Chapter 110: The Beginning of the Rupture

Over the next few days, Liu Sheng attended classes in the morning and visited Xiaoya in the afternoon. He constantly invented excuses to give her money, hoping to make her life less arduous, and Xiaoya looked forward to his visits every day.

On an afternoon in late October, Liu Sheng arrived at Xiaoya’s shop as promised.

"What do you want to eat tonight?" he asked as he pushed open the door.

Xiaoya sat on the sofa in silence, looking visibly upset. It was only after Liu Sheng walked inside that he noticed Yang He was there, too.

"Ah, Liu Sheng is here. I hear you're studying at Chongqing Normal University. Is the academic pressure heavy?" Yang He asked as Liu Sheng entered.

"Aren't you supposed to be out?" Liu Sheng retorted coldly, refusing to give Yang He a pleasant look.

Ignoring the hostility, Yang He leaned in with a sycophantic grin. "Your sister is angry with me. Could you put in a good word for me? Your brother-in-law would appreciate it."

Liu Sheng moved toward Xiaoya, but before he could speak, she interjected, "Don't say a word. He gambled everything away and came running back for money because he's drowning in debt again!"

Liu Sheng turned sharply to glare at Yang He, his temper flaring. "How can you be so incorrigible? Sister Xiaoya is pregnant, working herself to the bone day and night just to pay off your debts—don't you feel even a shred of guilt?"

"I was wrong, I really was! It won't happen again!" Yang He pleaded.

"Wrong?! You know you're wrong? How many times is this now? The money I used to pay your last debt was borrowed from friends, and I still haven't paid it back!" Xiaoya shouted in frustration.

Liu Sheng turned to Xiaoya, his voice softening. "Don't get angry; it's not good for the baby." He then shot a menacing glare at Yang He, who flinched, fearing another beating.

"How much? I'll pay it. This is the last time," Liu Sheng said, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"Two hundred thousand—that will clear what I owe," Yang He said hurriedly, as if seeing a lifeline.

"Don't give it to him! Let him figure it out himself!" Xiaoya cried out again.

Yang He suddenly grew agitated. "We’re family! Not only do you refuse to help me, but you won't let others help me either—what is your motive?"

"You didn't think we were family when you were beating me!" Xiaoya sobbed.

Liu Sheng stormed out of the shop. Seeing him leave, Yang He slapped Xiaoya across the face, snarling, "You wretched woman! Are you trying to get the loan sharks to kill me?"

Xiaoya covered her face and wept. "I could tolerate it before, but I'm pregnant now, and you're still hitting me. Why did you even come back? There is no more money in this house."

"Nonsense! You've been running this shop for so long, don't tell me you haven't earned a cent!" Yang He switched to a cajoling tone. "Look, I shouldn't have hit you. Just give me ten thousand. Once I win back what I lost, I'll settle down and live a proper life with you, I promise. This is really the last time!"

"You're still going to gamble? You're still going back?" When Xiaoya refused, Yang He stood up and cursed, "You're nothing but a hostess! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have the chance to be a decent wife. You won't let me spend the money you make—are you keeping a boy toy on the side? You shameless harlot!"

"Keeping a boy toy?! You think I don't know you're out chasing women every day? Don't you dare frame me! Are you even a man? Can you think about this family and the children for once?" This finally pushed Yang He over the edge.

As he raised his hand to strike her again, Liu Sheng returned and roared, "Stop! If you touch her again, I will kill you!"

Liu Sheng walked in and handed a bag to Xiaoya. "There’s 200,000 in there. I just went to withdraw it. Handle it however you see fit."

Seeing the money, Yang He fell to his knees in front of Xiaoya, begging, "Xiaoya, everything before was my fault. This money is life-saving. Once I pay them back, I'll come home. I swear I'll never do it again."

He snatched the bag from Xiaoya, confirmed the cash was inside, and hurried out of the flower shop.

Once he was gone, Xiaoya stood up, hugged Liu Sheng, and burst into tears. Liu Sheng didn't know what to say and didn't dare hold her back, knowing she was someone else's wife and mother.

After she stopped crying, she whispered, "All the humiliation I suffer is for the sake of the child. I regret having a child with him so much; otherwise, I would have left him long ago."

She let go of Liu Sheng. He checked the time—it was five o'clock. "It's time to eat."

"I'm not hungry," Xiaoya said, still stuck in the aftermath of the argument.

"I wasn't asking you," Liu Sheng replied. "I was asking the baby. Whether you eat or not is up to you, but I need to make sure the little one in your belly is fed."

Xiaoya’s tear-streaked face suddenly broke into a smile. She got dressed, and they headed out to eat.

Liu Sheng led her to his R8. As she sat inside, she asked, "Do you drive this every time you visit?"

"Yes," he answered. Because he always parked far from the shop to avoid attention, this was her first time seeing the car.

"So, where are you taking... no, where are you taking the little one in my belly to eat?"

"Follow me. I’m going to introduce you to Ren Xiadong’s girlfriend."

Liu Sheng drove steadily, careful not to let the speed cause her any discomfort. The hour-long trip took them two hours.

When they arrived at his home, Xiaoya stood in the foyer, stunned. "Your lifestyle is truly extravagant. It’s so opulent, it’s like an imperial palace."

Liu Sheng just laughed. Hearing him, Ren Xiadong came down from the second floor. He paused when he saw Tian Yun accompanying Liu Sheng. "A rare guest! Hello, Xiaoya."

"Xiadong, Liu Sheng said he was bringing me here to meet your girlfriend. Don't hide her—call her out."

Ren Xiadong walked over to Liu Sheng and whispered, "You better figure out how to explain this."

Before Liu Sheng could react, Ren Xiadong shouted, "Tian Yun, Tang Xin, come down! We have a guest! And she's a chef, so have her prepare a few good dishes."

The name "Tang Xin" made Liu Sheng's head spin. She was already angry with him, and now that she saw him bringing Xiaoya home, she would surely tear him apart. He couldn't even justify this!

"Why didn't you tell me Tang Xin was back?!" Liu Sheng hissed at Ren Xiadong.

Ren Xiadong chuckled. "It was Tang Xin's idea. She said she’s kept you waiting so long that she feared you were angry, and she wanted to apologize in person. But now? It’s unclear who will be apologizing to whom."

Ren Xiadong sounded amused, then turned to Xiaoya. "Pregnant women need rest. Sit down, we'll have the chef make you plenty of good food."

"Tang Xin? That big star?" Xiaoya asked. Ren Xiadong nodded. "Liu Sheng's girlfriend?" He nodded again.

"Impressive. A big star for a girlfriend. I'm truly happy for Liu Sheng," Xiaoya said, though her heart sank slightly.

Liu Sheng looked like a dead man walking. Seeing Tang Xin descend the stairs, he thought, *What kind of disaster have I brought upon myself?*

When the five of them sat at the dinner table, Liu Sheng kept his head down, feeling like a condemned man awaiting his sentence.

"Hello, Xiaoya. I'm Tang Xin. I've often heard Liu Sheng mention you," Tang Xin said with a smile.

"Oh, and you must be Xiaoya. I’ve heard so much about you from him, too," Tian Yun added.

Ren Xiadong quickly put a piece of meat on Tian Yun's plate to signal her to stop, then stood up to place a chicken drumstick on Xiaoya’s plate. "Eat this. It’s nutritious and good for the baby."

Tang Xin was exceptionally kind to Xiaoya. Knowing she was pregnant, she set aside her jealousy and took great care of her. After dinner, Tang Xin and Tian Yun sat on either side of Xiaoya, humbly asking for parenting advice.

Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong stepped outside to smoke. Bored, Liu Sheng checked his phone and saw a headline about Tang Xin.

"Tang Xin dines late with famous director for new film; drinks heavily before checking into a five-star hotel together."

Liu Sheng’s mind went blank. He wanted to confront her, but decided to wait until they were alone to avoid a scene in front of the others.

Ren Xiadong saw the same news on his phone and patted Liu Sheng’s shoulder. "What will you do?"

"Entertainment news is rarely credible. I'll ask her about it later," Liu Sheng said, though his mind was in a turmoil. If it were true, he would make that director suffer.

Because it was late, Xiaoya stayed in a room on the third floor. Later, when Liu Sheng and Tang Xin were alone in another room, she spoke softly to avoid waking Xiaoya.

"You really don't take me seriously. If I hadn't come back today, would it have been Xiaoya sleeping in this room tonight?"

Liu Sheng explained, "You're overthinking it. She's a pregnant woman, a mother—you're jealous of that?"

"Pregnant? Oh! You knew that and brought her here anyway? You have quite the taste!" Tang Xin grew more agitated.

Refusing to argue, Liu Sheng threw his phone onto the bed. "See for yourself!"

Tang Xin read the article and said, "Don't listen to the media. It's all just gossip."

"Do you even care about me? You abandoned me for your own career, cut off contact, and only came back when you felt like it. Not a single word of comfort! I'm not a machine; I need to be cherished, too!"

"I do as I please. Why must you try to control me? Just because you told me not to act doesn't mean I have to stop! And have I ever burdened you with my work? How can you be so ungrateful!" Tang Xin felt Liu Sheng was trying to control her and even suspected he was hindering her earnings.

Liu Sheng activated his heart-reading ability and connected to Tang Xin’s mind. "Is the news true?" he asked.

Tang Xin’s inner voice rang in his ears: *I can't let him know it's true. But so what? Sleeping with that director was for my career! It didn't burden him! I’m just trying to succeed on my own. I need an excuse.*

As Tang Xin opened her mouth to speak, Liu Sheng interrupted, "Enough. Don't say another word. Let's sleep."

His heart was shattered. He had already devised a plan: he would ruin that director before confronting Tang Xin. He walked out of the room and headed to his own quarters on the second floor.