Jiayi's eyes remained fixated on Chen Xiao as he finally relented, his suspicion momentarily fading. She took the opportunity to press further, her voice turning soft and concerned.
"Chen, can I ask you something?" Jiayi's tone was careful, like she was trying not to provoke him.
"What is it?" Chen Xiao responded, his gaze still sharp.
"Who told you about me being with another guy?" she asked, her fingers fiddling nervously with the hem of her blouse.
Chen Xiao hesitated. "Does it matter?"
"It does to me," Jiayi insisted, her voice trembling slightly. "I mean, if someone's trying to ruin our relationship with lies, I have a right to know."
Chen Xiao looked away, jaw clenched. "Someone just told me, okay?"
But Jiayi's eyes narrowed, her voice taking on a more accusing edge. "It was Lu Sheng, wasn't it?"
The slight flinch in Chen Xiao's expression was enough to confirm her suspicion. Her eyes gleamed with malice, though she kept her expression sorrowful and innocent. She reached out and grabbed his hand, her touch gentle.
"Chen, listen to me," Jiayi said, her eyes glistening with false sincerity. "Lu Sheng is trying to ruin our relationship. He's always been like this, doing whatever he can to create misunderstandings between us. He wants to break us apart."
Chen Xiao stiffened, his gaze darkening. "Why would he do that?"
"Because he hates me." Jiayi's voice quivered, and she looked down, pretending to be hurt. "You know... he even slapped me once. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to cause any problems between you two. But it's getting worse, Chen. This time, he went too far."
"What?" Chen Xiao's eyes widened, his fists clenching. "He hit you?"
Jiayi nodded slowly, her expression a perfect mix of pain and betrayal. "I didn't want to say anything, but he's crossing all the limits now. I'm afraid, Chen. Afraid of what he might do next."
The fire of anger inside Chen Xiao was now a raging inferno. His blood boiled at the thought of anyone laying a hand on Jiayi—especially Lu Sheng.
"I'll deal with him," Chen Xiao growled, his voice trembling with fury.
"Just be careful, okay?" Jiayi whispered, her lips curving into a smug smile the moment Chen Xiao looked away. Everything was going according to her plan.
---
Meanwhile, Lu Sheng was sitting on his bed, smiling like an idiot at his phone. The fact that Chen Xiao had called him earlier gave him hope.
"He actually called me... does that mean he wants to patch things up?" Lu Sheng muttered to himself, his heart fluttering with happiness. Maybe, just maybe, things were finally turning around for him.
His phone rang, and Chen Xiao's name flashed on the screen. His smile grew even wider.
"Hello?" Lu Sheng's voice was cheerful, bright.
"Come over. Now." Chen Xiao's voice was icy, harsh.
Lu Sheng's smile faltered. "Oh, uh, sure. Your place, right?"
"Yeah. Be here in twenty minutes."
Before Lu Sheng could respond, the call ended. The sharpness of Chen Xiao's tone made him uneasy, but he shook it off. Maybe Chen Xiao was just having a bad day.
He quickly got ready, his heart thumping with excitement as he made his way to Chen Xiao's apartment.
---
Lu Sheng knocked on the door, his lips curving into a nervous but hopeful smile. As the door opened, his eyes met Chen Xiao's.
"Hey! Chen, I—"
His words were cut off by the sharp pain exploding across his jaw. Chen Xiao's fist collided with his face, the force knocking him to the floor.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Lu Sheng?!" Chen Xiao's voice was venomous, the anger burning in his eyes more intense than Lu Sheng had ever seen.
"W-What...?" Lu Sheng's voice trembled as he clutched his throbbing jaw, confusion swirling in his mind.
Chen Xiao grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to his feet, his grip painfully tight. "You think it's okay to hurt Jiayi? To spread lies and mess with our relationship just because you can't stand seeing me happy with someone else?"
Lu Sheng's eyes widened, panic flashing through them. "I-I didn't—"
"Shut up!" Chen Xiao roared, shoving him backward. Lu Sheng stumbled and fell, his back slamming against the wall.
Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth, his entire body trembling from both pain and fear. "Chen, I swear... I didn't do anything like that..."
"Liar!" Chen Xiao snapped. "You slapped her, didn't you? You've been trying to ruin our relationship from the start!"
"What...? I never hit her. I-I only told you the truth because I thought you deserved to know. Chen, please, listen to me—"
Another punch landed on Lu Sheng's cheek, the pain blinding. Tears welled up in his eyes, his voice cracking with desperation.
"Chen... why... why won't you believe me?" Lu Sheng's voice was a broken whisper, his vision blurring from the tears and the pain.
Chen Xiao glared at him, fists still clenched and chest heaving. "Just get out, Lu Sheng. I don't want to see your face ever again."
Lu Sheng's heart shattered into a million pieces. With his entire body trembling and his face bloodied, he slowly pushed himself up and stumbled toward the door. His legs felt like they would give out any moment, but somehow, he managed to leave the apartment.
As the door slammed shut behind him, the world around him felt colder than ever.