Slap on the Face

The reporters couldn't stand watching any longer and got up one after another.

Xingkong couldn't even speak, only looking at them timidly as tears streamed down her face.

Seeing the little lunatic cry, Huo Siye suddenly remembered how fierce she looked not long ago.

Her narrowed eyes had an unreadable look, making her seem mysterious.

"Xingkong, what are you doing? Are you blaming Mom for not letting you go to the same school as Xina? Or are you upset that you're not the main character of tonight's banquet?

But, Xingkong, you can't blame Mom for this. Your grades weren't good enough to get into the School of Media. Get up quickly and tell everyone you won't cause trouble anymore, okay? If you have anything to say, we'll talk about it at home. Don't embarrass yourself like this," Dong Ruzhu said with a kind expression.

Her words were truly cruel.

On the surface, she made it seem like Shen Xingkong was jealous of Shen Xina and had planned everything tonight.

At the same time, she acted like a kind stepmother in front of everyone.

Xingkong sneered.

Turning black into white like this?

"Okay... I understand, Mom. But it hurts so much... Can you let go of me first? I promise I won't say anything I shouldn't," Xingkong pleaded weakly.

Her timid and frightened look moved everyone present.

She was too pitiful!

"Sister, how could you be so cruel! I gave you everything good, but you... you actually did this to me!

I knew you wanted to get close to the Fourth Prince, but framing me like this… isn't that too heartless?

The Shen family adopted you, a lonely orphan, and gave you a luxurious life. But now you turn around and plot against me!" Shen Xina accused tearfully.

Dong Ruzhu shot a look at a familiar journalist.

The journalist immediately understood and said, "Using such methods to frame your sister… how scheming! If the Shen family hadn't kindly adopted you, you would've been sent back to the orphanage ten years ago. How could you have the life you have today?"

"Fake? I don't think this wound looks fake. And the smell of blood in the room can't be faked either," another journalist questioned.

"Brother Siye, you have to believe me! I was framed! She must have overheard Auntie talking about our engagement and deliberately set me up.

She... she just wants to take everything that belongs to me!

I can't believe I was so good to her," Shen Xina cried.

Huo Siye frowned, and a flash of disgust appeared in his dark eyes.

His gaze was deep and unfathomable, like a black hole that could swallow everything, or like the eternal ice and snow on a mountaintop.

Shen Xina suddenly felt nervous.

He didn't say a word, but his presence alone was overwhelming.

Her breathing became shallow, and the pressure made her feel suffocated.

Huo Siye walked straight past everyone and stopped beside Shen Xingkong.

Her big, fragile eyes flickered with a faint light.

Even though she looked like she could die at any moment, there was a stubbornness inside her that even Huo Siye found surprising.

He cursed the little lunatic in his heart.

He crouched down, wiped her wound, and brought his fingers to his nose.

"Real blood."

Slap!

Slap, slap, slap! (In chinese context means a hypothetical slap in the face, I've been dying to include it in this book)

The sharp sound of slaps echoed in the room.

Dong Ruzhu and Shen Xina's faces turned pale.

The journalists' eyes were now filled with mockery, disdain, and disgust.

"Are we all blind? Can't we tell the difference between real and fake blood?"

"It's ridiculous that they thought they could get away with lying. Honestly, if she had been sent back to the orphanage ten years ago, she wouldn't have had to suffer like this!"

"Luckily, the plan failed today, or Miss Shen would have been even more pitiful."

"But... how could Shen Xina do… that kind of thing with Young Master Qi in the Fourth Prince's room?"

"Well…"

"I have a bold guess! Could it be that Shen Xina isn't even a virgin? Afraid that Fourth Prince would find out, she sent Shen Xingkong instead? That way, she could get rid of both problems at once!"

"If I remember correctly, Miss Shen is only eighteen years old. How could she not be a virgin?"

"Tsk tsk, judging by how she acted just now, I think she's definitely…"

"That actually makes sense!"

"Tsk tsk, I have to say, this Miss Shen is really vicious. She doesn't seem like Liang Lao's granddaughter at all!"

"Shut up! All of you shut up! What nonsense are you talking about?!"

Shen Xina couldn't stand the journalists' slanderous words.

Most of all, she couldn't bear anyone saying that she didn't look like Liang Lao's granddaughter!

She was Liang Lao's granddaughter!

The only legitimate granddaughter!

"Mrs. Shen, is this the kind of education the Shen family provides?" Huo Siye held the barely conscious Xingkong in his arms, his dark eyes filled with cold anger.

Anger?

Dong Ruzhu couldn't believe her eyes.

Why was Huo Siye angry at her… because of Shen Xingkong?

What was their relationship?!

Dong Ruzhu didn't have time to think about it. The most important thing was to control the situation.

She forced a smile and said, "Fourth Master… let me explain. Things aren't what they seem."

Even though she was the sister of Dong Siyu, the third wife of the Huo family, she still had to respectfully call Huo Siye "Fourth Master."

"Engagement?" Huo Siye's eyes darkened.

It had nothing to do with the crazy girl in his arms or the deal between them.

He was angry that someone dared to decide things for him.

"With whom?" He shot a glare at Shen Xina.

Shen Xina's breath hitched. "Si… Siye gege…"

"We're not even acquainted."

Shen Xina froze, wanting to say something, but under Huo Siye's suffocating pressure, she couldn't speak.

Huo Siye didn't give her another chance. Holding Shen Xingkong, he turned and left.

"Drive. To the hospital."

"Yes!" Bai Ning replied.

A small hand grabbed his sleeve.

He stopped and looked at her with his dark eyes.

Xingkong bit her lip and hesitated, glancing fearfully at Dong Ruzhu and Shen Xina.

Before she could say anything, she seemed to get scared again.

She shrank back and instinctively hid in Huo Siye's arms.

"Miss Shen, don't be afraid. Fourth Master will stand up for you! They won't bully you anymore!" Bai Ning said.

He wasn't sure what was going on between Shen Xingkong and his master, but since Huo Siye was holding her, they would definitely get closer!

Xingkong became even more uneasy and gave Bai Ning a weak smile. "No, it's okay… I'm fine, really…"

"If you don't want to die, shut up," Huo Siye glared at her.

She could still smile even when she was about to die?

She might as well be crazy!

Xingkong: "…"

Bai Ning: "…" Why did her master's words sound… different from what he meant?

Hehe, was this the beginning of something interesting?