Chapter 233 - 4.59

Tang Yixiu, who didn't know the ordeal that implicated his sister in law that well, was extremely shocked when Xu Jiaqi slapped Yu Xuan with no restraint at all, a poisonous, degrading look present on her face.

He approached Xu Jiaqi to ask more about the matter, but was stopped by his older brother who was also present on the site.

"B-brother.. Why is sister doing that?" Tang Yixiu questioned.

Tang Yizhou merely shook his head. There was clearly something more to this young man than what he knew. He trusted Xu Jiaqi's judgement and knew that she wouldn't be the type of person to willfully oppose someone like this without proper reasoning and well built train of thoughts behind it.

Hearing her words, his expression turned ugly. Even though Xu Jiaqi purposely made her volume small, he was still able to hear it and couldn't help but feel angered. Xu Jiaqi wouldn't tell a lie about this big of thing. He didn't doubt her, and above all, he was ashamed of himself of not even realizing that there was another party involved in the crime.

What did he do during the time Xu Jiaqi was not present by his side? Did he just laze around and wait for her return? No! He thought that he did everything he could, going as far as to fight for the worst possible punishments to be bestowed upon the Zhao family because he simply couldn't handle his bubbling anger that accumulated like an erupting volcano.

And yet, this young man..

He narrowed his eyes. Although he didn't mingle much with the high society, he at least knew the people who were included in it. The man who arrived here with Tang Yixiu was called Yu Xuan, the youngest master of the Yu family who was infamous for having bad conduct.

How he got to know Tang Yixiu was a completely separate matter, but the important thing was how the Yu family managed to hide this matter away from him. It must be a mishap on his side. He wasn't too focused since he was preoccupied with Xu Jiaqi's matters. As he was dealing with the Zhaos, the Yus must've taken advantage of this and sent Yu Xuan abroad, taking care of the investigators.

It was his fault. He clicked his tongue, and his grip on Tang Yixiu's shoulder used to hold the young man back from coming to aid his friend tightened, making the man grimace slightly at the pain.

"Older.. brother?" Tang Yixiu looked up to the taller man and saw how bad his expression was and immediately gulped a mouthful of saliva. His hearing was not as pronounced as Tang Yizhou's was, but he was able to capture some details out of the conversation Xu Jiaqi and his friend had.

Whatever it was, Yu Xuan did something terribly wrong to Xu Jiaqi. Licking his lips, worried at how this will turn out, he decided to use all his strength to break away from his brother's grip and rush towards the middle of the confrontation.

He was met with two contrasting gazes, one filled to the brim with anger and the other with a flurry of emotions, uncertain as to what he was feeling right now.

"Sister, Yu Xuan, let's not continue this matter here. There are far better places to discuss our histories together in. Surely, you two don't want this news to be going around like wildfire?" He tried to console both parties and take them to a secluded space where they could hide in.

Since the pair took a first class flight and was given priority services in everything, they were currently in a lane where not many people were lurking about, but there were still bound to be people who would come to see their fight and spread it all across the news. If that happened, then the situation would be hard to control.

Yu Xuan recognized Tang Yixiu's concern and backed away. He was in a stupor after hearing what came out of Xu Jiaqi's mouth. Lately, he hadn't been thinking about what happened back in the city. He himself didn't know why he suddenly refreshed the existence called Zhao Xinran away from his memory, and didn't know when it started.

He just knew that he wasn't as obsessed with the woman anymore, and was able to let go of her as he recuperated overseas. His trip abroad was considered a turning point in his life to him, as his everything gradually got better, and he started to show talents. He was naturally gifted in the field of music, and casually playing some instruments had been a long standing hobby for him even as he was deeply rooted in his delinquent period.

This made him very happy, seeing the change that happened to him, and also the fresh breath of air he was able to get by simply going away and not being in contact with his toxic family. He realized the worth of himself that he wasn't able to explore previously, the fact that he was too deeply in tune with the idea of comparing himself with the other figures in his life, competing in their fields even though his worth didn't lie in them.

He moved forward, carving his path in life that inched towards positivity.

He even started to build his own fame out there, performing in many stages after he had gotten accustomed to the life there and enjoyed it bit by bit. He became a full member of the community over there and..

He forgot. It was so easy for him to forget because, generally, Yu Xuan wasn't a very good human being.

Yes, he had a bad past. Yes, he was not blessed with a loving family that was able to guide him through his childhood and watch as he grew into a better person. Yes, he was faced with the conniving, manipulative Zhao Xinran.

But that did not excuse him for all the actions that he committed. All the people that suffered due to him and his unruly actions. Just because of his past, were they supposed to just let it go and not talk about it ever again?

It was easy to forget, but it will never be erased from the face of Earth once a misdeed has been committed.

"I.. I-" Yu Xuan was still in shock, the stinging pain from the slap he received prominently there.

"I didn't scold you because I wanted to hear you stutter like that. For our reputations' sake, let's go to another place as Yixiu suggested. But that doesn't mean that I have forgiven you for what you have done." Xu Jiaqi turned around and walked towards Tang Yizhou, her elegant gait returning to her and her expression calming down as always as if nothing had happened.

Tang Yixiu and Yu Xuan quickly followed behind the other two's path. All the while, Yu Xuan hung his head low and didn't dare to look up.

He thought about his actions, and knew that he was in the wrong, just as Xu Jiaqi said, but it was a pill that was hard to swallow.

"Let's talk about this, hm? You, and Zhao Xinran. Don't think I don't already know everything. I already do, I just want to know what it was like from your side so I can take a better judgement on this matter. If not, then.. I will make sure to take special measures since you haven't received your punishment even after all this time has passed." Xu Jiaqi glared at the man sitting meekly on the opposite side of the table.

Tang Yizhou was by her side, whereas Tang Yixiu was awkwardly comforting his friend. He didn't know who was right or wrong, but looking at his friend's guilty expression, it was not hard to take a side that he thought was credible.

"Perhaps there had been a misunderstanding? I believe that we all deserve to know the clear stories of both of you guys. If there was a misconception, then we can solve the problem right here and now. From what I know, Yu Xuan isn't a bad person even though he might be hard to handle at times."

Tang Yixiu had developed a bond with Yu Xuan after being friends for quite some time, and a thing like this was the farthest idea he could think of.

"Yeah, sure. I want to hear him out.. Hear how much he thinks he is wrong. Are you even willing to admit it, hm?" Xu Jiaqi tapped her finger lightly on the table, on a constant rhythm that made the atmosphere even more tense for Yu Xuan.

"I'll.. talk. I'll tell you what my side of the story was.. And how I- I did run away from everything, but it wasn't completely my fault too." Yu Xuan took in a deep breath before he began to spill his memories' contents.

From the beginning, his twisted childhood, to when he met Zhao Xinran, and how he came to help her kidnap Xu Jiaqi.

Tang Yizhou, who listened from the side, got his level of anger rising by each passing second Yu Xuan talked.