Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
If not for Qiao Nan, she and Zhai Xin would still be doing just fine right now. Nothing would have happened, much less this whole saga that happened today.
Zhou Xing took a deep breath and suppressed these words. She was clear that the situation had begun to turn against her. Zhou Xing had to consider what to say so that she would not face such a great loss in this situation and be able to protect herself at the same time.
It seemed as though there was no choice but to admit to the relationship between Zhai Yi, Zhai Xin, and herself. The whole Zhai family was in the capital, and so was that grandpa that she had never met. If they were to call her grandfather here to prove the relationship between Qiao Nan and her mom, she would really be done for. She would be a complete fool to continue telling a lie that could be easily exposed.
After giving it some thought, Zhou Xing sniffled. “Actually, Zhai Xin and Zhai Yi are indeed my brothers. But the three of us did not grow up together. I only met them after attending this school.”
Zhou Xing subtly hinted that she was not at all familiar with the Zhai family. Although they were relatives, she was already sixteen years old and had found out for the first time how Zhai Yi and Zhai Xin looked like only after coming to this school. A discerning person would realize that something was going on in this family.
Zhai Yi narrowed his eyes. Was Zhou Xing going to say that she had not known that they were siblings when she had first gotten together with Zhai Xin since they had not grown up together? It was because she suddenly found out about this and realized that they could not remain in a romantic relationship that it was too heartbreaking for her to accept it. That was why she had not made her words clear and that had led to so many people misunderstanding the conflict between her and Zhai Xin.
If this carried on, it would only lead to people finding out that his mom had not contacted her family after getting married to his dad. Apart from his grandpa, his mom did not really have a relationship with his so-called grandmother and elder aunt.
Zhai Yi’s expression looked awful as he thought about how his elder aunt had attacked Qiao Nan brutally with this excuse before her death.
The moment Zhai Yi’s face changed, Zhou Xing rejoiced. Why should the Zhai family always maintain their high ground while she was the only one to be embarrassed? Since they dared to do it, they should dare to admit to it too. Was Qiao Nan afraid of saying it after she had done it? Zhou Xing even wanted to tell everyone about how her mom had been killed by Qiao Nan!
Anyway, her family was not in the capital, and her mom was no longer around. No matter how serious this matter got, she was a child with no mother after all. As such, her classmates’ anger toward her would be limited. Perhaps, everyone would even pity her after learning about her tragic life experience and stand on her side once again.
With her around, she would definitely think of a way to make Zhai Yi and Zhai Xin’s lives interesting and full of trials and tribulations!
Zhai Yi saw Zhou Xing’s proud look in her gaze and suddenly laughed, giving people goose bumps and making their hair stand. If he did not get rid of Zhou Xing today, then he would pack his bags and leave for the military tonight so as not to embarrass the Zhai family. The military exercises tested one’s strategy and psychological warfare, which was much more vicious than what Zhou Xing was doing.
Did Zhou Xing have nothing to her advantage? She did!
“You really haven’t seen me when we were young? I remember that you’ve seen my mom. When my mom came to visit me and Zhai Xin, didn’t you immediately recognize who she is? That’s right. You know us better than we do you. The moment we started school, you appeared frequently by Zhai Xin’s and my sides. You wanted to acknowledge us as your cousins but didn’t know how to do so? I would think so too. Grandpa and grandma separated early, and your mom followed grandma, while my mom followed grandpa. Just like how you’ve never met grandpa, Zhai Xin and I actually have no idea how grandma looks like. After all, you guys live in Ping Cheng, while we live in the capital.”
Zhai Yi spoke casually, but the hidden messages within his words did not fall behind Zhou Xing’s earlier words. Since Zhou Xing was not afraid of being humiliated, how could Zhai Yi be bothered to suffer in order to maintain his pride for the sake of some distant relative and even smearing his own name?
“It’s true that we’ve never really met since we were young, and neither is our relationship as good as other siblings’. But we’re already of this age. Even if you’ve not come of age, you should have the most basic ability to tell right from wrong. So many years have passed, and it’s not as though everything couldn’t be found out. Besides, Zhai Xin has gone on a mission and is not in school. It’s naturally good that you want to further this familial relationship and keep in contact. But on the other hand, since the relationship is not very good anymore and since you guys view each other as enemies, there’s no point in trying to have such a familial relationship. Don’t you think so, Zhou Xing?”
Qiao Zijin’s death that year was Zhou Xing’s greatest advantage. No matter how deep the hatred, no biological elder sister would deliberately force herself under her younger sister’s car. Even though Qiao Zijin was gone, Qiao Zijin had sacrificed her life to do such a thing! Considering this, it was obvious that the relationship between the two families could not be good.
Thus, if one were to look at the orphaned Zhou Xing who kept appearing by the Zhai brothers’ sides, as a girlfriend at one time, and then as a sibling, no matter how one looked at it, one would realize that there was something more to this. A closer look would reveal that Zhou Xing might look pitiful, but she was actually scheming and full of bad intentions!
Zhou Xing ground her teeth and stared at Zhai Yi sinisterly. This time, she finally figured out the difference between Zhai Yi and Zhai Xin. The brothers were equally handsome and even fifty to sixty percent similar in their looks. But their personalities were worlds apart.
Although she had only been together with Zhai Xin briefly, and Zhai Xin could only spend a little time with her, they had still gone on two dates together. During those dates, Zhai Xin had not only been very bubbly and cheerful, but he had also been very considerate toward her. He was truly a rare boyfriend.
If Zhai Xin’s mouth was as foul as Zhai Yi’s, and his thoughts as cunning and crafty, she might have been the one initiating a breakup. The difference between the brothers’ personalities was so stark. For Zhai Yi, who liked to put girls in a tight spot, one could use the word ‘mean’ to describe him.
Zhou Xing understood that her mom died under Qiao Nan’s wheel. As long as she said this, everyone would pity her. Similarly, since everyone was of the same age, if she did not talk about this matter, everyone would hate her. If the person in front of her had been Zhai Xin instead, Zhou Xing would have been pretty confident.
But now, the person in front of her was not Zhai Xin, but Zhai Yi. In the few verbal confrontations that she had had with Zhai Yi, Zhou Xing had never gotten the upper hand but had been suppressed by Zhai Yi instead. Zhou Xing knew that if she were to continue, the situation that she had just saved with much difficulty would take a turn for the worst yet again.
