The Guardian After the Shattering

Yan Xiaonian gazed at Lin Yue standing beside Xiao Sheng, and the faint glimmer of hope that had just ignited in her heart was extinguished in an instant, leaving behind only profound sorrow and despair. She raised a hand to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, not wanting others to witness her vulnerability, yet the uncontrollable sobbing betrayed her grief.

As Xiao Sheng entered the room, the majestic aura he radiated seemed to freeze the very air in the conference hall. His gaze was cold, sharp as a blade in the dead of night, sweeping over the crowd before finally fixing on Zhou Dahai. That look seemed to pierce through his soul, making Zhou Dahai’s legs turn to jelly, nearly causing him to collapse on the spot. "You have quite the nerve to come here and run wild!" Xiao Sheng’s voice, low and filled with fury, echoed through the silent space, stinging the eardrums of everyone present.

Zhou Dahai struggled to maintain his composure, stammering, "Xiao... President Xiao, this is a private family matter between her and me. Please... please do not interfere." As he spoke, he cast a guilty glance at Yan Xiaonian. Yan Xiaonian glared at him and shouted, "You are spouting nonsense! What family matter? I don’t even know who you are!"

Ignoring Zhou Dahai’s desperate sophistry, Xiao Sheng walked straight toward Yan Xiaonian. Seeing her swollen cheek and tear-stained face, a wave of heartache surged within him, and his expression softened slightly. He reached out gently, intending to touch her face, but she instinctively recoiled. Yan Xiaonian turned her head away, her voice hoarse, "Don’t touch me. You and her..." She glanced at Lin Yue, "Didn’t you arrive together?"

Lin Yue was in a state of panic; she had not expected Xiao Sheng to arrive so quickly, nor to defend Yan Xiaonian so fiercely. She hurried forward, feigning innocence as she explained, "President Xiao, I only heard that something had happened here, so I followed to see if you were alright. I know nothing about this." Xiao Sheng’s brow furrowed, his gaze piercing as he stared at her: "Are you certain you know nothing?" Feeling exposed by his scrutiny, Lin Yue averted her eyes, not daring to look at him directly.

Wu Zhenzhu entered quickly from a side door, carrying Yan Dafa on her back. She shielded Yan Xiaonian behind her, watching the crowd with vigilance. Little Yan Dafa’s face was full of worry, his eyes red. He reached out his small hand to gently stroke Yan Xiaonian’s cheek: "Mommy, does it hurt?" Yan Xiaonian grasped her son’s hand, forcing a faint smile: "I’m fine, baby."

Watching this, Xiao Sheng’s resolve to protect them only grew stronger. He turned back to Zhou Dahai, his voice cold as shards of ice: "Do you have any evidence for the slander you just uttered? If you cannot produce it, I will make you pay a heavy price!" Terrified, Zhou Dahai turned deathly pale. Trembling, he pulled a few photographs from his pocket and handed them over: "President Xiao, this... this is the evidence."

Xiao Sheng took the photos, seeing at a single glance that they were fakes; the lighting and the clumsy splicing of the figures were obvious. He laughed out of sheer rage: "You dare to cause trouble with such fraudulent garbage?" With that, he flung the photos into Zhou Dahai’s face. Realizing that all was lost, Zhou Dahai fell to his knees, begging for mercy: "President Xiao, I was wrong. Someone put me up to this. Please, spare me just this once..."

Xiao Sheng let out a cold snort: "Speak—who is the mastermind?" Zhou Dahai snuck a peek at Lin Yue, then quickly lowered his head, afraid to speak. Xiao Sheng caught this subtle movement; he already had his answer. His gaze turned even darker as he looked at Lin Yue: "Lin Yue, what else do you have to say?"

Seeing that the scheme had been exposed, Lin Yue also dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face: "President Xiao, I... I just loved you too much. I couldn’t bear to see you with her. I was momentarily blinded..." Xiao Sheng looked at her with disgust: "Is this how you express your love—by using such despicable means to hurt others?"

Yan Xiaonian watched the farce unfold, her heart a complex mix of emotions. She knew that Xiao Sheng was taking her side, but the pain of the past and the uncertainty of the future left her unsure of how to face this sudden "protection." Wu Zhenzhu patted her shoulder gently: "Xiaonian, don’t be too sad. At least he is standing with you now." Yan Xiaonian shook her head with a bitter smile: "But what about after this..."

After dealing with Lin Yue and Zhou Dahai and dismissing the crowd, Xiao Sheng walked up to Yan Xiaonian and said softly, "Xiaonian, come home with me. Let’s get everything cleared up." Yan Xiaonian held her son tight, hesitated for a moment, and then shook her head: "Xiao Sheng, I’m tired. I just want to live a peaceful life with my son. You and her... please don't disturb us again." With that, she turned and walked away resolutely, supported by Wu Zhenzhu.

Xiao Sheng watched their retreating figures, his heart filled with remorse and reluctance. He knew that winning back Yan Xiaonian’s heart this time would be as difficult as ascending to heaven, yet he was determined: no matter the cost, he would make amends and protect them. Meanwhile, Lin Yue sat slumped on the ground, weeping bitterly. She knew that with this mistake, she had lost Xiao Sheng completely, and her future now lay in total, empty uncertainty.