Yu Xin’s smile carried a sharp, almost cruel edge.

“At first, I didn’t want to get involved with the Qin family or my own family’s messes. I truly loved you and wanted to elope with you. But how did you treat me?” Yu Xin said coldly.

Su Ze’s face turned pale, yet he stubbornly insisted, “I was going to run away with you! You know that! It was Qin Jiaxi who—”

Qin Jiaxi, still reeling from the avalanche of revelations, looked up in confusion when her name was mentioned. She was still trying to process everything, her mind a haze of disbelief.

“Enough with that excuse,” Yu Xin interrupted, her voice dripping with derision. “When I met Qin Jiaxi at university, it became clear she didn’t even know who we were. Someone who didn’t even notice us, who had no idea we existed—how could she have seen us trying to elope in high school and tattled to your parents? It’s laughable! You’ve been lying to yourself so much that you started believing your own story! You claimed that she was in love with you first? What a joke. She barely even knew you existed in high school. And you knew it—oh, you knew it when you met her at university. But you pretended not to, just to keep lying to yourself!”

“The truth is, you deliberately led me past Qin Jiaxi that night, knowing she would be passing by. But Jiaxi didn’t even glance at us; she walked past us without a second look. You told me she might have recognized us and would tell your parents, and I foolishly believed you. I ran with you, thinking it was true. But it wasn’t, was it? You never wanted to elope with me in the first place. You regretted it before we even started and arranged for your nanny to notice your disappearance. When no one reacted, you dragged Jiaxi into this, spinning a story to shift the blame for your cowardice.”

Su Ze’s pupils constricted, his lips trembling as he tried to stop her.

But Yu Xin gave him no chance. She sneered, “From the beginning, I was sincere about running away with you. You, on the other hand, couldn’t bear the thought of giving up your cushy life as a rich young master.”

“That’s not true! That’s not how it happened! It was Qin Jiaxi—she wanted me! She deliberately stopped us!” Su Ze shouted, desperate.

“What are you even talking about? I didn’t even know you in high school!” Qin Jiaxi finally burst out, her voice trembling with anger and disbelief.

So that’s what Su Ze had meant when he claimed she had “started it”?

Yu Xin chuckled. “Qin Jiaxi, there’s no need for you to argue. He’ll never admit to being such a despicable coward. The reason he treated you so cruelly in university was to cover up his own shameful actions. By tormenting you, he could convince himself that you really had done what he claimed—that you had sabotaged his relationship with me. That way, he wouldn’t have to feel guilty about what he did.”

Qin Jiaxi began to shake, overwhelmed by nausea at the sheer depravity of it all. Unlike her mother and brother’s deliberate cruelty, this kind of unprovoked malice made her stomach churn. To think all of this had happened simply because she had been walking by.

It was too vile.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. People were now openly discussing Su Ze’s utter lack of character.

“I can’t believe it. He’s even worse than I thought. What a disgrace.”

“A complete coward, using a woman as a scapegoat for his own fears.”

“No wonder he’s so shameless. He has no self-respect at all.”

“This is the kind of person who claims he’s a man? Pathetic.”

“It’s not true! I’m telling the truth! I’m not the one who wronged you—you’re the one who wronged me!” Su Ze shouted, still refusing to admit his faults.

Yu Xin smirked. “Let me ask you something: if you had really wanted to elope with me, couldn’t you have come back for me later? Couldn’t you have called me? Why did you act like that one failed attempt sealed our fate? Do you think I’m stupid? Your actions proved you never intended to run away with me in the first place. So tell me, Su Ze, what right do you have to accuse me of two-timing?”

Su Ze’s entire body seemed to collapse in on itself, his last shred of dignity stripped away.

Yu Xin’s scorn was relentless. “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat who wanted the best of both worlds. You wanted to stay in your privileged life while pretending to be some tragic, self-sacrificing lover. You never had the guts to give up your comforts for love.”

The crowd erupted into whispers again, astonished by the layers of deception and cowardice.

Seeing Su Ze’s utterly defeated expression, Yu Xin laughed bitterly. “And as for me, I just wanted a good life. I played both of you because neither of you was worth trusting. I had to choose the safest option. But it turns out you’re both useless—a pair of pathetic losers!”

[Wow, I’m genuinely impressed. I thought Yu Xin was just some man-stealing drama queen, but no—she’s ruthless. She’s not driven by love at all! The way she’s exposing everything without hesitation is on a whole new level!] Ji Fei thought.

The second branch of the Qin family overheard her thoughts and couldn’t help but agree. They all marveled at Yu Xin’s audacity. Someone with nothing left to lose was indeed terrifying.

Qin Jiaxi looked at Su Ze with nothing but numb disgust. She was so repulsed by him that even being angry felt like a waste of energy.

Watching both Su Ze and Qin Han squirm under Yu Xin’s manipulation, she thought grimly that this might be their karmic punishment.

Qin San Shu patted his daughter on the head. “Don’t think about it too much. It’s all filth, and your dad will make sure every single debt is paid in full.”

As he spoke, his phone vibrated in his pocket. With one hand still gripping Aunt Qin, he initially ignored it. But the persistent buzzing made him glance at the screen.

When he saw the message, his sharp gaze turned icy. He quickly typed a reply before fixing Aunt Qin with a chilling stare.

The crowd continued to buzz with discussions of the love triangle’s absurdities.

Su Ze and Qin Han both glared daggers at Yu Xin, their expressions filled with hatred. Their gazes seemed to promise retribution.

But Yu Xin was unfazed. She had nothing left to lose and was determined to drag everyone down with her.

Her brother, however, was not so resigned.

“Yu Xin, are you insane?! Do you know what you’re doing? I’m going to end up in jail! Apologize right now! Beg for their forgiveness! Don’t drag me down with you!”

“Drag you down? What right do you have to say that to me? I’ve supported you for half your life! And now, when trouble comes, you can’t handle it?” Yu Xin shot back coldly. “You and Dad are both useless—you’ve owed me your whole lives!”

Hearing Yu Xin mention her father, Qin San Shu’s grip on Aunt Qin’s wrist tightened.

Aunt Qin, panicked, didn’t even notice the pain. Her only concern was that Yu Xin might spill something truly damning.

“Yu Xin, enough! Stop talking! If the police matter doesn’t concern you, then leave!” Aunt Qin said, her voice trembling. Somehow, she sensed disaster looming.

But Yu Xin only smiled at Qin San Shu. “Mr. Qin, I know I’ve wronged your daughter. But I have a big secret to tell you. If you let me walk away, I promise not to cause you any more trouble.”

Qin San Shu’s face darkened, his voice almost shaking as he said, “Let’s hear it.”

Yu Xin didn’t hesitate. She smirked and began to speak.

“Shut up!” Aunt Qin screamed in terror.

“If you’re so afraid, why did you do it in the first place?” Yu Xin mocked.

“I never wronged you!” Aunt Qin protested, panic-stricken.

Yu Xin sneered. “You think so? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have spent my life in an orphanage, pretending to be an orphan. I could’ve gone home and lived a normal life. Instead, I was left to be ridiculed as some unwanted, parentless child! And all because of you, Mrs. Qin—or should I say, my father’s former lover!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read