Chapter 33: The Ex-Husband

The rising and falling chorus of voices and gasps pulled Xia Rusheng once again into a vortex of memory. She feigned curiosity as she followed the collective gaze of the crowd, only to find her eyes locking with the terrified Su Xi.

Years had passed, and the woman was indeed far more beautiful than before. Her attire and every gesture betrayed just how comfortable her life had been over the past two years. Yet, this comfort was built upon the ruins of her own life; the capital for her happiness had been paid for in every drop of her blood!

She could never forget how "she" had once lain on the ground, a mangled mass of flesh and blood in her past life, nor could she ever forget the loss of her only child.

The hatred that had once cost her her life was now a feud that could not coexist under the same sky!

For every drop of blood she had shed, she would make Su Xi pay back double. If Su Xi wanted her dead, then she would make Su Xi wish she were dead!

Her hand, resting on Lin Yichen’s shoulder, tightened unconsciously. No matter how hard she tried to conceal it, a sliver of her emotions leaked through. Lin Yichen felt the fabric of his shoulder bunch under her grip, and he could not help but notice. He followed her gaze, then looked back at her, a flicker of confusion stirring in his heart.

Why was there such intense hatred in Xia Xia’s eyes when she looked at Su Xi?

As far as he knew, Xia Xia did not know Su Xi. Moreover, the background checks he had run indicated that before her car accident, Xia Xia had spent years studying away from home and had never had any intersection with the wealthy socialites of A-City. But the look in her eyes suggested otherwise...

After finishing the dance, still plagued by doubt, Lin Yichen decided to test her one more time. He led her directly to Su Xi and introduced them: "This is Su Xi, the eldest daughter of the Su family from Hyatt International. She is also a shareholder of Universal Media and the lead actress in my new film. You two will likely be seeing quite a bit of each other."

Xia Rusheng did not suspect his motives. She tried her best to remain calm, but at the mention of the words "eldest daughter of the Su family," she nearly bit through her lip in hatred.

The Su family... a fine Su family indeed!

Su Xi’s complexion was no better. The person standing before her looked exactly like Xia Rusheng. Seeing her was like seeing Xia Rusheng come back to life. Yet, this girl was clearly just eighteen, her physique and temperament entirely different from the Xia Rusheng she had known.

"Miss Xia, hello." After struggling to compose herself, Su Xi extended a hand. There was too much evidence proving this person was not Xia Rusheng. Xia Rusheng was dead—truly, completely dead. She could not possibly appear before her again. No one would take away everything she had now!

"Miss Su, hello. You look very familiar. Perhaps we really have met somewhere before," Xia Rusheng responded, feigning friendliness. She knew Su Xi’s personality all too well—a woman who feared offending anyone and loved currying favor with socialites. As long as she showed an interest in being friends, Su Xi would never refuse; at least, not on the surface.

Lin Yichen observed the shift in Xia Rusheng’s expression, momentarily pushing his doubts aside. "The original owner of the face you now possess was Miss Su’s younger sister. Didn't you notice how surprised she was when she saw you?"

Surprised? It was more like terror!

Xia Rusheng smiled noncommittally and played along. "No wonder I felt Miss Su’s gaze was particularly intense. It seems we truly have a connection."

A connection of blood and vengeance!

"Indeed, now that you mention it, Young Master Lin, I feel the same," Su Xi said. Just as Xia Rusheng had anticipated, she quickly accepted this "new friend."

At that moment, others began to approach. Glancing through her peripheral vision, Xia Rusheng noted quite a few old acquaintances.

"Yichen, is this your fiancée?" The speaker was Ruan Ling, the current mistress of the Lu family, stepmother to Lu Siyun and Lu Siyang, and the biological mother of Lu Si'ang and Lu Sining.

During the three months she had been married into the Lu family, Xia Rusheng had dealt with her often. The woman came from a prominent family background; she was educated, sophisticated, and cunning. She was not a woman of low stature like Tan Li, and she operated on a level even higher than the Old Madam Xia.

Although the other two Lu brothers were not her own, she had raised them with an air of detached impartiality, grooming them into such excellence that outsiders could find no fault. Yet, in the end, one brother had chosen to marry into the Lin family just to escape the Lu household, and the other had lived abroad since reaching adulthood. The secrets hidden beneath that surface were invisible to outsiders.

"Aunt, I know you are surprised. I will explain the ins and outs of this to you in detail another time," Lin Yichen said, not wanting to elaborate here. It involved some of the filthier dealings of the Xia family. It was enough for everyone to know that his fiancée was Xia Xia, and that she was not the notorious Xia Rusheng.

"Hello, Aunt Lu," Xia Rusheng greeted her, meeting her gaze with composure.

Ruan Ling’s expression clearly showed her distaste. First, Xia Xia was merely the daughter of a second-tier family, which in her eyes was a blatant attempt to climb the social ladder, perhaps even a case of the Xia family selling their daughter for glory. Second, there was that face—a face that inevitably reminded her of her "former daughter-in-law," the woman who had brought shame upon the Lu family.

"Hello," Ruan Ling replied coldly, her attitude making it clear that she had no desire to stay a moment longer. She left mid-event, taking Lu Si'ang with her.

The departure of the Lu family members sparked much speculation. Aside from the Lu family, the remaining guests grew even more intrigued. This banquet had provided them with many surprises, and they were more than happy to stay and see if there would be more drama.

Heaven did not disappoint. Halfway through the dance, the sound of ceremonial cannons erupted. Looking through the cruise ship’s windows, one could see the sky dancing with fireworks; nearly the entirety of A-City was shrouded in a brilliant, kaleidoscopic display.

The guests flocked to the deck, only to discover that the ship had quietly returned to the dock. Beyond the red carpet connecting the ship to the land, there were countless unlit fireworks. Suddenly, a whistle blew from somewhere, and more fireworks soared into the sky in front of the ship, spelling out the words: "Happy Birthday, Xia Xia."

At the same time, the fireworks outside the ship intensified in brilliance. Throughout the entire city’s skyline, the words "Xia Xia" and "Happy Birthday" flashed repeatedly, as if they would never vanish, forever showering her with blessings for her happiness.

"Is this the surprise you prepared for me? Isn't it a bit... extravagant?" Xia Rusheng had intended to say "wasteful." The entire city was lit up with these specially crafted fireworks, and they had already been going for fifteen minutes with no sign of stopping. This was no ordinary gesture.

"No—"

"It was me."

Just as Lin Yichen was about to deny it, a sharp, low voice cut through the sound of the fireworks. A tall man in a long coat walked slowly toward them. His features were sharp, his nose bridge high, and his thin lips were pressed into a firm line. He exuded an aura of profound, cold isolation.

When Xia Rusheng saw him, she couldn't help but recoil a step. It was him!

Her "ex-husband"—Lu Siyang!