Upon hearing that, Yi Qingzhuo’s expression shifted, a trace of panic flashing in her eyes.
She stepped back, taking in Shen Chaoyi’s gentle smile.
There was a teasing edge to it.
That made her feel an embarrassing sense of exposure—like there was nowhere to hide.
With a soft, dismissive hum, Yi Qingzhuo pushed open the car door and got out.
She didn’t deny it.
Watching her graceful, retreating figure, the smile on Shen Chaoyi’s face lingered.
That remark had been an offhand comment.
She’d only meant it as a joke, to tease her.
But in that moment, Yi Qingzhuo had looked as if some secret buried in her heart had been caught out—that flash of panic, that soft hum.
Shen Chaoyi tapped her fingertips lightly on the steering wheel, waiting until Yi Qingzhuo’s silhouette disappeared entirely.
Then she tapped the screen on her right. The next second, music began to play inside the car.
If Yi Qingzhuo had still been in the car, she would have realized.
This piano piece was the same as the one on the MP3 player Shen Chaoyi had given her.
On a bench in the police station corridor,
Xia Qinyu studied Yi Qingzhuo, who was resting with her eyes closed.
They weren’t blood sisters, but their bond was stronger than many biological siblings.
Xia Qinyu had returned to China to handle her visa right after Yi Qingzhuo was released from prison, so their relationship hadn’t grown distant.
In Xia Qinyu’s eyes, she regarded Yi Qingzhuo as her own older sister.
Yi Qingzhuo was her role model. She never distanced herself because of Yi Qingzhuo’s prison record.
On the contrary, she proudly shared with her friends abroad that she had a sister who was excellent at school, beautiful, and responsible.
During Yi Qingzhuo’s time in prison, she went out of her way to write letters, no matter how inconvenient.
Xia Qinyu tilted her head, studying Yi Qingzhuo’s sharp, defined features.
She had been worried that after all this, Yi Qingzhuo would look haggard and thin.
But unexpectedly, Yi Qingzhuo seemed unaffected—not depressed at all, actually more spirited.
“What are you looking at?” Yi Qingzhuo’s eyes, which had been tightly shut, suddenly snapped open. She saw Xia Qinyu propping her chin up, peeking at her stealthily.
Xia Qinyu had been lost in her own thoughts and hadn’t expected Yi Qingzhuo to open her eyes so suddenly. She jumped. “Ah… you weren’t asleep.”
Seeing her sit there motionless for half an hour, Xia Qinyu had assumed she was sleeping.
“Hard to sleep with you staring like that.” Yi Qingzhuo crossed her legs, her expression indifferent.
She hadn’t slept well the night before, and she had wanted to rest.
But every time she closed her eyes, Shen Chaoyi’s words echoed in her mind: “One might think you like me.”
The sound lingered like a haunting melody. Yi Qingzhuo suspected Shen Chaoyi had put a spell on her.
She’d been thinking about her constantly lately.
Xia Qinyu lowered her hand from her chin. “Sis, I’ve been thinking—is that house really so attractive that they’d all stoop to such lengths?”
“Nearly a million. Aren’t you tempted?” Yi Qingzhuo closed her eyes again, her cold voice dripping with sarcasm.
A million. An ordinary family might never save that much in a lifetime.
And Yi Qingzhuo, even after serving time, had acquired it with ease.
How could that not breed envy? How could it not drive people to fury and shame?
Xia Qinyu thought for two seconds. “Honestly? I’m very tempted. If a million were placed in front of me, I’d go through fire and flood to get it. But if I knew it came from such a dirty source, I’d probably feel disgusted using it. I’d rather not take it, just for peace of mind.”
Those relatives never considered how Yi Qingzhuo had obtained the house so easily.
She had paid with her most youthful decade—the ten years that could have created the most value.
If she could, Yi Qingzhuo would rather not have it at all.
She could have had a future of infinite possibilities. Her life had started high and fallen low—how could that not be regrettable?
“You’re quite the saint.” Yi Qingzhuo didn’t even lift her eyelids.
“I’m only a saint in words. But you don’t have to be. Didn’t Mom say the house was sold and Aunt gave you all the money? You’re basically a half-millionaire now.” Xia Qinyu bumped Yi Qingzhuo’s arm, joking, “How about this, sis? Since you think the money is tainted anyway, and I just got back and want to start a business—lend it to me as an investment. When I make money, I’ll give you dividends. You’ll be a shareholder.”
Yi Qingzhuo remained calm and aloof, as if all the worldly noise was locked outside her heart.
The hand in her pocket rubbed the small white MP3 player in her palm. Her palm grew warm, warming the MP3 as well.
“Sis, are you listening? What do you think?” Xia Qinyu poked Yi Qingzhuo’s shoulder.
Yi Qingzhuo let out a cold laugh. “Your abacus beads are practically hitting me in the face. Fine. If Aunt and Little Uncle have no objections, I can give you whatever amount you want.”
Xia Qinyu’s spirits instantly deflated.
She could only helplessly give Yi Qingzhuo a thumbs-up. “High. Only you could pull that.”
If her parents found out she was asking Yi Qingzhuo for money—especially from the sale of that house—they’d disown her and throw her out on the street.
“Fine, fine, fine. I know you’re naturally brilliant and your IQ crushes mine. I can’t outplay you.”
Xia Qinyu shook her head and sat up straight.
A flash of inspiration hit her. “Oh, right! That Doctor Sister. As expected from my sis—get hospitalized and turn your doctor into a friend.”
The moment Shen Chaoyi was mentioned, Yi Qingzhuo opened her eyes. “Next time you see her, be more reserved.”
Watching them laugh and chat so easily felt grating to Yi Qingzhuo.
“What’s wrong with that? Your friend is my friend. Why do you always stop me from talking to her? So stingy.” Xia Qinyu pouted. “And Sister Shen said she really likes my personality.”
“…”
Yi Qingzhuo immediately sat up straight, her face darkening. “Shut up. She was just being polite. You took it seriously?”
“No way. I think Sister Shen and I have similar tastes. She doesn’t seem like the type to just say empty pleasantries.” Xia Qinyu argued back.
She had a great first impression of Shen Chaoyi and wasn’t about to let Yi Qingzhuo tarnish that image.
Yi Qingzhuo glared at her. “How long have you known her? What can you possibly tell? Not every pretty face is a good person. When will you get over your looks-first obsession?”
“We got along pretty well… Wait, why are you so worked up?” Xia Qinyu noticed her sitting ramrod straight, as if preparing for a formal debate.
She squinted, thinking it over.
Then, as if a lightbulb went off, she leaned in. “Do you have some dirt on her?”
Otherwise, why would she be so insistent on ruining Xia Qinyu’s good opinion of Shen Chaoyi?
Yi Qingzhuo’s heart had been in her throat at the first half of that sentence, but seeing Xia Qinyu’s “I’ve seen through it all” expression,
she rubbed her temples. She’d overestimated Xia Qinyu after all. “No matter how many years you go study abroad, it won’t change your fundamentally simple mind.”
With that, Yi Qingzhuo glanced at her phone.
She stood up. Just as she pushed open the door to the reception room, she said, “Wait outside for me.”
“Tch.” Xia Qinyu clicked her tongue at the door as it closed mercilessly. “You must have offended Sister Shen with that personality of yours.”
Yi Qingzhuo closed the door behind her. Inside, Chen Yao was already waiting.
“Yi Qingzhuo, have a seat.” Chen Yao poured her a glass of water and gestured to the chair in front of him.
“Thank you.” Yi Qingzhuo’s voice was low.
She pulled out the chair, glanced at the camera behind Chen Yao, and finally sat down.
“This is the lawsuit document. Just sign at the bottom.” Chen Yao spread out the file and handed her a pen.
Yi Qingzhuo had become a regular here lately; Chen Yao didn’t need to explain the procedure.
She finished everything in under five minutes.
She capped the pen and set it down. “Officer Chen, could I make a request?”
“Hm?” Chen Yao, who was organizing the documents, looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Then he said, “Go ahead.”
He’d known this case was going too smoothly.
Yi Qingzhuo had been too cooperative. It was almost unsettling to wrap up without any resistance.
Now, at the very end, she was making a request.
Chen Yao felt cautious but also a bit relieved.
“I’d like to see Zhou You. I have some things to say to him,” Yi Qingzhuo said.
