“Lin Shi Xi, let’s call it even.”
Chi Xuan said this with his chin slightly raised, adopting a condescending attitude.
His eyes swept over her with a fierce glare, practically spelling out “dare to refuse and I’ll end you” on his face.
Shi Xi shook her head, then nodded. “Fine.”
The original host and he could never truly settle their accounts.
But the original host was gone. Shi Xi had accepted the compensation for emotional damages on her behalf, which meant they were officially squared at that point.
Today was just Chi Xuan deliberately picking a fight.
Fortunately, his hatred meter had reset to zero, so she wouldn’t need to bother dealing with him anymore.
Chi Xuan tightened his grip on the wine glass and seized the moment to ask, “So, exactly how many… fish do you have?”
Actually, no one online knew how many she was dating, since the people he hired couldn’t hack into her phone or computer.
After he exposed her face-swapping livestream, several fans from her donation leaderboard claimed they had added her on WeChat. When they confessed their feelings to her, she agreed without hesitation.
They said she was unenthusiastic in chats but lightning-fast at accepting red packets, leading them to suspect she was running a pig-butchering scam, so they cut contact.
From this perspective, Chi Xuan felt he was special to her.
After all, she chatted with him as eagerly as she collected red packets.
Moreover, she had pinned him at the top.
Shi Xi slowly blinked and held up three fingers.
Then she lowered her head to drink water.
As for exactly who they were, she wouldn’t say—to prevent them from forming some victim alliance and sharing intel.
Chi Xuan wore a fake smile as he bent his head to study the three pinned contacts.
The second was LMZ.
The third was Yang Fan.
She hadn’t changed their nicknames.
Chi Xuan suddenly remembered something.
She had blocked him long ago!
And still hadn’t unblocked him!
When Shi Xi looked up, she met his knife-sharp glare.
Oh dear, didn’t we just agree to call it even?
Why was his mood swinging so wildly?
“What’s wrong with you now?”
In a rather good mood, she propped her chin on one hand, her tone slightly drawn out and lazy.
Chi Xuan even felt her attitude was like humoring a child!
Suppressing his visible emotions, he mimicked his older brother’s usual composure and slid the phone back toward her.
“Since we’re even, when are you going to unblock me?”
Shi Xi didn’t touch the phone. “Too much trouble. Do it yourself.”
Chi Xuan glared death rays. “You. Do. It!”
Where’s the trouble? Where?
Just tap the avatar, go to the profile, and press a button.
“Fine.”
Only then did Shi Xi tap on her phone.
But after fumbling for a while, she couldn’t find the right path.
Chi Xuan frowned, gritted his teeth silently, and finally couldn’t help snapping, “Top right corner—can’t you see the three dots? Tap them!”
Shi Xi grumbled irritably, “I told you to do it yourself.”
Chi Xuan: “You were pretty capable when you blocked all three in one go. Why can’t you do it now?”
Shi Xi: “You were plenty capable when you cyberbullied me. What’s wrong with blocking you? Watch it, or I’ll punch you.”
“…Didn’t we agree to call it even?”
“Then why are you bringing up old scores?”
“…” Chi Xuan was left speechless.
He stared at her in astonishment. When they chatted, she didn’t seem this sharp-tongued, did she?
Seeing her about to unblock the other two fish, he reached out a large hand and said, “Delete them.”
Shi Xi quickly locked her phone.
Her mission wasn’t complete yet—she couldn’t delete them.
His gaze sharpened. “You can’t bear to part with them?”
Shi Xi responded perfunctorily, “Right, right, right.”
Chi Xuan: “…”
Watching his face darken and then turn ashen, Shi Xi sensed the danger of his resentment level rising.
So she touched her own face and said, “I should head back.”
He had taken her out for a stroll and even blatantly reserved this upscale restaurant, drawing far too much attention.
Moreover, her current outfit was completely out of place here.
But Chi Xuan didn’t seem to notice.
Of course, neither did Shi Xi.
In fact, she had eaten quite a lot.
His gaze falling on the gauze on Shi Xi’s left cheek, Chi Xuan suddenly grew restless.
He thought of all the things he had done during this period.
Although he had told her they were even, he still felt a sense of guilt and indebtedness.
He was the one rushing to move on.
He picked up his wine glass and downed it in one gulp, his lips staining a faint crimson.
His long lashes lowered as he looked at her, his voice softening, “With today’s advanced medical technology, you can even get a whole new face. Those two scars will definitely fade.”
But would she have enough money?
Shi Xi nodded, “Mm.”
Chi Xuan asked casually, “When are you starting your livestreams again?”
“Huh?”
“Are you too scared to?”
“I am scared. Who wants to be publicly insulted online?”
“…” Chi Xuan’s lips twitched, feeling like this chapter could never truly be closed.
He lowered his gaze and assured her, “No one would dare insult you.”
If she didn’t resume streaming, he had no legitimate way to send her money.
Shi Xi said, “Oh.”
It was already late, and only after Shi Xi kept yawning did Chi Xuan finally agree to leave.
From a distance, both of them noticed the figure leaning against the car.
Tall and upright, his short hair neatly combed, his sharp features appearing even more profound and aloof in the night.
“Lu Mingzhe?”
Chi Xuan recognized him and glanced sideways, a suspicion forming in his mind. “Could it be… he’s one too?”
That “LMZ” she had pinned—it must be Lu Mingzhe, right?
Shi Xi silently confirmed it.
Chi Xuan narrowed his eyes, staring at the approaching Lu Mingzhe with a trace of mockery in his gaze. “He’s insane.”
The two of them had once been siblings.
Lu Mingzhe had come after learning they were at this restaurant. Seeing how harmonious the atmosphere between them was, he was only slightly puzzled.
His gaze lingered on the gauze on Shi Xi’s cheek, his voice low and strained as he simply called her name, “Xixi.”
Shi Xi had a psychological aversion to the Lu family.
Right now, that included Lu Mingzhe.
Even though she knew that those living around the female lead were likely the most constrained by the plot.
The harm they had inflicted on the original host was an undeniable fact.
Shi Xi didn’t respond, instead looking elsewhere.
Chi Xuan shifted slightly, shielding her, his tone unfriendly. “Lu Mingzhe, what are you doing here?”
Lu Mingzhe frowned, lowering his voice. “Chi Xuan, have you had your fun? Don’t hurt her.”
Chi Xuan stuffed his hands in his pockets, glaring coldly. “Which eye of yours saw me hurting her?”
“Not just me—everyone saw.”
Chi Xuan, feeling cornered, suddenly grabbed Lu Mingzhe by the collar. “I’d like to ask you how she ended up injured like this.”
This time, it was Lu Mingzhe’s turn to break.
A cold, shadowy light flickered in his eyes as his gaze swept over Shi Xi’s slender figure, his heart feeling as if shards of glass were scraping through it.
Since the day she left, the Lu family had been unable to find any trace of her.
Even the rose garden they had planted together, stalk by stalk, had been cleared away.
He knew she had been in a car accident, knew she was on the verge of death, and knew she had knelt at their doorstep begging for money to treat her injuries.
He didn’t understand what had been wrong with him back then—how he could have simply turned a blind eye.
Now, those memories began to launch their cruel assault on him.
Shi Xi watched this scene with a heart as calm as still water.
Until a clear, crisp voice came from the roadside.
“Excuse me, who called for the designated driver?”
A tall boy wearing a baseball cap was supporting a shared e-bike with one hand, his gaze fixed intently on the trio.
His short, layered hair fell slightly over his brows and eyes. With his gentle, handsome “salt-style” looks, his overly serious expression gave off a distant vibe.
Before Lu Mingzhe could push him aside, Chi Xuan took a step back first. He raised a hand slightly toward the boy, then gestured to Shi Xi, “Get in the car.”
But Shi Xi stood frozen as if struck by lightning, staring in the boy’s direction and swallowing silently.
That was Bai Fan! The System hadn’t even given her a warning.
Since the original host and Bai Fan attended the same school, Shi Xi could easily access his other information just by knowing his name.
Bai Fan was a campus heartthrob and a prominent figure—excellent in his major, multi-talented, and even had his own band.
However, it was said his family was relatively poor, so he was always focused on earning money.
Many girls at school had crushes on him.
He rarely shared much about himself when chatting with the original host, but he never hesitated to praise her singing.
He had a thing for voices and suffered from chronic insomnia, yet he could fall asleep listening to her voice.
Seeing Shi Xi lost in thought, Chi Xuan reached out to pull her.
But Lu Mingzhe was quicker, pulling her in front of him.
“Xixi, let me take you home.”
Chi Xuan frowned in displeasure and brushed his hand away. “Lu Mingzhe, that’s enough. She has nothing to do with your family now.”
“And what does she have to do with you?”
Chi Xuan’s face turned cold. “None of your business. At least I can say I’m her ex-boyfriend. What are you to her?”
Lu Mingzhe was left speechless, a shadow of gloom darkening his eyes.
Bai Fan had already parked his bike and was standing at a polite distance.
He clearly overheard their conversation but acted as if he hadn’t, his expression remaining completely unchanged.
Yet Shi Xi could keenly feel his gaze, sharp as a steel blade.
Standing between the three men, her throat felt slightly dry. “I’ll take a taxi. There’s no need to trouble any of you.”
She considered herself steady-natured, but at this moment, she felt genuinely stuck.
Why did it have to be such a coincidence?
Suddenly remembering something, she turned to Lu Mingzhe. “…There’s something I’d like to ask for your help with.”
She wasn’t sure how to address him, and the formal “you” she used instantly placed them at a distant, unfamiliar level.
Lu Mingzhe’s breath hitched, his heart aching unbearably.
“Xixi, go ahead.”
“Back then, the Lu Family found evidence that my… parents swapped babies and blackmailed your family. Could you give me that evidence?”
Killing wasn’t an option in this world. For Shi Xi to break free from her biological family, the most direct method now was to send them to prison.
Her words left both Lu Mingzhe and Chi Xuan stunned.
Lu Mingzhe replied, “I’m not sure about that. I’ll go back and ask for you.”
“Okay.”
“But… what do you plan to do with it?”
Shi Xi let out a long breath, her voice clear in the night breeze. “I want to send them to prison.”
The two men were stunned once again.
Chi Xuan turned to Lu Mingzhe, his tone accusatory, “If you had the evidence back then, why didn’t you report it to the police and have them arrested?”
Lu Mingzhe remained silent, then shook his head.
The ones who handled that matter back then were his parents.
They all wished they could have killed Lin Zhen, but in the end, they let it pass with just a casual mention.
Why?
They clearly knew how despicable that couple was.
Chi Xuan let out a mocking sneer, his smile not reaching his eyes, and speculated, “Were they afraid she wouldn’t have anyone to take care of her, or were they deliberately letting that couple abuse her, afraid she hadn’t suffered enough…”
Lu Mingzhe’s expression changed drastically, cutting him off, “Chi Xuan, shut your mouth!”
“Oh, getting defensive again?”
Seeing them about to clash once more, Shi Xi leaned on her cane and walked toward the roadside, ready to hail a taxi and leave.
“What are you running away for?”
Chi Xuan chased after her.
Before she could raise her hand to stop a car, he effortlessly scooped her up by the waist.
“Chi Xuan!”
Lu Mingzhe hurried over, trying to stop him.
Chi Xuan shot him a cold glare. “I suggest you focus on delivering the evidence first.”
Lu Mingzhe halted in his tracks.
Shi Xi sighed silently, not even bothering to struggle.
This Shura Field was unavoidable.
Not far away, a car had been parked for a long time.
Witnessing the scene, Huo Yao pinched the bridge of his nose.
God only knew why he was here.
Chi Xuan placed Shi Xi in the back seat of the car, then tossed the keys to Bai Fan before sitting beside her.
Bai Fan took the driver’s seat and glanced back. “Where to, Mr. Chi?”
Shi Xi huddled by the car door, lightly tapping her right leg. She had been putting all her weight on it earlier, and now it felt weak and sore.
Moreover, her left foot was starting to ache again.
Her cane stood upright between them, creating a barrier between her and Chi Xuan.
Chi Xuan spoke, “Jinghua Grand Hotel.”
Shi Xi paused. “I want to go home.”
“That dump of yours—aren’t you afraid your parents will show up again?”
“…I still want to go back.”
“Lin Shi Xi, are you out of your mind? What could I possibly do to you?”
As he said this, Chi Xuan stared at the right side of her face, making his words even less convincing.
How could he not have even a flicker of improper thoughts?
Shi Xi lifted her gaze and unexpectedly met a pair of eyes in the rearview mirror.
But he quickly looked away, focusing on the road ahead, silently waiting for the driver to confirm the destination.
The car ultimately returned to the neighborhood where Shi Xi lived.
She picked up her cane to get out, but Chi Xuan blocked the car door, his tone commanding. “You can keep Lu Mingzhe, but that ‘Yang Fan’… delete him.”
Shi Xi’s pupils contracted slightly, and she glanced guiltily toward the driver’s seat.
She needed to stay away from this Chi Xuan—he was too good at making her tasks more difficult.
“Chi Xuan, you’re overstepping.”
She maintained her composure, pressing the cane against his chest. “Move aside.”
Chi Xuan bent slightly, looking down at her.
The streetlights cast flickering reflections in her eyes. The right side of her face was porcelain-smooth and delicate, while the damaged half was concealed, though her displeasure was still evident.
Her slightly upturned lip glistened, soft and pink.
Chi Xuan felt an untimely dryness in his throat, his narrow eyes darkening.
He gripped the cane and took two steps back.
After getting out of the car, Shi Xi moved swiftly on her crutches.
Chi Xuan initially considered carrying her upstairs, but upon seeing her fleeing figure, he simply took a few photos with his phone.
“Heh, three legs really do move fast.Once she disappeared through the door, Chi Xuan had the designated driver get out and drove the car away himself.
He had only had one glass of low-alcohol wine, after all.
Besides, he was never one to follow rules in the first place.
Watching the car drive away, the young man looked up at the building before him.
A light turned on on the third floor.
The curtains, which had been open, were pulled shut with a sharp swish.
Against the white curtains, a slender figure was silhouetted.
Bai Fan took out his phone and dialed 122, his voice hushed, “…License plate number xxxx, yes, drunk driving, heading from Anle Residential Area toward the Rose Bar…”
After hanging up, he finally stepped into the building. The black brim of his cap cast a heavy shadow over his face, but his eyes burned with a barely suppressed fire.