The police officer was momentarily stunned and muttered, "No, no, it's just an ordinary photograph."
Fu Hanyi sneered coldly, "I am a public figure, and I have taken pictures with many people. Am I supposed to be linked to every single one of them if something happens to them?"
The officer was left somewhat speechless.
Floating in midair, I gave a hollow, mirthless laugh.
Now I finally understood why Fu Hanyi had never taken an intimate photo with me. It turned out he was afraid that later on, I would use the pictures to hound him.
The photograph the police had found was the only selfie Fu Hanyi and I had ever taken together.
I was smiling happily at the camera, but Fu Hanyi wore a forced, lifeless smile, making it look like nothing more than a photo of a fan with an idol, showing not the slightest hint of intimacy.
This man never left a single clue that could tie me to him.
With such extreme caution on his part, how could I ever hope to win against him?
"However, Wen Yuan has indeed been missing for several days," the police officer said. "We are simply carrying out our routine duties to look for relevant clues, and we hope Mr. Fu will understand."
Fu Hanyi said in a deep voice, "She has nothing to do with me."
Ha.
Just how heartless do you have to be to utter such merciless words?
I died carrying his flesh and blood, yet he actually claimed I had nothing to do with him!
"It's all my fault," Liang Xinwei suddenly wept beside them.
She was sitting right next to Fu Hanyi, and seeing the person of his heart in tears, Fu Hanyi immediately reached out to pull Liang Xinwei into his arms around her shoulder, asking gently, "What's wrong?"
Liang Xinwei choked back a sob, her face full of guilt. "Hanyi, that day on the cruise ship, I shouldn't have accepted your engagement ring and broken my sister's heart. But I truly didn't know you and my sister were in a relationship. If I had known earlier, I definitely would have stepped aside.
My sister was so heartbroken that day, and seeing that made me feel so distressed..."
Liang Xinwei choked up and could not continue, tears falling one by one, making her look pitiable.
Floating above her head, I sneered.
This woman was most skilled at disguising herself as an injured little white rabbit to win men's pity. Yet I knew very well that she was pure, toxic venom wrapped in sweetness.
Before I turned ten, I was a wealthy heiress myself. It was only after my mother welcomed a wolf into the house that I became, in Fu Hanyi's words, an ant living at the very bottom of society.
Liang Xinwei was originally the daughter of my father's driver. A car accident had claimed her father's life, leaving Liang Xinwei and her mother, Feng Xishu, to depend on each other.
My mother had a kind heart and, seeing the poor orphan and widow, generously took them in to live with the Wen family. She even adopted Liang Xinwei as her foster daughter, treating her just like her own flesh and blood.
Yet who could have expected that this mother and daughter would repay kindness with enmity?
Feng Xishu used her pretty face to seduce my father, Wen Honggang. When my mother discovered their illicit affair, she demanded a divorce. Naturally, Wen Honggang was unwilling; as the one at fault, he would have had to give up a large portion of his assets to my mother.
Yet my mother's heart was thoroughly chilled, and she ultimately chose to leave with nothing just so Wen Honggang would agree to the divorce.
She took me away from the Wen family, cut all ties with Wen Honggang, and single-handedly raised me through her own hard work. Liang Xinwei transformed overnight into a young socialite, while I fell from a rich girl down to Cinderella.
Once, just after parting ways with Fu Hanyi, I ran into Liang Xinwei.
She smiled deviously at me and said, "Sister, your boyfriend is so good-looking. You really need to put in more effort to keep a close eye on him."
She had clearly seen me with Fu Hanyi; how could she possibly not know that Fu Hanyi and I were dating?
She was simply cooperating with Fu Hanyi to stage this cruel drama of toying with me. Moreover, even when Fu Hanyi heartlessly threw the pills I had traded my blood to buy onto the ground one by one, she still played her part to perfection.
Flustered, she had crouched on the ground to pick up the pills, anxiously pleading, "Hanyi, stop throwing them. Let my sister take the medicine and sell it to get some living expenses. Her family is so poor right now..."
Every word she spoke was laced with hidden venom, yet she managed to make everyone else think she was kind-hearted.She feigned sadness, but when our eyes met, her gaze was filled with the joy of finally seeing me humiliated. It was exactly like that moment years ago, when my mother and I were forced to leave the Wen family with nothing, and she whispered into my ear, "Sister, everything that was yours is finally mine."
In the blink of an eye, she turned to the crowd, her eyes reddening with tears as she choked out, "Sister, I’m so sorry. This is a matter for the adults, and I have no way to intervene. But from now on, if you encounter any difficulties, please don't hesitate to tell me. I will do everything in my power to help you."
This great white lotus had finally snatched away my identity, my status, and my wealth. My mother had been kindhearted, but she was like the farmer who saved two vipers.
Hearing this, Fu Hanyi gently wiped the tears from Liang Xinwei’s face, his expression filled with tenderness. "Don't shed tears for someone so inconsequential."
Inconsequential...
These stinging words had long since left me numb.
"But she is my foster sister. When we lived together in the Wen family growing up, she was very good to me," Liang Xinwei said, a look of worry crossing her face. "Has she really gone missing?"
"Weeds are lowly and hardy; there’s no need for you to worry about her," Fu Hanyi replied coldly.
"That's true." Liang Xinwei’s sorrow tempered slightly, her tone feigning a superficial lightness. "Sister was the same way when we were little. Whenever she was unhappy, she would play at disappearing and make everyone go looking for her. I remember one time when we couldn't find her, and Dad was so worried he nearly called the police, but then she just suddenly showed up as if nothing had happened. This time, I expect she’s just throwing a little tantrum, hoping you’ll go look for her. Sigh, she just has a bit of a temper, but she’s actually quite kind at heart."
Mentioning this made me want to tear that green tea bitch's mask right off her face.
That time, it was she who had locked me in the attic, refusing to let me out. I was trapped for days; if not for the dry rations in the attic, I would have starved to death. On the day she locked me away, Wen Honggang had planned to take me to a municipal government banquet where I was set to perform on stage. When I turned up missing, he had no choice but to take Liang Xinwei to the event instead.
She performed a dance in my place, which not only saved the Wen family’s reputation but also helped my father secure a major project, earning Wen Honggang a massive profit. In contrast, I—the one who had "disappeared" without cause—appeared willful and ignorant.
Because of this, Wen Honggang grew even fonder of her.
Wen Honggang had never been close to me, but after that, he grew even more distant. I had assumed it was because he favored sons and disliked having a daughter, as businessmen always want heirs to inherit their wealth. But seeing how he doted on Liang Xinwei, I finally understood: he didn't dislike daughters; he just disliked a daughter like me, who lacked the wit to be slick and sycophantic.
Liang Xinwei, meanwhile, fawned over the Wen family with all her might. She was sweet-tongued and smooth, easily winning everyone’s affection. Everyone thought her more cultured, gentle, and kind than me.
Once she had secured the approval of the Wen family, Liang Xinwei began to target me openly, fabricating various scenarios to make it look like I was bullying her. She succeeded every time, leaving me unable to defend myself, and gradually, I became branded as the wicked sister. Even later, when I revealed that it was Liang Xinwei who had locked me in the attic, no one believed me.
She, the adopted daughter, was doted on by all, while I, the true heiress, was cast aside. At that young age, unable to accept such a disparity, I would sneak away to hide and cry. When my family couldn't find me, they would say I was throwing a tantrum and playing at disappearing.
My reputation for vanishing was spread in this very way. In reality, it was all nothing more than a label Liang Xinwei had pinned on me.
The police officer noticed something amiss and looked at Liang Xinwei. "Miss Liang, what is your relationship with Wen Yuan?"