Chapter 43: Past Events
Lin Xiaoxiao’s face flushed with indignation. Did this guy’s mind only ever think of that?
She turned away, huffing, “Figure it out yourself. I can’t help you!”
Zhou Ting chuckled, his hand brushing her rosy lips, his tone suggestive. “Really can’t?”
Her body trembled, realizing his wicked intent. She put on a pitiful look, pleading, “Zhou Ting, my stomach hurts…”
Hoping to drop the topic, her words only piqued his interest.
“Oh, is that so? I’ll keep rubbing then.”
“N-no, it’s fine, don’t—wrong spot…” she stammered.
The next day, her stomach pain had subsided, but wearing a pad for the first time felt odd with every step.
At the coffee shop, Xin Wan was already there.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiaoxiao approached.
“Miss Xin Wan, I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your offer,” she said, handing back the bank card with an apologetic tone.
No matter what, Xin Wan had tried to help, but leaving Zhou Ting wasn’t something she could do…
Xin Wan laughed, a mix of anger and amusement. “So you’re set on staying with him? What’s so great about him that you can’t let go?”
Lin Xiaoxiao stayed silent. She didn’t have an answer—or didn’t want to face it.
Seeing her silence, Xin Wan’s eyes darkened, but she scoffed. “I misjudged you. You’re just tamed by his bed, aren’t you? If you’re happy being his dog, I’ve got nothing more to say.”
She took the card and stood to leave, pausing to whisper, “Just wait. I won’t let you two have it easy…”
Lin Xiaoxiao’s face soured at the harsh words. She suspected Xin Wan’s obsession with her sister’s death had twisted into something terrifying.
That afternoon, she visited the hospital.
Liu Yuzhen, now awake, watched Lin Xiaoxiao peel an apple, nagging, “Xiaoxiao, your hair’s so long. Not cutting it?”
She paused, deflecting, “Grandma, it’s trendy now.”
Liu Yuzhen smiled helplessly, dropping it, then asked, “How’s it going with Mr. Zhou’s daughter? Are you two dating?”
Lin Xiaoxiao inwardly groaned. Zhou Ting’s ridiculous excuse was haunting her—how could she explain this?
She laughed it off. “Nah, we’re not a good fit. Here, eat some apple.”
She handed over bite-sized pieces to change the subject.
Liu Yuzhen shook her head. “You eat it. I’m not hungry.”
“I thought it wasn’t a good match either. Mr. Zhou’s family is well-off—we shouldn’t aim too high.”
“But he paid so much for my surgery. Xiaoxiao, we must repay kindness. If only I hadn’t needed it…”
Lin Xiaoxiao cut her off. “Grandma, stop. The surgery was necessary, and it’s done. No regrets.”
“I’ll handle everything. Just focus on recovering.”
Tears glistened in Liu Yuzhen’s eyes as she smiled. “Xiaoxiao, you’ve grown up…”
Summer weather was fickle—clear skies in the morning turned to dark clouds by afternoon.
At Zhongsen Cemetery, Zhou Ting stood alone before a gravestone, his expression complex as he gazed at the photo, memories pulling him back years…
*
“Mr. Zhou, we’ve got the results.”
In the spacious office, Zhou Ting, heart pounding, took the evidence from his secretary.
Reading it, his eyes widened in disbelief. “Impossible! How could you mess this up? Xin Rou?”
The secretary looked uneasy but truthful. “Mr. Zhou, I know it’s hard, but we’ve triple-checked. You need to decide fast, or the company’s done.”
Young Zhou Ting stared at the results, unable to accept them, and stormed out of the office.
Under expectant gazes, he left the company.
At the seaside, a woman stood barefoot. When Zhou Ting approached, she turned, her cold gaze alien.
That look made him feel like a stranger. In all their years, he’d never seen her like this.
“Xin Rou, tell me, is this true?” he asked, clutching the evidence, clinging to hope.
Her response shattered it. “I did it. I leaked the company’s core data. What, heartbroken over your precious work crumbling?”
He stared, lips trembling, unwilling to believe. “Why? Aren’t we husband and wife? What do you gain from this?”
Her eyes flashed with hatred. “Husband and wife? You’re so naive, Zhou Ting. Have you not noticed I never loved you? If I wasn’t forced into this marriage, would I have married you?”
Pain stabbed his heart. “So all this time, you were lying? That’s impossible.”
They were so in love…
“Ha, of course I was lying! How else could I get revenge?”
“You know, Zhou Ting, because you asked my dad to marry me, I was forced to leave the person I loved. She was driven to suicide because of it!”
“You’re all murderers! But soon, you’ll know what it’s like to lose what matters most.”
He froze, stunned. “I… I didn’t know…”
He’d been drawn to her, but he’d checked—she had no boyfriend, so he pursued her…