An Nuan watched Xu Ruowei quietly. She was surprisingly calm, as if she had anticipated that Xu Ruowei would say such things.
Listening to Xu Ruowei, An Nuan sneered inwardly. It was a waste of talent for Xu Ruowei not to act, given how good she was at it.
Despite An Nuan's disgust, Xu Ruowei was not upset; instead, she seemed even more pleased.
She walked step by step towards An Nuan, grabbing An Nuan's hand tightly. She knew An Nuan was trying her best to break free, but she didn't care. Meeting An Nuan's displeased gaze, the corners of her mouth curved into a smug smile, though it only lasted for a moment.
She knew An Nuan hated her, wishing she were dead. Meeting An Nuan's resentful eyes, Xu Ruowei felt extremely triumphant. Just as An Nuan was about to push her away, Xu Ruowei whispered mockingly in her ear, "Don't you want to find your brother? Let me tell you, your brother is in my hands. You'd better obey me, or tomorrow you'll only see your brother's corpse."
The usually composed An Nuan could no longer remain calm upon hearing about An Yunxiu's disappearance. With a bloodthirsty look, she lunged at Xu Ruowei and grabbed her by the neck, shaking her fiercely. "Xu Ruowei, tell me, where is my brother? Give me back my brother."
An Nuan's eyes were bloodshot by this time. She held Xu Ruowei's throat, demanding answers.
When she met Xu Ruowei's eyes, she let out a triumphant laugh.
An Nuan shivered. She felt she had fallen into a trap. From the very beginning, Xu Ruowei had been manipulating her, leading her into this predicament.
An Nuan was furious and reached out to push Xu Ruowei away. But meeting the smirk on Xu Ruowei's lips, she seemed to realize something and quickly retracted her hand. However, Xu Ruowei grabbed her hand, feigning that An Nuan had pushed her, and then deliberately fell to the ground in front of her.
"An Nuan, I know you hate me. You hate me for snatching Shen Xizhou away. But there's really nothing between me and Xizhou. I've always spoken well of you to him, saying good things about you."
"You've been meeting Huo Yunshen and Zhou Chumu behind his back..." Xu Ruowei suddenly seemed to realize what she had said, quickly covering her mouth, her face filled with profound self-reproach, as if she hadn't said it intentionally but had let it slip.
"An Nuan, I... I didn't mean to say that. Please, can you forgive me?"
"Heh."
An Nuan looked at Xu Ruowei with mockery and then burst into laughter, a chilling sound that made one's scalp tingle.
Her bloodthirsty gaze fell upon Xu Ruowei, and she said with biting sarcasm, "Xu Ruowei, stop pretending to be pure in front of me. It disgusts me."
An Nuan looked at Xu Ruowei's pale face, her bitten lips, and the murderous glint in her eyes. She smiled mockingly and said, "Do you want to step forward and shut me up? Do you want to kill me? But with so many people here, you don't dare to act."
An Nuan spoke coldly, exposing Xu Ruowei's innermost thoughts to the light.
Xu Ruowei's face turned extremely ugly. She had never imagined that An Nuan would directly reveal what she had done, leaving her no chance to retaliate.
She didn't even have an opportunity to silence An Nuan.
She clenched her fists by her side. Shen Xizhou must have heard what An Nuan said. She didn't care what anyone else thought of her, but she couldn't afford for Shen Xizhou to have a bad impression of her.
Although she was well aware that Shen Xizhou wouldn't believe An Nuan's words, such things could still plant a seed of doubt in his heart.
She had worked so hard for so long and didn't want this to happen.
She would not allow anyone to slander her. She didn't want to be slandered. In Shen Xizhou's eyes, she had to be perfect.
Xu Ruowei's expression was grim.
She turned and looked at Shen Xizhou with a frail, helpless demeanor, her eyes reddening, bloodshot. She said sadly, "Xizhou, I... I'm really not that kind of person, and I haven't done those things. I don't know why An Nuan misunderstands me so much."
"I know she's always blamed me for appearing. I know it was wrong for me to fall in love with you, to like you, but I never intended to ruin things between you and An Nuan. I just wanted to be by your side and watch you be happy."
"Xizhou, do you also think it's all my fault? That I ruined things between you and An Nuan? You must really resent me."
Shen Xizhou looked at the tearful Xu Ruowei and felt immense sympathy. He pulled her into his arms, his eyes full of tenderness, and said, "Ruowei, no. I've never blamed you. The problems between An Nuan and me have nothing to do with you."
"You are so kind, you deserve the best in the world."
The corners of Xu Ruowei's mouth curved into a triumphant smile. This was what she had always wanted. She was getting closer to Shen Xizhou step by step. As Shen Xizhou embraced her and comforted her with warm words, she knew her years of effort had paid off.
She had to work even harder to make An Nuan disappear from Shen Xizhou's heart and his world.
From now on, only she would be allowed to exist by Shen Xizhou's side and in his heart.
The kindest person.
An Nuan laughed, a bitter, mocking laugh. If Xu Ruowei were the kindest person in the world, then there would be no wicked people left.
Ha, were Shen Xizhou's eyes just for decoration?
He couldn't see through Xu Ruowei's clumsy acting and thought she was pure and kind.
Shen Xizhou stood by her side, and Xu Ruowei felt immensely pleased.
Her gaze shifted to Zhou Chumu, who was standing aside. Ha, she knew this man. When An Nuan and Shen Xizhou were together, he had always been by An Nuan's side, practically a lapdog.
Yesterday, she had sought out Zhou Chumu and spoken to him. Although he hadn't agreed directly, he had indeed been moved.
That's right, she had also used a little trick to make Zhou Chumu misunderstand that she had been aggressive towards him. And yesterday, she had further threatened Zhou Chumu with that incident.
If Zhou Chumu didn't obediently follow her plan, she would reveal everything that happened yesterday. Then, not only would Zhou Chumu be ruined, but he would also be condemned by everyone.
After all, for a man to force a woman to do something she was reluctant to do would ruin that man's reputation forever in everyone's eyes.
She had also told Zhou Chumu how much Shen Xizhou cared about her. If Shen Xizhou found out that he had forced her, he would definitely deal with him with all his might, and the Zhou family would have to pay for his mistakes.
Zhou Chumu hesitated. He didn't want to follow Xu Ruowei's plan, but he had no way back now.
Once some things happen, there is truly no turning back.
And he was now thoroughly trapped.
The only voice in his ear was Xu Ruowei's seductive voice: "Zhou Chumu, this deal is all profit and no loss for you. Not only will you save the Zhou family, but you'll also win the beauty. You're getting all the advantages. What are you hesitating about?"