Chapter Seventy-Six: Settling scores with Xia Zhi

The "gratitude" he held onto was a play written by Zhou Manyun, and the "weak" he protected were just pawns in the script. He himself, like a fool, held onto this false obsession, pushing his lover further and further away time and time again.

A strong, astringent feeling welled up in his throat, and when Yan Mingshen spoke, his voice was hoarse, as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper:

"Keep the money. But I'll record every word you say, and I'll make you come back to China to testify."

Dr. Lin hesitated for a moment, but ultimately agreed:

"Okay... but I need you to guarantee my safety."

"Don't worry, my men are already on their way."

The phone call ended, and only the low hum of the engine remained in the carriage.

Yan Mingshen raised his hand and pressed his brow. The skin beneath his fingertips was icy cold, but he couldn't suppress the anger and self-mockery surging from his chest.

He took out his cigarette case, shook it for a long time but couldn't pull out a single cigarette. Finally, he slammed the cigarette case hard onto the passenger seat, making a dull thud.

Outside the car window, the lights of Luofengyuan were still on; that was where Su Xiao lived.

He recalled what he had almost done to Su Xiao in the storage room, persuaded by Zhou Manyun. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, and the pain made it hard for him to breathe.

Zhou Manyun, the Yan family... Over the years, he thought he had the initiative, but it turns out that he had been led by the nose by them from beginning to end.

Yan Mingshen restarted the car, and the black Bentley, like a shadow, silently disappeared into the night.

In the rearview mirror, the lights of Luofengyuan grew farther and farther away.

He would repay Su Xiao, bit by bit, from those who schemed against her, with interest.

When the black Bentley stopped downstairs at the villa, Yan Mingshen exuded a chilling aura and kicked open the door to enter the living room.

Xia Zhi was wearing a silk nightgown and applying a face mask when she saw Yan Mingshen's gloomy face. She paused for a moment, then forced her usual gentle smile.

"Ming Shen, what brings you here? So late..."

She was speaking when suddenly her neck was grabbed by a strong force, and Xia Zhi was slammed hard against the cold sideboard, her jaw going numb from the impact.

He stared down at her, his eyes icy cold: "What exactly happened in the car accident three years ago?"

Her face froze instantly. She reached for her phone, but Yan Mingshen stepped on the back of her hand.

It wasn't heavy, but it carried an undeniable intimidating force. She gasped in pain, her eyes instantly reddening, tears welling up uncontrollably.

"Ming Shen... I don't know... I really don't know..."

She cried incoherently, trying to cover it up.

Yan Mingshen chuckled, but there was no warmth in his laughter, only bone-chilling coldness.

"have no idea?"

He let go, and Xia Zhi collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, clutching her neck and coughing violently, tears mixed with her menstrual blood smearing her face.

He merely raised his chin, and two bodyguards in black immediately entered through the door. Their movements were swift and decisive, dragging Xia Zhi by the arm towards the solid wood table in the center of the living room.

With a "bang," Xia Zhi's cheek was slammed hard onto the cold tabletop, and her arms were twisted behind her back.

She struggled to lift her head, her gaze passing over the table, and saw Yan Mingshen slowly walk to the sofa and sit down, looking down at her.

His fingertips tapped the armrest casually, making a soft "tap, tap" sound.

"Not going to talk?"

His tone was calm, yet it sent chills down Xia Zhi's spine.

"Then break your hand."

He paused, his gaze falling on her wrist, as if assessing the fragility of the bone.

Xiaoxiao must have been in a lot of pain at the time.

She bled so much and was heartbroken by him...

"No...don't..."

Xia Zhi's face was pressed against the tabletop, the cold wooden surface stinging her cheeks. Tears soaked the tablecloth, spreading a small dark patch.

Su Xiao, that bitch!

If it weren't for her, I would have been Mrs. Yan by now!

How could Yan Mingshen be so cruel to himself?

She turned her head with difficulty, her gaze passing through the blurry tears to the man on the sofa.

Yan Mingshen lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow beneath them, but the ruthlessness hidden in that shadow made her tremble all over.

The Yan family are all lunatics!

They actually went to such lengths for Su Xiao, who is disabled.

Yan Mingshen seemed to see through her thoughts and took out a dagger from his pocket.

He held the blade between his fingertips and slowly wiped the blade with his sleeve.

The gleaming silver blade was polished until it reflected light, highlighting his hard jawline.

After wiping it clean, he raised his hand, and the dagger clattered onto the table beside Xia Zhi, the tip pointing directly at her wrist.

"Last chance."

He leaned back on the sofa, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"To tell or not to tell."

Xia Zhi stared at the dagger, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

Jealousy entwined her heart like vines.

Why? Su Xiao has a broken hand, yet she still receives so much favor from people.

Su Xiao, that bitch, clearly has everything: talent, resources, and loving family.

Why do you still want to compete with her for Yan Mingshen!

She had never beaten her since childhood... Her father said that only the first place would be remembered, so he stripped her of her right to paint traditional Chinese paintings and sent her abroad.

For girls who aren't particularly outstanding, marriage is the only way out in the Xia family.

She would do anything to marry Yan Mingshen; she had no other choice.

On weekends, he's a gentleman under the bed, but a pervert in bed.

When she was being tortured to the point of barely breathing, she even considered ending her life.

But she was not willing to give up.

She was unwilling to accept it!

The knife tip drew closer and closer to her wrist, and the bodyguard pressed harder and harder on her back. The fear of death finally overwhelmed her.

A broken sob escaped her throat, and tears welled up again.

I said…

Her voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded, and every word was trembling with despair.

"It was Zhou Manyun...she made me fake the injury...the car accident didn't even hit me...she said that as long as I shielded you from this, you would always be accommodating to me..."

"...Chop it up."

Seeing that he couldn't get the information he wanted from them, Yan Mingshen lost his patience.

"Wait...wait..."

Xia Zhi suddenly began to struggle violently.

This was her last chance; she couldn't die here.

She hadn't yet seen Su Xiao's reputation ruined; how could she be willing to accept that?

"Don't you want Su Xiao back in your life? I can help you."

"She will come back after you disappear."

Yan Mingshen glanced at her sideways, his brows furrowing slightly.

He wasn't really sure, but without Xia Zhi, at least there would be less distance between them.

"You know better than I whether she'll go back or not."

A look of determination flashed in Xia Zhi's eyes.

"Zhou Manyun was given a full dose of the drug, and you let her go with Xu Bozhou. Do you think nothing will happen between them?"

"Shut up." Yan Mingshen's face turned ashen.

"Now only I can help you."

Xia Zhi looked at his expression and raised her eyebrows slightly.

Zhou Manyun said that if a man can love two people at the same time, how steadfast can he be?