Chapter 1621

"Hah," Samuel let out a light chuckle as he calmly rose to his feet and slowly approached Xiao Qingqing. The overwhelming pressure radiating from him made Xiao Qingqing's heart race with unease. She could only retreat step by step until her back hit the wall, leaving her with nowhere else to go. At that moment, her thin lips were so tense they had turned pale. Noticing the panic in her eyes, Samuel reached out and gently caressed her flawless, porcelain-like face—a beauty that could bewitch any man's heart. His brow lifted almost imperceptibly. "How can we pretend what happened never occurred? Qingqing, I never lie to myself. Besides, are you really sure last night was just an accident?" Samuel knew Xiao Qingqing was clever. Once she snapped out of this absurd situation, she’d quickly piece together the truth behind last night’s events. So, he left his words hanging, and sure enough, Xiao Qingqing’s expression froze. Last night, though she had been drunk, she had sobered up slightly by the time Samuel brought her to the hotel. When he suggested she stay there to rest, she had absentmindedly agreed—after all, it wasn’t the first time. After Samuel left, she had been asleep when her phone rang incessantly, like a death knell. Her stepsister, Su Jiaojiao, had called, claiming their mother was gravely ill. Panicked, Xiao Qingqing rushed back to the Su family home. But when she entered her mother’s room, her mother wasn’t there. Instead, she caught a strange, unsettling scent. Realizing something was wrong, she tried to leave—only to find the door locked from the outside. Soon, her limbs grew weak, her head spun, and she lost consciousness. By the time she woke again, she could feel someone on top of her... In her dazed state, she caught a glimpse of the man's face—it was Samuel. A deafening voice inside her screamed that she should push him away. Yet at that moment, her body refused to obey. Now, as she pieced it together… she had been drugged! Xiao Qingqing clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white. She lifted her gaze to meet Samuel’s, her eyes burning with quiet fury as she demanded, "Did the Su family… sell me to you?" Samuel let out an incredulous laugh. "Qingqing, I don’t deal in that kind of business!" At his words, the color drained from Xiao Qingqing’s face—only to flood back in a humiliating rush of heat. And then it hit her: the idea was absurd. Her stepfather, Su Changping, had been desperate to curry favor with the Nelson family, scheming tirelessly to marry off his own biological daughter, Su Jiaojiao, into their ranks. Why would he ever let someone like her—an outsider—get in the way? Lost in thought, she frowned, as if trying to untangle the mess of events on the spot. Samuel reached out and ruffled her hair, the way an elder might soothe a child. "If you can’t figure it out now, go home and think it over. Once you’ve made sense of it, we’ll discuss how to handle last night." Handle it? Some things were better left buried. Why drag it back into the light? She didn’t want to "handle" anything—she just wanted to pretend it never happened! Without another word, she bent down, snatched up the clothes scattered across the floor from the night before, and clutching the blanket around her, bolted for the bathroom like a startled deer. Watching her flustered retreat, Samuel's lips curled into a knowing smile. When Xiao Qingqing emerged, she found him smoking on the balcony, his entire figure bathed in the pale morning light. The soft glow seemed to soften his usual intimidating aura. Exhaling a slow stream of smoke, he tilted his chin toward her through the glass door—a silent dismissal. Relief washed over her. She couldn't wait to leave this place. But barely a few steps into the hallway, her path was abruptly blocked. A dozen reporters brandishing cameras swarmed around her like vultures. "Miss Xiao!" one shouted, shoving a microphone in her face. "We received a tip that you've been having secret rendezvous with the CEO of Qiao Corporation here. Care to comment?" Another reporter elbowed forward. "The man's thirty years your senior with a wife and grandchildren. Are you his long-term mistress or just a casual fling?" "Rumors suggest this isn't your first time breaking up families," a third sneered. "What's your excuse this time?" The questions grew increasingly venomous. Xiao Qingqing stood frozen, her throat tight. She couldn't reveal who was really inside—her reputation might be ruined, but she'd never drag Third Uncle into this scandal. Yet the ugly truth crystallized in her mind. The Su family had indeed sold her out—just not to Third Uncle. They'd thrown her to the wolves at Qiao Corporation instead. But what happened afterward? Why had the reporters pinpointed her location so precisely, only for the person in the room to turn out to be Third Uncle? Just then, through the crowd, a delicate-looking young woman walked in, her arm linked with a man who, though usually bright and energetic, now looked deathly pale. The moment Xiao Qingqing saw them, her expression turned icy. It was Yang Yun and Ding You. Yang Yun shot her a disdainful glance, her voice dripping with venom. "See, A'You? I told you this woman has no shame. Stringing you along while sneaking off to meet some old man in a hotel. Now that you’ve seen it with your own eyes, you can finally let go!" Ignoring Yang Yun’s words, Ding You staggered toward Xiao Qingqing, his voice laced with accusation. "Qingqing, what the hell is going on? Why are you in a place like this?" Taking in her own disheveled state, Xiao Qingqing stared coldly at the two of them, as if everything had suddenly fallen into place. The Yang family had business ties with the Nelson family, and the Su family had been desperately currying favor with the Nelson family. Her stepfather, Su Changhai, had a good relationship with the Yangs, hoping to use them as a stepping stone to get closer to the Nelson family. Su Jiaojiao had always known how to play her cards right in front of Yang Yun. So this time, Yang Yun had used Su Jiaojiao to set her up—killing two birds with one stone. Yang Yun wanted to force Ding You, who still refused to give up on her, to move on, while Su Jiaojiao aimed to ruin her reputation through the media. But neither of them could have anticipated that she would drag Third Uncle into this mess. No—this wasn’t just some trivial matter. She couldn’t let Third Uncle suffer because of her. Xiao Qingqing clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white. She met Ding You’s gaze with icy detachment. "We’re broken up. Who I’m with is none of your business." Ding You gritted his teeth, veins bulging at his temples in fury. "Xiao Qingqing, you’re shameless! I’ve been devoted to you for so long, and you wouldn’t even let me hold your hand—yet here you are, groveling beneath some old man. You make me sick!" Xiao Qingqing's sharp eyes blazed with defiance as she retorted, "You were sleeping with Yang Yun while we were still together. Compared to you two, I'd be ashamed to even claim the title of 'disgusting'!" "You—" Ding You's face twisted in fury, unable to reconcile this venomous woman with the goddess he'd once adored. His hand shot up instinctively, aiming to strike her across the face. Beside them, Yang Yun stood with arms crossed, a smug smirk playing on her lips. Serves you right, Xiao Qingqing—how the mighty have fallen! Just as Xiao Qingqing raised her arm to block the blow, the door behind her suddenly swung open with a creak...