Pain tugged at Qin Xingwan’s heart. Every word they said made it sound as though everything was her fault.
Anger surged through her.
“You never taught me anything.” She curled her lips into a sarcastic smile.
Ever since she’d returned home, they had constantly compared her with Qin Yunshu, finding her inferior in every way and criticizing her at every turn.
But had they ever stopped to consider who had caused that difference?
How could they have the nerve to talk about upbringing now?
“You…” Qin Jianguo was so angry he could barely catch his breath.
“Don’t say another word,” Chu Li said, taking Qin Xingwan’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Qin Xingwan pulled her hand free. Since they’d already torn off the mask, she might as well be direct.
She asked Chu Li, “Do you know why I was outside that day?”
A strange feeling stirred in Chu Li. He had looked into it, but all he knew was that she had driven out by herself. Was there something else he didn’t know?
From his expression, Qin Xingwan could tell he hadn’t investigated very thoroughly.
It hurt, but she no longer cared.
“It was because someone called and told me you’d been in a car accident. I was kidnapped on my way to the hospital.” She spoke slowly, each word deliberate.
Chu Li’s heart jolted. She had been kidnapped?
But she hadn’t said a word about it since she’d returned.
How had Assistant Xu failed to find out?
“Who are you trying to fool?” Qin Shen scoffed, unconvinced. “If you were kidnapped, how did you escape?”
Qin Xingwan drew a deep breath, forcing back the tears of pain and resentment. “When the kidnappers realized no one would answer my calls, they tried to assault me. My child protected me.”
She laid a hand over her abdomen, as if she could still feel the child there.
“One of them kicked me. I lost the baby. When they saw me bleeding, they dumped me by the road.”
Without the baby, those men would have assaulted her.
So none of the people standing here had saved her. It was her child.
“And what were you all doing then? You were celebrating Qin Yunshu’s birthday.” Her emotions rose beyond her control.
“When my child died, you were celebrating her birthday.”
And now, every one of them blamed her for bullying Qin Yunshu.
“What does that have to do with Yunshu? She didn’t want any of this to happen either.” Qin Shen couldn’t understand. Qin Xingwan was simply taking her anger out on her.
Qin Xingwan turned her head and gave a cold laugh. “She may be innocent, but so was my child.”
“Sister, I’m sorry. I didn’t want this to happen either,” Qin Yunshu sobbed.
Qin Xingwan was sick of those tears and had no use for an apology like that. She turned and headed out, wanting to leave this suffocating place.
Only when she reached the door did she realize Chu Li had followed her.
She gathered up all her emotions. Except for the tear tracks on her face, she was once again wearing that same distant expression.
“You don’t have to leave.”
Chu Li took her hand. His eyes held a feeling Qin Xingwan couldn’t understand. “I came today because I bought her a new dress for you to give her as an apology.”
Qin Xingwan’s gaze was icy. She pulled her hand away and stepped back. “Chu Li, can you act like a man?”
Chu Li’s expression darkened.
“If you want to take care of her, then just divorce me and give her a warm home.” Qin Xingwan tilted her chin up, her voice dripping with scorn. “You couldn’t keep her back then. Now she’s back in the country after breaking up with someone—why not give her a title and make sure she stays?”
“I told you, there’s nothing between us.” Chu Li’s face had turned dangerously dark. He gripped Qin Xingwan’s wrist and pulled her into the car.
“Besides, you made her a laughingstock over a dress. You owe her an apology.”
“And I’ll investigate what happened to the baby again and give you an explanation.”
“But it had nothing to do with her.”
Qin Xingwan rubbed her reddened wrist, and tears spilled down her face.
The kidnapping really had nothing to do with Qin Yunshu. And to be honest, she couldn’t blame Qin Yunshu for what happened to the baby, either.
But when she thought of her husband spending that month with another woman—and even hanging up on her pleas for help because he was annoyed—her heart ached with a heavy, suffocating pain.
She couldn’t get past it.
She hated both Chu Li and Qin Yunshu.
Neither of them spoke during the drive.
Back at Beicheng Villa, Qin Xingwan went upstairs to rest without a word.
After a nap, she felt a little better.
When she came downstairs after washing up, the servants had already prepared dinner. They had even brought out soup, explaining that Chu Li had ordered it. Their words were full of envy that she had such a considerate husband.
Qin Xingwan ate in silence.
The chair across from her scraped back, and Chu Li sat down.
He had changed into comfortable clothes. Cool and distinguished, he held his chopsticks between his long fingers and placed a piece of fish on Qin Xingwan’s plate.
“Eat a little more.”
His tenderness was as familiar as ever, but to Qin Xingwan it was all fake, perfunctory concern.
She didn’t touch the fish, taking small sips of soup instead.
Chu Li frowned. In the three years they’d been married, Qin Xingwan had always been gentle and had never been this angry for so long.
He wasn’t used to it.
He thought perhaps her position as Mrs. Chu had indulged her too much, until she’d become so unreasonable that she wouldn’t let this tantrum go.
“Take a few days to rest at home. Go back to the company once you’re feeling better.”
Qin Xingwan set down her spoon and looked at him coolly. “I know the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Perfume Series is at a crucial stage.”
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Perfume Series had been one of Chu Group’s key projects over the past three years. They had already launched perfumes for eight of the solar terms, and the market response had been excellent.
As the project’s lead developer, Qin Xingwan had always devoted herself wholeheartedly to it.
Even though she hadn’t fully recovered, she wanted to get back to work as soon as possible.
Besides, she wanted a change of scenery to clear her head.
Chu Li set down his chopsticks and said calmly, “I’ve assigned Yunshu to work in the research and development department.”
The color drained from Qin Xingwan’s face. She sprang to her feet. “What did you say?”
“Yunshu studied perfumery under Master Catherine overseas for three years. Now she’s back to build her career. Help her get settled.” Chu Li’s tone was calm, but he wasn’t asking. He was simply announcing his decision.
“You know I don’t like her.” Qin Xingwan refused.
Then, as if another thought had occurred to her, she curved her lips and asked bluntly, “Once she’s established herself, will you expect me to give her my director’s position too?”
“Xingwan, can’t you stop being so hostile toward her?” Chu Li couldn’t understand why Qin Xingwan disliked Qin Yunshu so much.
Qin Yunshu was clearly trying hard to get close to her sister, yet Qin Xingwan always kept her at a distance.
Qin Xingwan smiled faintly, but her eyes were cold. “If it weren’t for her, you and I would never have crossed paths in this life.”
Qin Yunshu had fled from her wedding, and Qin Xingwan had been forced to take her place, ruining her life.
Just when Qin Xingwan had finally come to terms with it and begun to make the marriage work, Qin Yunshu suddenly returned and firmly drew her husband’s heart to her.
Everything Qin Xingwan had given over the past three years had become a joke.
Chu Li frowned, his voice turning low with displeasure. “I told you, there’s nothing between us. She’s only just come back to build her career, and I’m simply helping her out.”
“Once her career is stable, I’ll keep my distance from her.”
That was as good as a promise from Chu Li.
Qin Xingwan didn’t believe it. She tapped the table with a bent finger, her tone serious. “I don’t agree to her joining research and development.”