Seeing Xiao Ying dare to mention what happened back then, Qiao Yanze’s eyes instantly darkened. He grabbed Xiao Ying’s slender neck, the vein on his forehead twitching. “You still dare mention what happened back then? Don’t tell me that it was your substitute who died back then!”
It started becoming hard for Xiao Ying to breathe with her throat grabbed. She didn’t stop him, letting him grab her until she started to suffocate. Her face flushed red. “That’s right. The one that died is the substitute!”
Qiao Yanze chuckled coldly, thinking that it was ridiculous. his hold on her neck tightened. “You actually came up with such a lie in order to clear your name!”
Xiao Ying felt like she was about to suffocate, but she never struggled against his hold. She closed her eyes and said weakly, “You might not believe me if I say it, but I have the right to tell you the truth.”
There were only a few people who knew the truth about this, even Young Master Li might not know about this.
She was too similar to her substitute. Even Master Ba would mistake them for each other sometimes. At that time, she hadn’t interacted with Qiao Yanze too much, so it was very normal for him to not recognize her. Besides, he only had some feelings for her back then. It wasn’t deep love yet.
If her substitute didn’t use her pregnancy as a reason to return to his side, he probably wouldn’t have been deceived so easily.
Although he was a playboy, he had some personal issue against sleeping around as well, that was why he rarely slept with women. However, once he did, he would take responsibility for his actions.
Since her substitute had gotten pregnant, he naturally thought that the child was his and let down his guard.
“When you were drunk that night, I let you smell a type of fragrance that made you have a wet dream. You thought that you really touched me when you saw the blood on the bed the next morning, but you didn’t touch me. I cut my finger and dripped the blood on the bed.”
With his hold still on her neck, Xiao Ying couldn’t breathe properly. She coughed several times before she continued, “I have executed countless missions and have always known my identity. I will never grow feelings for my targets.”
Xiao Ying couldn’t explain why she had feelings for Qiao Yanze either. Maybe it was because he had a kind and loyal heart under that playful face. Or it was maybe because she was attracted by his noble, clean blood in him. Her hands had been covered in blood since she was young and Qiao Yanze was the most innocent and purest person amongst her targets, so she couldn’t bear to do it from the start…
Countless reasons overlapped each other and slowly made her grow different feelings for him.
“You were the first.” Recalling what had happened, Xiao Ying’s eyes slowly turned red. “I never drugged you or harmed you! The day after you thought we slept together, I insisted on leaving the Qiao family to go meet Master Ba to end my mission early!
“Master Ba was furious and I ended up fighting with him. In the organization, us assassins cannot go against our leader’s instructions. The only consequence of going against instructions is death.
“Master Ba disfigured me and shot me twice before he pushed me into the sea. Perhaps, it was because I suffered too much during training since young and always got injured, I somehow managed to survive.”
Qiao Yanze felt something hot at the back of his hand. Xiao Ying’s tears had fallen. He pushed Xiao Ying away and took a few steps back.
His handsome facial features were tense as his eyes were dark. “Do you think I will believe you? Where is the proof? What proof do you have to show that you’re innocent?”
Xiao Ying looked down with her wet lashes, a scoff appearing on her lips. “Can the ugly scar on my face be proof? Or, can the bullet wound on my chest be proof? If they aren’t enough, we can only wait until we all die to go confront Master Ba and my substitute.”
Qiao Yanze stared as Xiao Ying’s eyes turned redder. He furrowed his eyebrows tightly as he fell into deep thought. He recalled those locked and painful memories in detail. Even now, he really couldn’t tell any difference between the substitute and her.
Was she telling the truth? If not, how did she become disfigured?
Every girl liked being pretty. Being disfigured was a fatal blow to girls who were seductive and coy! But, if she was telling the truth, what had he done to Cen Xi before?
In order to repay for her sister’s sins, how much had she suffered from his hands?
The blood in Qiao Yanze turned cold as he pursed his lips tightly. His eyes turned completely red. “Xiao Ying, you’re cunning and full of lies. Don’t think that you can erase what you did to my Qiao family just with a few words!”
At the thought that Qiao Yanze almost killed Xiao Xiao Xi, Xiao Ying slowly started to lose control of her emotions as well. “Yes, although I wasn’t the one who harmed you ultimately, I was part of that plan as well. It’s hard for me to pull myself out of the responsibility. You can kill me or torture me anyhow now, but Xiao Xi is innocent in this. If you still have a conscience, stop harming my sister from now on!”
Although Qiao Yanze said that he didn’t believe Xiao Ying, his mind was in a turmoil.
He had taken revenge on the wrong person!
He hurt the innocent Cen Xi countlessly!
If Cen Xi found out about this, what would she think?
His eyes slowly darkened, until they looked completely ashen.
Xiao Ying didn’t have time to say too much to Qiao Yanze. She had already told him the truth and would respect his decisions.
Although she wasn’t the one who hurt him ultimately, she couldn’t tear herself away from it completely. If she had rejected the mission initially, the Qiao family might not end up like this!
Xiao Xi waited for a while. Seeing that Qiao Yanze wasn’t moving, she remembered Cen Xi was still hanging outside of the city gates. She walked past Qiao Yanze and towards Long Ming’s residential wing.
Staring at Xiao Ying’s leaving figure, Qiao Yanze felt like all of his energy had been sucked away by a giant syringe. He crouched down weakly.
Could the truth be what Xiao Ying had said?
He remembered that the room that woman had died in was still locked. If her hair still remained in the room, he could go to do a DNA test to see if Xiao Ying was telling the truth.
As if thinking of something, Qiao Yanze stood up hurriedly. He chased after Xiao Ying, but realized that Xiao Ying had disappeared into the dark night.
If Xiao Ying was still alive, what about Cen Xi?
A slender figure appeared in Qiao Yanze’s mind unconsciously and he froze.
Was Cen Xi really the one being hung outside of the city gates?
…
The palace was guarded heavily. Not too long after Xiao Ying was out, she was stopped by a patrolling guard.
“I want to see the King.”
When Xiao Ying was brought into the room to please Sachs, the leader of the guards had seen her. Since she had brought the King a great benefit, the leader didn’t dare hesitate and led her to Long Ming’s living quarters personally.
Long Ming hadn’t fallen asleep. After hearing Sachs’ voice, he was filled with rage. After throwing a temper, he finally calmed down.
He called a dancer over and was currently admiring the dance as he drank in his residential wing.
