Chapter Three: Breaking the Engagement

Shen Qingli lifted her head, frowning with annoyance. “It’s true I don’t like her, but I never deny what I’ve done. I’ve kept this posture from the very beginning—how could I have hit her?” Only then did Father Shen notice her hands clasped behind her back. In fact, she’d been standing like that since he entered the hallway, never once changing her stance.

“Dad, I’m your daughter too. Why are you so biased? Is it always my fault whenever something happens to her?” Her voice trembled with wounded innocence, her eyes rimmed red but tears refusing to fall. “If you don’t believe me, you can check the security footage!”

Father Shen’s expression hardened. He looked at the red mark on Shen Jingrong’s face, his gaze turning somewhat strange.

Shen Jingrong’s heart skipped a beat. That wretched girl had set her up and was now leading Father Shen to doubt her.

“Dad, it’s not Sister’s fault. I was just careless and bumped into something.” She lowered her head, her voice choked with emotion.

Whatever faint suspicion Father Shen had instantly vanished.

“Why aren’t you resting in bed?” Suddenly, that familiar low and gentle voice sounded.

Shen Qingli turned to see Xie Jinchuan approaching with food, the savory aroma immediately making her mouth water.

Remembering the system’s task, her eyes grew moist as she looked at him—so pitifully that no one could help but feel sorry for her.

Winning him over required gaining his favor.

Shen Qingli lowered her eyes, nervously twisting her sleeve as she edged closer to him. “Th-third Uncle…”

She reached out to tug at his cuff, her voice barely a whisper. “I-I’m scared.”

Of whom, it was all too clear.

Xie Jinchuan’s cool eyes swept over the other two, a shadow passing over his face. “I don’t care what happened. Apologize.”

At these words, both Father Shen and Shen Jingrong froze.

In truth, Shen Jingrong had been startled from the moment Shen Qingli approached him.

Who was Xie Jinchuan? He was known for his aversion to women, his severe cleanliness, and his utter coldness toward his nephew’s fiancée. What tricks had this wretched girl used to make him take her side?

“Third Uncle, I—” Shen Jingrong’s tone was soft, but Xie Jinchuan cut her off coldly.

“Are you even in a position to call me that?” His gaze grew dangerously sharp, his voice chillingly calm. “Apologize. Don’t make me repeat myself a third time.”

Shen Jingrong shuddered. It wasn’t just her—even the Shen family wouldn’t dare cross this living demon.

Her nails dug into her palm, but despite her reluctance, her voice remained gentle. “Sister, I’m sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have frightened you.”

A flash of triumph flickered in the depths of Shen Qingli’s cunning eyes, though she maintained her previous posture.

“Your turn,” Xie Jinchuan said, looking at Father Shen, showing not a trace of the usual respect a junior owed an elder.

Father Shen, who always cared about appearances, was stunned. But not daring to provoke him, he forced a smile. “Mr. Xie, I…”

Xie Jinchuan’s eyes darkened suddenly, and Father Shen dared not utter another word. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to apologize to Shen Qingli, then all but fled in embarrassment.

Shen Qingli knew when to stop. She looked at Xie Jinchuan with genuine gratitude, her voice sweet and soft. “Thank you, Third Uncle, for helping me.”

His expression remained calm, but his gaze softened a little as he handed her the food.

She stared at it in surprise.

It was all the snacks she used to love back when she played the role of the delicate little schemer.

She instinctively looked up at him, but his refined features betrayed nothing.

“Don’t like them?” His voice was low and magnetic.

Shen Qingli shook her head at once, her doe eyes curving into crescents, making anyone’s heart melt.

“As long as it’s from Third Uncle, I’ll like it.”

Ding—Congratulations, host! Task Two completed. Fifteen Face-Slapping Points have been credited.

Shen Qingli was curious. Why more this time?

The system replied with a grin: Because your target helped you slap faces together.

!!!

Shen Qingli looked at Xie Jinchuan as if she’d discovered a whole new world, her gaze burning with excitement.

“Is something the matter?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She quickly shook her head and, ever so obediently, said, “Third Uncle, you’re so good to me.”

Though Xie Jinchuan’s expression didn’t change, the corners of his mouth curved ever so slightly.

There was nothing really wrong with Shen Qingli, so after just a day she was discharged from the hospital.

Her first task upon leaving was to find Lu Ziyi.

In the Lu Group’s reception room, Lu Ziyi looked at her with undisguised loathing, his mind filled with thoughts of being slapped and of Rongrong being bullied at the hospital.

“You’ve got some nerve showing up here,” he spat, his attitude harsh.

Shen Qingli couldn’t be bothered to waste words on him and got straight to the point. “I know you like Shen Jingrong. I’m giving you a chance—let’s call off the engagement.”

Lu Ziyi froze at her words. “What did you say?”

She knew exactly what kind of man he was. With a slight smile, she replied, “Are you deaf? I’m giving you what you want. You’re the Lu family’s honored grandson—wouldn’t it be better to be open and aboveboard? Or do you enjoy the thrill of secret affairs more?”

Her tone was thick with sarcasm. Lu Ziyi slammed the table in fury. “I didn’t come here to listen to you slander me and Rongrong. How could the Lu family ever have agreed to someone as vicious as you?”

Shen Qingli thought he was hopeless, unable to focus on the main point. “Aren’t I giving you what you want? Call off the engagement. Marry whoever you like. Or is it that you’re so in love with me you can’t let go, and now you’re trying to provoke me into breaking it off?”

“Rubbish!” The always gentle and refined Lu Ziyi was now blazing with anger, his reason all but gone.

“You think I care about this engagement?” he snapped. “If I don’t break it off, I’ll write ‘Lu’ backwards!” With that, he kicked a chair, sending it crashing to the floor.

As he stormed toward the door, Shen Qingli called after him, “Wait.”

Lu Ziyi shot her a sharp look, sneering, “What, changed your mind? I’m telling you, it’s not happening!”

She clicked her tongue lightly. “You’re awfully hot-tempered for someone so young.” She pulled a photograph from her pocket and slipped it into his shirt, smiling sweetly. “I’ll be waiting for your good news.”

Lu Ziyi glanced down, and his expression changed instantly.

The photo was of him embracing Shen Jingrong in the underground parking garage.

“I just didn’t want you to change your mind,” Shen Qingli said with a pure, sweet smile. “You have three days to break off the engagement. If not, I can’t guarantee what’ll happen to the rest of the photos.”

“You dare threaten me?” Lu Ziyi’s face turned ashen with rage. “Just you wait!”

Though the photo had clearly rattled him, two days passed and nothing happened.

Sensing he might be up to some trick, Shen Qingli decided, after some thought, to go sound out Xie Jinchuan.

But when she arrived, he was in a meeting. With no other option and for the sake of her plan, she waited in his office—and ended up dozing off.

She was awakened by a crisp female voice. “Miss Shen?”