Chapter 27: Unrepentant Thief

“Don’t you have any memory? Did I need to repeat myself last time?”

Shuangxu’s tone was neither cold nor warm. The twins were still haunted by the slap they received last time, and they immediately shut their mouths in fear.

“Why are you afraid of her?” Song Leyan sneered. “I’ll get that slap back for you sooner or later.”

Shuangxu looked at her with no warmth in her eyes: “No need for sooner or later, you can get it now. Do you want me to slap you?”

Song Leyan scoffed: “Song Shuangxu, dare you hit me?”

She had been spoiled and domineering since childhood. She had only ever hit others, never been hit herself.

Shuangxu said: “Why wouldn’t I dare? Do you have thorns growing on your face?”

“You’ve been kicked out of the country for a few years, and your mouth has gotten sharper.” Song Leyan’s eyes were filled with malice. “Why couldn’t you say a word last time? You just stood there pale and trembling.”

The group of girls behind her, all adorned in jewels and fine clothes, showed smug and expectant expressions.

Although Lu Manman didn’t show any disdain, she was standing among them.

This scene was eerily similar to five years ago.

Shuangxu stood across from them, and for a moment, she felt like she was back at the welcome party that had thrown her into hell.

When she was sent to the Song family, Song Leyan had already moved to Europe with Song Mianzhi. The two of them had never even met, let alone interacted.

She had never received any love or affection from the Song family, nor did she crave their wealth. She never intended to compete with this sister.

Logically, if they could just ignore each other, they could live in peace.

But Song Leyan wouldn’t let her be. If she hadn’t started trouble, Shuangxu wouldn’t have been sent away five years ago.

That year, Song Mianzhi was transferred back to Yancheng, and Song Leyan came back with him. To welcome her, someone organized a welcome party. Shuangxu also received an invitation. She didn’t want to go, but Fu Yun said that Song Leyan had just returned and she should give her this face, so the sisters could get along.

So she went.

There were many people there that day, all the daughters of the prominent families in Yancheng were gathered. When Shuangxu arrived, she noticed everyone was looking at her strangely. She was confused until she saw her best friend standing behind Song Leyan, her eyes filled with guilt and avoidance.

Song Leyan said with a sweet smile in front of everyone: “You like Shen Yu? He treats you like a sister, and you want to have an incestuous relationship with him? You’re so shameless.”

That day, just like today, Song Leyan looked down at her arrogantly, surrounded by her supporters, mocking and ridiculing her for being shameless, for having inappropriate thoughts about her own brother.

They said that Shen Yu was truly disgusting, and he might even be a pedophile.

At that moment, Shuangxu felt like she was stripped naked and thrown into the sun, exposed for everyone to see.

She had been carefully harboring her love for Shen Yu, without even having the chance to tell him, and it was exposed in such a humiliating way.

From that day on, rumors spread.

To quell the rumors, Cui Ning publicly acknowledged her as his adopted daughter. Out of consideration for the faces of the Shen and Song families, the rumors were suppressed and didn’t spread widely.

But Song Mianzhi was furious and sent people to take her back to the Shen family and lock her up. After the paperwork was processed, he sent this embarrassing daughter out of the country.

Shuangxu squeezed her stiff fingers: “You dare to bring it up.”

Song Leyan hummed confidently: “Why wouldn’t I dare to bring it up if you dare to do it?”

“That’s right.” Her sycophants chimed in. “You’re shameless, why are you afraid of us saying it?”

“How dare you come back?”

“It’s all rumors.” Lu Manman’s lips curled up into a smile, but it was a faint smile. “Ayu and Xiao Jiu are very close siblings, let’s not spread rumors anymore, okay?”

The sycophants looked at her and shut their mouths sheepishly.

If she wasn’t here today, Shuangxu would definitely have slapped her.

Lu Manman also saw this and said to her: “Xiao Jiu, give me some face, okay?”

Shuangxu looked at her quietly for a moment, then raised her hand and gave Song Leyan a solid slap.

Song Leyan screamed and covered her face. The twins who had been standing behind her reacted instinctively and dodged to the side. The others looked at each other in shock and fear. No one expected Song Shuangxu to be so bold now, actually daring to hit Song Leyan.

“Song Shuangxu, are you crazy? You dare to hit Leyan? You’re not afraid of Director Song beating you to death!”

“Then I’ll beat her to death and then talk.”

Shuangxu shook her aching right hand and said to Lu Manman: “I can give you face, but this slap is owed from five years ago, and I can’t give it up today.”

“I’ll give it to you next time.” She said.

Even Lu Manman was shocked.

This side of her was completely different from the gentle and quiet Xiao Jiu in front of Shen Yu.

Song Leyan covered her face and glared, still not reacting. Shuangxu put her hand in her coat pocket and turned to leave.

The group of women said angrily: “Why is she so arrogant now?”

“What is she arrogant about? She’s just relying on Shen Yu to support her.”

“Manman, you have to be careful of her. She definitely still has her heart set on Shen Yu!”

Lu Manman looked at Shuangxu’s departing figure and didn’t say anything.

The slap felt good, but it didn’t improve Shuangxu’s mood much.

Even if she gave Song Leyan ten slaps, it wouldn’t turn back time.

She was forced into this situation today, all thanks to Song Leyan.

This half-sister of hers was simply toxic, and every time she got close, Shuangxu felt annoyed.

Back at her home on Songming Road, the entire house was quiet. She stood at the entrance for a while, feeling like everything was unfamiliar.

The lights, the sofa, the solid wood dining table, and the empty fish tank.

She called Shen’s house and asked if they had found her turtle. Mrs. Wang answered the phone: “It usually stays at home.

“I’ve searched everywhere, but there’s no sign of her. It’s strange.”

“Great, even the turtle abandoned her.”

“A worthless piece of garbage that nobody wants.”

Mrs. Wang，concerned about her, asked if she was comfortable living here, her voice laced with worry: “It’s much better to live at home. You’re all alone there, no hot meals to eat. Mrs. said she’d hire a maid for you, but you refused.”

Shuangxu disliked living alone with a maid, a shadow from her childhood.

She smiled nonchalantly: “I lived abroad for five years, I’m used to it. It’s fine.”

Mrs. Wang was speechless.

After hanging up, Shuangxu buried her face in her down pillow, struggling to breathe before her phone rang.

“Sis, are you asleep?” Yue Zifeng’s voice always sounded cheerful.

“Not yet.”

“Then get some rest. We’re going out on a yacht tomorrow.”

Without a doubt, Shen Yu and Lu Manman would be there.

Shuangxu casually lied: “I get seasick.”

“Seasick? How come you don’t get sick of me? You’re a white-bellied fish, all that swimming for nothing?” Yue Zifeng said, “You haven’t been out with us lately, and you don’t even answer calls when we ask you to eat. Are you fighting with your brother?”

“No…” Shuangxu hadn’t finished her sentence when the phone was taken away.

Then, Shen Yu’s clear voice came through: “What’s wrong?”

Shuangxu sighed resignedly: “Nothing. I need to visit my senior sister tomorrow, I’ll join you later.”