Shi Qingyin, now fraught with anxiety, desperately tried to stop Shi Ning. “You can’t leave! This has nothing to do with me. Please, help Brother Xizhou!”
Her fault as they said ? No, it was clearly Shi Ning’s fault.
“I know I like Xi—”
Shi Ning, her voice a cold blade, cut her off. “Move aside! Don’t force me to slap you!” The sheer force of Shi Ning’s aura made Shi Qingyin recoil, stepping back in fear. Shi Ning was truly audacious now !
Shen Xizhou, equally anxious, interjected, “Ningning…”
But Shi Ning, unwavering, silenced him too. “It was Shi Qingyin who provoked Qin Heye, and it was Shi Qingyin who held you back. If you stop me again, Qin Heye will only get angrier.Than you won’t even have a last chance. How to handle this matter is up to you now.”
The weight of her words settled on Shen Xizhou and he said anxiously . “Wait a minute, I’ll give you an explanation right away.”
“Sister…ah!” Shi Qingyin barely managed to utter a syllable before Shen Xizhou’s hand cracked across her face with brutal force. The blow twisted her head, leaving her stunned and reeling. Dizziness swam in her vision, and her cheeks burned as she clutched them, staring up at Shen Xizhou. “Why did you hit me?” she shrieked.
Shen Xizhou’s voice was stern, laced with fury. “If you hadn’t called Shi Ning and said something irrelevant yesterday , why would Qin Heye be so angry ? How could he have invalidated this contract? I hit you to give Qin Heye an explanation.”
“Did I call alone ? Weren’t you there at the time…ah!” Shi Qingyin cried out, feeling deeply wronged, but another stinging slap from Shen Xizhou silenced her.
“Qin Heye said that if you pin something he didn’t do on him, it will prove his guilt. Now, I’m helping to prove Qin Heye’s guilt,” Shen Xizhou declared, dragging Shi Qingyin down and pinning her to the sofa. “You said Qin Heye hit me with a sack, right?”
Shi Qingyin was utterly bewildered, struggling against his grip. “Shen Xizhou, what do you want? Let me go!”
There was no sack in the ward, but a black trash bag lay in the trash can beneath the bed. Shen Xizhou snatched it, pulling it over Shi Qingyin’s head.
“Shen Xizhou…Ahhh!”
With clenched fists, Shen Xizhou began to strike Shi Qingyin viciously. She could only cower, screaming and shielding her head to protect herself.
Shi Ning watched this fiasco with cold eyes, her brows tightly knit, a deep contempt for Shen Xizhou twisting in her expression. How could a man who would beat even his fiancée, whom he had just slept with, for the sake of his career, be the male protagonist? How could he have made her so obsessed, turning her into a vicious female supporting character for him? Such a malicious turn of events, was it merely to disgust the readers?
Shi Qingyin, in immense pain, burned with a desire to curse. Yet, a chilling calm soon descended upon her. If she was being beaten, she might as well let Shen Xizhou feel more guilt. She ceased struggling, her voice now turned into a tearful sob. “Brother Xizhou, hit me hard. As long as I can make my sister calm down, as long as I can help Brother Xizhou get a valid contract, I’m willing to do anything.” She paused, her voice dripping with calculated dedication. “Even if… Even if Brother Xizhou beats me to death, it doesn’t matter.”
As expected, Shen Xizhou, who had been striking her with unrestrained fury, heard her words. His clenched fists loosened, and he found he couldn’t hit her anymore. This was Shi Qingyin, after all. Over the years, she had suffered so much for him.
He ceased his assault, looking up at Shi Ning. “I don’t know what Shi Qingyin did. Now I’ve helped Qin Heye beat her up. Can you calm down? Can you give me another chance?”
Shi Ning’s gaze was cold as she looked at Shi Qingyin. “You want me to calm down Qin Heye?”
Shi Qingyin pulled the garbage bag from her head, but bits of trash still clinging to her hair. Her tear-filled eyes met Shi Ning’s. “I know, sister misunderstood my relationship with Brother Xizhou. That’s why sister is so angry and disgusted with me. Sister is taking this opportunity to embarrass Brother Xizhou and get his attention. So, as long as sister can calm down and is willing to help Brother Xizhou, it’s okay for sister to hit me herself.”
Observing Shi Qingyin’s feigned humility, Shi Ning couldn’t help but offer a biting compliment. “You are as strong as a maggot in a shit pit, so flexible.” Even after such a beating, she could still act so affectionate, so willing to sacrifice everything for Shen Xizhou, even her life. No wonder Shen Xizhou was so utterly seduced by Shi Qingyin, so unable to resist her. But wait, wasn’t she also once willing to give anything for Shen Xizhou? In the end, they were just two repulsive insects, tangled in a messy, mutual infatuation.
Shi Qingyin, unperturbed by the insult, maintained her humble demeanor. “Sister, you can scold me, you can hit me, it’s okay, as long as you are willing to help Brother Xizhou.”
Finally, Shen Xizhou’s pity for Shi Qingyin resurfaced. He turned to Shi Ning, pleading. “Ningning, I hit her too, is that enough? There is nothing between Yinyin and me, don’t be jealous, she is your sister.” Shen Xizhou’s tone made Shi Ning seem unreasonable and irrational.
Shi Ning’s anger bubbled up, transforming into a laugh of pure incredulity. “Since you are so affectionate, then fine, as long as you are both on all social platforms. Shi Qingyin announced that Shen Xizhou is a cheating man. When he had a girlfriend, he cheated on with his girlfriend’s cousin. He is a scumbag, incompetent, and a chicken. Sleeping with him is worse than sleeping with a male model…”
Shen Xizhou’s face darkened, and he interrupted, his voice now a furious growl. “Ningning, don’t say that. There is nothing between Yinyin and me. How can I live like this?”
In this digital age, information spreads like wildfire. Shen Xizhou and Shi Qingyin each boasted active accounts, showcasing their opulent lives—essentially, the lives of wealthy young masters. Furthermore, the intertwined Shen and Shi families meant they were a perfectly matched couple. Many of their followers were ‘CP’ fans, praising them as childhood sweethearts, a perfectly matched pair, celebrating their journey from campus romance to future wedding bells. If Shi Qingyin were to publicly brand him a cheat, his reputation would be irrevocably tarnished.
Shi Qingyin, ever so considerate, also advised Shi Ning. “Yes, Brother Xizhou is a blogger with over a million fans. Saying that about Brother Xizhou will damage his reputation. If you’re not satisfied, come at me.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t leave you out. I’ll satisfy you,” Shi Ning replied, a deceptively friendly and kind smile gracing her lips. The smile sent an instant shiver down Shi Qingyin’s spine, making her want to retract her words.
Shi Ning looked at her, then continued. “Shen Xizhou just published that Shi Qingyin is the third party and stole her cousin’s fiancé, saying that she is a slut and playing with her is worse than a prostitute. Then you all have to apologize together.”
Shen Xizhou was incensed, shouting in a deep voice, “Shi Ning…”
Shi Ning merely met his gaze with an indifferent stare. “If you don’t want Plot 15 in the west of the city, you can do whatever you want. Anyway, I gave you the opportunity, or…” She shifted her gaze to Shi Qingyin, a smile playing on her lips. “My cousin doesn’t love Shen Xizhou that much. She just says it and is unwilling to make any efforts. She treats Shen Xizhou as a backup.”
Shen Xizhou glanced at Shi Qingyin for help, but she remained silent. After all, if they both published those damning accusations, exposing each other, his own reputation would be utterly destroyed.
Shi Qingyin was consumed by frustration; Shi Ning had completely cornered her. “Sister, why don’t you talk to Brother Xizhou alone…”
Shi Ning interrupted again, her voice unwavering. “Last chance. I’ll count to three. If you don’t agree, forget it.” She swept her gaze over them. “3!”
As the number escaped her lips, Shen Xizhou blurted out, “I’ll post it!”