At the sight of her bleeding injury, Gu Huaijin’s first words were not words of concern.
Instead, he asked — Do you know you were wrong?
Even a stranger on the street, seeing her in such a state, would stop to ask if she was alright.
Her own husband, yet all he cared about was waiting for her to back down and admit fault.
Xia Xing could not help but laugh out loud.
Gu Huaijin frowned.
“What are you laughing at?”
Xia Xing wiped the blood from her forehead.
Rotten vegetable leaves and slimy egg fluid clung to her, leaving her thoroughly dishevelled.
“I laugh at myself.
All these years of my devotion, wasted on a dog.”
Xia Xing stopped trying to tidy herself up.
She looked at Gu Huaijin inside the car, her face blank.
“Is this how you make me regret things?
Incite online mobs against me, send a crowd to ambush me, all to avenge your Susu?”
Gu Huaijin fell silent for a few seconds.
“Do you believe I’m behind all of this?”
“Who else?” Xia Xing gave a bitter smile.
“I moved to a new apartment.
Even with doxxing, those people could never have found me so quickly.
No one but you could pinpoint my residence this fast.
Didn’t you send Zhuang Yi to warn me I would regret it?”
She stared straight into Gu Huaijin’s eyes.
“If you care so much about protecting Susu from hurt, why not get a divorce?
Once divorced, the two of you can be together openly and legitimately.”
A flicker of anger crossed Gu Huaijin’s face.
“Xia Xing, I have explained this countless times.
Susu and I are not what you imagine.
Can you stop being so unreasonable?”
Xia Xing let out a cold laugh.
“If you refuse to divorce, then prepare for me to keep being unreasonable.”
Gu Huaijin’s eyes turned icy cold.
“So you intend to remain stubborn?”
Xia Xing replied plainly, “Yes.”
Gu Huaijin laughed in fury.
“Very well.
I hope you never reach a day when you have to beg me.”
With that, Gu Huaijin’s car sped away.
…
Another day and night passed, yet public outrage over Xia Xing still showed no sign of fading.
Gu Huaijin had yet to speak up for her or suppress the news.
His tacit attitude only fuelled the hatred, turning Xia Xing into a pariah everyone reviled.
While Gu Huaijin stayed silent, Lin Susu posted a Weibo update.
“My hospitalisation has nothing to do with Miss Xia.
The drowning incident was merely an accident.
We have reached a settlement, and I do not intend to press charges against her.”
“As for online rumours claiming Miss Xia stole my boyfriend — that is all in the past.
Please do not bring it up again.”
By stating they had settled and she would not pursue charges for the drowning incident, Lin Susu effectively confirmed that Xia Xing had indeed pushed her into the water.
When she brought up the old affair at the end, instead of clearing anything up, her words that it was all in the past tacitly affirmed the narrative that Xia Xing had stolen her place.
But Lin Susu, Gu Huaijin and Zhuang Yi all knew the truth.
Xia Xing had gotten together with Gu Huaijin only after he and Lin Susu had already broken up.
Just then, new news broke out, alleging an ambiguous relationship between Xia Xing and Jiang Panzhou.
Jiang Panzhou had risen to fame for his good looks and talent, widely hailed as a gifted musician.
Yet he was now being blasted online for having an affair with a married woman — Gu Huaijin’s wife.
And that was not the end of it.
When it rains, it pours.
The police came for Xia Xing.
“Miss Xia, someone has filed a report accusing you of attempted murder.
Please come with us for questioning.”
Xia Xing was taken to the interrogation room.
Wild conspiracy theories swirled online, with many even calling for the death penalty.
But speculation could not serve as evidence.
Neither Lin Susu’s drowning nor her earlier fall near the road could prove that Xia Xing had acted with intent to kill.
The interrogation stretched from morning until night.
In the end, seeing they could get nothing out of her, the interrogators had no choice but to release her.
As she stepped out of the interrogation room, a young officer hurried over to the lead interrogator and whispered something in his ear.
The interrogator’s gaze sharpened.
He asked quietly, “Are you certain?”
The young officer nodded.
The interrogator then turned toward Xia Xing.
“Miss Xia, a new witness has come forward.
We need to investigate this matter further.
I’m afraid you cannot leave for the time being.”
A witness?
If a genuine witness existed, things would never have escalated this far.
For one to suddenly appear at such a critical moment…
Xia Xing felt as though she stood inside an ice cellar, her whole body freezing cold.
Whoever this was knew exactly what trouble she was in.
They had arranged for this witness to identify her now, aiming to destroy her completely.
Such viciousness sent chills down one’s spine!
The interrogator looked at Xia Xing, polite in tone yet authoritative.
“Miss Xia, please cooperate with our investigation.”
Xia Xing calmed herself quickly.
“May I ask who this witness is?”
The officer shook his head.
“I’m sorry.
To protect the witness’s personal safety, we cannot disclose their identity to you at this time.
If you wish to contest this, you may contact a lawyer or phone a friend to apply for bail.”
Everything had happened far too suddenly.
Xia Xing had no time to find a lawyer.
Jiang Panzhou was already caught up in the public storm; she could not turn to him.
Yu Yan was too naive to stand against Gu Huaijin.
If she said the wrong thing and gave others ammunition, she might get dragged into this mess too.
Was Gu Huaijin waiting for her to bow and apologise?
Would he keep her detained as a suspect until she yielded?
A trace of mockery flickered across Xia Xing’s eyes.
Her long lashes lowered, and she said softly, “I understand.”
“Miss Xia.”
Xia Xing lifted her head.
A young man in a white shirt stood casually not far away.
He possessed striking good looks and a lazy air; his shirt collar was unbuttoned slightly, lending him an air of unrestraint.
A measured smile rested on his thin lips, and his deep eyes resembled peach blossoms floating on still water — bewitching and seductive.
“Mr.
Shen?” Xia Xing stared in surprise.
“What are you doing here?”
Hadn’t he only come back on weekends?
Shen Yeming smiled faintly.
“Shen Xi told me you’ve run into some trouble.”
Shen Xi.
A shift crossed Xia Xing’s expression.
Ever since the morning she had been pelted with eggs, she had sent Shen Xi home temporarily.
She had no idea when her troubles would end, and staying by her side was far too dangerous for the boy.
Ever since her ordeal began, Gu Huaijin and Gu Ziting might as well have gone deaf.
Not a single phone call from either of them.
Shen Xi, though, messaged and called her every day, checking on her well-being.
A near-stranger showed her concern.
Her own husband and son had not reached out at all, and still had the leisure to travel with Lin Susu.
Shen Yeming spoke to Xia Xing.
“We can talk about everything outside first.
I’ve already finished your bail paperwork.
We may leave now.”
Xia Xing remained silent for several seconds, then nodded gently.
“Thank you.”
…
Elsewhere, inside an office.
When Qin Huo walked in, he saw the man watching the wall-mounted LCD television.
On screen was the news footage of Xia Xing being pelted with eggs and surrounded by the mob.
She looked utterly wretched, like a stray dog beaten down.
Qin Huo awkwardly diverted his gaze and gave his report quietly.
“Mr.
Gu, Miss Xia was taken in for questioning a short while ago.
Word is a witness has provided testimony… Without anyone posting bail, she would likely be kept in custody.”
Qin Huo hesitated.
“Shall we arrange for someone to bail Miss Xia out?”
Gu Huaijin glanced at him.
“When did this happen?”
“This morning.”
Gu Huaijin looked down at his phone.
It was empty.
Not a single call, not even a text message.
“Since she would rather face public condemnation and be unable to step outside than give in.
She surely does not want help from anyone.”
A cold smirk slipped past Gu Huaijin’s thin lips.
“Isn’t she so tough?
Leave her be.
Let her rot in there on her own.”