The difference is that the person speaking in this voice message is him! It's Qi Xiang'an, not Su Yanxi!
This clear understanding of the fact was enough to make Qi Xiang'an so excited that his whole body was burning with excitement. He couldn't wait to travel to six o'clock and meet the young master he had been dreaming of!
He had waited for this day for far too long! Once he had taken everything that Su Yanxi had enjoyed and possessed, he could finally tell the whole world with a sense of triumph:
I am better than Su Yanxi.
Stronger.
Author's Note:
Thank you 05 for the 20 bottles of Island Coconut Iced Tea!!
I'm so excited while writing this that I accidentally reached 7k views qwq But I still haven't gotten to the counterattack! The counterattack is coming in the next chapter!
44# Grudges: He pulled out the little red book he had prepared long ago.
Before six o'clock, Qi Xiang'an arrived at the private restaurant where he had arranged to meet Young Master Bie.
Led by a servant, Qi Xiang'an entered the restaurant's only private room. The first thing he saw upon entering was a calligraphy scroll in running script hanging on the left wall: "Examine yourself."
Qi Xiang'an had seen many calligraphy inscriptions, such as "people-oriented", "great virtue carries all things", "heaven rewards diligence", etc., all of which were words with beautiful meanings and positive aspirations. However, this was the first time he had seen "ask yourself".
What, do you have to ask yourself something before you eat here?
Qi Xiang'an found it rather amusing; perhaps it was because he was naturally allergic to words like self-reflection, which was why he looked down on the inscription. However, given his pleasant mood that evening, he didn't reveal his disdain, but simply asked the attendant who was leading the way in a soft voice.
"Have you ordered yet?" he asked, his anticipation for dinner barely concealed.
"Yes, Mr. Bie has already made the arrangements." The servant was very polite, setting out the tableware for Qi Xiang'an, pouring hot tea and offering a hot towel. "Young Master Bie instructed that the main dishes would be served after six o'clock, and we will serve you some appetizers first."
Qi Xiang'an had never been so amiable before. He wiped his hands with a hot towel, gently thanked the servant, and began to look around the luxurious private room in front of him.
It's so beautiful! No wonder it's a private restaurant where you spend tens of thousands! The elegant and grand chandelier, paired with the antique-style round table and chairs, perfectly embodies the new Chinese style of decoration, exuding nobility and grandeur.
The private room looks square, but only the left and right sides, which are decorated with ink paintings and calligraphy, are immovable load-bearing walls. The other two sides, front and back, are soundproof screens that can be pushed and opened.
This design is usually used to separate the front of the restaurant from the kitchen. Most of the customers who can afford to dine at this private restaurant are either rich or noble, and the restaurant will try to reduce unnecessary social interactions for its customers; therefore, customers enter and exit through the screen in front, and the kitchen serves dishes through the screen in back.
This feeling of being treated so attentively made Qi Xiang'an feel exceptionally comfortable. He couldn't help but sigh softly, "It's so nice..."
He relaxed, placing his hands on the armrests of the chair and leaning back comfortably. At that moment, Qi Xiang'an felt as happy as an emperor in feudal times, or even more like an old immortal standing on a cloud, overseeing everything.
The thought that Su Yanxi should be sitting here, enjoying all the exquisite and luxurious things in front of her, made Qi Xiang'an feel so happy that she felt like she had already trampled Su Yanxi into the mud.
After all these years, he has finally lifted the shadow that had been hanging over him! As long as he can hold his ground tonight and further capture the heart of another young master, then he—!
He'll have everything he wants! Luxury cars, lavish gifts, and a marriage into a wealthy family; his shameful, despicable past, which he wants to destroy, will also be buried forever.
Just as Qi Xiang'an was immersed in his beautiful fantasies, the screen door connecting to the kitchen was gently pushed open, and a woman walked in.
"Hello, I'm here to deliver some side dishes."
Qi Xiang'an snapped out of his daze and was about to turn his head to look at the person who had come in when he keenly sensed something was wrong: This smell... why does it smell so familiar?
It was a very indescribable smell. It was probably fifty percent earth and dust, thirty percent cooking fumes, ten percent laundry detergent, and another ten percent sweat.
It actually has a very faint taste, which most people probably wouldn't be able to detect, but Qi Xiang'an is particularly sensitive to it.
It's said that olfactory memory lasts longer than visual memory. Having lived in the privileged environment provided by his "adoptive father" for many years, he hadn't smelled this scent for almost fifteen years; now, upon smelling it again, the past memories etched into his DNA were instantly awakened!
"you……"
The woman had reached Qi Xiang'an's side and gently put down the small snack she was holding. Qi Xiang'an followed the direction of the rough, wrinkled old hand and his gaze met a…
A face that was both strange and familiar, one he could never forget even after fifteen years.
"Xiang Xian." The woman's aged face was covered with wrinkles, which deepened with each word. Her eyes twitched slightly as large tears welled up in her eyes. "I've been looking for you for fifteen years, and I've finally found you here!"
Suddenly, Qi Xiang'an's heart stopped, and his mind went blank. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he finally came to his senses, grabbed his bag, and stood up.
"Who are you? Who are you calling?!" Qi Xiang'an's voice changed, trembling with hysteria. "I don't know you! Go away, get out of here!"
Qi Xiang'an pushed the woman's hand away in disgust, turned away angrily and ashamed, and went to the screen. Before he could make a move, the screen was pushed open by the person outside the door.
Su Yanxi appeared in an exquisite and luxurious outfit, and smiled at Qi Xiang'an, who was looking completely astonished.
Chapter 104
"Surprise~"
Qi Xiang'an's head was buzzing: "You..."
He felt a sudden weakness in his legs and staggered back two steps.
The woman couldn't bear to see him so shocked and stunned, so she quickly stepped forward to help him up: "Xiang Xian!"
"Get out of my way!" Qi Xiang'an disgustedly shook off the woman's hand. "I don't know this Xiang Xian you're talking about. Get out, get out!"
"Don't touch me! If you touch me again, I'll call the police!"
Su Yanxi saw everything and gave Lin Xiaohai a look, signaling his servant to take the woman away.
“Mrs. Ji, please go down first. Let me talk to him.” Su Yanxi was very gentle and kind to women. In his opinion, this woman was more miserable and unfortunate than anyone else. “After I resolve my grievances with your son, I will invite you up again.”
The woman glanced at Qi Xiang'an with a worried expression. Although she wanted to stay, she obeyed Su Yanxi's arrangement and left for the time being.
Without Su Yanxi, she probably would never have had the chance to see her only son again in her life.
After the extra people left, only Su Yanxi and Qi Xiang'an remained in the private room. Su Yanxi's earlier social smile vanished, and she looked expressionlessly at the dejected man before her.
"Shouldn't you have a lot to say to me? What, you can't say a word now?" Su Yanxi walked around the person who was standing there like a puppet, her tone becoming increasingly disdainful.
Qi Xiang'an burst into a maniacal, dry laugh.
"Su Yanxi, you're really something...you're really something!" Qi Xiang'an, who had finally regained his senses after the crash, tried his best to control his emotions and asked Su Yanxi, "I want to know what exactly happened. If you want me to admit defeat, you have to tell me what happened, right?"
"Can."
Su Yanxi slowly opened her handbag and pulled out the little red book she had prepared earlier.
"It's not complicated. You'll understand once you take a look at this."
The bright red ID stood out conspicuously in the antique-style private room, where even the lighting was soft and comfortable. Qi Xiang'an's breath caught in his throat, and he didn't dare to reach out to take it.
"You...you're married?"
"Hmm." Qi Xiang'an didn't answer, so Su Yanxi took the initiative to open it, held it in front of her chest with both hands, and showed it off generously, "Six years of dating, we got our marriage certificate at the end of last year, so it's been almost a year."
Su Yanxi raised an eyebrow, deliberately pressing for an answer.
"Surprised? It's been almost a year."
"Including the six years of dating, this is the seventh year that Yun-Zong and I have been together."
"The seventh year..." Qi Xiang'an's face was filled with bitterness that couldn't be hidden by his smile. "How could it be seven years? How could Young Master Bie have been with you for seven years, and even—got married!?"
Qi Xiang'an rushed forward like a madman and grabbed Su Yanxi by the collar.
"You're lying! How could you possibly marry another young master? If you were married, why would you go through all that trouble to audition and endure public pressure without announcing your marriage?"
That's enough!
Bie Yunzong hurriedly pushed open the screen and came in, violently slapping away Su Yanxi's hands.
"Your wife is trying to talk to you nicely, can't you have any self-awareness? You can't talk to her, so you have to resort to violence, right?"
Bie Yunzong's eyes were filled with disgust, as if he were looking at a filthy black rat scurrying around in a sewer.
But when facing Su Yanxi, he became incredibly gentle and tender, as if Su Yanxi were a rose made of glass, whose petals would be shattered if handled carelessly.
"Honey, are you alright?" Bie Yunzong asked, gently smoothing his wife's collar with concern. "Did he hurt you?"
Su Yanxi kept telling Bie Yunzong: Don't come in, don't interrupt my confrontation with Qi Xiang'an!
But Bie Yunzong burst in at just the right moment, answering Su Yanxi's question while adding a dramatic twist to the scene. Su Yanxi clearly saw that Qi Xiang'an's face was contorted with rage.
They were furious, but they had to force themselves to endure it for the sake of the final victory.
"It's alright, honey, he didn't hurt me." Su Yanxi stroked her husband's head and said softly, "Go outside and wait, I'll need your help later."
Bie Yunzong secretly squeezed his wife's palm, reluctantly said "Oh," and obediently went out.
Su Yanxi feigned distress and sighed deliberately: "I'm sorry, he just cares about me too much, and he always does whatever I want. As soon as he realized that you were the one who was behind our backs, he hated you terribly."
"I'm just going through the motions of chatting with you on WeChat every day to complete the tasks I recently assigned him."
"Ha..." Qi Xiang'an laughed again. "That's really funny. So I was the one who was being played around?"
"But Su Yanxi, don't be so smug. Everything you're enjoying right now is mine—mine!"
"Yours?" Su Yanxi spoke frankly, "I was the one who dated Yun Zong, and I was the one who married him. What gives you the confidence to think 'it's all' yours?"
"Because I was the first person the teacher was supposed to introduce him to!"
Qi Xiang'an couldn't hold back and shouted at Su Yanxi.
"Do you know what it feels like to be stood up? Do you know what it feels like to spend an entire evening having an awkward conversation with your teacher in a restaurant, from six to eight o'clock, only to be told that the guests have no intention of coming?"
"By the time I found out that the person who was coming that day was someone else's young master, it was already too late, all too late!"
"You have already, you have already..."
She's already with another young master.
"You stole my things, you robbed me of my life!"
"I took it away?" Su Yanxi sneered, taking a step forward without fear, suppressing Qi Xiang'an with her aura and presence. "You took it away, didn't you? Do you know why the teacher introduced you to Yun Zong? Because I was harmed by the sugar daddy trap you set, so my mother-in-law turned her attention to you instead."
"You're the thief trying to steal someone else's life!"
During their final exchange of information, both of them suddenly realized that this was a complex and interconnected scheme.
Why was Qi Xiang'an chosen and paired with Su Yanxi? Because Su Yanxi was involved in a scandal involving being kept by a sugar daddy, and was disciplined.
Why did Su Yanxi fall into Qi Xiang'an's trap of being kept by a sugar daddy? Because Su Yanxi was too outstanding. After entering the Beijing Theatre Academy with the highest overall score, she also ranked first in the first monthly evaluation.
Chapter 105
"As for why I worked so hard, even practicing all night to get first place?" Su Yanxi chuckled, "It's all because of you. On the first day of school, you had Xiang Mingyue spread rumors about my father, causing me to be talked about by my classmates and questioned by my teachers. I held my anger in my heart and was determined to prove myself with every monthly evaluation."
After Su Yanxi finished speaking, she raised her hand and patted Qi Xiang'an's shoulder.
So, I'm only doing this because of you?