Chapter 11: Choosing

Duan Sili only glanced at the video on his phone before turning off the screen.

“Gao Lina, come apologize.”

His voice was neither high nor low, the tone clipped, yet it made the entire pool area as quiet as a chicken coop.

Su Wan’an let out a sigh of relief, subtly glancing at Gao Lina, a barely suppressed triumph in her eyes.

Gao Lina’s tears streamed down her face as she shook her head frantically.
“Impossible, I… I didn’t even touch her. How could I have…”

She glared resentfully at Xu Yin.
“How did you film that!”

“Gao Lina.” Duan Sili lifted an eyelid and looked at her.
“Come here.”

Just that one look, and the girl moved like a puppet being pulled, dragging her feet as she walked over.

Though unwilling, she dared not disobey him even more.

No one had the guts to refuse him.

Gritting her teeth, Gao Lina walked up to Su Wan’an, wiping away tears with the back of her hand, leaving a black streak of mascara on her face.

“I’m sorry.” She bit out the three words to Su Wan’an.

With so many eyes on them, Su Wan’an immediately stepped forward and touched her elbow.
“It’s alright, dear.”

Her voice was as sweet as cotton candy, and she said with great magnanimity, “My little sister is young and doesn’t know any better. How could I take it seriously?”

The onlookers whispered, praising Su Wan’an’s kindness and discussing Gao Lina’s harshness.

“Not an ounce of sincerity in that apology.”
“It’s a good thing she ran into Su Wan’an, who isn’t holding it against her.”
“She doesn’t even know her place, daring to challenge Wan’an.”

Gao Lina was furious.
She ran out of the villa, crying.

Gao Minglang, knowing his sister’s explosive temper, chased after her, fearing she might get into some trouble.

Duan Sili returned the phone to Xu Yin.
“Thanks.”

He said it without any emotion.

Their fingertips touched for a fleeting moment, and Xu Yin felt his body temperature—it was cold.

This man, it was as if even his blood was cold.

He and Su Wan’an walked into the villa side by side, seeming intimate yet distant.

Xu Yin lowered her head and unlocked her phone, only to find that the video had been completely deleted, leaving no trace even in the “recently deleted” album.

It was truly clean and thorough.

With Gao Minglang, the birthday boy, gone, the birthday party at the villa became dull and uninteresting.
Guests tactfully began to leave one after another.

Xu Yin changed back into her own clothes.
As she stepped out of the villa gate, Su Wan’an came up to her.

She had already tidied herself up, no longer looking disheveled from falling into the water.
In such a short time, her hair was even curled, and her makeup was meticulously applied.

It was truly “socialite refinement” etched into her bones.

“Xu Yin, thank you just now.” Su Wan’an intimately linked her arm with hers.
“Let’s go back together. I’ll drive you back to school.”

“Okay.”

Xu Yin got into Su Wan’an’s car and left the lakeside villa area.

In the car, Su Wan’an casually chatted with her, asking her how old she was when she started learning to paint, seemingly particularly interested in this skill of hers.

Xu Yin told her, “I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pen.”

Su Wan’an stared at the young girl’s profile.
“You remind me a lot of a friend of mine. She also had a talent for painting.”

“Is that so?”

“No, not a friend, a cousin.”

“I heard that many years ago, your cousin’s family had an accident while on vacation abroad,” Xu Yin casually mentioned.

Su Wan’an’s heart couldn’t help but tremble…

“It was truly tragic,” Su Wan’an said, her eyes welling up slightly.
“My cousin was the kindest person to me in the world. I learned to paint… she taught me hand-in-hand.”

“Then you must have been very sad,” Xu Yin’s tone was flat, yet… deeply meaningful.

Su Wan’an turned her face towards the car window, looking at the rapidly passing neon nightscape outside.
“Let’s not talk about it.”

“Even though the person is gone, as long as you remember her, she’s with you.”

These words instantly sent a chill down Su Wan’an’s spine, making her shiver as she looked at Xu Yin.

The young girl was smiling at her, her features gentle and soft, but her eyes were unfathomably dark.

As if they could swallow all light sources.

A sudden chill ran up Su Wan’an’s back.

“Please stop at Huguangyu ahead. I live here,” Xu Yin told the driver.

Su Wan’an’s heart tightened.
“You live here?”

Duan Sili’s private apartment was also in Huguangyu.

“My brother bought a house here,” Xu Yin said casually.

“Oh, so that handsome guy number 5 from the basketball game last time, that’s your brother.”

“Yes.”

Su Wan’an seemed a little relieved, but couldn’t help but ask, “Is he your biological brother?”

“Of course.” Xu Yin tilted her head and smiled, her cheek dimples shallow, pure and harmless.
“Don’t we look alike?”

“Quite alike.” Su Wan’an’s shoulders relaxed.

She was still overthinking. She couldn’t possibly be her.

In the noisy bar, Duan Sili drank cup after cup, as if trying to get himself drunk.

The eyes of the women around him intentionally and unintentionally drifted towards him.

His long fingers held a crystal glass, amber liquid swirling, his gaze slightly intoxicated.

There was a smudge of alcohol on his shirt collar.

It was strange; wherever he was, the gazes around him… would automatically stick to him like a spiderweb.

Some women, dressed maturely and sensually, twisted their waists and went forward to strike up a conversation.

Duan Sili didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids, and his thin lips coldly uttered a single word—

“Get lost.”

The women’s faces instantly changed, not daring to provoke him further, and retreated in a hurry.

Soon, Gao Minglang walked in, sat down at the bar with a dejected look, and said to Duan Sili, “My sister is truly too ignorant. I’m sorry, is Su Wan’an alright? I called her just now, but her phone was off. Tomorrow, I’ll personally go to her house to apologize.”

Although the Su family had declined considerably over the years, no longer possessing the immense power they once held as the wealthiest family in Ao Gang Wan.

However, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.
No matter what, the Gao family could not afford to offend the Su family.

Furthermore, with the impending marriage alliance between the Su and Duan families, if it truly came to fruition, their combined power would be an even more formidable presence.

Gao Minglang usually joked around, but when it came to matters involving family interests, he was clearer-headed than anyone.

However, Duan Sili said, “No need. Gao Lina didn’t push her. She fell herself.”

“What!”

“The video was recorded.”

Gao Minglang stared at him in astonishment.
“Then why the hell did you make my sister apologize?!”

“It had to be done.” Duan Sili didn’t explain the reason.

Gao Minglang looked at him incredulously, a rush of blood surging to his head, and he abruptly grabbed Duan Sili’s collar.

But at the moment Duan Sili’s indifferent gaze swept over him, he suddenly released his hand.

Duan Sili had shown him kindness.

He had once single-handedly stormed into an underground casino, pulled him out from among a dozen thugs, and saved his life.

Gao Minglang picked up the half-empty bottle of wine on the table and angrily chugged it down.

“My sister almost fell into the sea just now. You know her personality, you know she can’t stand being wronged the most. Why did you force her to admit to something she didn’t do! Are my sister and I worth less than one Su Wan’an in your eyes!”

Duan Sili turned his head to look at him, his eyes bloodshot.
“You’ve always known my situation. Don’t say such things again.”

“Yes, how impressive Master Duan is, enduring humiliation, moving step by step, ruthless…” Gao Minglang looked at him mockingly.
“For your scheme, you can sacrifice everyone, including your friends.”

“Yes,” Duan Sili said in a low voice.
“Let alone your sister, even my own mother, when it’s time to sell her, I wouldn’t even blink.”

“Someone like you doesn’t deserve to have friends,” Gao Minglang harshly flung those words, then turned and left.

Duan Sili picked up his cup, caressing it for a while.

After a moment, he suddenly threw it.

Splinters of cold light scattered.

“Really?! Such a dramatic scene happened at Gao Minglang’s birthday party?” On the phone, Qi Youwei kept asking for details.

Xu Yin was lying on her bed doing leg raises, her pajamas stretched with her movements, her slender waist showing surprising strength—

“Gao Lina really didn’t push her. I recorded the evidence.”

“But she still apologized to Su Wan’an.”

“Yes, and the evidence was deleted too.”

“That’s normal. Duan Sili will definitely help Su Wan’an unconditionally.”

“Because of the marriage alliance?”

“Yes, although it hasn’t been officially announced, both families’ parents actually had an understanding long ago and settled the matter. It concerns family interests, so Duan Sili won’t have a second choice.”

“It seems these things happen quite often.”

“Are you talking about disputes between girls? Su Wan’an does often have conflicts with some girls. Most of the time, Duan Sili doesn’t get involved; girls’ matters are for girls to solve themselves,” Qi Youwei said gravely.
“But if it’s brought directly to him, without a doubt, Duan Sili will protect Su Wan’an.”

“I heard that the decision for the marriage alliance was made by his eldest brother.”

“That’s right, Duan Mingtai, his older brother, is in power in the Duan family now. Duan Sili was actually exiled for many years, living in Moscow, and he only returned to the country two years ago after Duan Mingtai and Su Wan’an’s father finalized the marriage alliance.”

“Duan Mingtai is thirty-six this year, isn’t he?”

“Yes, if it weren’t for the huge age gap, Duan Mingtai probably would have taken care of it himself. Why would he call Duan Sili back?” Qi Youwei gossiped.

“Duan Mingtai is already married, but he hasn’t had children,” Xu Yin said.
“He should… also be wary of this younger brother.”

“I don’t know about that,” Qi Youwei said.
“Hey, hey, weren’t we talking about Su Wan’an’s gossip? How did we get to the Duan family?”

“What’s the situation with Gao Lina?” Xu Yin asked curiously.
“Is she at odds with Su Wan’an?”

“Gao Minglang is someone who has always been by Duan Sili’s side. They’ve been friends since childhood. So Duan Sili is quite good to Gao Lina, unlike his coldness towards other girls.”

“No wonder Su Wan’an hates her.”

“She hates Su Wan’an too, and she’s a little delinquent; she acts without considering the consequences.”

“Weiwai, you know so much about these rich family feuds.”

“Uh, probably because I’ve always been in the thick of it,” Qi Youwei explained.
“Before our family went bankrupt, we weren’t any worse off than the Gao family, hmph. I used to be a young miss of a rich family too.”

Her tone carried a hint of playful mockery, but Xu Yin also detected a touch of sadness.

“What happened to your family later?”

“I was still young then. The original head of the Su family wasn’t Su Wan’an’s father; it was his older brother. Our family had a very good relationship with them, and that girl… Su Wan’an’s cousin, was my childhood best friend.”

Qi Youwei’s voice became heavy, tinged with hatred.
“Later, their family had an accident, a shipwreck… Su Wan’an’s father was just an uneducated gambling addict who inherited all of the Su family’s assets overnight. Su Wan’an also transformed into the young miss of the Su family. After that, the Su family began to target our family, and then, we went bankrupt.”

“Has Su Wan’an always bullied you all these years?”

“Yes, perhaps it’s also because of her jealousy and hatred towards that person.”

Her voice suddenly softened, as if recalling something warm.
“My best friend… she was only in kindergarten back then. I remember she was such a good, good little girl, smart and so beautiful, like an angel…”

The next second, her tone hardened again.
Qi Youwei gritted her teeth and said, “Su Wan’an made me live in Jing Shu Lou just so she could vent her frustrations when she was in a bad mood…”

“Don’t worry.” Xu Yin stood by the window, overlooking the city’s neon lights.
“It won’t happen again.”

After hanging up the phone, Xu Yin saw several WeChat messages on her phone, all from Gao Minglang—

Classmate Xiao Ming: “I’m really sorry about today, letting you see that spectacle. I couldn’t host properly.”
Classmate Xiao Ming: “I’ve completely fallen out with Duan Sili. Damn it, abandoning friends for a woman, what kind of behavior is that, bullying my sister.”
Classmate Xiao Ming: “Ugh, so annoying.”
Classmate Xiao Ming: “Infuriating, I regret it now, but I can’t bring myself to go find him…”
Classmate Xiao Ming: “Wuwuwuwu, please comfort me…”

Xu Yin sent him a “pat on the head” emoji, then expressionlessly put down her phone and went to the walk-in closet.

Her fingertips glided across a row of dresses, finally stopping at a pure white dress.

The color was very much like that of an angel.

Before going out, she called Gao Minglang.

It was late at night.

Duan Sili habitually suffered from insomnia.

Even being drunk didn’t help him fall asleep quickly.

“Ding ding ding.”

The video intercom started ringing.
At first, he thought it was a dream, pulled the pillow over his head, and tried to sleep for a while.

The ringing persisted relentlessly.

Annoying.

Duan Sili threw off the covers, his bare feet touching the cold wooden floor.
He walked to the door and pressed the intercom button.

The screen lit up.

A fair, clear face appeared on the screen, her almond eyes curved, her voice crisp and clear—

“Duan Sili, could you press the elevator for me?”

Duan Sili’s voice was low, hoarse, and cold.
“What for?”

On the video, Xu Yin shook the green grape lemon blast water in her hand.
“I heard you drank too much, so I came to check on you, and also…”

She extended her left hand, which had been hidden behind her back, holding a small cream cake, and smiled—

“Happy Birthday.”

Duan Sili didn’t even think, directly refusing.
“I don’t celebrate birthdays.”

Just then, Xu Yin stepped aside.

Behind her, Gao Minglang stood with an embarrassed expression.
“Before, you always celebrated my birthday. This time, I also wanted to simply celebrate yours.”