Chapter 21: The Price of Being Blacklisted

The moment the messages appeared on her screen, Su Qingya paused.

She instinctively opened WeChat.

Only one contact remained on her list.

Xu Nian.

Did Niannian delete everyone again?

If someone had to be labeled the more insecure one in their relationship, Su Qingya believed it would undoubtedly be Xu Nian.

That was why she had accepted the explanation about the breakup being a “test” without hesitation.

Yet the more she thought about it, the more guilt crept into her heart.

Why hadn’t she realized it back then?

She should have fought harder to keep Xu Nian from leaving.

Instead, she had let her emotions take over, questioning her again and again without understanding why.

Fortunately, things hadn’t reached the point of no return.

After all, those questions had also carried another emotion.

Reluctance.

Love.

Xu Nian had surely understood that.

…Hadn’t she?

Su Qingya’s gaze slowly drifted toward the girl sleeping beside her.

Above Xu Nian’s head floated those familiar crimson words.

[Fear Value: 61%]

The number looked simple enough.

But what did sixty-one percent actually mean?

Perhaps it felt like discovering that your closest friend had secretly committed murder, yet still having to smile and act as though nothing had changed.

Outwardly calm.

Inwardly terrified.

Looking at Xu Nian peacefully resting against her shoulder, Su Qingya couldn’t help imagining a tiny version of her curled up inside, trembling in fear every time she drew near.

The thought made her chest tighten.

The stale scent of the taxi’s air conditioner mixed with Xu Nian’s faint fragrance.

Softly, almost too quietly to hear, Su Qingya whispered,

“Niannian… why are you afraid of me?”

Her attention returned to the messages.

Deleting her contact.

Missing today’s meeting.

Those things could be explained.

But the last question—

Do you have a younger sister named Su Qingnian?

That made no sense.

Wasn’t Xu Nian supposed to have gone in her place?

Could she have pretended to be her younger sister?

But why?

Su Qingya originally intended to explain everything immediately.

Instead, her fingers paused over the keyboard.

She decided to understand the situation first.

Su Qingya: Did something happen? I don’t have a younger sister.

The reply arrived almost instantly.

Lin Ye: You don’t? Then who was the woman who came in your place today?

Su Qingya: I’m not sure. Something urgent came up around noon, so I couldn’t make it. I didn’t have time to explain. What happened?

After several seconds, another message appeared.

Lin Ye: The woman who came was a Fluxweaver. She stabbed me twice. Judging from her movements, she looked experienced—like a repeat offender. Are you sure you don’t know her?

Su Qingya stared silently at the screen.

She understood immediately.

Xu Nian had stabbed him.

After all, she had personally told Xu Nian she could attend the banquet in her place.

And Xu Nian had indeed gone.

But…

Why would she attack Lin Ye?

Had he said something offensive?

Had he threatened her?

Su Qingya didn’t dwell on the reason.

Instead, another thought surfaced.

She needed to protect Xu Nian.

No matter what.

But how?

Pretending she knew nothing would only work until Lin Ye saw the two of them together.

The moment that happened, every denial would become meaningless.

Besides…

She was Xu Nian’s girlfriend.

She had no intention of distancing herself.

After a brief hesitation, she typed only two words.

Su Qingya: I’m sorry.

Then she blocked Lin Ye’s number without another explanation.

If retaliation came later…

She would face it together with Xu Nian.

Locking her phone, Su Qingya slipped her arm gently around the sleeping girl beside her.

Her embrace tightened ever so slightly.

She didn’t notice that Xu Nian had never truly fallen asleep.

Through half-closed eyes, Xu Nian observed every tiny movement.

A faint smile curved across her lips before she relaxed once more.

The truth was…

She really was getting carsick.

“Damn it!”

The instant he realized he had been blocked again, Lin Ye’s patience snapped.

He hurled his newly replaced phone onto the floor.

The screen shattered instantly, splitting into jagged fragments.

As the heir to the prestigious Lin family of City A, he had grown up surrounded by people desperate to please him.

Everyone watched his expression before speaking.

Everyone feared offending him.

Women constantly chased after him, fighting for his attention.

He found them annoying.

Yet now…

The woman he had personally taken the initiative to approach had blacklisted him.

Twice.

Not once.

Twice.

How dare she?

“President Lin.”

His assistant hurriedly stepped forward.

“We’ve completed our investigation.”

“Su Qingya’s adoptive parents died in a car accident when she was twelve. Afterward, she entered one of the city’s top middle schools due to her excellent academic record. Her grades remained outstanding, though her personality was reportedly withdrawn.”

“Get to the point.”

Lin Ye frowned impatiently.

“Yes, sir.”

The assistant coughed.

“Around her third year of middle school, she became close to Miss Xu.”

“What’s so important about making friends?”

Lin Ye scoffed.

The assistant silently swallowed the real answer.

According to their findings…

They hadn’t merely been friends.

They had been dating.

If that relationship had become public at school, it would have caused an enormous scandal.

Teachers had known.

But because of the Xu family’s influence—and because neither student’s grades suffered—the matter had quietly disappeared.

Su Qingya remained firmly ranked first in her class.

As for Miss Xu…

Her background spoke for itself.

“After graduation, Su Qingya enrolled at City No. 1 High School.”

“She’s still in high school?”

“She’s currently a senior and will take the college entrance examination next year.”

Lin Ye inhaled deeply.

So that inexplicable sense of immaturity hadn’t been his imagination.

She really was just a student.

“At least she’s legally an adult.”

Five years separated them.

Not enough to matter.

“Does she have a younger sister?”

The assistant hesitated.

“That… depends on how you define it.”

Lin Ye narrowed his eyes.

“Explain.”

“Recently, the Xu family contacted her.”

“Our investigation suggests she is actually the Xu family’s biological daughter who was switched at birth.”

“If that’s true… then technically she does have a younger sister.”

Lin Ye’s expression darkened.

The assistant quickly added,

“However, she hasn’t officially acknowledged the Xu family yet.”

“So legally speaking, she doesn’t have one.”

The tension in Lin Ye’s face eased.

“So it wasn’t Su Qingya.”

He folded his arms.

“The attack must have been orchestrated by one of our rival families.”

The assistant wisely remained silent.

After all, his own investigation had uncovered something rather different.

Miss Xu and Su Qingya were lovers.

And Su Qingya was the Xu family’s long-lost biological daughter.

Which meant…

The relationship could technically become one between sisters.

Reality truly was stranger than fiction.

Still, he chose not to mention it.

His employer harbored a deep prejudice against women.

Learning about such a relationship would only disgust him.

Besides—

“Look into every family that’s been making suspicious moves recently.”

Lin Ye interrupted his thoughts coldly.

“And compile a list of everyone in the city who follows the Merriment Path.”

“I want every file on my desk.”

“Yes, President Lin.”

Lin Ye’s eyes narrowed with dangerous fury.

“Whoever attacked me…”

“They’re going to pay for it.”