Volume 1, Chapter 14: Not That Stupid

After meeting Shen Qingqing’s cold gaze, Shen Dahai was momentarily stunned. Unconsciously, he lowered his arm and switched to shouting loudly, “So you’ve grown bold now! You think posting a video means you can call off the engagement?”

Shen Qingqing wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. She stood up straight, her expression resolute. “I didn’t post the video. I’m not that stupid—if I had posted it, someone would have traced it back to me!”

“You’re still denying it! The IP address is right here, and the first account to share it was your secondary account. What else do you have to say?” Xu Mingxuan stepped forward from behind Shen Dahai.

Shen Qingqing’s heart and ankle still throbbed faintly.

She looked coldly at Xu Mingxuan and made up her mind. “Xu Mingxuan, this is the last time.”

“What last time?” Xu Mingxuan was taken aback, feeling as if something was slipping away between them.

He stared into Shen Qingqing’s dimmed eyes, a growing unease gnawing at him.

He dared not think too deeply and irritably snapped, “Shen Qingqing, don’t change the subject.”

Shen Qingqing smiled—a cold, merciless smile—as if everyone before her were mere wooden figures, devoid of any connection to her.

Her gaze swept over Shen Dahai and Sun Mei, then finally rested on Xu Mingxuan’s face.

“You and Xu Minyu both have the passwords to my account. If I had posted it, do you really think I’d use my own account?”

“What do you mean? Could it have been me or Minyu who leaked the video ourselves...” Xu Mingxuan’s voice trailed off uncertainly.

Shen Dahai frowned and tried to smooth things over: “Who posted the video can be discussed later. The key now is for you to call the Xu family and calm them down. Then post a message on your public platform claiming that it’s you in the video.”

Hearing Shen Dahai’s words, Shen Qingqing suddenly laughed.

Her laughter gradually gave way to tears.

She had long anticipated this outcome.

Yet, even knowing it, why did it still hurt so much?

She looked up at Shen Dahai. “Fine, I’ll admit it was me. But you should also have Xu Minyu post something saying that she’s the one hallucinating—the one who caused me and Xu Mingxuan to fall off the cable car...”

“Shen Qingqing, don’t go too far!” Xu Mingxuan couldn’t stand it. “How can you shift the blame like this? It was clearly you...”

“Too far? Isn’t this the most reasonable, logical, and fair explanation? I think... it’s quite fair!” Shen Qingqing’s lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile.

“You!” Xu Mingxuan was left speechless.

Shen Dahai glanced at Shen Qingqing with an approving look.

Turning to Xu Mingxuan, his expression shifted to one of helplessness.

“Mingxuan, maybe you should talk to Minyu about this? Otherwise, this really won’t be easy to resolve...”

Xu Mingxuan gritted his teeth and glared at Shen Qingqing. “So you’ve been waiting here all along!”

With that, he turned and left.

---

Shen Dahai smiled warmly and approached Shen Qingqing.

He raised a hand to touch her face. “Is it still hurting? Dad’s acting went a bit overboard just now.”

Shen Qingqing tilted her head and dodged.

Shen Dahai withdrew his hand, smiling. “I knew my daughter wouldn’t be that foolish. That little performance was pretty good—it both took the blame off you and proved to the world that you and Xu Mingxuan have feelings for each other.”

Shen Qingqing remained expressionless, offering no reply.

Sun Mei immediately chimed in, her voice full of reproach and concern. “I told you Qingqing knew what she was doing and wouldn’t do anything to worry us. Look, as soon as they met, they fought, and the child got hurt.”

“Alright, alright, that’s my fault,” Shen Dahai quickly took the bait and continued down the path Sun Mei set. “Dad will transfer you a hundred thousand as an apology.”

With that, Shen Dahai pulled out his phone and generously sent Shen Qingqing a transfer of one hundred thousand.

“Dad has a meeting early tomorrow and can’t stay with you,” he reminded her. “Don’t forget to call the Xu family.”

Sun Mei gently caressed Shen Qingqing’s cheek, full of concern. “Remember to put some medicine on your face. When we get back to Beijing, Mom will cook you something delicious.”

After watching her parents leave in a hurry, Shen Qingqing turned away, expressionless.

Not far behind stood three people: Mo Lingcheng, Zhou Cong, and Xiao Meimei.

They had been standing there for some time. Shen Qingqing kept her head down, unwilling to meet their gazes.

Her reputation as a scheming and malicious woman was now indelible.

She struggled to take a step forward, and when she reached Xiao Meimei’s side, she spoke softly.

“I’m sorry, Meimei.”

She had betrayed Xiao Meimei’s trust.

Though she hadn’t posted the video herself, she had guided Xu Minyu to do it.

After the evening meeting, she deliberately left her voice recorder in the conference room.

She had seen Wang Ying, the last to leave, take the recorder.

Besides yesterday’s recording, the recorder also contained this video.

Xu Minyu knew Shen Qingqing well—and Shen Qingqing understood her just as clearly.

But she hadn’t expected Xu Minyu to act so hastily.

That very night, Xu Minyu logged into her account and posted the video.

Xu Minyu must have thought that by doing this, she could completely destroy Shen Qingqing and use public opinion to seal Xu Mingxuan’s loyalty to her.

What Xu Minyu hadn’t expected was that Xu Mingxuan would rather force Shen Qingqing to admit she posted it than publicly acknowledge his relationship with Xu Minyu.

Wasn’t that also Xu Minyu’s tragedy?

Recalling their once intimate friendship, Shen Qingqing felt as if it belonged to a distant past.

Could trust still exist between friends?

Suddenly, Xiao Meimei grasped Shen Qingqing’s hand, her round eyes shining with warmth. “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere nice to clear your mind...”

Shen Qingqing glanced at her sideways, inexplicably her eyes grew moist.

Xiao Meimei didn’t give her a chance to speak and pulled her out of the hotel.

“Boss, I suddenly feel like I don’t understand women anymore,” Zhou Cong said, staring after Shen Qingqing’s retreating figure, bewildered.

How could a woman combine cunning and softness so perfectly?

He clearly thought she wasn’t a good person, yet he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.

Truly, a fearsome enchantress.

“You say it like you’ve ever understood them...” Mo Lingcheng sneered, casting a disdainful glance at him before striding out the door.

Zhou Cong awkwardly smiled and hurried after Mo Lingcheng. “Boss! Where are you going? Wait for me!”

Xiao Meimei led Shen Qingqing into a bar.

Though not as luxurious as those in the capital, this bar had its own unique charm.

They sat in a booth decorated with sheer tassels, leaning on each other as they chatted.

“You were really impressive just now, you know that?” Xiao Meimei gave Shen Qingqing a thumbs-up.

Shen Qingqing pressed her lips together, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Don’t you think I’m bad?”

“To deal with bad people, you have to be worse than they are.” Xiao Meimei slammed a cocktail down on the table.

Shen Qingqing’s lips curved into a small smile, her heart at ease.

“What did you mean when you told Xu Mingxuan ‘last time’?” Xiao Meimei tilted her head, curious.

Shen Qingqing extended a slender finger, picked up the bluish-pink cocktail, and drank it all in one gulp.

The icy liquid slowly slid down her throat. She looked out at the dazzling lights, her expression calm, her voice soft.

“The last time I’ll feel heartache for him.”

Seven years of love, consumed in half a month.

Shen Qingqing chuckled lightly and raised another glass. “Come on, sister. Tonight, we don’t stop drinking until we’re drunk!”

Xiao Meimei was silent but looked up, a strange bitterness stirring deep within her.

Though Shen Qingqing’s smile remained radiant, Xiao Meimei could see the raw sorrow beneath.

She pulled Shen Qingqing into a comforting embrace and shouted heartily, “Come on, no going home sober!”

Meanwhile, not far away in another booth, two men frowned simultaneously.