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Jin Chengyan's phone rang incessantly at that moment, and with Qiao Nuo and Xi Yisheng standing before him, he felt like smashing the device against the wall.
He rejected call after call from A Shan.
“Qiao Nuo, this is not a joke.”
Qiao Nuo glared at Jin Chengyan, her eyes devoid of any warmth. Perhaps it had all been planned from the very beginning.
“Life is like a play, all about acting. The feeling of betrayal is unforgettable, isn't it?” She crossed her arms. “Before I even returned to the country, I had everything planned out. First, I rejected you, but then I kept giving you chances, making you think there was still hope for us, making it impossible for you to let go of me. I succeeded in that. The esteemed Jin Family Young Master, for someone like me, lowered himself and disregarded everything just to win my heart back. Then I gave you a taste of sweetness, spent time with you, and ultimately left you heartbroken. I am the best director and actress in this play.”
Was everything truly premeditated?
From the moment Qiao Nuo encountered Jin Mengli at the airport, every step she took was meticulously designed to lead Jin Chengyan deeper into a trap from which he could not escape, only to be struck down in the end.
“What about Qiao Kawai?” He couldn't believe that Qiao Kawai was part of the scheme as well.
At the mention of Qiao Kawai, Qiao Nuo's expression darkened. “Qiao Kawai was indeed an accident. I never anticipated she would fall ill, nor did I expect your marrow would be a match for her. But what I didn't foresee was that you, Jin Chengyan, would be willing to donate marrow for someone who isn’t even your daughter.”
Fury surged within Jin Chengyan as he listened to Qiao Nuo speak so lightly of everything. He yanked her collar and pressed her hard against the wall.
Xi Yisheng immediately grabbed Jin Chengyan's arm, firmly preventing him from harming Qiao Nuo in any way.
“Get away!” Jin Chengyan shot a fierce glare at Xi Yisheng.
“If you dare to hurt her even a little, I will make you pay double,” Xi Yisheng countered with equal intensity.
Things needed to be resolved properly. Qiao Nuo looked at Xi Yisheng and said, “Yi Sheng, wait for me in the room. It’s fine.”
With that, Xi Yisheng finally released Jin Chengyan's hand.
Jin Chengyan let out a cold snort. "I never would have guessed that Xi Yisheng would listen to you so obediently! What exactly did you give him?"
The door to the room was gently closed, and Qiao Nuo's gaze shifted back to Jin Chengyan. She looked at him coldly, as if no feelings had ever existed between them.
"I didn't know Jin Chengyan could be so persistent," she said, wincing slightly from the pain in her arm where he had gripped her tightly, as if trying to make her feel the suffering he endured. "Four years ago, you made me leave in a pool of blood. Four years later, I'm just returning the favor! What's wrong with that? Of course, if you think I've crossed your line and you're upset about it, wanting to take revenge on me, I, Qiao Nuo, have no objections. I won't care because there is no longer a place for you here."
In her heart, there was no longer a place for Jin Chengyan.
No, Jin Chengyan refused to believe it. Why had everything changed so drastically in just a few days? There had to be a reason behind it!
If she truly wanted revenge for what happened four years ago, why would she willingly engage with him only to turn around and be with Xi Yisheng?
He couldn't believe that Xi Yisheng was indifferent to this situation, nor could he accept that Qiao Nuo was so willing to let go.
Qiao Nuo must be deceiving him!
"I'll give you one last chance to explain yourself!" He pressed her, determined to hear the answer he wanted.
"I've already explained everything that needed explaining. What more do you want to hear? Jin Chengyan, I don't love you anymore! It's over! Don't think you have such great charm that I, Qiao Nuo, will remember you for a lifetime. I don't—really don't."
This was the most terrifying thing about women: their hearts were unpredictable; one could never guess what they might do next.
"And by the way, your phone has been ringing multiple times. Are you sure there isn't something important?" Qiao Nuo pushed Jin Chengyan away.
She couldn't let him control her so recklessly; who did he think he was?
Hearing Qiao Nuo's words, Jin Chengyan finally noticed the phone in his hand that had been ringing incessantly. It was a call from A Shan.
Just as he was about to answer, footsteps echoed from down the corridor.
A Shan hurried over, clearly having tracked down Jin Chengyan's location. However, when he glanced at Qiao Nuo, his expression turned slightly cold.
"Young Master, there's been an issue at the company. You need to return immediately," A Shan said, his demeanor urgent, indicating that it was not a trivial matter.
Jin Chengyan looked between Qiao Nuo and A Shan, wondering what could possibly be more pressing than the situation with Qiao Nuo.
"Let them handle it for now. I have something more important to deal with," Jin Chengyan insisted, unwilling to leave Qiao Nuo alone with Xi Yisheng. He needed to understand the full story.
A Shan took a deep breath and explained, "There was an unexpected incident regarding our collaboration with the company. We've been taken to court, and they are demanding over a hundred billion in damages. The court summons has already been sent to the company."
This was why A Shan's expression had been so grim upon seeing Qiao Nuo.
The company belonged to Qiao Chen and Qiao Nuo. If the company was suing Jin Chengyan, it meant that it was at the behest of Qiao Chen and Qiao Nuo.
It was infuriating—Jin Chengyan had even donated bone marrow to Qiao Kawai, yet this family not only failed to show gratitude but also turned against him!
Over a hundred billion in compensation?
For a small company, were they serious?
Jin Chengyan turned to look at Qiao Nuo again, trying to piece together what was happening.
"Jin Chengyan, making you feel heartbroken is just the first step. You wouldn't be foolish enough to think that I would be satisfied just by seeing you distressed, would you?" Qiao Nuo smiled slightly, resembling a devil lurking in the darkness.
He had become a completely unrecognizable person to Jin Chengyan.
"Don't think I don't know that it was you who secretly sabotaged Yi Sheng, forcing him to return to Italy to deal with his family's affairs. You can design a trap for him, but you don't allow him to retaliate? Now, think about how you're going to compensate us for the hundreds of millions in damages!" Qiao Nuo said coldly before turning and pulling open the door to the room, stepping inside.
To be honest, A Shan did not understand what was going on between Qiao Nuo and Jin Chengyan. He only knew that the company had inexplicably sued Jin for data leakage, demanding that all previous contracts be voided and compensation for losses!
If what Qiao Nuo had just said was true, then had she set this up beforehand, just waiting for Jin Chengyan to fall into her trap?
"Young Master?" A Shan was at a loss for how to comfort Jin Chengyan.
Jin Chengyan stared at the closed door, suddenly feeling blank in his mind. To be honest, at that moment, he truly did not know what he was thinking, or perhaps he was thinking of nothing at all.
...
"Faye..." Xi Yisheng helped Qiao Nuo, who had collapsed at the door, back up, gently wrapping her in his arms and soothing her back. "If you want to cry, just let it out; it will make you feel better."
While comforting her, he habitually spoke in Italian, as if they were still in Italy, just the two of them.
He didn't know if the people outside had left or if he truly believed her. He didn't know what he would do if he did believe her...
Qiao Nuo didn't know either; she could only stifle her sobs, biting down hard on the flesh between her left thumb and index finger to keep herself from crying out loud.
No, all those words were not sincere; she hadn't meant to say those things to Jin Chengyan.
Perhaps at first, she had wanted revenge; she wanted Jin Chengyan to experience the pain she had endured—to feel the agony of being abandoned by someone he deeply loved after having loved them so much himself, to feel as though the whole world had forsaken him!
But in the end, it was just a fleeting thought.
Because she knew how unbearable that kind of pain could be, how it could pierce the heart, she didn't want him to feel it.
As long as she experienced it alone, they could still live together happily in the future, filled only with joy and sweetness.
However, things did not go as she wished.
It shouldn't be said that Yu Xin's obstruction was entirely to blame; she herself was not resolute enough.
She couldn't imagine being with Jin Chengyan in the future, and if she couldn't tolerate even the slightest flaw in his feelings, not even a bit.
So when Yu Xin presented her with the choice between Qiao Kawai and Jin Chengyan, she chose Qiao Kawai without hesitation.
Seven days passed, and she found it impossible to wait until then to leave actively. Counting the days one by one made her realize it was better to leave early.
To end this relationship on her own terms.
Rather than allowing Jin Chengyan to endlessly pester her later, she devised this mutually damaging plan.
At least this way, Jin Chengyan could leave her without hesitation.
He said that once she left this time, he would never seek her out again.
Fine, then don’t seek her out. A lover who cannot be held onto is not a true lover.
But… her heart ached, a pain so intense it felt like it might shatter.
She could clearly sense him just outside the door, could feel their two hearts so close together, yet now she was pushing him away unilaterally.
He was pushed a hundred thousand miles away.
“Yi Sheng, I can’t be with him anymore, it’s impossible…” After all these years, Jin Chengyan was still the one Qiao Nuo wanted to be with in her heart.
In the past four years, happiness, sadness, pain, joy, disappointment… all these emotions were given to her by someone named Jin Chengyan.
If there were no one like him involved in her life in the future, she didn’t know if her life would still have any flavor.
But what could Xi Yisheng say?
The girl in his arms was the one he had vowed to Yan Beiting to protect well. Yet now, seeing her in such pain, he felt utterly powerless; that sense of helplessness surged within him.
He was not Jin Chengyan and had no way to make her happy.
…
The car was on its way back to the company.
Jin Chengyan hadn’t been to the office for about half a month, but he was still well aware of what was happening inside. The only thing that caught him off guard was Qiao Chen and the others wanting to sue Jin; it came out of nowhere.
Moreover, the company had first handled public relations in a way that put Jin at the peak of public scrutiny, claiming how he had leaked information and failed to protect the privacy of partner companies, allowing competitors to take advantage and causing them significant losses…
Jin Chengyan rubbed his temples; all these matters piled up together.
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a well-orchestrated plan.
Just then, the broadcast interrupted with breaking news.
"This afternoon at two o'clock, the fifth young lady of a well-known aristocratic family in our city was reported to have had a miscarriage, and this young lady is not married..."
Jin Chengyan, who had been preoccupied with thoughts of Jin, suddenly perked up at the news broadcast.
"A Shan, turn up the volume."
A Shan complied, though he too furrowed his brow upon hearing the announcement.
A well-known aristocratic family, the fifth young lady...
The fifth young lady of the Jin Family... Jin Mengxi.
Jin Chengyan quickly took out his phone. What a coincidence! Jin Mengxi was Qiao Chen's girlfriend. If something happened to Jin Mengxi at this moment, it would undoubtedly implicate Qiao Chen.
Could it be that Qiao Nuo was not only plotting against him but also targeting members of the Jin Family?
Jin Mengxi's phone was unreachable, and her parents' phones went unanswered.
Just then, Qi Ziluo's call came through to A Shan's phone. Since Jin Chengyan was already on another call, A Shan had to answer for him.
A Shan put on his Bluetooth headset, and immediately Qi Ziluo's voice came through.
"A Shan, is your young master there? This afternoon I was suddenly notified to arrange personnel to go to the Jin Family; Xi Er has had a miscarriage. I know Xi Er's boyfriend is Qiao Chen... Does Qiao Nuo know about this?"
A Shan had the call on speakerphone, so Jin Chengyan could hear as well.
It seemed that the incident mentioned in the broadcast was indeed about Jin Mengxi.
Such a significant event had occurred, yet it had not been suppressed; the news was already being broadcasted. What was happening online remained uncertain.
“How is Xi Er?” Jin Chengyan asked.
“The doctor from your family has provided her with emergency treatment. We are on our way there now, but it seems the news has leaked somehow. We are being followed by reporters, so we might be delayed,” Qi Ziluo explained over the phone.
At this point, reporters were still trailing the ambulance, clearly intending to hinder their progress.
What if something happened to Jin Mengxi during this time?
“Stay in touch at all times. I want Xi Er to be safe.” He would not allow any harm to come to anyone in the Jin Family.
If Qiao Nuo truly wanted him to endure such suffering, then she should direct it solely at him instead of involving others.
After hanging up with Qi Ziluo, Jin Chengyan immediately instructed his team to remove any news regarding Jin Mengxi. It was evident that there were forces behind this incident aiming to plunge the Jin Family into crisis.
Jin Chengyan had weathered many storms in his past; he remained calm and composed in the face of adversity.
He told A Shan not to go to the company. Qiao Chen intended to take legal action against them, but that was not an immediate concern.
The urgent matter was with Jin Mengxi.
His sister, who had just turned twenty, should not have to endure such a situation.
It was best if this were all just an accident; otherwise, he would never let Qiao Chen off the hook!
Qiao Chen... Qiao Nuo's brother...
How is everything related to Qiao Nuo?
By the time Jin Chengyan arrived at Jin Family Mansion, he had already pushed through layers of reporters outside. Before he could even ask Jin Mengxi how she was doing, he was kicked in the back of the knee by Jin Zhongshu, causing him to buckle and fall to the ground.
Jin Chengyan tried to get up, but Jin Zhongshu held onto his shoulder, preventing him from standing.
Even though Jin Zhongshu no longer had the imposing presence he once did, his strength was still considerable. That kick to Jin Chengyan's knee had not lost any force.
His leg throbbed with pain, and with Jin Zhongshu's weight on his shoulder, he simply couldn't rise.
Yu Xin also had no intention of helping him.
“Dad…”
“Shut up! I see this is all your doing; now your sister has to bear the consequences! Do you have any idea how much a miscarriage affects her body? She’s only twenty!” Jin Zhongshu shouted at Jin Chengyan, his face flushed with anger.
Jin Chengyan was left speechless, only able to look at Second Uncle and Aunt Er, who were anxiously waiting in the living room. They hadn’t said a word since he entered.
Even when Jin Zhongshu kicked him, they remained silent, clearly expressing their disapproval of him.
If this incident truly involved Qiao Chen, then he would have a hard time escaping blame.
“You better pray that Xi Er is safe; otherwise, I want to see how you will explain this to your Second Uncle and Aunt Er!” Jin Zhongshu said grimly.
It was only by giving Jin Chengyan a harsh lesson as soon as he walked in that some of the anger from Second Uncle and Aunt Er could be alleviated; otherwise, this family might very well fall apart.
Jin Mengxi was the cherished darling of the second branch of the family. As a child, she had poor health and was always doted on and protected. They sought out experts from around the world just to treat her ailments.
Finally, feeling a bit better, Jin Chengyan found himself hurt by his wife’s brother, and the injury was severe enough to lead to a miscarriage! Suddenly, everyone knew that the Fifth Miss of the Jin Family was pregnant out of wedlock!
Such a scandal left Jin Mengxi with no way to face the world.
“Just kneel there!” Jin Zhongshu turned around, his face pale with anger. He finally clutched his chest and sat down in a chair.
Yu Xin knew that Jin Chengyan had undergone surgery, but the rest of the family was unaware. However, at this critical moment, she couldn’t reveal anything.
If Jin Mengxi were truly in danger, their main branch would have to think about how to soothe the feelings of the second branch!
So it was necessary for Jin Chengyan to kneel here; even if their mother felt heartbroken, she could only pretend not to see.
But who would have thought that the other party involved would suddenly appear in the Jin Family Mansion? Upon seeing Jin Chengyan kneeling on the ground, Qiao Chen looked on with an air of indifference.
“Where is my child?” Qiao Chen spoke with just that one sentence.
Aunt Er's eyes immediately turned red upon hearing this. Jin Mengxi’s health had already been poor; the impact of a miscarriage was immeasurable. If Jin Mengxi woke up and found out her child was gone, it would be an even greater blow!
At this moment, Qiao Chen only cared about the child!
To Jin Chengyan’s ears, this was a bitter irony.
Ignoring Jin Zhongshu’s earlier command to stay put, he stood up and took a few steps toward Qiao Chen, grabbing him by the collar of his suit.
He spoke slowly and deliberately: “I told you, if anything happens to Xi Er, I won’t let you off!”
Being so close allowed Jin Chengyan to see the disdainful expression on Qiao Chen’s face.
"Why won't you let me go?" His voice was barely audible to the two of them, but the next sentence he shouted for everyone to hear, "I found out from the news that Xi Er is pregnant and now she's having a miscarriage. I'm here to care for her and our child, and you're blocking me from seeing her? What do you mean by that?"
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Do you really love her? Is there no ulterior motive behind your approach? The matter between Qiao Nuo and me is our business, it has nothing to do with Xi Er..."
"Jin Chengyan, let her go!" Jin Zhongshu's brow furrowed as he called out to Jin Chengyan.
Qiao Chen was Jin Mengxi's boyfriend, and he was here to see Jin Mengxi; it should have been a matter for their branch of the family. However, Jin Chengyan insisted on interfering, which was truly inappropriate.
Moreover, Second Uncle hadn't even spoken yet; what right did Jin Chengyan have to step forward and reprimand anyone?
"Dad, Qiao Chen has ulterior motives!"
"I don't know about his motives, but you need to let him go right now! Don't involve yourself in this matter!" Jin Chengyan insisted on dragging his own issues into this situation, but Jin Zhongshu wanted to keep things clear; otherwise, the family's harmony might be irreparably damaged!
But in his anger, Jin Chengyan couldn't understand any of that. All he wanted was to teach Qiao Chen a lesson, regardless of whether he was Qiao Nuo's brother or what his status was. If he harmed someone from the Jin family, he wouldn't show any mercy.
"Jin Chengyan, I told you to let go..." Before Jin Zhongshu could finish his sentence, he suddenly clutched his chest. The discomfort he'd felt earlier intensified with his words!
His vision blurred, and Jin Chengyan could barely make out what was happening; Qiao Chen couldn't see anything at all.
Then he fell straight back.
When his slightly plump body hit the carpet, it made a dull thud.
"Dad—"
"Godfather—"
“Zhongshu—”
All the voices mingled together as Jin Chengyan let go of Qiao Chen and ran towards Jin Zhongshu.
A Shan also rushed over, and Yu Xin got up from her chair, her face showing panic for the first time.
Everyone from the Jin Family was filled with fear. Jin Zhongshu was the current head of the Jin Family; if anything happened to him, what would they do?
From this moment on, it seemed that this situation was truly beyond anyone's control.
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