Chapter 15

The plan for Zhong Peng’s case was already set, and all that remained was figuring out a way to gather evidence during the proposal rehearsal. The rehearsal was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, so although Lin Shu hadn’t officially given Xu Shijia time off, she didn’t assign him much work during the day in between. She only gave him a few contracts to revise. Meanwhile, Lin Shu met with several prospective clients and visited a few potential client companies, hoping to further expand their case opportunities.

Apparently, the day off was quite effective because by the time of the proposal rehearsal, Xu Shijia was full of energy. He even dressed as if he himself were getting married, looking like a flamboyant peacock on the run.

When Lin Shu shot him a questioning look, Xu Shijia confidently explained:

“Xin Li is the leading man today, so he’s definitely going to dress up. If I dress too plainly and get overshadowed by him, what then? Don’t all celebrities aim to outshine each other when making public appearances? I can’t let him outshine me.”

“Especially since he’s just living off a woman, while I’m a man who can do the right thing, even at the cost of my descendants, and rely on my own hard work to earn a living. I can’t lose to him, right?”

“…”

Forget it, Lin Shu thought numbly, I should just get used to this…

The traffic was a bit heavy today. Just as Lin Shu was about to use her phone to reply to some emails, Xu Shijia suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “Why is ‘A House for Two, Three Meals a Day, Four Seasons Together’ streaming live?”

Zheng Xiaoxiao was about to rehearse her proposal, and that was supposed to be a secret. How could there be time for a live stream?

However, Lin Shu quickly realized why.

Because the one streaming live was Zhong Peng—

“Brothers and sisters, you’ve all followed me and Xiaoxiao on this account for a long time, and I’m really grateful. But there’s something that has caused me deep pain, and I feel like I need to explain it to everyone.”

“Xiaoxiao betrayed me. She cheated on me, stole money from our studio, and now she’s secretly engaged to another man! They used my money to buy a villa together, picked out a wedding dress, and today they’re rehearsing the proposal at this very café.”

Lin Shu took Xu Shijia’s phone and saw that the screen showed Zhong Peng standing at the entrance of the café. The number of viewers in the live stream was skyrocketing.

Zhong Peng’s eyes were filled with hatred. “How could I not attend my girlfriend’s proposal rehearsal? Today, I’ll stream live and show everyone Xiaoxiao and her new man, revealing the proposal rehearsal scene.”

Zhong Peng’s words quickly ignited the internet, and more and more people flooded into the live stream.

This was bad!

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia rushed towards the café.

But they were already too late.

In the live stream, balloons from the proposal rehearsal could already be seen, and as Zhong Peng stepped inside, one balloon after another popped under his feet. The sound of balloons bursting echoed both in the live stream and in reality.

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia exchanged a glance, then pressed their lips together and charged into the proposal rehearsal.

The scene was already in chaos. Several staff members had fled in different directions, while Zhong Peng continued stomping on the balloons and smashing everything on the tables.

Zheng Xiaoxiao stood there, looking at him in shock, with Xin Li beside her, his expression dazed.

As soon as Zhong Peng saw Zheng Xiaoxiao and Xin Li, he erupted. He pointed at Zheng Xiaoxiao’s face and shouted, “I knew you never really respected me! Back when we started dating, your parents looked down on my family’s poor conditions and my lack of education. Later, we stayed together because you pitied me for having cancer, right? When you cooked for me and helped me grow the account, was it really because you wanted to take care of me for life? Wasn’t it all just to make money?”

“You talk such a good game. If you really loved me, why did you never consider marrying me? I brought up marriage several times earlier this year, but you kept brushing me off, saying the time wasn’t right, and that we’d talk about it later. But now, with this pretty boy, suddenly the time is right?”

Zheng Xiaoxiao’s expression shifted from confusion to a frown, then to a look of uncertainty. “Zhong Peng, what are you talking about?!”

“You’re still denying it at this point? My lawyer already found out! Found out that you’re here rehearsing a proposal! You and this pretty boy have already gone house-hunting and picked out a wedding dress!”

Zhong Peng’s emotions were completely out of control. “You say you want to take care of me for life, but you’ve never once thought about buying a house, getting married, or having kids with me. Is this how you planned to spend the rest of your life with me?”

“But don’t worry about me. Even without you, I can still find someone who loves me!” Zhong Peng, like someone who had been oppressed for too long and finally lashed out, sneered. “Zheng Xiaoxiao, if you won’t marry me, someone else will. If you won’t have my children, someone else will.”

“When this pretty boy was still in the U.S., you weren’t even making videos or caring about me. You were flying to the U.S. all the time to secretly meet him! Did you think I didn’t know why the promotions on our account suddenly dropped off in the last six months?” Zhong Peng sneered. “I bet you started a secret side account to take private deals, didn’t you? Too scared that any money would go into our joint account and that I’d get half.”

“While you’ve been sneaking around with that pretty boy, calculating my money, do you know who’s been by my side? It’s Sisi. Heaven blessed me by letting me meet a good girl like Sisi!”

“She’s different from you. She listens to me, looks up to me, and doesn’t care about my money. She loves me purely for who I am. She’s willing to marry me and have children with me, unlike you, who has never sacrificed anything for me. You never truly loved me! Do you think I can’t find a wife or have kids without you?”

…

Zhong Peng’s live stream naturally captured the entire proposal rehearsal between Zheng Xiaoxiao and Xin Li, exposing everything Zheng Xiaoxiao had done to the public. Lin Shu’s original negotiation plan was now completely scrapped.

At this point, Zheng Xiaoxiao had nothing left to hide. She and Zhong Peng were sure to be at war, and no concessions would be made.

On top of that, Zhong Peng, trying to save face, boasted about finding a new partner, which only handed more leverage to Zheng Xiaoxiao.

It was a complete emotional misstep on Zhong Peng’s part.

Lin Shu couldn’t understand it. Zhong Peng was already married, with a child on the way. He should have followed her advice and waited to gather evidence to maximize his financial benefits. Why had he lost control so spectacularly? Why such extreme actions?

If Lin Shu didn’t know better, she would have thought Zhong Peng was the victim of a long-term relationship, dedicated to starting a business with Zheng Xiaoxiao, only to be betrayed and cheated on.

Meanwhile, the other party involved, Zheng Xiaoxiao, didn’t show the panic of someone whose secret had been exposed. Her face was full of shock and pain, as if she were hit by something incomprehensible.

“But Zhong Peng, this proposal rehearsal… it’s for you and me…”

Almost as soon as Zheng Xiaoxiao said this, Xu Shijia leaned closer to Lin Shu and whispered, “I saw the wedding theme—it’s not Zheng Xiaoxiao & Xin Li, it’s Zheng Xiaoxiao & Zhong Peng…”

Zhong Peng also seemed to finally notice the names on the wedding theme.

At almost the same time, someone accidentally bumped into the computer, causing the electronic screen to light up. Accompanied by typical proposal background music, a slideshow of photos featuring Zhong Peng and Zheng Xiaoxiao started playing…

As the serene melody played, no one said a word.

This wasn’t really a proposal rehearsal for Zheng Xiaoxiao and Xin Li.

It was clearly for Zheng Xiaoxiao and Zhong Peng.

Finally, it was Xin Li who broke the silence, looking at Zhong Peng. “Xiaoxiao and I are not a couple. Today’s proposal rehearsal was her idea to surprise you, so she asked me to help as an advisor. I only went with her to the bridal shop to give her some suggestions. As for the house, I was just there to help check out the layout. The house has nothing to do with me. It will be under Xiaoxiao’s name, and she planned to add your name to it after you get married since you’re not a local and there’s a purchasing restriction. She wanted to give you half ownership once you’re married.”

Xin Li added, “If today’s rehearsal had gone well, Xiaoxiao was planning to officially propose to you next weekend.”

Zhong Peng was caught off guard by this turn of events. He stiffened, clearly not believing it. “Impossible!”

“Zheng Xiaoxiao, don’t try to fool me with lies! You were going to propose to me? If you were planning to marry me, why didn’t you agree when I proposed before? Back then, Xin Li was still in the U.S., and you were flying there all the time! In such a short time, you suddenly changed your mind and decided to marry me? Are you and this scumbag plotting together to steal my money?!”

Zhong Peng launched into a tirade, listing what he saw as all of Zheng Xiaoxiao’s wrongdoings.

After her initial shock, Zheng Xiaoxiao could no longer contain her emotions. Tears streamed down her face like raindrops.

“So this is what you’ve always thought of me,” she choked out. “Sisi? The fan who kept staring at you and chatting with you during your motivational talks? You’re with her now? You married her? And she’s pregnant?”

Although her words were phrased as questions, it seemed Zheng Xiaoxiao wasn’t expecting an answer, as if she already knew the truth.

“All these years, you never really trusted me.”

Tears in her eyes, Zheng Xiaoxiao’s voice was filled with sorrow. “Do you want to know why I went to the U.S.? Do you want to know why I reconnected with Xin Li? I never planned to tell you in this lifetime, but since you want to know so badly, I’ll say it.”

“I went to the U.S. to discuss your condition with doctors there. Xin Li was still in the U.S. at the time, and he helped me get in touch with top cancer specialists. Six months ago, I lied to you about your test results, Zhong Peng. Your cancer has relapsed. The colon cancer has metastasized to your liver.”

“When the metastasis was discovered, you proposed to me, but I was distraught. All I could think about was trying to keep you alive. I had no headspace for marriage.”

“I didn’t want your mood to be affected, so I met with the top specialists myself first.”

“After learning about the situation and the treatment options, I came up with a plan. Considering how dangerous liver metastasis is, I wanted to make the most of our time together. I planned to propose to you myself, so we could have a wedding and officially become a family.”

“That’s why I stopped accepting promotions. It wasn’t because I started a secret side account, but because I realized that money wasn’t as important as spending time with you. I even planned to pause the operation of our account for a while after we got married, to focus on our life together.”

“When Xin Li returned to China, I contacted him because he’s a reproductive specialist. I wanted to freeze some of your sperm before you underwent more chemotherapy and radiation. The latest IVF technology can screen for gene segments, allowing us to have a healthy child without cancer. Xin Li is an expert in this area.”

“I have polycystic ovary syndrome, so it’s not easy for me to get pregnant, and I’ve been undergoing treatment and care with Xin Li for that.”

So, she wasn’t going to cosmetic clinics but spending money on fertility treatments?

She didn’t go to the U.S. for secret meetings, but to explore medical treatment options?

This was nothing like what Zhong Peng had said.

Clearly, their relationship wasn’t as he had described.

“Zhong Peng, I’ve always been thinking about our future, but to you, everything I’ve done has seemed insincere. But it’s not me who betrayed our relationship. It’s you.”

“After all these years, you still haven’t moved past the fact that my parents objected to us in the beginning. I hid your diagnosis because every specialist I consulted told me things didn’t look good.”

“I wanted us to build a family, to have a child, and spend your final days together, so you could live without regret,” Zheng Xiaoxiao said with a bitter smile. “But it was all just wishful thinking on my part.”

Zhong Peng stared blankly at the slideshow of happy photos of him and Zheng Xiaoxiao on the electronic screen, mumbling, “This can’t be… liver metastasis? That’s impossible… I’m perfectly fine!”

At this point, even Lin Shu, an outsider, finally understood the truth.

Zheng Xiaoxiao wasn’t trying to seduce Zhong Peng for business.

And she wasn’t after his money, disrupting his marriage. Instead, it was Zhong Peng, consumed by insecurity and excessive pride, who suspected Zheng Xiaoxiao of cheating and, in a retaliatory act, cheated on her with the fan Fu Si, marrying her.

He had deceived Zheng Xiaoxiao, Fu Si, and even Lin Shu.

At this moment, Zheng Xiaoxiao had figured everything out. She looked at Lin Shu and Xu Shijia, her eyes red from crying. “So it wasn’t just chance that I kept running into you two. You’re Zhong Peng’s lawyers, aren’t you?”

She wiped away her tears and looked at Lin Shu and Xu Shijia. “What does Zhong Peng want? The account? This ‘A House for Two, Three Meals a Day, Four Seasons Together’ account is a joke now. I don’t want it. He can have it. If that’s what he wanted, he could’ve just told me directly. There was no need to hire lawyers to investigate me.”

“As for the house, it was meant to be our marital home, but now that’s pointless. We can sell it and split the money evenly.”

In her videos, Zheng Xiaoxiao had always appeared gentle and kind, and she had been excitedly preparing for a surprise proposal rehearsal. But now, after such a devastating betrayal, she showed remarkable decisiveness. Lin Shu watched as she quickly composed herself and offered clear solutions, cutting through the mess with a firm hand.

Zheng Xiaoxiao spoke firmly: “As for you, Zhong Peng, I don’t want you anymore either.”

“I’ve fought with my parents for so long because of you, but now, I finally understand that their opposition was right. Thank you for proving everything they said. I have no more regrets about this relationship. This kind of parting, in life, might even be easier for me than if it had been a separation by death.”

Though tears streamed down her face and her voice was choked with emotion, Zheng Xiaoxiao straightened her back and lifted her head. She walked out in her high heels as if she were leaving all the past behind.

This time, she didn’t look back.

Did Zhong Peng love Zheng Xiaoxiao? He probably did.

He loved her in his heart and cared deeply for her, which is why Zheng Xiaoxiao’s perceived “betrayal” was so unbearable for him. He was desperate to prove her wrong, to show that he could thrive without her.

However, his love was tainted by insecurity and jealousy. Their vastly different backgrounds only magnified this. After Zhong Peng’s rise through his motivational journey, his inflated ego led him to lose his sense of reason, and the love he once had turned into hate.

The scene was chaotic, with the staff whispering among themselves, and the live stream chat was buzzing with unprecedented attention.

This was probably the effect Zhong Peng had wanted.

He couldn’t wait to destroy Zheng Xiaoxiao through this public spectacle.

His twisted love wouldn’t allow them to part peacefully.

His love was pathological and self-destructive, leaving only ruins in its wake.

As Xin Li passed by Zhong Peng, he still maintained his refined and gentle demeanor, but his voice was cold: “Xiaoxiao and I never had anything going on. She worked tirelessly, all for you. But you hating me is understandable because I’ve always liked her, and I’ve always been jealous of you. Jealous that you, so ordinary, had her unwavering devotion.”

“Now that you’ve hurt Xiaoxiao, I hate you, but I’m no longer jealous of you because Xiaoxiao is free. She’s let go of you, and she will never love you again. From now on, you won’t be in her life anymore. But I will.”

Xin Li’s voice was steady and resolute: “In the past, my father owed gambling debts, and I thought someone like me didn’t deserve to be with Xiaoxiao. That’s why I only ever stayed by her side as a friend. But now I’ve paid off all the debts, and my father has passed away. There won’t be any new debts. My career is on track, and I’m ready to properly pursue Xiaoxiao.”

“So please, as her past, don’t bother her anymore.”

…

After saying this, Xin Li didn’t look back and went after Zheng Xiaoxiao. Many of the staff also began to leave, while Zhong Peng sat slumped on the floor, still in shock.

“Mr. Zhong, we’re heading out. We’ll coordinate with Ms. Zheng regarding the accounts, property, and studio income. Once a solution is reached, we’ll inform you immediately.”

Lin Shu didn’t know whether to feel pity for Zhong Peng or think he got what he deserved.

Had he been honest from the beginning and listened to his lawyer’s advice, things might not have escalated to this point.

Or even if he hadn’t been honest, if he had followed Lin Shu’s suggestions and waited for evidence, things wouldn’t have spiraled so out of control.

But unfortunately, lawyers only provide services; they don’t make decisions for their clients.

At every turn in this story, if Zhong Peng had made the right choice just once, none of this would have happened.

But he had made the wrong choice at every step.

Lin Shu’s emotions were a mixture of sadness and frustration.

As she was walking out, suddenly, Xu Shijia, who had been walking a few steps away, pulled her forcefully. Lin Shu, caught off guard, lost her balance and fell into his arms.

And at that moment, she heard Zhong Peng’s voice, almost deranged—

“It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t told me they were here rehearsing for a proposal, I wouldn’t have come, and Xiaoxiao wouldn’t have left me!”

“If it weren’t for you, I could’ve given Fu Si some money to divorce her, had her abort the baby, and Xiaoxiao wouldn’t have known a thing! I could’ve stayed with Xiaoxiao!”

Lin Shu, still in Xu Shijia’s arms, turned her head slightly and caught a glimpse of Zhong Peng’s twisted face. She saw he had picked up a shard of broken glass from the floor, blood dripping from it. His hand was cut, but he didn’t seem to care, glaring at her with bloodshot eyes as if ready to drag her down with him.

People like him always believed the fault lay with others.

In his emotional collapse, Zhong Peng’s first instinct was to lash out at Lin Shu.

Fortunately, amidst the earlier chaos, the café staff had already called the police. Just as the situation threatened to spiral further, the police arrived and restrained Zhong Peng, taking him away.

Thanks to Xu Shijia, Lin Shu was unharmed.

Thinking of Xu Shijia, Lin Shu tried to pull away from his embrace, but as she glanced down, her eyes widened in shock.

“Xu Shijia, are you okay?”

Xu Shijia’s hand had been cut, and blood was seeping from the wound.

Lin Shu had a tendency to feel faint at the sight of blood, but since Xu Shijia was injured because of her, she felt she had to take responsibility.

As she steeled herself to tend to his wound, Xu Shijia used his uninjured hand to cover her eyes.

“Afraid of blood, aren’t you? Don’t look.”

Despite usually being delicate, Xu Shijia’s voice was calm even though he was injured.

His voice was lazy yet reassuring: “You’re trembling so much; I wouldn’t dare let you treat my wound.”

“Next time, don’t take on cases like this. The clients are unstable, and it’s tough money to earn. Your family would feel bad seeing you in this situation.”

Perhaps because of his privileged upbringing, Xu Shijia always had a sense of ease, as though nothing ever fazed him, and every problem could be solved. That casual confidence made those around him feel secure.

With Xu Shijia’s hand covering her eyes, Lin Shu lost her vision for the moment. His breath was close, and she could even feel the subtle shifts in the air when he spoke.

“Stop trying to be tough, okay?”

Lin Shu rarely experienced being protected by someone else.

Although the one injured was Xu Shijia, Lin Shu couldn’t help but feel a rare, bittersweet warmth in her heart.

So this is what it feels like to be protected.

**

Lin Shu quickly took Xu Shijia to the hospital. Although his wound looked severe, it wasn’t deep—just a surface cut with no glass embedded in it. However, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

When they reached the consultation room, Lin Shu intended to go in with him, but Xu Shijia stopped her.

“You’re not my family. Medical treatment is a private matter, so it’s not appropriate for you to come in.”

He gave her a mischievous smile. “Just don’t forget to reimburse me for the medical expenses.”

With that, he walked into the consultation room, closing the door behind him as if worried she might eavesdrop on his personal matters.

Despite Lin Shu’s belief that Xu Shijia’s injury wasn’t serious, he stayed in the room for quite some time. Just as Lin Shu began to worry and considered ignoring his fussy demands to check on him, he opened the door and came out.

“Judging by your expression, you must’ve thought I was about to meet a heroic end.”

“It’s not that bad,” Xu Shijia said with his usual playful demeanor, holding a cotton ball to his injured hand. “I’m fine.”

“Do you want to press charges against Zhong Peng? I can handle it for you.”

Without even thinking, Xu Shijia declined her suggestion. “Forget it. He brought this on himself, but he’s already in a pitiful state. His insecurities pushed away someone who genuinely cared for him, and now with his cancer relapsing, there’s no one by his side. This guy’s bad luck is contagious—I don’t want to risk catching it by getting involved.”

“Doesn’t Fu Si care about him? Strictly speaking, she’s a victim too, kept in the dark,” Lin Shu said.

Xu Shijia chuckled at this. “Her? Kept in the dark? I’ve seen too many people like her.”

Xu Shijia spoke as though he had plenty of experience discerning people, but Lin Shu knew that the priority was treating his wound, not discussing others.

In any case, seeing that Xu Shijia was okay, Lin Shu let out a sigh of relief.

Despite his spoiled attitude, Xu Shijia was actually a good person, and Lin Shu decided to be kinder to him in the future.

Just as she was about to thank him, Xu Shijia spoke again—

“Enough about her. Let’s talk about me.”

“My right hand is injured now, so I definitely can’t go back to work. You’ll need to hire a caregiver to take care of my daily needs. Also, find a cosmetic surgeon to prevent scarring, and get a nutritionist to advise on the best recovery diet. Oh, and don’t forget to help me apply for work injury compensation.”

“…”

“You’ll bring flowers to visit me, right? Maybe even award me a banner for my heroic deed?”

“…”

Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was paralyzed and incapable of taking care of himself. A caregiver? For a wound that didn’t even require stitches? And cosmetic surgery, seriously?

Although Xu Shijia had been injured protecting her, it seemed like he was now milking the situation for all it was worth, treating himself like a hero expecting rewards.

Suppressing her emotions, Lin Shu forced herself to respond gently, “Let’s talk about that later. For now, let’s head back to the office.” She pointed to the crowd in the hospital. “This place is full of germs, not good for your recovery.”

But Xu Shijia’s next statement took her by surprise once again—

“I can’t leave yet. I still need an injection.”

He flashed her a grin. “I lost blood, you know, which takes a toll on my vitality. So I had the doctor prescribe me a nutrient shot. I’ll leave after I get it. If you can’t wait, you can go ahead without me.”

“…”

Xu Shijia still looked as handsome as ever, effortlessly standing out in the bustling hospital with his charm and grace. But as Lin Shu looked at him, all she felt was a headache.

This guy… Even though she had offered to cover his medical expenses, did he really have to push it this far?

Getting a nutrient shot just for losing a little blood? He was really treating her like a sucker!

Lin Shu usually believed in repaying kindness with kindness, but for the first time, she felt the urge to retaliate.

Though Xu Shijia had helped her, she really, really wanted to punch him.