Shen family, Old Master Shen never investigated whether Feng Mei was actually sick.

Instead, Feng Mei, who initially only wanted to extort money, changed her mind when she saw Shen Linzhou.

If her daughter could ensnare Young Master Shen, wouldn’t that be a direct path to the top?

Thus, everything that followed came to be.

The mother and daughter had long designed a trap, waiting for me to fall into it.

Shen Linzhou didn’t believe me and chose to believe Ma Xiaoyu and her mother.

Then, the mother and daughter began to carry out their plan step by step.

The Shen family’s connections were not to be underestimated. Soon, they caught the person Feng Mei bought the drugs from and brought them to justice.

Feng Mei and Ma Xiaoyu were still dreaming of getting a hundred million, but instead, the police showed up with handcuffs.

The mother and daughter were arrested on multiple charges, including extortion, purchasing illegal drugs, and committing crimes against others.

They will face the full force of the law.

I saw Shen Linzhou again six months after studying at Hong Kong University.

Although the incident with Ma Xiaoyu wasn’t publicized to the extent of becoming common knowledge, people in their circle largely knew about it, which had a considerable impact on him.

Shen Linzhou seemed like a changed person compared to before.

Shen Linzhou came to apologize and admit his mistake, and I accepted his apology.

However, I had no intention of having any further contact with Shen Linzhou.

Ten years of feelings couldn’t withstand the instigation of Ma Xiaoyu, whom he had known for only a year.

No matter how much Shen Linzhou swore he would treat me well, I would no longer believe him.

There is no one in this world you can unconditionally trust; only you are your own salvation.

This is a lesson I learned after experiencing pain.

Therefore, now, with a generous scholarship from Hong Kong University, I have no other thoughts.

I will not want to reconcile with Shen Linzhou, nor will I want to date a new boyfriend.

My only thought is to study, study, and study more.

Men can betray you, friends can betray you, but studying will not betray you.

What you learn will be useful to you for a lifetime.