Song Xi was slapped aside, clutching her stinging cheek with fury. “Liu Yusheng, I regret ever marrying you!”
“You should be grateful I even looked your way. It was your damn luck to marry me.”
“Disgusting. You two deserve each other. But don’t think you can use me as your cover—your dirty secrets will come out. Enjoy your downfall.”
Even if Liu Yulan was an adopted sister, legally, they were siblings!
Song Xi laughed mockingly, relishing their horrified expressions.
“You bitch—I’ll teach you a lesson today!”
Liu Yusheng lunged at her again.
Song Xi dodged but was no match for him.
He grabbed her hair, yanking her to the floor, fists slamming into her face until it was bruised and swollen.
Liu Yulan stepped in, feigning concern. “Yusheng, calm down. If something happens to her, how will you explain it to the Song family?”
“Hah! The Songs already disowned her. The only family she’s got is an aunt overseas—and she’s not saving her now.”
With a cold sneer, he kicked her.
Song Xi curled up, arms shielding her head—but the blow still sent her crashing into a table corner.
Pain. Excruciating.
“Laughs Still want a divorce now, whore?”
Then—a voice, icy and sharp, cut through the room:
“Liu Yusheng, you’re subhuman.”
Liu Yusi stood in the doorway, followed by Li Qiao, Ding Xiaozhou, and… three police officers.
Liu Yusheng and Liu Yulan froze.
The evidence of domestic violence was right there.
On the floor, Song Xi smiled weakly, blood trickling from her lips as Liu Yusi helped her up.
“He abused me. This is the proof.”
“You—you set me up!”
Realizing the trap, Liu Yusheng raged—but it was too late.
He was arrested.
Li Qiao studied Song Xi’s injuries. “You risked yourself.”
“I know it was stupid. But you came just in time.”
Her choice, Li Qiao respected.
Before leaving, Li Qiao locked eyes with Liu Yulan—who glared back viciously.
Li Qiao smirked.
“What are you looking at?!”
“Nothing’s free in this world. What you’ve stolen… you’ll pay back tenfold.”
Liu Yulan’s face darkened, brushing off the warning.
En route to the police station, Li Qiao rested her eyes—until a passing neighborhood jolted her awake.
Her gaze fixed on one building, emotions flickering.
At the station, she ran into Shao Rong again.
Their eyes met. He glanced at Song Xi, now giving her statement, then back at Li Qiao.
“Miss Li—the nemesis of criminals.”
“Haha, let’s not exaggerate. Just coincidence.” Her laugh was dry.
Shao Rong’s stare was piercing.
Today, oddly, he wasn’t busy—lingering near her instead.
Li Qiao studied him subtly, then brightened. “Congrats on the promotion, Officer Shao.”
“You saw that?”
“I did. And… Officer Ding too.”
Shao Rong’s gaze deepened.
The official notice hadn’t dropped yet—but he knew.
With his case-solving streak, a promotion was inevitable.
Besides, Shao Rong was no ordinary cop.
Once Song Xi finished, Liu Yusi took her to the hospital—while Li Qiao headed to the Shen family estate, summoned by Shen Kuo.
Shen Residence.
A servant welcomed her warmly upon hearing she was Shen Kuo’s classmate.
“Miss Li, please wait here. Young Master Shen isn’t back yet.”
Li Qiao nodded.
Upstairs, Ye Chu spotted her—and panicked.
That face. That youth.
Was this Shen Juncheng’s new mistress?!
After clawing her way to his personal assistant role—so close to becoming Madam Shen—she wouldn’t tolerate rivals.
“Little girl, the Shen home isn’t for strays.”
Li Qiao’s teacup paused mid-air. Her eyes narrowed.
“I’m a guest.”
“Not my guest!” Ye Chu slapped the cup from her hand—shattering it on the floor.
Li Qiao’s knuckles reddened.
She didn’t flinch. Just stared, cold.
Ye Chu seethed, raising a hand to strike—when a furious voice roared:
“YE CHU—WHO THE HELL LET YOU ACT LIKE THIS?!”
“Shen Kuo! Sh-Sir, you’re back! She was seducing your father!”
Playing victim.
She knew Shen Kuo hated gold-diggers eyeing his dad.
Every woman who tried to be his stepmother? Destroyed.
She’d use that to ruin this girl.
Shen Kuo strode over—and backhanded her.
“You dare touch my people?!”
Ye Chu clutched her swollen face, eyes burning with hate.
“That slap? A lesson in manners.”
“You—! I’m your father’s woman! How dare you—”
“Only a blind old man would want you. Throw her out.“
Li Qiao watched, amused.
The Shens were… interesting.
A woman like Ye Chu—how could someone like Shen Juncheng tolerate her?
Unless… he’d lost his mind since she last saw him?
Just then—Shen Juncheng returned.
Ye Chu latched onto him, weeping.
“Juncheng! Look what Shen Kuo did to me!” She pointed at her cheek, sobbing. “Punish him!”
“SHEN KUO—GET OVER HERE!” he bellowed.
Ye Chu smirked as servants rushed to ice her face.
But when Shen Juncheng saw Li Qiao in the parlor—he stiffened.
To Ye Chu? Proof he was enchanted.
That vixen! Seducing both father and son!
“Yelling won’t help. She deserved it. Next time? I won’t hold back,” Shen Kuo sneered.
Ye Chu whimpered pitifully on the couch.
“Mr. Shen,” Li Qiao cut in, “She insulted me first. Shen Kuo was defending me.”
She laid out everything. Ye Chu’s face twisted with each word.
So what? Shen Juncheng loved her. He’d side with her!
Then—
Shen Juncheng turned to Ye Chu, icy. “Is this true?”
“I—well, yes, but I—”
SLAP!
His palm cracked across her face.
