No one knew what had happened at the coming - of - age ceremony that day.
Anyway, the arranged marriage was not officially announced.
Xie Yu heaved a sigh of relief. On the way back to the rental house with Xie Zhen that evening, she heard her elder brother say to her, "A Yu, don't get in too deep."
After all, he was her elder brother, and a younger sister's little thoughts couldn't be hidden from him.
Xie Yu flew into a rage. "What do you mean by 'getting in too deep'? Brother, even you look down on me. You think I'm no match for her, don't you?"
"But apart from her family background, where am I inferior to her? If I were also born into a family like hers, I'd only be more outstanding than her."
"Even you've been bewitched by her, right? Isn't she just a little princess? Instead of helping your own sister, you're on her side?"
Xie Yu behaved quite out of control.
It was not only because of Qi Shifeng.
It was also because she thought of her own coming - of - age ceremony.
Coming - of - age ceremonies were not popular in the small county. Her family was poor and had many children. Not to mention a coming - of - age ceremony, even her birthday was easily forgotten by everyone.
So on the day she turned eighteen, her father threatened her to hand over all her money. When she refused, her father chased her with a stick.
"You and Xie Zhen are both my children. He gives you money but not me, his father. I'll beat you to death."
The stick hitting her body hurt terribly, but even when she was covered in bruises, she gritted her teeth and didn't reveal where she had hidden the money.
Later, when the gambling - addicted father got tired of beating her, he threatened to sell her to the old bachelor in the back village.
Seeing the look of fear on her face, he sat at the table drinking with a smug look.
After nightfall, looking at her drunk father and crying younger siblings, Xie Yu finally took the money and ran away.
She was unwilling and resentful.
She was the school beauty and had a large number of suitors. Why should she be trapped in this small county for the rest of her life, living a predictable life?
She wanted to go out and earn a future for herself.
But she never expected that after all these years of hard work, she was still living in Xu Tingyu's shadow.
She practiced dancing in the practice room until her feet were swollen and red, yet she was still no match for Xu Tingyu.
Her elder brother lost his life for Qi Shifeng, but Qi Shifeng still married Xu Tingyu.
Now, they even had a son.
Why? Why even though Xu Tingyu had been pulled off her pedestal, everyone still took her side?
Jealousy burned in her heart, driving her almost crazy.
But Xu Tingyu in front of her always looked so calm.
No matter how many times she came to provoke her, Xu Tingyu never took her seriously.
Even at this moment, Xu Tingyu still looked at her calmly and asked if she had never seen her truly successful side.
There was even a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Xu Tingyu, what gives you the right? Your family is now bankrupt, your mother is in a mental hospital, and your father and younger brother are both dead."
"What gives you the right to sit here as if nothing had happened?"
Xie Yu finally completely shed all her pretenses and showed her most jealous side to the fullest.
Yes, why?
This woman's life was on the verge of ruin, yet why was she still so aloof?
Even Liu Ning and Grandpa Qi, who were quite dissatisfied with her, hadn't taken extreme measures against her because of the child.
She was still the legitimate Mrs. Qi, the wife of the president of Qi Corporation.
Moreover, Qi Shifeng had fought so hard against the old man for her that he was almost drained.
But she still seemed to be living a peaceful life, as if nothing had happened.
When Xu Tingyu was suddenly reminded of her father and younger brother, the fingers on her knees curled up.
But she still remained calm and asked, "Why can't I sit here? Aren't you, the murderer, sitting here as if nothing had happened?"
Her eyes, which were usually bright and full of smiles, now looked like sharp swords, cutting through the air and coldly landing on Xie Yu.
Xie Yu couldn't help shivering and getting goosebumps all over her body.
She quickly put on a look of shock and anger.
Even a Sichuan opera performer couldn't change expressions as fast as she did.
"What are you talking nonsense about? Just because your family is ruined, you're randomly accusing others?"
Just as she finished speaking, a sudden thunderclap roared outside the window.
It was already early summer, and the weather had become unpredictable.
Xu Tingyu was nestled in the sofa, and the fingers on her knees had relaxed.
"Really? Do you really think your good - for - nothing cousin did things so neatly?"
"Also, after killing my younger brother, can you and your sister sleep well at night?"
"My younger brother was stubborn and vengeful. He won't easily let those who hurt him go."
As the thunder rumbled on, the sky gradually darkened.
No one turned on the lights in the room. Xu Tingyu was sitting with her back to the light, and her small oval face was hidden in the shadow, making it hard to see her expression.
Xie Yu looked at her in shock. Before she could say anything, she heard Xu Tingyu continue.
"Oh, being vengeful is the characteristic of us Xus. Xie Yu, you'd better live well. Don't always come here to provoke me."
"One day, I'll drag all you executioners to hell."
The look in her eyes when she looked at Xie Yu was so cold, simply put, she didn't take Xie Yu seriously at all.
Xie Yu was most easily irritated by such looks.
"In the business world, if your father was out - competed, that's his own problem. What does it have to do with others?"
"As for your younger brother, he was just unlucky. What does it have to do with my sister and me?"
"Also, Xu Tingyu, I didn't come here today to argue with you. I'm just kindly here to inform you that your status won't last long."
Xie Yu spoke very fast. If she didn't know there were bodyguards around, she might have attacked directly.
After all, this Xu Tingyu was really infuriating.
Xu Tingyu wasn't angry after hearing her words. She even nodded slightly. After thinking for a moment, she said, "So are you the one who's going to take over?"
Her tone was flat, but in Xie Yu's ears, it was full of sarcasm.
Xie Yu wasn't a fool.
She had at least been in the vanity - filled world for a while, so she naturally knew that she wasn't good enough for the Qi family.
The only reason she could sit here today through Liu Ning's connection was that Liu Ning needed her to cause some trouble for Xu Tingyu.
Even if Qi Shifeng divorced Xu Tingyu, the position of Mrs. Qi wouldn't fall to her.
Xu Tingyu was just mocking her.
Mocking her for waiting for so many years but still ending up doing all the hard work for others.
She got angry, and a hint of fierceness appeared in her eyes when she looked at Xu Tingyu.
Xu Tingyu had thin and slightly upturned lips. Even when she had no expression, she seemed to be smiling faintly.
Now in Xie Yu's eyes, it was nothing but sarcasm.
She couldn't care about anything else anymore. She suddenly stood up and lunged at Xu Tingyu, trying to slap her across the face.
This woman was so eloquent that she had never won a verbal fight against her.
She had come today prepared for a fight.
Xu Tingyu seemed to have anticipated her move. The corner of her mouth twitched in a sarcastic arc.
Before Xie Yu could reach her, she dodged, and then counter - attacked, giving Xie Yu a hard slap.