Su Xingnuo let out a soft chuckle, crossing her arms.
“Shen Qingya, you said just now that it wasn’t me who pushed you, and now you’re turning it around on me? Interesting.”
Those who had defended Shen Qingya earlier were now silent.
Xie Ran, hearing that there was evidence, grabbed Shen Qingya’s hand.
“If you have proof, why didn’t you show it sooner?”
“I was thinking of you… after all, she is…” Shen Qingya hesitated. “But I can’t let Mr. Xie misunderstand you.”
Xie Ran’s heart softened.
“You’re too kind.”
“I was talking to Miss Su upstairs, and a waiter saw the whole thing,” Shen Qingya wiped her tears as she spoke.
Xie Ran immediately looked toward Xie Ruchen.
“Uncle, if we bring him here, everything will be clear.”
Xie Ruchen remained silent. Xie Ran grew anxious.
“Uncle, are you really going to protect that woman?”
“I thought your judgment of women was decent. Now it seems…” Xie Ruchen’s cold gaze swept Shen Qingya.
Xie Ran stepped protectively in front of her.
“Uncle, Qingya is very important to me. As for everything else… I’ll explain later.”
He could not let his uncle expose his relationship with Su Xingnuo in public.
Su Xingnuo frowned.
“Is there no surveillance? What about the hotel manager?”
The hotel manager stepped forward.
“Miss Su, I apologize. The camera facing that direction broke yesterday, and we haven’t had a chance to repair it yet.”
A young waiter stepped forward.
“I was standing upstairs and saw Miss Su and Miss Shen argue.”
He pointed at Su Xingnuo.
“Miss Su, for some reason, suddenly pushed Miss Shen down the stairs.”
Shen Qingya looked injured and wronged.
“I didn’t want to make this public, but Mr. Xie, you cannot punish Xie Ran over this. I have no choice but to tell the truth.”
She then looked at Su Xingnuo.
“I know you were probably acting impulsively. If you admit your mistake and apologize, I’ll ensure Xie Ran won’t pursue this further.”
Xie Ran pulled her into his arms.
“Qingya, you’ve suffered so much for me…”
He turned to Xie Ruchen.
“Uncle, now the truth is out. I’ll immediately remove this woman.”
Before he could act, Xie Ruchen kicked him aside, his expression icy.
“Fool.”
Shen Qingya barely dodged and steadied herself, helping Xie Ran.
Xie Ran clutched his stomach.
“Uncle?”
Why was he so angry? Was it because of this woman?
He knelt, apologetic.
“I was wrong, Uncle.”
He assumed his uncle’s anger was because he knew about his relationship with Shen Qingya. But this was a mistake any man could make, right? Surely his uncle could understand.
Su Xingnuo stepped forward. She recognized the waiter—it was the one who had lured her upstairs. Clearly, it was premeditated.
“How much did Shen Qingya pay you to slander me?”
The waiter remained calm.
“I don’t understand, Miss Su. I don’t know Miss Shen, and I didn’t take any money. I only told what I saw.”
Su Xingnuo sneered, impressed by his stubbornness.
She addressed Xie Ruchen.
“Mr. Xie, I will investigate this thoroughly. Give me ten minutes…”
Xie Ruchen ignored her. Raising his hand, Qin Yue stepped forward.
“Mr. Xie, I’ll handle this.”
He couldn’t let Xie Ruchen act personally.
Qin Yue handed Xie Ruchen a dagger. He took it and approached the waiter, grabbing his neck.
He kicked him down, stepping on the waiter’s wrist. The dagger’s cold edge pinned the waiter’s hand to the floor.
A scream echoed as blood pooled beneath the dagger.
Xie Ruchen’s voice was cold and single-minded:
“Speak.”
The waiter’s lips turned white from pain.
“I—I was paid 100,000 yuan by Shen Qingya to say this! She told me to lure Miss Su upstairs.”
Xie Ruchen withdrew his foot. Qin Yue checked the waiter’s phone and found the payment had indeed been made.
Pei Tianyou had the waiter dragged away. A doctor brought a medical kit to tend to him.
Xie Ruchen commanded, “Call the police.”
Pei Tianyou understood immediately.
“No one touches him until the police arrive.”
The guests had been shocked, thinking Xie Ruchen might kill the waiter publicly. Thankfully, only the hand was injured. But anyone offending Xie Ruchen would find no safe haven in the country.
Shen Qingya stared at the blood on the floor, nearly collapsing.
How could it be so easy for the waiter to betray her?
She clutched Xie Ran’s sleeve.
“Xie Ran, I’m innocent! That waiter really isn’t lying about me…”
Xie Ran’s legs trembled. He recalled what he had heard about his uncle:
The rumors about Xie Ruchen being ruthless were true. Acting in front of so many people—if he had offended him… the consequences were unimaginable.
Xie Zhi and Feng Chunlan clung to each other.
The crowd now looked at Shen Qingya with contempt. How despicable to resort to such schemes!
If not for Xie Ruchen’s intervention, Su Xingnuo might have been forced to kneel and apologize.
The words “vicious woman” echoed in Shen Qingya’s ears as she cried.
“Xie Ran…”
Xie Ran calmed himself and instructed his men,
“Take Qingya to the lounge to rest.”
Qin Yue stopped them.
“Master Xie, this woman cannot leave. The police will escort her to the proper place.”
Shen Qingya had slandered Su Xingnuo and deserved to face the authorities.
Tears streaming, she shook her head.
“Xie Ran, I don’t want to go to the police.”
Qin Yue’s voice was stern.
“Then you have no choice, Miss Shen. Didn’t you expect this day when you slandered someone?”
Soon, the police arrived and took Shen Qingya and the waiter away.
Su Xingnuo frowned. Xie Ruchen’s methods were ruthless—but efficient. She would have needed at least ten minutes to verify the evidence herself.
The banquet continued as if nothing had happened.
She glanced around, noticing Xie Ruchen had left.
Of course—his appearance at such a banquet had already been extraordinary. He had stayed long enough to help her.
If he had come to help her in front of her sister, one might even imagine he had taken an interest in her.
She smiled slightly. This man, though also surnamed Xie, clearly knew right from wrong.
Crash!
A wine glass shattered on the floor, drawing her attention.
The owner’s voice carried anger.
“What kind of wine is this? How dare you serve this to guests? If you can’t afford the banquet, don’t hold it!”