Jin Ye saw her like this, his heart aching as if suffocating, but he couldn't.
"I never imagined you would say such cruel words."
His grief-stricken eyes were filled with disappointment as he said, word by word, "Su Ding, even if Miaomiao was willful and reckless back then, after she suffered this misfortune, you shouldn't have said such callous words. You're a woman too!"
"So, you've already decided it was me, haven't you?"
Su Ding said in a low voice, tears streaking down her dazed face, "You already think of me as someone cold-blooded and heartless, don't you?"
Jin Ye was choked by her hoarse question, his inner anger suppressed.
His brows furrowed, and his tone remained impatient, "I didn't say it was definitely you, but your attitude..."
"If it was me, how would you deal with me?"
Su Ding's eyes lost their anger and sparkle; her entire body felt devoid of strength.
Jin Ye, however, detected something from her words, a sharp light instantly gathering in his dark eyes, "What do you mean by that?"
"Literally," Su Ding replied blankly.
Jin Ye suddenly leaned over and grabbed her shoulders, coldly demanding, "Was it you or not?"
"If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a reason."
Su Ding said indifferently, her gaze falling on the hand on her shoulder, "Do you know why Jin Miaomiao did all this?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Ye's palm tightened, gripping her shoulder forcefully.
He lowered his voice, with a tone of warning and threat, "Miaomiao wouldn't frame you in this way, Su Ding. You overestimate yourself."
"Heh," Su Ding scoffed, pulling at her lips.
At first, she had thought Jin Miaomiao was truly in trouble, but seeing Jin Ye's attitude now, she understood.
Last night, Jin Miaomiao and her classmates had insulted her wantonly, getting caught up in the fun.
And now, something had happened to her, she was raped?
Raped by classmates in her own home, and the blame pushed onto her, who lived nearby...
What a vicious scheme.
Su Ding looked coldly at Jin Ye, her eyes filled with pity, "Congratulations to Jin Miaomiao, her goal has been achieved." And you, you are merely a player in her plan.
Hearing these words, Jin Ye became even more enraged.
He fiercely gripped Su Ding's neck, his dark eyes glaring at her in fury, "You are utterly despicable!"
"You want to strangle me?" Su Ding's eyes held no fear, only mockery.
Jin Ye's palm tightened slightly. Seeing Su Ding close her eyes in suffocating pain, he gasped for breath in anger and said sternly, "Su Ding, you've changed. You've become so venomous!"
"If you kill me, her purpose will be achieved."
Su Ding painfully opened her eyes and stared directly at the man before her, "This... this is her goal..."
She spoke with difficulty, sorrow welling up from her heart.
The man who once looked at her with full of affection had completely changed.
Jin Ye looked at her sorrowful, desperate eyes, as if a knife had been plunged into his chest. Where was the woman who once looked at him with tender affection?
No, he couldn't hurt her!
Suddenly, he released his grip, watching her frail body collapse before him, suppressing the urge to embrace her.
"Until things are clarified, you are not allowed to leave this place."
Jin Ye said coldly, then turned and left without another glance, leaving Su Ding curled up on the floor in pain.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the heartache.
Tears streamed from her eyes, her body pressed against the cold floor, the world before her blurring.
She realized that her supposed letting go was all just a pretense.
If she had truly lost her feelings for Jin Ye, she wouldn't be in so much pain now. This feeling of being doubted pushed her emotions to the brink of collapse...
In his eyes, she was just a woman with a heart as poisonous as a snake.
All the past moments had vanished like smoke.
...
Tang Yiyi was ecstatic upon hearing that Su Ding was confined.
She hadn't been this happy in a long time!
Once trust issues arose between two people, coupled with such a cruel incident, it would be very difficult to return to the past.
Moreover, Su Ding had betrayed Jin Ye before.
This meant that not only Jin Ye but the entire Jin family would not tolerate Su Ding's presence.
"This is great!"
She paced excitedly in her room, contemplating her next move.
Just then, a servant hurried over and knocked on the door, "Something's happened, Miss, Miss Jin has been admitted to the hospital. Mr. Jin requests your presence there to accompany her."
Hearing Jin Miaomiao's name, Tang Yiyi became flustered and guilty.
"What, she's in the hospital? What happened?" she asked, feigning shock as she opened the door.
The servant replied, "I don't know. Mr. Jin tried to call you, but your phone was busy, so he asked me to urgently request your presence at the hospital."
Tang Yiyi quickly nodded, "Okay, I understand. You can go ahead."
Closing the door, she clutched her chest, her heart pounding furiously.
Everyone now believed it was Su Ding's doing. Now, she had to stabilize her position and absolutely must not be exposed!
Tang Yiyi clenched her fist and took a deep breath.
I'm sorry, Miaomiao, I truly consider you my best friend.
But for my future happiness, I can only sacrifice you this time. I hope you direct all your hatred towards Su Ding.
She rationalized internally, trying to alleviate her stress.
Finally, composing herself, she headed to the hospital.
Tang Yiyi stood in the hospital corridor outside the room, feeling nervous and hesitant to push the door open.
She clenched her palms, breaking out in a cold sweat.
At that moment, Jin Xiao emerged from the stairwell, reeking of smoke, looking like he had aged more than a decade.
"Yiyi, Miaomiao refuses to speak and won't see anyone. You, go and try to persuade her."
Tang Yiyi glanced at the quiet room and bit her lip, softly asking, "Uncle, Miaomiao, what exactly happened?"
Jin Xiao's eyes were red, his voice hoarse, "Last night she attended a gathering with classmates, got drunk, and was assaulted by a male classmate... It was all a setup by Su Ding! You, go persuade Miaomiao, don't let her do anything drastic."
"Ah? Something like that happened?"
Tang Yiyi exclaimed in surprise, her face showing a sympathetic and sorrowful expression, "Miaomiao, she's too pitiful."
Jin Xiao closed his eyes in pain and waved his hand, "Go persuade her."
"Alright, Uncle. Please don't worry, I will stay with Miaomiao."
Tang Yiyi carefully pushed open the door and immediately saw Miaomiao lying on the hospital bed.
She took a deep breath and gradually moved closer.
Jin Miaomiao's face was pale, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, motionless. If it weren't for her shallow breathing, she would have seemed dead.
"Miaomiao," Tang Yiyi called out softly.
Seeing Miaomiao in this state, her heart ached.
Four men last night, all drugged. It was hard to imagine what inhuman treatment Miaomiao had endured.
Jin Miaomiao's eyelids fluttered slightly, but she remained silent.
Tang Yiyi squatted by the bed, looking at the despairing girl with a pained expression, a wave of sorrow washing over her.
Her nose felt sore, her chest ached, and tears trembled and fell, her voice choked with sobs, "Miaomiao, you'll be alright, it's all over now."
Perhaps it was years of close friendship, or perhaps it was guilt and regret...
Tang Yiyi felt that the emotions surging from her heart were genuine. She hadn't wanted things to turn out this way.
"Miaomiao, I will always be with you."
As she spoke, her tears flowed more profusely, like a bursting dam.
Jin Miaomiao's fingers twitched, and her eyes slowly turned to Tang Yiyi's face. Her dazed gaze held a despairing sadness. She spoke, her voice painfully hoarse and strained.
"Yiyi, my life is ruined."
As soon as she closed her eyes, the brutal assault from that night replayed in her mind.
They had torn at her like prey, disregarding her pain, her tears, ripping her in half.
Darkness, blood, pain, despair.
Why, oh why, would fate deal her such a hand, destroying the dignity of a pampered daughter of heaven?
She could no longer dream of a beautiful love.
Tang Yiyi saw the crystal tears flowing from Jin Miaomiao's eyes and couldn't help but feel sad for her, "Don't be like this, it won't be like that, Miaomiao, believe me, it's all over now."
She carefully wiped Miaomiao's tears, her fingers trembling slightly.
Her eyes inadvertently caught sight of the bruises and marks beneath the blanket on Miaomiao's body. She almost cried out in shock, guilt and panic spreading in her heart.
"Miaomiao, I swear, I will stay with you. Please don't cry, okay."
Tang Yiyi said with a tearful voice, her heart aching.
Only she knew that her tears contained not only pity for Miaomiao's ordeal but also complex, intertwined guilt.
Jin Miaomiao said nothing more, continuing to shed silent tears.
Her mind seemed to have gone blank, staring at the white ceiling, but seeing only endless darkness before her eyes.