[She never knew that sometimes even family ties can be a source of deep, unforgettable pain. —Qin Xunmi]
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'Exactly, exactly, stop trying to defend her. I think she's just jealous of you.'
'I never imagined Miss Qin could be so wicked, capable of being so heartless even to her own sister.'
"Those things that happened back then weren't Miss Qin's fault. Don't blame yourself. It was all Qin Xunmi's fault for being petty and malicious."
...
The waves of comments made Xunmi feel as if she were seeing Qin Xunmi dying in despair on the street at the end of the original book.
At that time, she also faced ridicule and humiliation from these self-righteous people who didn't distinguish right from wrong.
The difference now is that this person is myself, and this scene has come much earlier.
Tan Zixi looked at Xunmi, whose eyes were full of confusion and blankness, and felt an overwhelming pang of heartache.
The cold air around him grew stronger, and the lines on his face became even more stiff.
"Get out of my way."
"Kevin, throw these people out."
Immediately, a group of men in black rushed in, seized the group of gossiping and vicious people, and dragged them away.
What is the scene like in the dead of winter? That's how the people around us are feeling right now.
The surrounding air seemed to have been sucked out, and almost everyone was stiffly looking in the direction of the sound.
Two outstanding men and women came into view, their noble air alone enough to make them tremble with just a glance.
That feeling of truly standing on the clouds, looking down on you from above, makes you feel like you're just an insignificant ant.
'Ah, he's my idol!'
"Ah, it's President Tan."
...
The screams and shouts started again, and the scene almost got out of control.
Qin Huai Se was smug one moment, but the next moment her face turned deathly pale.
She stared intently at the two people surrounded by the crowd below, her killing intent becoming tangible.
Xunmi and Tan Zixi looked up at the same time and took in Qin Huai se's ugly behavior.
Xunmi gave a disdainful sneer: "Qin Huai Se, keep making things up. Why don't you stop now?"
"And my dear father, why don't you continue to slander me to elevate the status of your so-called true love's illegitimate daughter?"
"In all my years of life, this is the first time I've ever seen such disgusting people as you."
"Do you think you can just manipulate me, a powerless woman with no connections or backing, at your mercy?"
"You scheme against me and bully me without any scruples, Qin Sheng, how can you face your deceased grandfather and my mother?"
"Do you dare to put your hand on your heart and say, are you fair? Do you deserve to be a husband, a father, and a son?"
Xunmi moved forward step by step, stopping a meter away from the two of them.
Even though she was standing below, it didn't give the impression that she was looking up at the two people on the stage.
It was as if she was ignoring the two of them; she was the one who was high above them all, the queen.
"I, Qin Xunmi, have indeed committed a great act of rebellion, but why did all this happen? Didn't you force me to do it?"
"You allow your illegitimate daughter to ruin my reputation outside, and I've tolerated it."
"You gave her all your fatherly love, and treated me like a pawn. I accept it, because you are my father."
"But who says that when you want to discard a piece that you can no longer control, the piece can't fight back?"
"What goes around comes around. Even if you are my father, I will not allow you to disturb the peace of Grandpa and Mom in heaven."
Xunmi prevent the two from refuting each other, and even less wanting to continue the entanglement.
These two are simply outrageous. It's one thing to have foreseen the current situation, but it's quite another when it actually comes to this.
If Qin Sheng had offered even a word of protection, even if it was just insincere, it would have been a form of redemption for the original owner.
Unfortunately, there was nothing. Neither the original owner nor she had anything.
Tan Zixi stood silently behind Xunmi, like a steadfast guardian.
The person in front can easily be relied upon if they can't hold on or get tired.
Before everyone could recover from Xunmi for that gentle yet sorrowful voice, their eyes were practically curled up like mosquito coils.
They were genuinely bewildered; how come the person they were constantly scolding seemed to be the victim?
Is the person on stage whom they sympathize with and protect a bad person?
Xunmi watched coldly, noticing the two men's faces turning pale and then red, and she couldn't even be bothered to laugh anymore.
"I'm here today on important business, and I don't want to waste my time on these meaningless opinions."
"Those who believe in me will believe me regardless of whether I have done it or said it."
"As for those who don't believe me, I don't need their belief."
Turning her head to the reporters who swarmed around him, she spoke each word with conviction.
"So please don't come near me, because I have nothing to say to you."
"I don't want to say anything to you. Others are interested in spreading their own scandals around."
"I, Qin Xunmi, am not that shameless. The education I have received is incomparable to that of those counterfeiters."
After saying that, she ignored the expressions of the people present and walked straight up the steps.
When she passed by Qin Sheng and Qin Huai Se, she didn't even glance at them, completely ignoring them.
After Xunmi went inside, Tan Zixi looked around and made a note of all the media outlets that had dared to make outrageous statements before, planning to have them all shut down once he got back.
"Mi'er is right. Some people, even if they wear a clean and luxurious coat, cannot hide the filth and stench inside."
When passing by Qin Huai Se, Tan Zixi paused for a moment.
His words were pointed, his eyes revealing undisguised contempt and disgust.
Such a thing, yet it dares to compare itself to Xunmi? How dare a toad presume to be superior to a beautiful swan?
Don't ask him why he called Miss Qin a toad, because only the pockmarked and disgusting appearance of a toad can express the true nature of this woman.
Kevin stayed behind to clean up the mess left by his capricious boss, while he shook his head with pity for the two people who were already dumbfounded on the steps.
How could someone who raised such a smart daughter as Miss Qin be so stupid?
He actually imitated that monkey from the fairy tale, losing the watermelon to pick up sesame seeds. He must have either glaucoma or cataracts.
Touching his chin, he thought, "For someone of Qin's age, it's probably cataracts."
Qin Sheng was frightened by Xunmi, no, to be precise, he was shocked.
It felt like something had completely slipped out of my control, and a nameless panic began to grip me.
Then he recalled the implied questions that Xunmi had just been asked him for. Was he really wrong?
But looking at his youngest daughter, who was staring at him with a worried expression, gentle, kind, and considerate, he felt that he had done nothing wrong.
It's all Qin Xunmi's fault. If it weren't for her, none of this would have happened.
Patting his youngest daughter's hand, Qin Sheng said firmly, "Huai Se, don't worry, Dad will definitely leave the Qin family business to you."