A beautiful summer night

Today is the beginning of autumn. Dappled sunlight filters through the gaps in the branches and falls on Xia Wanzhi's light-colored hair.

The Xie family planted mostly evergreen trees, providing shade and making it a perfect spot to sit under a small chair or table and enjoy tea and cool off in the summer.

"You like this tree?" Xie Qiyan's voice suddenly came from behind.

Xia Wanzhi is fearless, except for ghosts that suddenly appear.

Especially someone like Xie Qiyan, a ruthless and cunning ruler.

Still shaken, Xia Wanzhi caught her breath and turned to glare at him: "What are you doing?"

"Aren't we going back to the Zhou family?" Xie Qiyan felt no guilt whatsoever. He stood behind Xia Wanzhi, where the sunlight was still shining on her, but he took a step forward, completely blocking out the reflected light.

Xia Wanzhi glanced at him, her gaze involuntarily shifting upwards.

Xie Qiyan's height and appearance are truly outstanding.

She's wearing shoes now, which adds a few centimeters to her height, making her look about 1.7 meters tall. But as soon as she stands next to Xie Qiyan, she becomes a petite chick that can be easily manipulated.

She remembered Xie Tan saying that Xie Qiyan was 188 cm tall.

"Where I go is none of your business." Xia Wanzhi looked at his face and felt guilty, so she simply raised her head and continued to look at the lush trees above her.

"The old man asked me to see you off." Xie Qiyan's tone was unreadable. He stared at Xia Wanzhi for a few seconds, then chuckled, "You think I want to interfere?"

Xia Wanzhi was too lazy to argue with him.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Xie Qiyan raised his head and asked again, "You've taken a liking to this tree?"

Xia Wanzhi frowned, not understanding why he was focusing on a tree: "So what if you like it?"

“It’s a century-old tree, it has a spirit, it’s not suitable for hanging.” Xie Qiyan’s gaze swept lightly over her. “If you want to die, go somewhere else.”

Xia Wanzhi: "..."

I really wanted to throw away all the manners I'd maintained for twenty-five years and give Xie Qiyan a good dressing down right then and there.

But it's okay, adults don't hold grudges against petty people, just treat it as being bitten by a dog.

Xia Wanzhi calmed her burning murderous aura, slowly revealing an innocent smile, and turned her head to walk towards the front door.

Today is indeed the day I'm going back to the Zhou family's house.

I need to go back and pack my things, and try to move out today if possible.

The first time I rode in Xie Qiyan's car was because of Xie Tan, and this time it was because of Xie's grandfather.

But this time, as soon as he opened the back door and sat down, before the door could even be closed, Xie Qiyan coldly ordered, "Sit in the front."

Time seemed to stand still for three seconds.

Xia Wanzhi swallowed hard, wondering if she had misheard: "What did you say?"

Is it even safe for a human to sit in the passenger seat of Yama, the King of Hell?

"I'm your driver?" Xie Qiyan scoffed. "I might dare to be your driver, but would you dare to ride with me?"

Xia Wanzhi: "..."

They remained silent the entire way. When she got out of the car, she silently complained about his shortcomings, but when she opened the passenger door, Xia Wanzhi tried her best to maintain a calm expression.

He who eats another's food is bound to him; he who uses another's services is bound to him.

On his turf, Xia Wanzhi knew that even when she acted wildly, she had to know her limits.

In the past, Xia Wanzhi would never have let herself suffer a loss, much less have this defeated and timid expression.

Indeed, a fallen heiress must adopt the attitude of a fallen heiress.

Xie Qiyan dropped the person off at the Zhou family's house and left without lingering for a moment.

At first, she didn't realize why Grandpa Xie had arranged for Xie Qiyan to personally escort her over. It wasn't until she entered the door and noticed that Zhou's mother was speaking less harshly than usual that she understood.

Xie Qiyan brought her over, and the entire Zhou family saw it.

Regardless of what her relationship with Xie Qiyan is.

Just the fact that she got out of Xie Qiyan's car made Zhou's mother have to change her attitude.

It should be noted that when the Xia family was in decline, Old Master Xie had proposed to bring Xia Wanzhi to live with the Xie family.

Later, Xia Wanzhi decided to move into the Zhou family home, and the old man complied.

But now that the two families have broken off the engagement and Xia Wanzhi is moving out, the first family to help Xia Wanzhi will definitely be the Xie family.

The Xia family has fallen on hard times, but Old Master Xie's actions are an implication to the Zhou family that Xia Wanzhi is not without support.

The Xie family can also be a support for Xia Wanzhi.

Knowing that Xia Wanzhi would be coming over to pack her things today, Zhou Yu didn't go to the company all day and stayed home to keep watch.

"Did Xie Qiyan bring you here?" Zhou Yu waited at the door, and when Xia Wanzhi ignored him and went straight into the bedroom, he followed closely behind her and questioned, "Did you stay at the Xie family's house last night?"

Xia Wanzhi stood by the bed, looked around, and suddenly realized she didn't know where to start tidying up.

“Zhizhi, I’ve told you before that Xie Qiyan isn’t a good person, you…” He never had a high opinion of himself in front of Xia Wanzhi, but this time he was just unhappy with Xia Wanzhi’s coldness towards him.

He felt that he was doing it for Xia Wanzhi's own good.

"Do I need to report to you?" Xia Wanzhi couldn't stand the questioning tone and turned around to expose him firmly. "Don't act like you're doing this for my own good, Zhou Yu. If you really care about me, we can part ways amicably. You can leave me alone, and I won't bother you either."

She never owed him anything.

Over the past twenty years, the Zhou family has already gained enough by using her childhood friendship with Zhou Yu to curry favor with the Xia family.

Under the influence of his mother, the Zhou Yu of his youth ceased to exist the moment he entered society and came into contact with interests.

He began to weigh whether she was of any benefit to him.

At the beginning, everything was done with the Zhou family's interests as the primary consideration.

Xia Wanzhi wasn't unaware of it; she just refused to believe it.

"A clean break?" Zhou Yu smiled bitterly, grabbing Xia Wanzhi's arm dejectedly, lowering his stance even further. "Our more than twenty years of childhood friendship, and this is all we get in return for? Zhizhi, you won't even give me a chance to be friends anymore?"

"But do you need a friend like me?" Xia Wanzhi lowered her eyelashes, her heart suddenly stung. "Stop deceiving yourself, Zhou Yu. What you need is Xia Wanzhi, who is useful to you."

"You can question my character, but you can't question my feelings for you!" Zhou Yu's eyes were slightly red, and his voice was several times louder. "I really like you, you have to believe me."

"So what? It's still..." Xia Wanzhi choked up slightly, and after a moment of silence, she continued, "It's still about drinking cross-cupped wine with people without any sense of boundaries, kissing other women in bars without any limits, and even sleeping with other women without any scruples."

"When you did these things, did you ever think about how I felt?"

"I don't understand love, but I know this isn't love."

"Zhou Yu, you love yourself the most."

Zhou Yu was provoked into retreat by just a few words.

He didn't even have a reason to refute it.

There's no turning back once the arrow is released; the moment he accepted another woman's advances, this situation was destined to happen.