Chapter 178

Chapter 178

On the day Yao Qin was discharged from the hospital, Qingcheng Villa received an uninvited guest.

Perhaps he was simply too much of a mood-killer, because Xia Wanzhi instinctively frowned.

“Cousin… Cousin…” Zhou Yu knew exactly why he had come. His gaze only swept briefly over Xia Wanzhi, not daring to linger too long. He stepped in front of Xie Qiyan and blocked his path, his face tight with difficulty as he pleaded, “Please, Cousin, help the Zhou Family…”

Yun Li, who had just gotten out of the car behind them, immediately pricked up her ears at those words and went to stand beside Xia Wanzhi. The two of them looked perfectly relaxed, making no attempt whatsoever to hide their eagerness to watch the drama unfold.

Liu Shubai, who was carefully helping Yao Qin inside, was speechless.

Kids were kids. Always sticking their noses into nonsense.

When it came to taking care of Yao Qin, no one was more reliable than him.

Yao Qin noticed Zhou Yu and glanced back a few times. Out of curiosity, she asked, “Is that Ayan’s cousin?”

Liu Shubai said expressionlessly, “No idea. In any case, he’s nothing good.”

So Yao Qin stopped asking.

Outside the door, Zhou Yu continued clinging to Xie Qiyan and refused to let him leave.

“Forget your Zhou Family. Even if this had happened to the Xie Family today, I still wouldn’t get involved.” Xie Qiyan’s eyes were indifferent. He turned back, took Xia Wanzhi’s hand, and walked away.

He moved too quickly. Xia Wanzhi was practically pulled along, and Yun Li, who had been leaning on Xia Wanzhi’s shoulder for support, nearly lost her balance from the sudden momentum. Jiang Baichuan, standing behind her, caught her in his arms.

“Let’s go. Rein in that curiosity of yours. Don’t go poking your head into every unlucky mess you see.” Jiang Baichuan sounded helpless, but there was nothing he could do about her love of gossip.

The naked contempt and mockery made Zhou Yu’s expression twist with ferocity. Watching Xie Qiyan and Xia Wanzhi’s backs, he raised his voice. “This is Grandfather’s wish! The Xie Family may be under your control, but my mother is his daughter, your aunt, and a member of the Xie Family too.”

“Xie Qiyan! Are you really so cold-blooded that you’ll just stand by and watch us die?” The events of the past few days had drained him completely. Bloodshot veins filled Zhou Yu’s eyes as he roared hoarsely.

Sun Lingzhi’s stunt had dragged the Zhou Family’s reputation straight to rock bottom. He had gone to the Xie Family for help, and Old Master Xie had cursed him for being a bastard, but in the end, for the sake of old ties, he had agreed to help take down the online public opinion.

But the Zhou Family had become a joke. Zhou Group’s stock had plummeted. Even the Chen Family, who had been discussing marriage with him not long ago, had called it off because of this. If he still wanted to stabilize Zhou Group through a marriage alliance, it would be harder than reaching the heavens.

The Zhou Family was no Xie Family. No matter how many illegitimate children appeared in the Xie Family, they still couldn’t shake the Xie Family’s status.

Xia Wanzhi glanced back. Xie Qiyan’s steps came to a stop, and his tone was every bit as cold and merciless as Zhou Yu had accused him of being. “What does that have to do with me?”

Jiang Baichuan couldn’t hold back a laugh. He raised a brow and offered a suggestion. “You don’t have to go begging everyone under the sun. Marry her, and the problem’s solved. Who knows, the netizens might even praise you as a responsible, good man.”

“Like your parents?” When a person was pushed to the brink, the mask came off. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and let out a cold laugh. “Trying to use a child to climb the social ladder and become a phoenix, only to end up-there’s no need for me to say what happened next…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Baichuan’s fist drove the remaining words right back into his gut.

“Jiang Baichuan!” Yun Li froze for a split second. When Jiang Baichuan’s face tightened and he swung a second punch at Zhou Yu’s face, she rushed forward and grabbed him.

“Go on.” Jiang Baichuan flexed his wrist, his gaze dark and vicious. “Say one more word. Try it.”

Zhou Yu said nothing more. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, leaving behind only a sinister, silent smile.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t be mad. We’re not going to waste our energy on unlucky people.” Yun Li held his arm with one hand and patted his chest with the other, trying to calm him down.

Perhaps because this was the first time she had ever seen Jiang Baichuan lose his temper so badly, Yun Li looked at him with suspicion, realizing that Zhou Yu’s words had struck a nerve.
She had always thought that someone like Jiang Baichuan was blessed by the gods.

Born into the Jiang family, he had been a favored son of heaven since childhood.

Xia Wanzhi frowned slightly and shot Xie Qiyan a rather resentful look. “What are you planning to do about it?”

She knew exactly what kind of person Zhou Yu was.

When a desperate dog was backed into a corner, it would bite. And he had no conscience to speak of.

Xie Qiyan pondered for a moment. “I’m busy. I’m not dealing with it.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

He really was the King of Hell.

That very night, while Zhou Yu was running around trying to save the Zhou Family, he got into an argument with someone, was beaten up by a crowd, and ended up in the hospital.

Lying in bed, Xia Wanzhi picked up her phone and saw the message Yun Li had sent her. “…”

Holding back a laugh, she replied to Yun Li, tucked the blanket around herself, then reached over and took the book out of Xie Qiyan’s hand. With her other hand, she smoothly removed his glasses. “You did this, didn’t you?”

“It wasn’t me.” Xie Qiyan looked completely innocent. He snatched the book back and placed it face down on the bedside table, then lifted an arm, gesturing for Xia Wanzhi to come into his embrace.

Xia Wanzhi gave a soft scoff. As she shifted over, she simply sprawled on top of him and put the gold-rimmed glasses back on his face. “Look a little more refined, Mr. Xie.”

Ordering his men to gang up on people at the drop of a hat was not exactly gentlemanly.

“What? Feeling sorry for your ex?” Since Xia Wanzhi had been the one to put the glasses on him, he did not take them off. One hand slid down from her shoulder and locked around her slender waist. With a slight exertion of force, he gave a half-smile. “I’m not refined?”

The frame of his glasses pressed against Xia Wanzhi’s skin. Before she could explain, he kissed her hard.

It came fierce and sudden, catching her completely off guard.

The sticky air mingled with their tangled breaths. Xia Wanzhi could hardly breathe, and the cold glasses brushing against her face felt uncomfortable. But just as she reached up to take them off, Xie Qiyan pinned both her hands above her head and pressed his entire body down over hers.

Xia Wanzhi pursed her lips. Under the obvious possessiveness and pressure in his dark eyes, she shrank back a little.

“Are you jealous?” Xia Wanzhi tested carefully, trying to make sure she would not die too miserably. “If you’re jealous, that means you don’t trust me.”

Xie Qiyan let out a cold scoff. “As if he’s worthy?”

“Then you…”

“You like me in glasses?” Xie Qiyan pinched her cheek and lowered his head to kiss her again.

Xia Wanzhi swallowed. “They’re… they’re okay.”

“Glasses make me look refined?” Xie Qiyan picked up a lock of her hair and wound it around his fingertip.

Xia Wanzhi had no idea what he was getting at. She was already nervous enough. “Ah… I guess so.”

After getting his answer, Xie Qiyan straightened up on his knees and tugged loose the belt of his already precarious bathrobe, showing himself to his wife without the slightest reservation.

Just as Xia Wanzhi came back to her senses and tried to flee, Xie Qiyan caught her slender waist in his palm and pulled her back.

He leaned down, his voice low. “Then I’ll be refined for you.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

The world spun, blood rushed to her head, and only four words remained in Xia Wanzhi’s mind.

A refined scoundrel.

Wearing a gentleman’s glasses while doing the least gentlemanly things.

Well played, Xie Qiyan.

After so long without intimacy, her body seemed to resist Xie Qiyan a little, and Xia Wanzhi shed quite a few tears.

“Don’t be nervous.” Xie Qiyan was not having an easy time either.

It would have been better if he had not tried to coax her. The moment he did, Xia Wanzhi cried even harder.

He told her to relax, but how could she?

It was as if she were being held in the burning embrace of a volcano. Xia Wanzhi felt like she was about to melt.

After a night of torment, Xie Qiyan was cursed thoroughly, inside and out.

But Xie Qiyan was happy.

Happy that Yao Qin had been discharged from the hospital. Happy that the family was reunited. Happy that he had Xia Wanzhi.