Qiao Xi could see the anger on her face, but she was destined to be a loser in this life, and everything she hoped for could not come true!

"While you're still alive and haven't been kicked out yet, you still have a chance to plead with Dad to let you stay in the Qiao family, otherwise..." Qiao Xi's smile gradually turned cold. She looked like she was smiling, but it sent chills down people's spines.

Qiao Yuan gasped and took a step back. Qiao Xi delivered the final, fatal blow: "Even a man like Lu Mingxuan would abandon you."

After saying that, before Qiao Yuan could react, Qiao Xi turned around and walked back to the classroom, leaving Qiao Yuan standing there in a daze, her eyes wide with fear.

Just a step away from the classroom, Jun Jiuge suddenly darted in front of Qiao Xi, startling her.

While calming her racing heart, she complained to him, "Ninth Master, do you know that people can scare each other to death!"

"What's your relationship with her?" Jun Jiuge asked abruptly.

Qiao Xi subconsciously looked at Qiao Yuan, but she had already left. Qiao Xi then looked at Jun Jiuge and gestured to indicate whether the person she was referring to was Qiao Yuan.

Jun Jiuge gave her an affirmative answer with her eyes. In fact... her affirmation was just a blank expression, which Qiao Xi took as a tacit agreement.

"She's my stepmother's daughter, and we're not related by blood at all," Qiao Xi explained to her simply and directly.

Jun Jiuge then added quietly, "She secretly took a picture of you last time."

"When?" Qiao Xi suddenly jolted awake, her eyes widening as she looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Jun Jiuge said expressionlessly in a declarative tone, "That day when you were talking to that man in front of the Finance Department building, she was hiding behind the artificial hill and secretly taking pictures of you."

Qiao Xi immediately recalled that memory and realized it was about that day. She then asked, "You saw it?"

"Hmm." Jun Jiuge nodded expressionlessly.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" The words caught in Qiao Xi's throat. She knew it would be pointless to ask.

Jun Jiuge seemed to have guessed what she wanted to ask, and said, "I don't know her purpose, but if you treat her like this, she will definitely retaliate against you."

Qiao Xi understood the meaning of these words very well. She must have just seen Qiao Xi slap Qiao Yuan twice, so... she probably had the same thoughts as those male compatriots who were looking at her with hostility.

Qiao Xi was too lazy to explain anything and said confidently, "Her tricks are really boring."

"Thank you for telling me." Qiao Xi didn't forget to thank her.

As soon as she stepped into the classroom, the male students who wanted to stand up for Qiao Yuan swarmed forward, along with some female students, all of whom glared at Qiao Xi with hostility.

"Qiao Xi, how could you hit someone like that?" Class monitor Su Qingyao was the first to criticize Qiao Xi.

The boys immediately followed up by questioning her, "Who was that girl you just hit?"

Qiao Xi explained to them calmly, "She is a child that my stepmother brought back from outside. My stepmother, in order to spite my dad, deliberately kept a man outside and even bought him a house. When my dad found out about this, he was definitely unhappy."

As she spoke, Qiao Xi couldn't help but sigh heavily. The students, who had been furious, now looked shocked.

After observing their expressions, Qiao Xi softened her tone and continued, "My sister came to ask me for help. She begged me to slap her twice because she wanted to play the victim in front of my dad so that he would forgive my stepmother."

Before the words were even finished, a boy who couldn't stand it any longer shouted angrily, "Damn, can someone like this be forgiven?"

The girl couldn't stand it either and chimed in, "Yeah, they should just go straight into a pig cage."

"Absolutely unforgivable!" The boys' protests were especially loud.

It's understandable. After all, it's incredibly humiliating for a man to do something like this. No man could tolerate such a thing happening.

"Never mind, never mind." As the victim, Qiao Xi took the initiative to step forward and settle the matter peacefully.

Li Xiaoxiao, who was listening nearby, was more furious than anyone else. "We can't just let this go!"

Su Qingyao also sympathized with her and said, "Qiao Xi, we are classmates now. If you need any help from us, please don't hesitate to ask."

Qiao Xi said gratefully, "They say you shouldn't wash your dirty linen in public, but if I don't explain it clearly, you'll definitely overthink it."

"But this matter ends here. I believe my dad can handle it."

The hostile looks she had just received have turned into sympathy and pity. Unlike in the finance department, where she was ranked last in her grade and didn't deserve trust, they wouldn't even give her a chance to explain if something like this happened. They would do everything they could to pin the blame for the assault on her.

She is truly moved that so many people believe in her; these are her dearest classmates.

Suddenly, a classmate said, "I feel like I've seen that woman somewhere before."

His reminder prompted another classmate to recall, "I remember now, wasn't she having an affair with that heartthrob from the finance department, the one who was rumored to be the other woman?"

"Yes, yes, that's her." The memories of the other students instantly came to mind.

Li Xiaoxiao spoke up for Qiao Xi, saying, "Like mother, like daughter!"

The students nodded in agreement, their sympathy for Qiao Xi growing even stronger.

Li Xiaoxiao grabbed her hand and said with great concern, "Xiao Xixi, you're not staying at the dormitory, are you? What kind of environment are you living in every day?"

"Come stay at my place. If you keep living under the same roof as that kind of person, you'll be affected sooner or later," Su Qingyao invited Qiao Xi.

Li Xiaoxiao, feeling jealous, pulled Qiao Xi over, "Let's stay at my house. We can't let that mother and daughter pollute our little Xi Xi's eyes."

Qiao Xi quickly declined their offer, saying, "No need, I moved out a long time ago."

Hearing her say that, Su Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."

Qiao Xi bowed slightly to them with great joy, "Thank you all for your concern. I'm fine. I believe my dad will handle it."

In her past life, she barely experienced any camaraderie during her four years of university, but things are different now. She lives in a loving family, and every day from now on is worth cherishing.

...

Finally, it was the weekend. After breakfast, Qiao Xi went to get ready.

This was the first time she had attended such a formal occasion with Qi Jincheng. Although they couldn't walk hand in hand in front of outsiders, it was only a matter of time. Today was just a way to prepare for that day.