The Innocent Little Catfish

The night outside the window grew thick, swallowing the remaining light like ink, while the atmosphere inside the room became suffocating. Xiao Sheng took a deep breath, forcing down the agitation in his heart. His cold gaze swept over Yan Xiaonian, who was sobbing on the floor, and then shifted to Yan Yurou, who was feigning frailty behind him. His decision was made.

"Shut up, both of you!" Xiao Sheng’s low roar cracked like a thunderclap, instantly silencing the two women. He strode to the liquor cabinet, grabbed a bottle of strong spirits, and downed several gulps. The spicy liquid burned down his throat, clearing his chaotic thoughts. His brows were tightly locked, his eyes filled with the anger and frustration of one who has been deceived, and his cheeks were flushed from the alcohol.

Yan Yurou felt a jolt of panic; she had never seen Xiao Sheng lose his composure like this. Her carefully laid plans seemed to be cracking. She approached cautiously, raising a trembling hand as if to soothe him, and said softly, "Sheng, don't be angry. It’s just that my sister is ignorant. Let’s resolve this slowly..." Her eyes reddened, tears welling up as she tried to squeeze out a few drops to prove her "sincerity," all the while glancing at Xiao Sheng to gauge his reaction.

"Resolve this?" Xiao Sheng spun around, his eyes piercing Yan Yurou like blades, the fury in them seemingly capable of incinerating her. "Do you think I'm a fool? For these past four years, did you really think I was unaware of your little schemes?" Yan Yurou’s expression shifted violently, her once-rosy cheeks turning deathly pale. She opened her mouth to argue, but Xiao Sheng raised a hand to silence her. "From now on, you had better come clean, or suffer the consequences." Xiao Sheng clenched his fists, the veins on his forehead bulging as he struggled to restrain his emotions.

Yan Xiaonian lifted her tear-streaked face, a flash of astonishment in her eyes. Though she loathed Yan Yurou’s manipulations, she had not expected Xiao Sheng to have been suspicious of her all along. A glimmer of hope ignited in her heart; perhaps there was still a chance to clear her name.

Xiao Sheng walked over to Yan Xiaonian and crouched down, his gaze locked onto her with scrutiny, yet harboring a faint, imperceptible expectation. "You say you were set up. Fine, tell me everything you know, and don't you dare try to hide anything." His voice was cold, yet it offered a thread of hope she could cling to.

Yan Xiaonian bit her lower lip, suppressing her grievances as she recounted her experiences at the Chujing Company, Yan Yurou’s harassment, and her inexplicable drugging and placement in the bridal sedan after returning home. Yan Yurou stood by, her face turning ashen; she tried to interrupt several times, only to be rebuffed by Xiao Sheng’s icy glare. She twisted the hem of her dress nervously, her body trembling, her eyes filled with terror and resentment.

"Enough!" Xiao Sheng stood up, his fury mounting. He turned to Yan Yurou, his tall frame casting a shadow that enveloped the woman sprawled on the floor. "Do you have anything else to say?" Yan Yurou fell to her knees with a thud, wailing piteously. She covered her face with her hands, tears streaming through her fingers. "Sheng, I was wrong. I love you so much and was afraid of losing you, so I lost my way... As for those photos, I was framed!"

As it turned out, Xiao Sheng had been investigating in secret and had already discovered Yan Yurou’s scandals. Upon receiving the threatening letter, he knew there must be a hidden agenda behind this wedding. Now, as the truth surfaced, his disgust for Yan Yurou reached its peak.

"Save your tears; they are useless," Xiao Sheng said coldly, his mouth curling in disdain. "Starting tomorrow, you are no longer part of the Xiao family. Get as far away as you can." Yan Yurou collapsed, utterly devastated. She knew that years of painstaking effort had vanished in an instant.

Xiao Sheng looked at Yan Xiaonian, his gaze softening with something complex—a mix of apology and admiration for her resilience. "You have been wronged. Stay here for the time being; I will uncover everything." Yan Xiaonian nodded slightly, her heart a whirlwind of emotions.

At that same moment, on the other side of the city, Huang Fang learned that their plan had been exposed and was overcome with panic. She knew Xiao Sheng’s methods all too well; if he pursued this, she and her daughter would likely face imprisonment. In a frenzy, she dialed the number of a mysterious contact. "Hello? The plan has failed. You must think of something! If the Xiao family investigates, we’re finished!" A sinister, cold laugh emanated from the other end of the line. "Hmph, don't be so impatient. I have my own arrangements..."

The night deepened. This high-society feud was like a turbulent undercurrent, flowing through the darkness and unearthing more secrets and crises. As for Yan Xiaonian, Xiao Sheng, and the others at the center of the vortex, what would become of them?