Chen Liuyue slept soundly in the master bedroom.
Qin Xuanye tossed and turned in the guest bedroom, hugging the quilt, a single sentence replaying over and over in his mind.
"How on earth can I become Liuyue's 'other man'?"
Damn it! Maybe I should just get rid of Wei Miao first.
Morning.
Chen Liuyue woke up refreshed and full of energy, while dark circles hung heavily under Qin Xuanye's eyes.
His first words upon seeing her were,
"Let's go, to the notary office."
The heartless woman glanced at him, not even offering a single word of concern.
But Qin Xuanye followed behind her happily, joy evident in the corners of his eyes and brows.
He was clearly just going to the notary office to transfer shares.
Yet, his face wore a blissful smile as if the two of them were going to get their marriage license.
On the drive to the notary office, Qin Xuanye's phone, placed in the center console slot, kept vibrating incessantly.
Chen Liuyue glanced at it and reminded him, "Your ex-fiancée."
The caller ID showed Chen Ruanruan.
Qin Xuanye looked at her with bright, shining eyes, his expression full of eagerness to please:
"A good ex is like the dead—they don't disturb the other party. I have absolutely no connection with her now."
A smile played at the corner of Chen Liuyue's lips, showing her approval:
"You're absolutely right."
"But have you forgotten, you're my ex too."
Qin Xuanye's brain short-circuited for a moment, followed by a wave of annoyance that made him want to punch himself in the head.
It must be the lack of sleep messing with his mind.
He hurriedly tried to recover:
"But we're different."
Chen Liuyue couldn't be bothered to listen to his 'we're different' speech. She picked up the phone and asked, "Hang up or answer?"
Qin Xuanye was decisive: "Hang up."
With a teasing smile on her lips, Chen Liuyue chose to answer.
A voice choked with sobs came from the other end of the line:
"Xuanye, I know I shouldn't be calling you at a time like this... but if I don't call you, I don't know who else to turn to."
"I'm so scared. Mom and Dad have given me a long leave from work, saying I should stay home and take good care of brother."
"But the way brother looks at me isn't normal."
"These past few nights when I sleep, I can hear the sound of a wheelchair moving outside my room."
"Can't you save me?!"
Chen Liuyue raised an eyebrow at him.
Well? Your delicate, pitiful ex-fiancée needs your saving.
Qin Xuanye cleared his throat and responded:
"I'm driving right now, it's not convenient to talk."
"Besides, I believe our engagement has been dissolved. You shouldn't be contacting me."
"Finally, the only advice I can give you is to change your surname back to Tao and return to your own Tao family."
The sobbing on the other end paused.
Chen Ruanruan's tone carried a hint of despair.
"The Tao family are all bad people. When they heard my brother got into a car accident and lost his legs and might cause trouble for them, they all ran away fast."
"And I don't know how my adoptive parents communicated with my biological parents, but they all agreed I should take care of my brother until he recovers."
"But it's not my fault brother lost his legs!"
Chen Ruanruan was heartbroken.
"Brother only lost his legs, but I lost you, Xuanye!"
Why does heaven have to be so unfair!
First, she was told she wasn't the Chen family's daughter, then the fiancé she liked turned out to be the real heiress's ex-boyfriend.
She felt utterly abandoned.
"Heh heh..." A clear, crisp female laugh sounded.
Chen Ruanruan was stunned for a moment, then realized.
"Xuanye, you're with Chen Liuyue? Aren't you?!"
"So you two got back together behind my back long ago, you... you cheating scum!"
"Chen Liuyue, Mom and Dad both said you're with the young master of the Wei family. How can you betray him, you wicked woman! You deserve to be struck by lightning!"
Chen Liuyue actually felt a bit sorry for Chen Ruanruan.
But she also found her somewhat ridiculous.
She always blindly demanded value from others, unwilling to give anything in return.
Even the pitiful life she described now was just a temporary loss of freedom while still enjoying a life of luxury in the Chen family.
There were many people far more pitiful than her.
But none were as full of self-pity as she was.
Hearing her insult Liuyue like this, Qin Xuanye couldn't help but retort:
You can insult me, but you can't insult Liuyue.
"She hasn't done anything. I'm the one shamelessly clinging to her. If she's willing to accept me, I don't need any status."
Chen Ruanruan wondered if she was hallucinating.
Otherwise, how could she hear Qin Xuanye say something so illogical?
He doesn't need status?!
What does that mean?
Does he actually want to be the 'other man' in Chen Liuyue and Wei Miao's relationship?
Is this still the principled Qin Xuanye?
"Heh." Chen Liuyue sneered again into the phone, "Didn't you hear clearly? Qin Xuanye is my dog."
Chen Ruanruan was dumbfounded and couldn't help saying, "Xuanye, she actually called you a dog."
Qin Xuanye was delighted: "That's right, I am Liuyue's dog!"
Chen Ruanruan: "..."
She wanted to say more, but the sound of a wheelchair rolling came from behind her.
Chen Haotian reached out a large hand and snatched the phone away.
Seeing the name "Qin Xuanye" on the screen, his expression darkened, and he ended the call.
He then completely deleted and blocked the number.
"Brother."
Chen Ruanruan took half a step back in fear.
Chen Haotian, holding the phone, raised his hand high, then let go the next second.
Smash.
The phone hit the ground, shattered to pieces.
A gentle smile touched his lips, and his tone was soft as he said, "Ruanruan, why were you contacting him behind my back?"
Chen Ruanruan trembled all over.
"No, I wasn't. It's not like that."
A dark glint flashed in Chen Haotian's eyes.
"Is that so? I heard everything you said to him."
"I only lost my legs, but you lost your love?" Every word seemed to hammer at Chen Ruanruan's heart.
Making her so terrified every pore on her body seemed to shudder.
"Brother, it's not like that."
Chen Haotian reached out and forcefully pulled her closer.
His eyes darkened. He said coldly, "Then shall big brother return your love to you, hmm?"
Chen Ruanruan shook her head vigorously.
Not daring to meet those eyes.
Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wu Peihua passing by. Chen Ruanruan sidestepped slightly to dodge and quickly stepped forward, grabbing her arm.
"Mom, are you going to afternoon tea? I'll go with you."
Wu Peihua first looked at her eldest son in the wheelchair and sighed softly.
When her gaze shifted to her adopted daughter, who had originally been delicate and adorable, her expression became complicated.
She slowly pried her fingers loose.
Speaking gently, she said, "Ruanruan, weren't you always closest to your brother since childhood? Your brother has been in a bad mood lately. Stay home and keep him company more."
Chen Ruanruan's voice trembled. "But I've been keeping brother company for days already. I need my own social circle too, I need to go out as well."
Chen Haotian's voice floated over.
"Ruanruan, you are my most beloved little sister. Is this how you repay my affection for you?"
