Chapter Thirty-Six: A Sense of Crisis

“You dog of a man, I’m giving you a chance to explain yourself… Well? Out with it—what’s going on?”

Xia He’s message came so out of the blue that Ye Yan was left utterly bewildered.

The accusatory tone—had he somehow offended her? He didn’t recall ever crossing her.

“What explanation?” Ye Yan hurriedly typed back.

“Still pretending, are you?!”

Even through the screen, Xia He’s rage radiated from every word.

“What am I pretending about?” Ye Yan was completely at a loss.

Had relatives come to visit? But it wasn’t time yet.

Then, a video about ten seconds long arrived. When Ye Yan clicked it open—well, there he was, caught on camera while out shopping with Chen Duo. The video had garnered quite a number of views.

Ye Yan: “…”

All this, just for that?

Clearly, Xia He had misunderstood something, or she wouldn’t have blown up like this.

Ye Yan began to explain: “The girl in the video is Chen Duo. She’s like a sister to me.”

Truth be told, Chen Duo's identity was complicated, both in herself and in other matters—difficult to explain to anyone, let alone someone with Xia He's allegiances.

But Xia He wasn’t having it. She shot back, her words dripping with sarcasm, “Oh, now she’s your sister? What kind, exactly—a real sister or a sworn sister?”

She put particular emphasis on “sworn,” making it clear she was implying something more.

“Woman, get your mind out of the gutter. Not everyone is a femme fatale,” Ye Yan replied earnestly.

He hadn’t expected Xia He to explode.

“You dog! I knew you were up to no good. ‘Sister,’ you say? It’s not even winter yet, and you’re already preparing a green hat for me, aren’t you?”

“You’re something else, Ye Yan.”

Her words practically ground between clenched teeth.

“…”

Ye Yan replied, “Who’s preparing anything for you? Don’t talk nonsense. We’re just pure siblings.”

He answered with utmost righteousness.

“Like hell I believe you.”

With a cold laugh, Xia He didn’t even give him a chance for further explanation. She blocked him outright.

When Ye Yan tried to send another message, a big red exclamation mark popped up.

[The other party is not your friend. Please add them before continuing the chat…]

No way.

Ye Yan was stunned.

What was with this woman? She was being completely unreasonable.

And how had things spiraled like this? He and Chen Duo had simply gone shopping, nothing more…

He couldn’t even explain it now. This left him with a splitting headache.

Those people filming must have nothing better to do—he’d just gone out for a stroll, and they had to record it? And people actually watched it? How bored must they be?

“Forget it, never mind for now,” he muttered.

Compared to Xia He, Ye Yan was more concerned about Chen Duo’s strange behavior. But Lao Liao was nowhere to be found and hadn’t replied to any messages, leaving Ye Yan even more exasperated.

Such is the unpredictability of life—one sausage wrapped inside another.

…

…

Yingtan.

A certain gathering place of the Quanxing.

After putting down her phone, Xia He felt as if a thousand ants were crawling all over her, making her uncomfortable enough to want to grind her teeth to dust.

Shen Chong leaned over curiously and asked, “What’s wrong? You’re this angry—did you have a fight with your man?”

Xia He snorted coldly, not bothering to explain, but Shen Chong could tell he’d guessed right.

“It’s normal for young couples to squabble. No need to get so worked up,” Shen Chong shrugged, trying to comfort her.

“What do you know?” Xia He shot him a glare, still fuming. “I was barely away for a few days and that dog of a man is already preparing a green hat for me. If he wants to sneak around, fine, but to do it so openly—what does he take me for?”

“Does Xia He not care about her reputation?” she shouted, slamming the table in anger.

“A hat?” Shen Chong was astonished. “What color?”

“What do you think?” Xia He snapped at him.

She then picked up her phone again and played the shopping video for him.

The clip was short, but Shen Chong quickly grasped the gist of it with a single glance.

“He’s just out shopping with someone. That’s hardly proof of anything. Xia He, aren’t you making a mountain out of a molehill?” Shen Chong pushed up his glasses, unfazed.

“But they were holding hands—holding hands!” Xia He was practically burning with frustration.

Such treatment had always been reserved for her when Ye Yan accompanied her shopping, but now some woman had appeared out of nowhere and taken her place.

It left Xia He deeply unsettled, a sense of crisis gnawing at her.

“Maybe she’s a sister or some relative… You’re being a bit hasty,” Shen Chong reasoned calmly.

At this, Xia He’s brows knit together.

“Shen Chong, whose side are you on? You’re just making excuses for him.”

“I’m just presenting the possibility,” Shen Chong replied, smiling as he adjusted his glasses once more.

“All men are the same,” Xia He sneered.

As the two spoke in low voices, a portly man approached, grinning as he revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth.

“Xia He, what’s got you so angry? Want to tell your big brother about it? Let me give you some proper guidance…”

Normally, Xia He might have humored him with a few perfunctory words to avoid making enemies.

But today, already in a foul mood, especially toward this lecherous, sleazy man, she found him utterly repugnant.

“Fatty Bian, if you’ve nothing better to do, get lost. Don’t linger around me. Just seeing your face makes me sick.”

She tilted her head, her tone as hard as steel.

Everyone in Quanxing was either a thug or a repeat offender—no one here was known for their good temper.

Bian Min was no exception.

His face stiffened and then twisted in fury. “Bitch, getting bold, aren’t you?”

He slammed the table, sending the cups and glasses clattering. But Xia He showed not a hint of fear, coldly retorting, “Thinking of starting something?”

Her gaze was icy as a blade, a pink aura of energy swirling around her arms.

If Bian Min dared to make a move, she was more than ready to retaliate.

His commotion attracted attention. Several of his close Quanxing associates rose from their seats and gathered around.

Seeing this, Lu Liang emerged from the crowd and stepped behind Xia He, eyeing Bian Min and his cronies with vigilance.

At Xia He’s side, Shen Chong calmly stood as well, making his stance clear.

In a distant corner, Kou Mei and Lei Yanpao Gao Ning watched with amused smiles.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense, the air crackling with imminent violence.

Just as it seemed a fight was about to break out, a sudden voice rang out, halting both sides in their tracks.