Song Jia Shu recounted the morning's events to his sister Song Qi Nian, who listened with growing concern. Her brother's determination to understand what had happened was evident in his intense gaze.
A beautiful woman? The detail nagged at Song Qi Nian as she furrowed her brow. She tried to piece together the precision of the plot: someone had waited for her to drop Jia Shu at school, sent those calculated photos to make him believe they were in danger, all to draw him away. But who would go to such lengths?
Before she could untangle her thoughts, Guan Ming Xu spoke up. "Nian Nian, time's running short. I'll take Jia Shu to grab lunch and get him back for his next exam. Then I'll bring something for you to eat."
The exam remained paramount—missing one subject didn't mean abandoning everything else.
Song Qi Nian turned to Guan Ming Xu, her eyes conveying gratitude she couldn't express in words.
"Sis, stay put and keep that hand still," Jia Shu called out, already darting through the doorway before she could reply. "I'll come see you after the exam!"
The moment Guan Ming Xu stepped out of the room, his warm demeanor vanished, replaced by a glacial expression.
The pain crept back as the anesthesia faded, forcing sweat to bead on Song Qi Nian's forehead. Only after the doctor administered pain medication did she find some relief.
Then it hit her, and she bolted upright in bed.
She'd been asking herself the wrong question. If someone had wanted revenge against her, they would have struck directly—not through Jia Shu's college entrance exams. No, this spoke of something deeper: whoever sent those photos harbored resentment against their entire family.
Another detail surfaced in her mind: when Jia Shu mentioned the beautiful woman passing photos to his classmate, Guan Ming Xu's face had hardened. His reaction felt off. Instead of probing for details about this mysterious woman or launching an investigation, he'd changed the subject, focusing solely on getting Jia Shu back to school.
The implications were clear: either he knew the woman's identity, or he'd already confronted her.
Song Qi Nian's instincts proved right. After hearing Jia Shu's full account, Guan Ming Xu's mind had immediately jumped to what he'd witnessed outside the school gates earlier that day.
He took Jia Shu to a restaurant, ordered his meal, and said quietly, "Jia Shu, I need to handle something after this. Once you're done eating, head straight to school for your exam. Don't give your sister any more reasons to worry."
Jia Shu felt a pang of guilt—Guan Ming Xu had done so much for their family already. "Okay, thank you."
A playful smile crossed Guan Ming Xu's face. "If you really want to thank me, you could start calling me brother-in-law."
Jia Shu was at a loss for words.
"Just teasing," Guan Ming Xu said with a laugh. "But you'll be calling me that eventually. Maybe practice a bit when you have time?"
As Guan Ming Xu walked away, Jia Shu watched him leave and let out a heavy sigh.
If only his sister wasn't married to Shen Chi Yan. With all the good men in the world, why did it have to be him?
Once outside the restaurant, Guan Ming Xu's demeanor shifted as he dialed Lin Lanxing. His voice carried unmistakable anger.
Lin Lanxing hadn't expected his call. Her voice brightened instantly. "Ah Xu, what a surprise! What's going on?"
"Where are you?"
"At the hospital, taking a walk with my sister."
"Exactly where?"
"You know that pavilion near the inpatient department? We're just—"
Guan Ming Xu cut the call before she could finish.
Lin Lanxing stared at her phone, lips pursed in annoyance. "What's his problem? He calls out of nowhere then hangs up on me!"
Lin Qiu Tong shot her sister an amused look. "What's wrong? Haven't told Ah Xu how you feel yet?"
Lin Lanxing bristled like she'd been scalded. "I don't have feelings for him! Why would I confess anything?"
"Really? Who was it that swore she wouldn't marry anyone else?"
"That... that was just kid stuff. He barely even knows me anymore, I—"
"Lin Lanxing!"
Lin Lanxing's heart leaped at the sound of Guan Ming Xu's voice—she hadn't expected him to find her so quickly.
She hurriedly smoothed her hair and clothes, flashing her brightest smile. "Ah Xu..."
Her smile faded when she saw his expression, dark and cold. "What's wrong?"
Guan Ming Xu noticed Lin Qiu Tong standing there but pressed on regardless. "Were you at Jinghua No. 1 High School this morning?"
Lin Qiu Tong watched silently, her eyes sharp.
Lin Lanxing felt her stomach drop—she never expected him to confront her about this.
"Recognize this folder? Did you have someone give it to Song Jia Shu?"
Lin Lanxing's face twitched when she saw the folder. How had he gotten hold of it?
"Answer me!"
His shout made her flinch, but seeing him so worked up over Song Qi Nian sparked her anger. "Yes, I did. What about it?"
Guan Ming Xu stopped short, catching sight of Song Qi Nian approaching.
She'd spotted Lin Lanxing and Lin Qiu Tong through the corridor window upstairs. From there, she'd watched Guan Ming Xu enter the pavilion, confirming what she'd suspected. Now she made her way toward them, each step deliberate.
"The doctor told you to rest," Guan Ming Xu said, moving to intercept her. "You shouldn't be down here."
Song Qi Nian walked past him, straight to Lin Lanxing.
Lin Lanxing's eyes fixed on Song Qi Nian's bandaged fingers, then her ashen face. She let out a harsh laugh. "What's this? Starting a new trend? Wrapped up like a mummy. Can you even sign anymore?"
"Qi Nian..."
"Let's get you back to your room," Guan Ming Xu urged, watching her anxiously.
Lin Lanxing's jealousy flared at his concern. She sneered. "I bet your idiot brother saw those documents and ran to save you. Too late, wasn't he?"
She laughed again, harder. "Karma's real, isn't it? Your family destroyed ours so completely that even heaven had enough. That Gao Dashang was useless though—should've taken your whole hand. A mute who can't speak or sign, now that would be perfect!"
Song Qi Nian stood rigid, shaking with fury.
"Your monster of a father will rot in prison. Your gambling mother will get herself killed. You're garbage, and that brother of yours—can't even get into college. Just another waste of air. Your whole family is—"
The slap caught Lin Lanxing mid-sentence, the crack of palm against cheek echoing through the pavilion.
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