Chapter 71: Jiang Xueting Causes a Breakup

Xu Xinyi and Jiang Xueting exclaimed in unison, grabbing her from both sides, but she still fell to her knees, crashing to the ground.

“Don’t move,” Xu Xinyi quickly crouched down, carefully checking her, “Is your stomach hurting?”

Zhang Xiluo shook her head, and Xu Xinyi breathed a long sigh of relief, helping her back up.

She instinctively placed her hand on her lower abdomen, worry and fear etched on her face.

Zhou Yao noticed Zhang Xiluo’s subtle movement, her eyes fixed intently on her belly.

Her friend beside her sneered, “Old woman, if your health is so poor, you shouldn’t be out. Can’t even stand straight—watch out, or you’ll break your neck.”

Jiang Xueting raised her hand and slapped her, making her stagger back a step, “Watch your mouth. You pushed her on purpose, and you still dare shout!”

Just as she opened her mouth to retort, Jiang Xueting slapped her again, this time striking both cheeks symmetrically—swollen and red, blood seeping from her gums, the pain making her break into tears.

“You dare hit me? I’m going to call the police!”

“Go ahead, I’ll just charge you with intentional injury.” Xu Xinyi pointed to the surveillance camera at the door, “Zhou Yao, keep your people in line. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being harsh.”

“You—you’re bullying me!” Zhou Yao’s friend, cheeks swollen, spoke indistinctly, “When Mr. Li arrives, you’ll regret this.”

“Hurry up and bring him, I’d love to see what he’ll do to me!” Jiang Xueting said angrily, raising her hand as if to hit her again.

Frightened, she ducked behind Zhou Yao, whose face went pale, eyes brimming with grievance.

“Jiang, please don’t be angry. I’ll apologize on behalf of my friend. She couldn’t sleep because of the construction noise at your house, so she’s in a bad mood and acted without thinking.”

Zhou Yao seemed to explain, but in truth, she blamed Zhang Xiluo for the disturbance.

“Sleeping in the day, sneaking around at night!” Jiang Xueting snorted, “I’m not some fool—your tricks won’t work on me. You reek of that fake innocence, it’s suffocating. Get lost.”

Zhou Yao bit her lip. Her friend tried to stand up for her, but Zhou Yao quickly held her back.

“Forget it, Lu Tiantian, let’s go.”

Zhou Yao pulled Lu Tiantian away. As she turned, tears streamed down her face, making her look just like a little white rabbit bullied by three tigresses.

“Don’t leave, come join us,” someone in the courtyard, enchanted by Zhou Yao, stepped forward to block their path, “It’s all a misunderstanding, let’s talk it out.”

“Exactly, who’d bother with you two girls?”

Zhou Yao’s face was full of grievance as she looked tentatively at Zhang Xiluo, who remained expressionless. Zhou Yao nodded and walked to the side, sitting down.

“Men rarely have good eyes—so foolish,” Jiang Xueting remarked, then helped Zhang Xiluo to a seat elsewhere.

Hu Minxing came out of the guesthouse, carrying a plate of pastries for Zhang Xiluo. “Luoluo, try some pastries, the chef just made them.”

“Thank you, Uncle Hu.”

“You should all try them. I hired a pastry chef from FF country—an innovative fusion of Chinese and Western styles.” He was deeply invested in the guesthouse and proud of everything about it.

“Delicious, truly delicious,” Jiang Xueting praised endlessly.

Meanwhile, the guesthouse staff were driving Zhou Yao and Lu Tiantian away. Lu Tiantian resisted, cursing and struggling as she was dragged out.

The commotion drew attention, and some began to gossip that the guesthouse owner played favorites.

A few agitated guests took out their phones to record, threatening to post online and leave bad reviews.

“Uncle Hu, let it go,” Zhang Xiluo immediately understood that Hu Minxing was behind their eviction. “I’m fine, don’t ruin the guesthouse’s reputation.”

“We’re here to enjoy ourselves—don’t let them spoil the mood,” Uncle Hu sided with Zhang Xiluo, even at the risk of negative publicity. “No need to worry, I simply don’t welcome them.”

With Zhou Yao and Lu Tiantian gone, the event continued, but many had lost interest.

A perfectly good event, ruined by Zhou Yao.

After finishing his song, Su Jianhao walked over to Zhang Xiluo. “Miss Zhang, your friends are as beautiful as you.”

“You have a discerning eye,” Zhang Xiluo smiled, surveying the dwindling crowd. “Is that all there is to the event?”

“There’s much more, but Uncle Hu called it off.” Su Jianhao sounded disappointed. “We’d prepared for this for quite some time.”

Zhang Xiluo fell silent, feeling she’d caused trouble for Hu Minxing.

“Miss Zhang, don’t feel guilty—it’s not your fault. Is there any song you’d like to hear? I can sing it for you.”

“Sing whatever you like—I enjoy them all.”

Su Jianhao returned to the small stage, picked up his guitar and sang a love song, his gaze fixed on Zhang Xiluo throughout.

“Luoluo, this puppy’s got a crush on you,” Jiang Xueting clicked her tongue. “He’s good-looking, but I advise you against it. Men in music aren’t reliable.”

“What are you thinking? He’s just a friend to me.”

“That’s good; he’s not right for you.”

“Let’s head home—you need to rest,” Xu Xinyi was more concerned about her health.

After saying goodbye to Hu Minxing, the three of them went home.

As soon as they walked in, Zhang Xiluo collapsed onto the sofa, groaning, “Quick, save my legs.”

Her knee was scraped, her pants stuck to the wound, the pain nearly unbearable.

“Hurt yourself and kept quiet?” Xu Xinyi carefully snipped open her pants with scissors, seeing how badly she’d fallen, “Honestly, I’m amazed you endured it so long.”

“Have to save face,” Zhang Xiluo murmured, unwilling to show weakness before others, especially Zhou Yao.

Just then, Jiang Xueting received a call from Zhao Chengyi—apparently Zhou Yao had complained to Li Mingye, saying Jiang Xueting had hit Zhou Yao’s friend.

Zhao Chengyi urged Jiang Xueting not to target Zhou Yao, insisting she was a good person and telling her not to judge because of Zhang Xiluo.

Jiang Xueting was furious, shouting into the phone, “Zhao Chengyi, you bastard! Are you blind? That fake innocence is so obvious, and you still can’t see it, yet you lecture me!”

“I’m breaking up with you! Consider this your official notice—you’re dumped! The reason? You’re blind!” With that, Jiang Xueting hung up and blocked him on every platform.

Zhang Xiluo and Xu Xinyi exchanged glances, then turned to Jiang Xueting, who stood trembling, still cursing Zhao Chengyi.

“Xueting, don’t do this,” Zhang Xiluo said gently. “Don’t let my troubles affect your relationship.”

“It’s not because of you—it’s because he’s blind. A man who can’t tell a fake from the real is useless! Today it’s Zhou Yao, but what if someone like her turns up in his life another day?”

“You have a point, but can you really let go? I heard Zhao Chengyi’s planning to marry you, and his parents are very pleased with you,” Xu Xinyi frowned.

“Such a man isn’t worth marrying,” Jiang Xueting insisted, tossing her phone onto the table, “I’m going to shower and wash away Zhou Yao’s fake innocence stench.”

Zhang Xiluo sighed; trying to persuade her now would only make things worse. Better to wait until she calmed down.

Late at night, in Zhang Xiluo’s little courtyard, several people slipped in unnoticed by the women inside.