"The tenant from Qiongzhou Island?"
Could it really be such a coincidence?
Xu Shiyan found herself intrigued. If nothing else, his face was certainly to her liking. If her goal was simply to uncover the grudges between the Sheng Family and Aunt Qing, to avenge Aunt Qing, and to look after An'an, this man was a far better choice than Sheng Zhiyu.
Xu Shiyan fell into deep thought.
Just as she was about to leave, Jiang Min reminded her with a smile, "By the way, I should mention that this Mr. Bo just returned a couple of days ago. He should be at Yueming Qianli tonight."
Xu Shiyan paused.
At that exact moment, a message came in from Mother Xu.
"Shiyan, Ayu and Nuonuo are attending a banquet at Yueming Qianli tonight. Why don't you come along and meet some friends?"
What a coincidence.
Xu Shiyan arched an eyebrow. It was the perfect opportunity to meet this Mr. Bo.
Ten o'clock in the evening, Yueming Qianli.
When Xu Shiyan pushed the door open and entered, Sheng Zhiyu and Xu Nuo were already there. The atmosphere in the room was quite lively. Amidst the clinking of glasses, someone brought up Xu Shiyan.
"I heard that Xu Shiyan is back, and she’s even been shoehorned into Mingxuan’s company? She really is shameless—to think she still has the nerve to show her face. And to think Ayu is still expected to marry her."
"The Old Master has already put his foot down; there's no way around it. When it comes down to it, it’s Nuonuo who’s the pitiful one. After all, she’s just an adopted daughter, not a true daughter of the Xu Family."
"But Xu Shiyan spent three years on Qiongzhou Island. Three years... just thinking about it is repulsive. They say Qiongzhou Island is full of criminals. Who knows what went on while she was living among that crowd..."
Before the words could even fade, the man in the corner, who had been idly swirling his glass, spoke up.
"Qiongzhou Island?"
Several people turned to look at him.
The man radiated an air of aloof nobility, his features stunningly, almost devilishly handsome, making him stand out in the crowd as if he belonged to another world entirely. He had been brought there by Sheng Zhiyu.
Not daring to be slighting, the guests quickly responded, "Indeed. The island has only been connected to the outside world for the past two years; before that, it was a place only for those with nowhere else to turn. Who knows what kind of things a woman who managed to survive there had to endure..."
Bo Jinke’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly at these words, though his cool, indifferent eyes remained unreadable.
Xu Nuo, sitting nearby, spoke softly, her expression full of pity. "No matter what my sister went through, the Xu Family is still her home. Ayu won't hold it against her..."
This comment did almost as much as the rumors to cement the idea that Xu Shiyan had been involved with unsavory men. Even Sheng Zhiyu couldn't help but frown.
Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open from the outside.
Xu Shiyan stood in the doorway, one hand in her pocket, looking at the people inside.
"Want to know what I went through on Qiongzhou Island?"
Her expression was lazy and amused. In her bright, striking eyes, there was not a trace of cowardice—she was open, frank, and captivatingly graceful.
So much so that for a moment, no one recognized this as the once unruly and reckless Xu Shiyan.
She stepped into the room, unhurried, and said, "It was nothing much. Just drinking beast blood and eating raw meat. When you're driven mad, you'll even eat a corpse. The women on Qiongzhou Island are far more vicious than the men."
Her gaze landed on Xu Nuo, a faint, mocking smile on her lips.
Xu Nuo, however, had gone deathly pale, as if truly frightened by the scene described.
The faces of those in the room were grim. Everyone knew Qiongzhou Island was a den of dangerous thugs, but no one had expected it to be so savage.
Xu Shiyan’s gaze swept over them, and suddenly, her lips curled, her tone shifting entirely.
"I’m kidding," she said, winking mischievously. "You didn't actually believe that, did you? Qiongzhou Island is just a bit remote; it’s not *that* desperate."
The hardship had been real, of course. But with Aunt Qing there, most people had managed to keep their moral bottom line.
Seeing the flicker of mischief in her eyes, the crowd realized they had been toyed with, and most of them looked displeased.
Only in the corner, Bo Jinke raised his peach-blossom eyes, his gaze fixed on Xu Shiyan as his thin lips curved into a slight smile.
Sheng Zhiyu frowned, trying to smooth things over. "Didn't we come here to gather? What's the point of talking about this? Let's play a game."
Most of the group followed Sheng Zhiyu’s lead, and hearing this, they quickly recovered and jumped back into the flow of things.
"Right, didn't someone suggest playing the Queen's game? Let's get started."
Since Xu Shiyan was there, she naturally joined in.
Xu Shiyan’s luck was good; she won the first round, and the target of the penalty was Xu Nuo.
She set her sights on Xu Nuo.
Xu Nuo chose "Truth," but upon seeing Xu Shiyan’s expression, she suddenly felt a prickle of unease.
The room grew quiet.
A long moment passed.
Xu Shiyan finally lifted her eyes, asking lazily, "Three years ago, what was the truth behind you falling into the water?"
Xu Nuo’s expression shifted instantly.
The others were stunned that Xu Shiyan would bring up the incident from three years ago. Everyone in their circle knew the story: Xu Shiyan had pushed Xu Nuo into the water, triggering her heart condition and sending her to the brink of death, which was why Xu Shiyan had been sent to Qiongzhou Island in the first place.
And yet, three years later, she was bringing up the past.
"What else could it be? Xu Shiyan, everyone knows you were the one who harmed Nuonuo."
"Exactly. Nuonuo nearly died on the operating table. How can you have the face to bring this up again?"
Xu Shiyan merely raised her gaze, looking at Xu Nuo with indifference. "What do you say?"
Xu Nuo bit her lip, her eyes darting around.
After a long time, she softened her expression, looking troubled. "Sister, the past is in the past. Aunt Xu has been very good to me, and I’ve already let it go. I don't want to talk about it anymore. If you must insist, then I’ll just drink instead."
With that, she reached out to grab a glass of strong spirits.
Before she could touch it, Sheng Zhiyu snatched the glass away, his face cold.
"I'll drink for her."
He downed the drink in one gulp.
He fixed a chilling gaze on Xu Shiyan, his disdain evident. "Nuo Nuo is always looking out for your dignity, yet you have no self-awareness. Xu Shiyan, you truly disappoint me. Three years later, and you haven't changed a bit. You wasted those three years on Qiongzhou Island."