Xu Tingyu forced herself to steady her trembling hands and flashed a faint smile at Qi Ye. "I see."
Her voice was trembling, and her face was deathly pale.
Qi Ye seemed oblivious and continued to plan for their future.
"We'd better have a boy and a girl. I know it'll be tough on you, but don't worry. You'll have the best professional team to take care of you."
"Do you want to get the marriage certificate in China or here? Or we can go to New York if you prefer."
"Anyway, we'll have the wedding here. Most of my friends are here, and I'd like them to witness our special moment."
...
He rarely rambled like this, but Xu Tingyu's mind was miles away.
She stared out of the window, her mind racing.
If Qi Shifeng couldn't be counted on, who else could she turn to?
Chen Yan?
But how could she reach him?
Lost in their own thoughts, Zhang Wan in the front seat couldn't help stealing a glance through the rear - view mirror, her eyes misty.
In the past few years, she rarely saw Qi Ye so happy.
He was in high spirits, like a victorious general, radiating an irresistible charm.
She was infatuated with him and sincerely wished him well.
When the car pulled up at the villa, Xu Tingyu, burdened with worries and having skipped meals for days, stumbled on the car door as she got out.
Qi Ye reached out to catch her but missed. He watched helplessly as she fell hard to the ground.
He immediately knelt down to help her up, and at the same time, another hand reached out from the side.
Xu Tingyu looked up instinctively and saw Chen Chunyao, who was supposed to be filming.
Chen Chunyao looked down at her too.
Their eyes met. Chen Chunyao looked a bit embarrassed but quickly forced a smile. "Tingyu, I thought I should come to see you."
Xu Tingyu was stunned for a few seconds before angrily pushing her hand away. "Don't touch me."
How could she?
How could her best friend, after doing all those things, act as if nothing had happened and smile at her?
Pretending that she should come to see her!
Qi Ye also seemed surprised by her appearance. After helping Xu Tingyu up with a frown, he turned to Chen Chunyao. "What are you doing here?"
Chen Chunyao's eyes lingered on his hand holding Xu Tingyu for a moment, then she forced another smile.
"I was worried about Tingyu. I had an event nearby, and I came to check on her after it ended."
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go inside."
There was no need for pretense anymore. Her attitude towards Qi Ye was completely different from what she had shown in front of Xu Tingyu.
At that moment, Xu Tingyu was sure that the two of them were on familiar terms.
How ironic! Her best friend and her elder brother - in - law had joined hands to set such a huge trap for her.
She said nothing, pushed Qi Ye away, and walked straight into the house.
Surrounded by bodyguards, she knew she couldn't escape. So she might as well listen to what Chen Chunyao had to say in her defense.
Although Qi Ye didn't like Chen Chunyao showing up at this moment, seeing Xu Tingyu's frail figure, he hesitated for a while and then let her in.
After all, they had been friends for years. Maybe Chen Chunyao's visit could persuade her.
She shouldn't torture herself like this.
Chen Chunyao's eyes lit up with joy when she got the permission.
But the joy faded in seconds when she heard the man say, "Don't upset her."
Then, without even looking at her, he walked inside first.
Chen Chunyao's smile froze for a moment.
She had traveled all the way here, exhausted from the journey, only to receive such a cold warning.
Don't upset Xu Tingyu.
She let out a sarcastic laugh, not sure who she was mocking.
Zhang Wan parked the car and walked over. Seeing the smile that Chen Chunyao hadn't had time to hide, she frowned.
"Miss Chen, you shouldn't have come."
It was a critical moment right after the incident, and Chen Chunyao's visit was not a good thing.
"I had to come, Zhang Wan. I haven't slept well for days. Xu Tingyu is my best friend. Do you know how it feels to betray a friend?"
She forced a bitter smile.
Human nature was complex. Although she was jealous of Xu Tingyu, she had truly regarded her as a friend.
Betraying a friend made her feel bad too.
"What bothers you isn't betraying your friend but feeling uneasy about the boss getting what he wants, right?"
Zhang Wan didn't believe her at all.
She believed that Chen Chunyao might have felt bad when she first started helping Qi Ye.
But after all this time, if she really felt bad, things wouldn't have come to this point.
She rushed here simply because she couldn't bear to watch Qi Ye and Xu Tingyu together without doing anything.
She just didn't dare to show her true feelings.
She wanted it all.
Caught in the act, Chen Chunyao's bitter smile disappeared instantly.
She sized up Zhang Wan and a glint of light flashed in her eyes. "Zhang Wan, no wonder you've been by his side for so long."
Zhang Wan remained calm and glanced at the villa entrance.
The two had already gone inside.
"Miss Chen, I advise you not to go against the boss's wishes. If you ruin his plan, he won't let you off."
Then, without looking at Chen Chunyao again, she walked inside.
Chen Chunyao stood there for a moment before following her.
Qi Ye and Xu Tingyu were in the living room.
Xu Tingyu was sitting on the sofa, and Qi Ye was kneeling in front of her.
He held her ankle, and a trail of bright red blood was trickling down her exposed calf.
Apparently, the fall had scraped her leg.
Qi Ye didn't notice the blood running down her leg until he came inside.
In an instant, a million terrible thoughts crossed his mind. He rushed over, reminded her, and then asked, "Are you pregnant?"
Xu Tingyu, who had been in a daze, was jolted awake. Then she looked down and saw the blood on her leg.
"No, I just scraped it."
She pointed at her cheongsam, which had a large tear. When she lifted the hem, her knee was a bloody mess.
Qi Ye sent someone to get the first - aid kit. While waiting, he flew into a rage.
"Why are there such protruding stones outside? How do they clean this place? Who was in charge these days? Fire him immediately."
He was usually a man of few words, but since Xu Tingyu came, he had lost his temper several times.
All because they hadn't taken good care of her.
The butler scurried away to investigate.
When the first - aid kit arrived, he refused others' help and insisted on doing it himself.
When Zhang Wan and Chen Chunyao came in, he was about to disinfect the wound, his voice gentle and cautious.
"It might hurt a bit. If you can't stand it, just pinch me."
His leg was within her reach.
Xu Tingyu kept her head down, her expression hidden. She simply said, "Go ahead. I'm fine."