As soon as Jiao Qinqin spoke these words, Xiang Meilan felt her vision darken. Yet what plunged her into even deeper despair was Xia Ying’s next statement.
“You and Zhou Yiming drugged our drinks. Even if we ended up together, it would be as victims forced into that situation. But what about you? With hearts as venomous as snakes and scorpions, you devised such a sinister plot and carried it through. Now that you’ve dirtied yourselves, do you think you can just splash that filth onto others?”
“Yingying, you mustn’t speak recklessly!” Xiang Meilan’s voice trembled with urgency. She wished she could immediately throw off the covers and thoroughly inspect whether Xia Ying and Zhou Qingbai had truly been together.
If it were true…
Xiang Meilan’s face instantly turned deathly pale. If it were true, then no matter how wealthy the Xia family was, she could never allow Yiming to suffer such humiliation!
Naturally, Jiao Qinqin denied it: “You’re talking nonsense! It’s not true, Brother Yiming and I…”
“What? Are you trying to say nothing happened between you and Zhou Yiming, that you just slept innocently behind closed doors last night?” Xia Ying interrupted her, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“I… I…” How could Jiao Qinqin dare to deny it? Her plan had been to force the issue and marry Zhou Yiming. Not to mention she was already his woman now—even if she weren’t, she would insist she was.
This was the only path left for her and Zhou Yiming.
“So what if it happened? That doesn’t prove Brother Yiming and I harmed you. I could say you harmed us! Don’t you dare deny it—look at yourself, barely wearing anything. How can you claim nothing happened between you and Zhou Qingbai? Let me tell you, you’re tainted now. Don’t expect Brother Yiming to want you anymore!”
She finished speaking with a mix of triumph and fury, but no sooner had her words fallen than a sharp scream pierced the air.
“Ah—” It was Xiang Meilan, who could no longer restrain herself. She rushed forward and slapped Jiao Qinqin hard across the face.
Jiao Qinqin had already been thoroughly exhausted from the previous night’s ordeal, and her body was still weak. Xiang Meilan, in her rage, struck with all her might. After the scream, Jiao Qinqin thudded heavily onto the floor.
“You shameless wretch! How dare you spew such filth from your mouth! If you spout nonsense again, I’ll tear your lips apart!” Facing Jiao Qinqin, Xiang Meilan showed none of the gentle warmth she had displayed toward Xia Ying. At this moment, she resembled the child-eating witch from legends. “You’re the one without morals, seducing a man, and yet you dare slander Yingying! Yingying is the daughter-in-law I’ve chosen, and I know her character well. If she says nothing happened, then nothing happened! But you, you shameless creature—I’ll go to the Jiao family later and ask your parents how they raised such a brazen, disgraceful thing!”
Before confirming whether anything had truly happened between Xia Ying and Zhou Qingbai, Xiang Meilan only wanted to gloss over the matter. Of course, even if Xia Ying and Zhou Qingbai had indeed been improper, she had no intention of accepting Jiao Qinqin as her daughter-in-law.
So whether through beating or cursing, she held nothing back.
She was also thinking that after putting on such a performance, even in the worst-case scenario where Xia Ying had truly been with Zhou Qingbai, her actions would ensure that Xia Ying would blame Jiao Qinqin alone, not Zhou Yiming. This way, she could still persuade Xia Ying to contribute more money toward Zhou Yiming’s education.
Though merely a rural woman, Xiang Meilan was exceedingly clever and knew precisely when to yield and when to stand firm.
Beaten and humiliated, Jiao Qinqin—after all, just a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl—could not bear it any longer. She turned pale, her breath grew rapid, and she was left speechless.
In her past life, Xiang Meilan had been the same—wholeheartedly fond of her, while treating Jiao Qinqin with nothing but beatings and scoldings. Back then, Xia Ying had thought Xiang Meilan was biased in her favor, recognizing her but not Jiao Qinqin. Now, however, she found it laughable. Xiang Meilan was indeed biased and recognized her, but that was because of the money in her hands. Moreover, the harsher and more excessive Xiang Meilan was toward Jiao Qinqin, the more it highlighted her behavior of shielding Zhou Yiming behind her. Zhou Yiming was one of the culprits in this matter, and he might even have been the mastermind.
Blaming only Jiao Qinqin was far too unfair!
Xia Ying looked at Zhou Yiming.
In truth, she really wanted to admit that something was going on with Zhou Qingbai. But after impulsively removing Zhou Qingbai’s shirt last night, she now realized she had been too selfish and perhaps too useless. At the moment, Zhou Qingbai indeed seemed like her lifeline, but he himself might not be willing to be tied to her. Besides, even if she hadn’t seen the outside world in her past life, now that she had been given a second chance, it seemed she shouldn’t remain so timid.
At worst, she could just die again.
But no matter how she died in this life, it wouldn’t be more humiliating than her past life.
So she said, “I don’t need to report my affairs with Zhou Qingbai to you. But rest assured, Zhou Yiming, after what happened with you last night… ha, he’s already tainted. Don’t expect me to ever look at him again!”
Xia Ying threw Jiao Qinqin’s words right back at her.
However, as soon as she said this, three voices calling her name rang out simultaneously in the room.
“Xia Ying!” This was Jiao Qinqin, who had been too tongue-tied to speak under Xiang Meilan’s scolding just moments ago but now had the energy to shout at her.
“Xia Ying—” This was Xiang Meilan, furious but forcibly suppressing her anger.
And Zhou Yiming also spoke up: “Xia Ying…”
Even if Zhou Yiming had a hundred brains, he would never have imagined things would unfold this way.
Although he hadn’t interacted much with Xia Ying, he still had some understanding of her temperament—the gentle, honest type. He didn’t actually mind having someone like that as a wife, but he couldn’t just ignore Jiao Qinqin. Yet he never expected that Xia Ying, whom he thought was gentle and honest, would say such things. This was… simply disrespectful toward him!
He hadn’t even started to dislike her, and she was already disliking him!
He didn’t have time to wonder how Xia Ying knew about his affair with Jiao Qinqin or how she knew about the drugging. Consumed by anger, he only wanted to slap Xia Ying hard in the face. So, looking at Jiao Qinqin, whose face was pale with rage as she glared at Xia Ying, he rushed over without a second thought and pulled her into his arms.
“Qinqin, Qinqin, are you okay?”
Xiang Meilan’s expression turned even uglier.
But Jiao Qinqin, her eyes misty with tears, was deeply moved: “Yiming-ge, I’m fine.”
Zhou Yiming said gently, “Your face is swollen, and you say you’re fine? Don’t talk. I’ll carry you out and use cold water to soothe it.”
Zhou Yiming picked up Jiao Qinqin and was about to leave, but Xiang Meilan was utterly enraged: “Zhou Yiming!”
“Mom, what’s important now is resolving the issue, not making a scene like this.” Zhou Yiming paused but only said this before continuing to carry Jiao Qinqin away.
Zhou Xiaocao stood at the doorway and was roughly bumped into.
She was already used to her second brother acting this way and didn’t even spare him a glance, only looking worriedly at Xia Ying.
Xiang Meilan, reminded, set aside her anger and turned to Xia Ying. Taking a deep breath, she managed to force a kindly smile. “Yingying, don’t say such angry words. I only recognize you as my daughter-in-law. Don’t worry or be afraid. With something like this happening, I’ll definitely stand by your side. Don’t worry, no one outside will know about today’s events. I’ll drive Jiao Qinqin away right now, and you can continue to be with Yiming.”
Xia Ying looked at her, speaking with utmost seriousness, “Mom, I really find it disgusting.”
“Xia Ying!” Zhou Yiming was, after all, Xiang Meilan’s most beloved son. Hearing Xia Ying say this repeatedly, she grew angry. “If you keep this up, I’ll have to speak to your parents! Keeping such matters quiet is one thing, but if word gets out, as a woman, you’ll be the one people point fingers at! I care for you, that’s why I’m thinking of your best interests. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness!”
Speak to her parents?
Go ahead!
Wasn’t it the same in her past life?
In her past life, she had also refused to stay with Zhou Yiming—of course, she hadn’t wanted to be with Zhou Qingbai either. Furious, she had wanted to return home, but before she could even leave the Zhou household, her parents had arrived.
Her mother had been heartbroken for her, holding her and crying for a long time, even scratching Zhou Yiming a few times.
But her father…
She had always been an obedient child, especially to her father. He had said that capable men were all like that. If she refused Zhou Yiming, the next man she met might be even worse. At least Zhou Yiming had admitted his mistake and acknowledged their marriage. Besides, she had a mother-in-law like Xiang Meilan who favored her, so her life wouldn’t be too bad. She should stay—she had to stay—because if she left in a fit of anger, she would bring shame to her family. Moreover, Zhou Yiming had a bright future ahead. Once he succeeded, he could help her younger brother. Since she was already married, she couldn’t just think of herself and ignore everything else.
But this was her entire life.
She truly, truly did not want to force herself into such a situation.
Her mother, seeing her distress, had spoken up for her, but in the end… right there in the Zhou household, her father had beaten her mother. Punching and kicking as if trying to kill her, she had no choice but to relent.
In this life, should she encourage her mother to divorce?
“M…” Having called her “Mom” for a lifetime, Xia Ying almost habitually addressed Xiang Meilan as such again, but she caught herself mid-word. “My mind is made up. Besides, Zhou Yiming and Jiao Qinqin are deeply in love, and I want to let them be together.”
She also wanted to see whether, without her money in this life, Zhou Yiming could still get into university.
She should also save Zhou Xiaocao and see whether, without Zhou Xiaocao’s sacrifices, Zhou Yiming’s career could still rise steadily.
By then, who knows what kind of life Zhou Yiming and Jiao Qinqin would lead.
Xiang Meilan grew frantic, wondering if Xia Ying had truly gotten involved with Zhou Qingbai.
Without a second thought, she reached out and yanked at the blanket, trying to pull it away.
Zhou Qingbai, who had been quietly watching the scene, suddenly changed expression. He strode forward and grabbed Xiang Meilan’s wrist. A tall, sturdy man accustomed to farm work, he used only half his strength, yet Xiang Meilan felt as if her hand were about to be crushed.
She glared at him angrily. “Zhou Qingbai, what are you doing?!”
Zhou Qingbai sneered coldly and said, “Aunt Xiang, even though you’re just my stepmother, you can’t be so blatantly biased, can you? What do you mean by ‘Xia Ying should go back with Zhou Yiming’? I don’t know if Xia Ying finds it disgusting, but I certainly do. Jiao Qinqin and Zhou Yiming have been involved in shady dealings, yet you want me to marry someone like Jiao Qinqin—what are you really up to?”
“And now that Jiao Qinqin has been tainted by Zhou Yiming, she can be given to him. But shouldn’t I be compensated with a wife?” Under Xiang Meilan’s furious, fiery glare, Zhou Qingbai grew even more impassioned: “I think Xia Ying is quite good—beautiful, full of personality, and most importantly, her family is wealthy. I’ve decided—I want Xia Ying as my wife!”