On the staircase, Zhou Xizhi stood in a set of dark blue silk pajamas—understated luxury.
The man’s brows were tightly knit, concealing his anger. He cast a brief glance at Yan Yi’an’s back on the floor before shifting his gaze back to the other two.
Zhao Jinjin looked somewhat uneasy.
Beside her, Liu Mei’s fury showed no sign of abating. Her chest heaved with suppressed rage as she tucked away a few strands of disheveled hair before speaking through clenched teeth, her tone carrying a hint of challenge toward Zhou Xizhi. “Xizhi, you should know how Ruoruo has felt about you all these years. Now that she’s been thrown in jail because of that bitch, what do you mean by keeping her by your side?”
As she spoke, Yan Yi’an picked herself up from the ground. Zhou Xizhi had already descended the stairs, his gaze sweeping past her face and the scratch marks on her neck, his brow furrowing with displeasure.
“Madam Zhao, I have my own reasons. Surely I don’t need to report to you on every matter.”
No one had ever dared to question Zhou Xizhi like that.
“Mom, Brother Xizhi, today is Sister’s visitation day at the prison. Let’s not let outsiders damage the feelings within our own family.”
Zhao Jinjin discreetly tugged at Liu Mei’s arm to ease the tension. How could her mother dare to speak to Brother Xizhi in that tone?
Zhou Xizhi naturally commanded respect without raising his voice; with a cold expression, he was even more intimidating. Liu Mei, whose anger had momentarily clouded her judgment, felt her brows relax instantly.
She merely gave a soft snort through her nose and glared at Yan Yi’an.
“You offended my guest on the very first day. Go outside and kneel.”
Zhou Xizhi, irritable from a sleepless night, turned his icy gaze toward Yan Yi’an, his command heavy with oppression.
Yan Yi’an gritted her teeth. Anger flushed a hint of red across her face, and tears welled up in her light-colored eyes.
The thing Yan Yi’an hated most about herself was that whenever she felt wronged inside, tears would rush out uncontrollably, as if exposing her vulnerability and weakness to her enemies, giving them reason to look down on her.
“On what grounds?”
“On the grounds that you came back to atone for Ruoruo.”
Beside her, Zhao Jinjin raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. So Brother Xizhi hadn’t kept this woman around for no reason—it was to atone for her sister.
“Uncle Zhou, take her out to the courtyard and make her kneel. She’s not to get up until I return.”
Coldness radiated from the corners of Zhou Xizhi’s phoenix eyes. Uncle Zhou dared not disobey, though a trace of pity and helplessness stirred in his heart. He tried to persuade her, “Miss Yan, just say a few soft words. Don’t provoke Young Master Zhou—in the end, you’ll only end up suffering for it.”
Butler Zhou was around fifty, with a burn scar on his face that looked frightening. Yet Yan Yi’an had felt an inexplicable warmth toward him from their very first meeting, and over the past two years, the two had developed a certain bond.
Yan Yi’an blinked back the tears in her eyes, forcing them down with all her might. But all she did was sneer at Zhou Xizhi—a mocking, contemptuous laugh.
She could kneel, because she couldn’t afford to offend Zhou Xizhi’s power, and she didn’t want to drag innocent people into it. But she would never kneel to atone for Zhao Ruoruo.
So she knelt ramrod straight.
Zhou Xizhi changed into a suit—a perfectly pressed peacock blue that made him look even more refined and noble, like a handsome young aristocrat.
He walked out of the villa together with Liu Mei and Zhao Jinjin. As the three of them passed by Yan Yi’an—
Liu Mei saw the defiance on her face, and the stinging pain on her own cheek seemed to remind her of her humiliation once more. No one had dared to lay a hand on her in all these years. Her anger surged again. She tilted her head to the side, parted her red lips, and spat viciously—the spittle landing squarely on Yan Yi’an’s face.
It slid down her cheek—sticky, disgusting…
Yan Yi’an didn’t blink. She only furrowed her brows slightly and silently clenched her fists.
Butler Zhou behind her couldn’t bear to watch. Why was this child so stubborn?
The older he grew, the less he could stand seeing such humiliating scenes. He hurriedly grabbed the corner of his sleeve, wanting to wipe it for Yan Yi’an.
“Uncle Zhou, open the door.”
Zhou Xizhi spoke coldly, as if he hadn’t seen the phlegm on Yan Yi’an’s face or her humiliation. Butler Zhou hastily agreed a few times, brushing across her face before rushing ahead to open the door for the three of them.
Yan Yi’an finally understood the meaning of her return—she was the trash can for Zhou Xizhi and the Zhao family to vent their anger on.
Zhou Xizhi sat in the car, feeling inexplicably irritated. Through the glass, he saw the figure in the courtyard standing motionless, half of her pale face carrying a hint of desolation and despair.
What right did she have to wear that expression?
She at least had freedom. Her life still had hope. But Ruoruo was destroyed by her hands. Zhou Xizhi’s heart instantly turned cold again, his gaze returning to frost.
Fangcheng Women’s Prison.
Zhao Ruoruo wore a prison uniform, her eyes half-lowered, her face dull and lusterless—completely devoid of the radiance and arrogance of the former young miss and celebrity she once was.
Seeing her mother and sister dressed in splendor, and Zhou Xizhi like a noble young master, while she herself was like a rat in the street bearing the charge of attempted murder—it was unbearable…
Zhao Ruoruo pushed them away like a madwoman, her face filled with panic, fear, and inferiority, tears streaming down as she cried, “Don’t touch me…”
“Mom, I… I’m no longer the Zhao Ruoruo I used to be…”
“…”
Liu Mei’s heart ached as if twisted by a knife. How could her proud, confident daughter have become like this?
But no matter what, she was still her daughter. Ignoring Zhao Ruoruo’s pushing and pounding, Liu Mei held her daughter tightly in her arms, crying as she comforted her, “Ruoruo, you will always be Mom’s daughter.”
“Mom won’t let those who hurt you get away…”
Zhao Ruoruo, sobbing against Liu Mei’s shoulder, was also drenched in tears. Her pale fingers clutched tightly at Liu Mei’s clothes. Beneath her messy, dry hair, her eyes gradually turned sinister.
But in an instant, her gaze returned to helplessness and panic. “Mom, can you find a way to get me out faster? I’ll go crazy…”
How could Liu Mei not know? But what could she do? The one who truly had the means was standing behind them. The mother and daughter looked toward Zhou Xizhi with hopeful eyes.
Zhao Ruoruo stood timidly before Zhou Xizhi, pitiful and helpless. She wanted so badly to hug him, but she was terrified that her clothes might defile him.
“Xizhi ge, do you believe me? I really didn’t harm Yan Yi’an. She’s the one who’s lying…”
The caution, fear, isolation, and hurt in Zhao Ruoruo’s eyes… all Zhou Xizhi saw was two words: heartache.
He wanted to hold Zhao Ruoruo in his arms, but she timidly and fearfully dodged away, carefully uttering a single word: “Dirty.”
She felt she was dirty, no longer worthy of Zhou Xizhi.
Her cautious tone made Zhou Xizhi’s heart ache with a mix of anger and regret—it was his softness toward Yan Yi’an that had allowed Ruoruo to be hurt.
“I believe you. I’ll find a way to gather evidence as soon as possible, Ruoruo.”
Zhou Xizhi carefully embraced Zhao Ruoruo. As he lowered his head, he inadvertently caught sight of a bruise on the back of her neck. His gaze immediately turned sharp as he grabbed at her clothes, his eyes full of heartache. “What’s this? Who hurt you?”
“Nothing…” Zhao Ruoruo clutched her clothes tightly, gritting her teeth, but the tears in her eyes betrayed her fear.
Liu Mei and Zhao Jinjin hurried over upon hearing this and pulled at Zhao Ruoruo’s clothes. They were shocked—not just on her back, but her chest and thighs were covered in bruises. Heartbroken, the sight was truly horrifying.
“What exactly happened?”
At this moment, Zhou Xizhi’s eyes could not conceal the murderous intent within.
“They saw me… as easy to bully. On ordinary days… they always ordered me around, and whenever they were unhappy, they would… hit me and curse at me.”
“Xi Zhi-gege, if I stay here any longer, I’ll go crazy… Please, hurry and get me out of here, okay?”