Returning - Chapter 171

Chapter 171: A Bolt from the Blue

Lanxi Jewelry had erupted into chaos, busy convening all sorts of meetings, busy countering the rumors spreading online, and of course, some were also busy seizing the opportunity for internal power struggles.

When Zhuang Ye and Ji Sui pushed open the door to Zhuang Yiqing's office and entered, Zhuang Ze was still inside discussing something unknown with her. The siblings' faces were uglier than the other; clearly, their discussion had broken down again.

Seeing the two return, Zhuang Ze was slightly surprised, but still politely greeted them, "Eldest Brother, Brother Ji Sui."

Zhuang Ye didn't even glance at him, walking straight toward Zhuang Yiqing's desk.

With an air of self-awareness, Zhuang Ze smiled and nodded at the two, "obediently" leaving the office. But the moment he turned around, the smile on his face vanished, replaced by disdain and resentment.

"Where did you two run off to? Phones off, don't you know—" Zhuang Yiqing had initially wanted to harshly reprimand them, but seeing Zhuang Ye's expression, she paused, "What's wrong?"

"Sister." Zhuang Ye stared at her intently, "Four years ago, why did Xi Xi sleep with Ling Jianwei?"

Zhuang Yiqing's expression stiffened, but she quickly adjusted her demeanor and said flatly, "How would I know that?"

With that, she gently patted his shoulder, "Zhuang Ye, I know you've never been able to let it go. It's normal for you to hate her, but now that the company is facing such a major crisis, you need to understand priorities. Those personal matters can wait."

Seeing her pick up the documents on her desk, ready to leave, Zhuang Ye stepped forward to block her path, "Four years ago, was Xi Xi pregnant? Did you force her to have an abortion? Did you force her to sleep with Ling Jianwei and then scheme to have me catch them in the act?"

Zhuang Yiqing's eyes turned cold, "Are you insane?"

She moved to walk around him, heading for the door, but his voice came from behind her, "It was you then. It really was you. He wasn't wrong."

Zhuang Yiqing stopped in her tracks, turned to look at him, anger rising on her face, "Who told you all this nonsense? Zhuang Ye, I am your full-blooded sister, born of the same parents. You don't believe me, but you believe the ravings of others? Is the trust between us really this fragile? An outsider says a few provocative words, and you come straight to question me? You know better than anyone what happened back then. What did it have to do with me? For four whole years, you never doubted any of it, and now, just because of a few words from someone else..."

"That's because you were the person I trusted most! Because when the whole world abandoned me, you were the only one who didn't leave me behind. Because you were more important than my own life. Because I didn't believe you could do that to me. I could find a million reasons within myself, but never once... did it occur to me to suspect you."

A tear rolled down from the corner of his eye. Zhuang Ye let out a soft, bitter laugh, "But now, suddenly, I've come to understand some things. If my own parents can disregard and not care about me, then why... couldn't my sister?"

"If... you truly cared about me, how could you... do that to another person who was also more important than my life? How could you be so cruel... All these years, what exactly have you treated me as? Truly your beloved younger brother? Or just a tool for your power struggles and favoritism within the Zhuang family?"

"Smack!" A sharp slap landed hard on his face, cutting off his following words and startling Ji Sui, who was standing nearby.

Zhuang Yiqing held up her trembling hand, her eyes reddening as she glared at him, "To even say such things... all these years, I really have... doted on this little brother of mine for nothing."

The slap was too heavy, leaving a clear red mark on his face the moment it landed. He didn't so much as move his head, just silently looking at her, "Sister, where is Xi Xi? I beg you, give her back to me."

Overcome with anger, Zhuang Yiqing took two ragged breaths before coldly replying, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She then turned to Ji Sui and said, "He's emotionally unstable right now. Take him to Dr. Luo."

However, Ji Sui looked at her with an utterly unfamiliar gaze, "Do you want to push him to his death?"

"Even you believe that..."

"Sister." Zhuang Ye turned his head, but unexpectedly, he pulled the corner of his mouth into a smile at her, "Do you think Xi Xi wasn't good enough for me? But, it was clearly me who wasn't good enough for her. It's always been that way."

Slowly walking toward the doorway, his murmuring voice drifted back, "Before I met her, you were the only sunshine in my life. After I met her, I thought I possessed two suns. In the end, I returned to hell anyway. If that was the outcome, why... did you give me so much love in the first place?"

Watching his back recede like a walking corpse, Zhuang Yiqing fiercely clenched the documents in her hand, her teeth grinding tight, a glint of tears flickering in her own eyes.

Ji Sui stared at her blankly, paused, then said, "I know you genuinely care for him. But he and I, we both know you just as well. If you hadn't done it, your reaction just now wouldn't have been like that."

Zhuang Yiqing looked at him coldly, "I said it wasn't me, so it wasn't."

Ji Sui gave a self-deprecating smile and said nothing more, turning to leave through the door.

At the doorway, he happened to brush past Yao Qian. He paid no attention, but just a few steps out, he heard Yao Qian's voice coming from inside, "President Zhuang, regarding that Zhao Yu you asked me to investigate, I've found something."

Ji Sui suddenly halted, his expression changing drastically.

Inside, Yao Qian continued, "She's from Huacan. She served as an assistant to both Xue Zi'ang and Xue Zhan, but she's already resigned. I haven't gotten a photo yet, just these basic details."

Zhuang Yiqing took the documents from Yao Qian's hand and was just about to open them when she saw Ji Sui had come back, his face full of anger, "You've already done that to Tang Xi. Do you now plan to use the same methods against Zhao Yu?"

Zhuang Yiqing was startled by his outburst.

From his very first day in the Zhuang family, it seemed he had never lost his temper with anyone, let alone spoken to her in such a tone.

She quickly caught on, "This Zhao Yu, she's the person you said you liked?"

Ji Sui's fists clenched slightly. He stared at her as if delivering a warning, "The debt I owe the Zhuang family, I will repay. The Zhuang family has no right to interfere in my affairs with Zhao Yu."

In all his years in the Zhuang household, this was the first time he had spoken so firmly.

Looking at this rarely seen side of him, Zhuang Yiqing let out a scoff, staring at him incredulously, "You and this Zhao Yu?"

As if she had heard the biggest joke imaginable, she laughed harder, unable to control herself, "Ji Sui, I thought you'd fallen for some gentle, understanding, comforting flower. It turns out your current taste isn't all that impressive after all."

Under Ji Sui's puzzled gaze, she suddenly thrust the documents into his hands, "Do you know who this Zhao Yu is? She's Xu Chengyan's woman. She's the one who schemed to make Xu Chengyan publicly abandon his engagement, turning him and the Zhuang family into sworn enemies. She's the mastermind behind the Zhuang family's current predicament!"

"She's a weapon unleashed by the Xue family. And you? I never imagined they would target you. Looking at it now, you're the only fool naive enough to fall for it. Like? True love? Do you really think there's so much pure love in this world just waiting for you?"

Ji Sui felt everything go pitch black before his eyes. His head spun violently in waves, his body suddenly swaying, nearly unable to keep his footing.

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