Shen Qingya lost her balance, tumbling down the stairs. She rolled several times before finally stopping on the first floor.
Her scream drew everyone’s attention. People gathered around.
Shen Qingya lay on the ground, moaning softly. Her head had hit the steps—though carpeted, it left a red mark.
Onlookers covered their mouths in shock.
“Isn’t this Miss Shen? How…?”
Shen Qingya stirred, slowly lifted her eyelids, and raised her hand toward the second floor.
The crowd followed her gaze. Su Xingnuo stood at the staircase on the second floor.
Whispers spread.
“Miss Shen and Miss Su were up there… Could Su have pushed her?”
“Qingya!”
Xie Ran pushed through the crowd, cradling Shen Qingya in his arms, full of concern.
“Qingya, are you alright?”
Shen Qingya, weak, shook her head.
“I’m fine. It’s not Miss Su’s fault—I misstepped and fell.”
The crowd murmured. Just moments ago, her expression, gestures, and eye movements had suggested Su Xingnuo had pushed her.
Why did she suddenly change her story when Xie Ran arrived?
“Su Xingnuo! Get down here!” Xie Ran shouted toward the second floor.
Su Xingnuo lifted her skirt, descending slowly under the scrutinizing gaze of everyone present.
She stopped before Xie Ran, lowering her long lashes, her gaze calm and unflinching.
Shen Qingya clutched Xie Ran’s hand, eyes red, filled with fear at Su Xingnuo.
Xie Ran’s eyes blazed with anger at the red mark on Shen Qingya’s forehead.
“How dare you touch Qingya when you know…”
Su Xingnuo bent slightly, lifted a finger to her lips—a gesture to stay silent.
Xie Ran’s voice cut off instinctively. He remembered the need to keep Shen Qingya’s pregnancy secret, forcing his rage down, teeth gritted.
“Su Xingnuo, today you must pay for your actions. I will not let this go.”
The previous slaps, the IOU—he had endured enough.
Yet Su Xingnuo had escalated her behavior, now daring to target Qingya in front of everyone.
Shen Qingya clutched Xie Ran’s sleeve, her eyes pleading.
“Brother Xie, it really wasn’t Miss Su…”
Her voice grew faint; she didn’t dare look Su Xingnuo in the eye, appearing utterly wronged.
Xie Ran tightened his hold on her arm, soothing softly.
“I will make this right.”
Anyone who harmed his woman and child touched his unyielding fury. Today, even if the King himself arrived, he would avenge Shen Qingya.
“You apologize to Qingya immediately, and I’ll forgive you this once.”
Onlookers sensed the real threat now. Xie Ran, usually polite and reserved, was visibly furious.
Su Xingnuo remained unmoved, as if the command wasn’t directed at her.
She glanced lightly at the injuries on Shen Qingya’s face, eyes cold and sharp.
“Xie Ran, I’ll only say this once: I didn’t push Shen Qingya.”
“Not push her? Then did she push herself?” Xie Ran roared.
Su Xingnuo raised her eyelids, expression unchanged.
“Yes. Looks like you’re not blind.”
“Y-you!” Xie Ran fumed.
Xie Zhi and Feng Chunlan rushed over. Seeing the red mark on Shen Qingya’s forehead, Feng Chunlan’s face turned iron-blue.
Pointing at Su Xingnuo, she spat,
“How dare you harm Qingya!”
Xie Zhi glared, voice harsh.
“If anything happens to Qingya, I won’t forgive you!”
Feng Chunlan lunged, swinging at Su Xingnuo’s face.
Su Xingnuo stepped back nimbly, avoiding the slap.
Feng Chunlan lost her balance and fell to the ground.
Xie Zhi quickly helped her mother up, then lunged at Su Xingnuo, scratching at her face.
Su Xingnuo grabbed a champagne glass from a nearby guest and splashed it onto Xie Zhi.
She lifted her leg, kicking Xie Zhi to the floor, crushing her hand underfoot.
“Ah!”
Xie Zhi’s scream echoed through the banquet hall.
“My brother will never forgive you!”
“Su Xingnuo, apologize to Qingya now! Kneel and apologize!” Feng Chunlan shrieked, face wrinkled with rage.
“Hmph.”
Su Xingnuo snorted coldly. Kneel? Absurd.
Xie Ran gently released Shen Qingya and stepped forward.
“Can’t you hear me? Kneel!”
Su Xingnuo advanced a step, meeting Xie Ran’s gaze.
“This woman is so important to you?”
Three years of effort gone unappreciated, now forced to kneel before a third party. Her heart had grown numb, pain replaced with emptiness.
Shen Qingya tugged on Xie Ran’s sleeve softly.
“Brother Xie, perhaps we should let it go. So many witnesses… Miss Su would be humiliated.”
Xie Ran held her hand firmly, voice resolute.
“No, Qingya. Today she must know that hurting you has consequences. Kneeling is nothing; she won’t be forced to do more.”
Su Xingnuo, a fallen heiress with no backing, could sulk for a day or two, but eventually, she’d have to return to his side.
Shen Qingya said no more. Xie Ran called two bodyguards.
“Make this woman kneel.”
The bodyguards approached. Su Xingnuo’s eyes flickered, about to summon her own reinforcements.
Before she could act, a low, chilling voice sounded nearby:
“Who dares touch her?”