The truth was suddenly revealed, and Xie Jinyi's first reaction was to scan her surroundings.
She confirmed if a third party was present.
"Don't worry."
Shang Ziqian placed the exquisitely designed cup on the table.
He slowly walked to the tea table behind the carved screen and sat down.
"Let's talk, Miss Xie."
Tea had already been prepared on the rosewood table, indicating he had anticipated this.
Xie Jinyi placed the still-dripping umbrella on a nearby cabinet.
Then, with unhurried steps, she took a seat opposite Shang Ziqian.
"Get to the point, what do you want?"
She was as calm as someone who hadn't just had their lies exposed.
Shang Ziqian chuckled, a mix of surprise and mockery in his eyes.
"I thought you cared about no one. It seems Wen Tingxue is indeed an exception."
"Discarding people after use was always Xie Jinyi's trick.
Whether it was him, or Wen Bin."
Xie Jinyi stared at the steaming red tea with its rich aroma before her, her voice detached.
"You still remember I like Zhengshan Xiaozhong tea."
"After all, I genuinely liked you once. Unlike you, who only uses people."
Shang Ziqian sneered.
Xie Jinyi, her fingernails neatly trimmed, tapped them on the table, producing a dull sound.
"So you went to the art center to cause trouble for me?" she asked with a cold laugh. "You really wanted to kill me that day, didn't you?"
Shang Ziqian tilted his head and smiled. "Playing with people's feelings, don't you deserve to die?"
When he was fifteen, he had gone to the art center to find her.
He had accidentally seen Xie Jinyi dancing ballet on stage.
That leap had directly flown into his heart.
He thought she was beautiful and wanted to be her boyfriend.
When he waited for her backstage, he hadn't expected to succeed.
He had also prepared himself for a long courtship.
To his surprise, after listening, she had paused for a few seconds and said:
"I'm not planning to date anyone right now. If you're willing, can you wait until I graduate from high school?"
Her gentle and harmless demeanor was truly captivating.
He had no reason to refuse.
Moreover, it was his first time pursuing a girl, and he had no experience.
He had simply assumed she was being shy.
So he readily agreed to wait until her graduation.
She had smiled, and it was exceptionally beautiful.
"But I have a small request," she said. "My family is very strict, so we can only contact each other privately.
"Publicly, we don't know each other. Is that okay?"
He knew his reputation was not good, so her concern was understandable.
He hadn't expected that she had said such things to many people.
Any boy who confessed his feelings to her, she would never refuse.
She used them.
Made them do things for her.
Once her purpose was achieved, she would discard them without hesitation.
Thinking of this, Shang Ziqian couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
He had always thought that he was somewhat different in her heart.
But as it turned out...
During the incident on the snack street, he was framed by Yu Wenli and imprisoned, yet she hadn't even shown up.
When he finally got out, all he received was her breakup text message.
Every single word was about his faults.
Ha.
She had told him to slap her, yet in the end, she blamed him for hitting too hard!
She hadn't even given him a chance to explain.
Not only that, but she had deliberately concealed her competition from him.
She knew how much he loved watching her dance!
She hadn't even saved him a ticket!
When these two matters converged, he had indeed become angry and wanted to teach her a lesson.
Xie Jinyi glanced at him with a calm expression. "Why bother making yourself sound so noble.
"You didn't like me that much either. What you truly liked was the Xie Jinyi on stage, not the real Xie Jinyi, right?"
She smiled and took a sip of her red tea, hitting the nail on the head. "Otherwise, why would that slap from you have been so heavy?"
Shang Ziqian raised his eyebrows noncommittally. "You seem to know me quite well."
He had indeed harbored some personal feelings in that slap.
He disliked people who schemed against their friends.
No matter who it was.
Xie Jinyi smiled. "Understanding is a prerequisite for controlling someone."
Over the years, he had helped her with many things.
As long as she asked, and coaxed him a little with a soft voice, he would risk his life for her.
He had interfered with Xie Liangzhe's mistresses and illegitimate children.
Otherwise, how could a teenage girl like her have such capabilities?
But the entanglement was too deep, and it was ultimately not a good thing.
Therefore, in her plan, that slap had three purposes.
First, to completely win over Wen Tingxue as a friend.
Second, to dispel Yu Wenli's suspicions about her.
Third, to use it to shake off Shang Ziqian.
So, regardless of whether the slap was light or heavy, the outcome was the same.
Shang Ziqian laughed in anger. "Xie Jinyi, you have no conscience."
"Conscience?" Xie Jinyi laughed heartily. "How much is that thing worth? I'll give it to you."
Shang Ziqian glanced at the cup on the cabinet. "Are you sure you can afford it?"
Realizing his threat, Xie Jinyi's smile faded. "Since you didn't expose me back then, why are you making a fuss now?"
She was referring to the incident at the art center.
Shang Ziqian's words were all loaded with meaning.
Several times, she had thought he was going to tell Wen Tingxue the truth.
But then he had changed the subject and even helped her cover it up.
Shang Ziqian said lazily, "You're talking about that. I wasn't helping you. I just wanted to play with Yu Wenli.
"I wanted to see if he could see through your tricks. The fact is, he never believed you."
He would never admit that he had softened because she was crying at that moment.
"Thinking about it, it makes sense," Shang Ziqian said, continuing to stab Xie Jinyi in the heart as he drank his tea.
"Apart from Wen Tingxue, who is an outsider, doesn't everyone know that Yu Yahe and her family depend on your Xie family for their livelihood?
"Why would Yu Wenli not suspect you if she inexplicably targeted Wen Tingxue?"
"Xie Jinyi," Shang Ziqian deliberately leaned closer. "After all your scheming, has Yu Wenli even spared you a second glance?"
"Instead of mocking me, you should think about yourself."
Xie Jinyi smiled faintly and retorted, "Your underground casino was raided by the police, and your boss is in jail sewing clothes, and you..."
She looked him up and down with a sarcastic smile. "If you weren't cornered, you wouldn't have come here specifically to ambush me, would you?"
His thoughts were exposed, and Shang Ziqian's expression turned ugly for a moment.
"I don't want much, thirty thousand. I'll keep your secret."
Xie Jinyi lowered her eyes and played with the teacup, then suddenly blurted out, "The tea is very good, brewed to my liking."
Shang Ziqian rubbed his slightly cold fingertips discreetly.
"Twenty-five thousand."
Even though he knew the compliment was only half-true, his heart had softened.
Xie Jinyi was indeed Xie Jinyi.
She was best at playing the emotional card, yet she believed least in emotions.
That was why she could manipulate everyone to her will.
"Give me three days," Xie Jinyi said. "It takes time to sell jewelry."
Her accounts had already been frozen by Xie Liangzhe.
Shang Ziqian suddenly lifted his eyelids and looked at her deeply. "You're quite conscientious towards Wen Tingxue. Are you so afraid of her knowing your true nature?"
Xie Jinyi pursed her lips and remained silent.
It was a rare display of obedience.
Shang Ziqian sneered. "If that's the case, why did you do it in the first place?
"Xie Jinyi, there are no secrets that can be kept forever. How long do you think you can hide this matter?"
"..."
Xie Jinyi stared at the cup on the cabinet, a hint of distraction in her eyes.
"If possible, I hope it's for a lifetime."
"Is that so?" Shang Ziqian shattered the fantasy. "And what about you and Yu Wenli?
"Isn't all this that you're doing just to become Mrs. Yu?"