Seeing Xia Pei Pei’s eyes darting around, Cheng Yu had his suspicions. Actually, he had no evidence; he just heard about the kidnapping from Song Li and instinctively linked it to Xia Pei Pei. Now, using the dress incident, he was bluffing to see if she would reveal anything, and indeed, he guessed right.
Cheng Yu chuckled, “Well done! How did I not see this side of you before?” Before Xia Pei Pei could respond, his face darkened, the smile now icy, his gaze piercing, as if wanting to burn holes into her face. “You know better than anyone who Zhao Dongyuan is. By putting Fu Xiaotang in his hands, weren’t you ruining her life? Both of you are women; what deep grudge do you hold against her?”
His words seemed to spit at her, growing angrier with each syllable, and in his fury, he grabbed Xia Pei Pei’s throat. She was terrified, feeling his grip like an iron vice, unable even to struggle. Through blurred vision, she saw Cheng Yu’s ferocious expression, as if he truly intended to choke her to death. In her fear, she managed to gasp out, “Don’t… I was instructed by someone else.”
Cheng Yu’s eyes flickered with curiosity, “Who?” He slowly loosened his grip, letting her slump onto the sofa. Xia Pei Pei, now free, took deep breaths, her throat feeling like it was being scratched by tiny knives, itchy and painful. After coughing several times, she managed to say, half-truthfully, “I had no choice, she’s a wealthy, influential young lady, how could I… I had to do whatever she said.”
“Stop the nonsense,” Cheng Yu interrupted impatiently, his eyes locked on hers. “Who is it?”
“Liu… Yi,” Xia Pei Pei shouted, closing her eyes in desperation.
“What?!” Cheng Yu was shocked. Liu Yi? How could that be… Although he had a hunch from Xia Pei Pei’s description, hearing the name still shook him. Despite his recent preoccupation with Tang Xiaofu, Liu Yi had occupied a significant part of his heart for a long time, not something easily erased. In his memory, she was always gentle and serene with flowing long hair; he couldn’t connect her with cruelty or malice. He squinted at Xia Pei Pei, his tone sharp, “You’re lying! Don’t you dare slander her!”
