The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

Yao Yingxi had a dream in which she returned to the days immediately following her betrayal by Liang Yu and Yao Yingyue.

She was in great pain, but life didn't just cause her emotional pain. She also suddenly learned that her mother had been killed by Xu Hengyuan and He Qinfang.

In her dream, she went to find them, but was still nearly beaten to death by their driver.

Fists and kicks rained down on her, and she seemed to turn into a little girl, completely defenseless. She cried out, "Don't hit me! Don't hit me!"

Suddenly, a gleaming knife appeared in the man's hand.

Yao Yingxi was terrified and screamed "No!" before waking up.

Xi Yuanchen was woken up by the noise. He turned on the bedside lamp and looked at Yao Yingxi's trembling face. His expression darkened, and he reached out to pull her into his arms, patting her back: "Had a nightmare?"

Yao Yingxi leaned on his shoulder, her nose filled with his scent. She hugged him back, her voice still trembling slightly, "Mmm."

“I dreamt of the scene where Xu Hengyuan had his driver beat me up a while ago.”

Xi Yuanchen paused, his hand patting her back. Upon hearing this, his voice turned cold: "Hit you?"

Yao Yingxi closed her eyes, suppressing her fear, and said, "Mmm."

“When I learned the truth about my mother’s death, I couldn’t take it. I wanted to know if they really did it.”

“I went to the Xu family to find them, and they had their driver beat me up.”

"They really beat me hard; they said they would beat this unfilial daughter to death."

"Later, Xu Xinya came back and told the driver to stop hitting me, and then they locked me up..."

Yao Yingxi took a deep breath. She thought she had forgotten everything, but in fact, she hadn't. Now, thinking back, the abuse she suffered during that time, the drugging and being forced into bed with strange men, were still vivid in her mind.

Yao Yingxi's narration was not straightforward, but her voice trembled from beginning to end, filled with deep fear.

Xi Yuanchen's eyes darkened, and his expression turned grim.

After a while, he released Yao Yingxi: "It's okay, go to sleep."

Yao Yingxi lay down, and Xi Yuanchen turned off the bedside lamp.

After telling her everything, the intense fear in her heart seemed to fade. Yao Yingxi closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.

She dared not move, and her mind began to wander again.

Xi Yuanchen reached out and pulled her into his arms. Yao Yingxi's face was pressed against his chest, and all she could hear was the rhythmic beating of his heart. He said, "Don't think about it. Go to sleep. I'll get revenge for all the bullying you've suffered."

Yao Yingxi closed her eyes, and for some reason, her eyes were a little wet.

I don't know how much time passed, but the breathing around me became regular and slow.

Xi Yuanchen opened his eyes and saw Yao Yingxi's sleeping face, his deep eyes revealing an unreadable expression.

When Yao Yingxi woke up the next day, her fever had subsided.

She got up, and Xi Yuanchen's call came in: "Awake?"

"Hmm." Yao Yingxi held her phone, somewhat disoriented.

"Do you still have a fever?"

Yao Yingxi raised her hand and touched her forehead; it was no longer hot. "The fever is gone."

"Hmm." A rustling sound came from Xi Yuanchen's end: "I asked Anan to order breakfast for you. It should arrive soon. Remember to eat."

After saying that, he hung up the phone before Yao Yingxi could speak.

As Yao Yingxi listened to the busy signal in her ear, she became increasingly disoriented.

This was the first time Xi Yuanchen had called her, and it was to inquire about her health. She felt it was unreal and somewhat incredulous.

While I was still in a daze, the doorbell rang.

Yao Yingxi was startled, but quickly got out of bed and went to open the door in her slippers.

This is the breakfast that Xi Yuanchen mentioned.

She took it into the kitchen, opened the lunchbox, and found a light bowl of porridge. Yao Yingxi took a sip; it was her favorite flavor.

Yao Yingxi finished her porridge and tidied up the kitchen before remembering that the apartment's temperature control system was working again. She wandered around in her pajamas for a while without feeling cold.

Thinking this way, Yao Yingxi didn't take it seriously and went to the bedroom to change her clothes.

At noon, Yao Yingxi's phone rang. She picked it up, glanced at it, and a cold smile appeared on her face.

She answered the phone, and Xu Hengyuan's furious voice came through: "Yao Yingxi! What do you mean by sending me these things by express delivery?!"

"Are you trying to threaten me or warn me?!"

"Let me tell you, you're not qualified! Don't forget your precious little sister is still in my hands!"

Yao Yingxi remained silent until Xu Hengyuan finished speaking before slowly saying, "I know Yueyue is in your hands. Xu Hengyuan, don't be so impatient. I just want to tell you, you can trick Yueyue back and threaten me, fine, you can do it if you want."

"The materials I sent you were just a case of fighting fire with fire."

"You!" Xu Hengyuan was so angry that he couldn't speak. On the other end of the phone, his office had been completely smashed, the floor was a mess, and he was so angry that his blood pressure was soaring.

Now that Yao Yingxi has Xi Yuanchen's backing, he can no longer afford to be careless.

"Yao Yingxi! I'm warning you, don't make any rash moves, or... I'll drag your sister down with me even if I die!"

Xu Hengyuan had gone all in; no matter how he tried to hide it, he couldn't conceal the problems between him and Yao Yingxi. He no longer hoped to use Yao Yingyue to control Yao Yingxi; the things Yao Yingxi sent him were enough to ruin his reputation!

"Xu Hengyuan, what are you afraid of?" Yao Yingxi walked to the French windows in the living room, pulled back the sheer curtains, and looked at the faint sunlight that was obscured by clouds outside: "Don't worry, I won't touch you."

"You're right." Yao Yingxi smiled. "Yueyue is still in your hands, how could I dare to do anything to you?"

I was too naive before, thinking that we could end these grudges, but since you don't want to, then we'll play along.

Yao Yingxi hung up the phone, stood by the window for a while, and went to the kitchen to pour herself some water.

She no longer has a fever, but her throat is a little sore, and she seems to have some speech problems.

Yao Yingxi brought out a glass of water, and Xi Yuanchen also returned.

It was only a little past three in the afternoon when Yao Yingxi looked at him with some surprise and asked, "Mr. Xi, are you off work?"

Xi Yuanchen was still wearing his overcoat. He grunted and said directly, "Go put on something warmer. We're going out for a bit."

Yao Yingxi nodded upon hearing this. She was used to it, so she wasn't curious about where they were going and obediently went to the bedroom to change her clothes.

Halfway there, Xi Yuanchen called out to her again: "You don't need to change your clothes."

Yao Yingxi paused for a moment and then said, "Okay."

After leaving the apartment, the car drove off smoothly.

As the car drove west, the scenery along the road became more and more familiar.

A thought became clear in Yao Yingxi's mind. She turned her head to look at Xi Yuanchen, who had his eyes closed, and asked, "Mr. Xi, are we going to the Xu family?"