The two of them rolled down the steps together, clinging tightly to each other.
Tears streamed down Qi Jin’s face as she sobbed uncontrollably. “Brother, why did you save me? You should have just let me die! Why should I keep living in this world, disgraced and humiliated?”
The steward was dumbfounded, kneeling on the ground, lips trembling, utterly stunned.
Who wanted to die?
He should be the one wanting to die!
It’s over. If the Madam and the Marquis find out… he would be the first to die, wouldn’t he?!
Xiang Jie laughed in fury, unable to bear it any longer and was about to step forward when Xiang Rong grabbed him.
He looked at his sister in disbelief. “Rong Rong?!”
Why should the Xiang family endure this humiliation?
Xiang Rong, however, had calmed down. She held onto her brother’s wrist and shook her head firmly. “Brother, what’s the point of arguing? Reasoning with fools only makes you look like a fool too.”
She snorted coldly and said with no hesitation, “We’re leaving.”
Xiang Jie was still fuming, but seeing his sister decisively turn and walk away, he could only follow her out.
Xiang Rong stepped onto the carriage with the help of her maid.
Xiang Jie couldn’t help but lift the curtain and shout, “Rong Rong, you clearly care! Otherwise, you wouldn’t have chased them all the way out of the city when you heard the news. Are you really going to just let this go?!”
Those two shameless people had gone too far!
Qi Jin’s schemes were practically shoved in her face. It was obviously a deliberate provocation, staged entirely for Xiang Rong to see. And that fool Qi Yunting actually…
Xiang Rong had quieted down. She calmly looked at Xiang Jie. “Big Brother, I cared because I’ve always known that Qi Yunting was my fiancé, my future husband.”
Her gaze drifted toward the Qi family’s villa, where faint sounds of Qi Jin’s desperate wailing and Qi Yunting’s comforting words still echoed.
She gave a mocking smile. “So, I chased after him because I was afraid he would make mistakes, afraid he would do something that would ruin this engagement.”
Xiang Jie’s face twisted with disgust. “He’s not worthy!”
“Exactly, he’s not worthy!” Xiang Rong smiled slowly. “He knew about our engagement, knew that he and Qi Jin weren’t biological siblings, yet he still embraced Qi Jin in front of me. In truth, he’s already made his choice.”
Xiang Jie looked at her. “Then you…”
“I haven’t lost anything. It’s just an unreliable fiancé. Realizing it early is my good fortune.” Xiang Rong suddenly winked slyly. “Besides, I’ll make him pay the price.”
Xiang Jie knew his sister was resourceful and immediately agreed.
The commotion at the Qi family’s villa soon reached Madam Wang’s ears.
She had stationed the steward there to watch over Qi Jin.
So, when Qi Yunting disobeyed orders, broke house arrest, and went to see Qi Jin, she found out immediately.
When she learned that Qi Yunting and Qi Jin had been caught by the Xiang siblings clinging to each other at the villa, she almost fainted on the spot.
She had cursed Qi Yunting and Qi Jin countless times in her heart!
Those two little beasts!
She couldn’t even wait for the banquet to officially start and rushed to bid farewell to Old Madam Xiang.
Old Madam Xiang found it strange. “The guests haven’t even been seated yet. What’s so urgent?”
The two families had always been close. If something big happened in the Qi family, they should have heard about it beforehand and been prepared.
Madam Wang was almost in tears from anxiety.
What could she say? That her own son had been a fool, running after an adopted daughter, clinging to her in front of the Xiang family’s granddaughter?
She was at a loss. After some thought, she suddenly spotted Qi Yuan standing quietly to the side and quickly pulled her out as an excuse. “This child isn’t feeling well. I planned to take her back to rest…”
Old Madam Xiang glanced at Qi Yuan, who stood there obediently and quietly, not speaking but not being rude either. She was immediately satisfied.
Although she didn’t know what discomfort Qi Yuan was experiencing, since Madam Wang seemed so anxious, she simply coughed and said, “Very well. The child’s health is most important.”
Madam Wang felt as if she had been granted amnesty. She had to rush to the villa, hoping to suppress this matter before the Xiang siblings returned and things escalated.
This must not become a big scandal. If the other elders of the Xiang family found out, the engagement might not hold!
Qi Zhen was extremely pleased with this engagement. If he discovered that Qi Yunting himself had ruined it, he might kill him in rage!
Madam Wang turned to call Qi Yuan, but as soon as she did, she saw Xiang Jie and Xiang Rong returning together.
At that moment, she felt her vision go black.
Qi Yuan also turned and coldly smiled in her heart when she saw the Xiang siblings return.
It seemed the Xiang siblings had come back after watching a good show.
Lianqiao’s brother really did handle things well.
She lowered her gaze, acting as if she didn’t exist.
There was no need for her to say anything about what would happen next.
After a brief moment of panic, Madam Wang quickly regained her composure and immediately stepped forward with a forced smile. “Rong Rong, I was just worried about you when I couldn’t find you…”
But Xiang Rong didn’t give her the chance.
Life is short. Why should she spend it with a fool who’s infatuated with his sister before they’re even married?
She gave Madam Wang a polite but insincere smile. “Thank you for your concern, Auntie. I’m truly honored.”
After speaking, she brushed off Madam Wang’s hand and firmly walked toward Old Madam Xiang.
Old Madam Xiang immediately sensed something was wrong. Normally, Xiang Rong was always respectful toward Madam Wang. As a young lady from a noble family, she understood etiquette.
But this time, Xiang Rong’s attitude had clearly changed.
It was obvious something had happened.
She tapped her granddaughter’s nose and asked, “You mischievous girl, where did you run off to this time?”
Madam Wang’s heart pounded.
Xiang Rong smiled and said, “Grandmother, I was just about to tell you. My brother and I went to the villa to fetch your medicine and happened to run into Qi Yunting. I don’t know what was wrong with him, hugging Qi Jin while crying and begging us not to make things difficult for them.”
The smile on Old Madam Xiang’s face had already disappeared.
The Xiang family’s Old Madam also looked incredulously at Madam Wang.
Madam Wang felt as if a thunderclap had struck her head, her face flushed with shame and fury.
Old Madam Xiang’s expression turned completely cold. “How strange. What could you possibly do to make things difficult for them?”
Xiang Rong looked puzzled. “I was also confused. When I asked, how we had made things difficult for them, Qi Jin said she wasn’t your biological daughter, Auntie, and while hugging Qi Yunting, she cried and begged me to let them live, and said things like, ‘An engagement isn’t a marriage, so it doesn’t count for much…'”
These words were like a slap, fiercely landing on Madam Wang’s face, leaving her humiliated and bruised.
