Not long after returning home, Lingyuan received an invitation from Su Wantang—the dance troupe had hired her as a guest lecturer, and she was invited to the appointment ceremony.
To celebrate, Gu Yanze bought out every major advertising screen in the city to promote Su Wantang. Her graceful, self-sacrificing spirit quickly went viral online, and people began calling her “the most beautiful Su Zhen.”
On the day of the ceremony, the auditorium was packed with reporters and media, all invited by Gu Yanze. Su Wantang entered in a designer gown, bought for her by Gu Yanze, and received her appointment certificate from the troupe’s director, who praised her courage and spirit in the face of danger.
All eyes were on her. Gu Yanze, dressed in a sharp suit, walked onto the stage with a bouquet of roses, smiling as he handed them to Su Wantang. The audience buzzed with envy at the public display of affection.
A reporter called out, “Mr. Gu, would you like to say a few words of support?”
Blushing, Su Wantang took the microphone and shyly reached for Gu Yanze’s hand. Just as their fingers touched, the giant screen behind them suddenly flickered to life, playing a video.
On the screen, Gu Yanze was seen pressing Su Wantang down, leaving frenzied marks on her neck.
The auditorium fell silent. No one expected such a scandalous scene to appear in public.
“Mr. Gu and Teacher Su…?!”
“Quick, cut the feed!” Gu Yanze shouted furiously at the staff, but Su Wantang was already covering her face in tears, fleeing the stage with her dress in hand.
Reporters snapped photos wildly, hungry for the explosive scoop.
“Who would do something so malicious, to broadcast that video?”
“They’re a good-looking couple, honestly. Now I’m looking forward to their wedding!”
“Poor Teacher Su, to have her privacy exposed like that. Who would try to ruin her?”
Gu Yanze stood frozen for a long time, then, trembling, turned to the stunned Lingyuan in the audience.
“Lingyuan, I know you didn’t do this!”
Before he could explain, a sharp slap landed on his face.
Why was she always the one to blame?
Did Gu Yanze really see her as his enemy?
Enraged, Gu Yanze roared, “Fine! You want to break up? Then let’s break up! From now on, you’re just my niece—nothing more!”
With those words, he stormed off to look for Su Wantang, but was quickly surrounded by a swarm of reporters. Flashbulbs blinded him as he struggled to get through the crowd.
In the chaos, someone yanked down the zipper of Lingyuan’s dress, leaving her exposed and humiliated. She tried to cover herself, but the reporters just snapped more photos.
“Please, stop! Delete those pictures!” she cried, but the reporters, like wolves scenting blood, only pressed in closer, trying to tear at her dress again.
The pain and shame made her want to disappear. Why couldn’t Gu Yanze protect her? Why did she always end up alone?
Just as she was about to collapse, several female dancers from the troupe rushed over, shielding her and helping her escape to a waiting car.
When she finally made it home, battered and exhausted, she found Gu Yanze waiting for her. He pinned her down, his anger burning.
She struggled to breathe as he pressed her into the cold floor, coughing violently from the pain, but still she bit her lip and refused to beg.
The more silent she became, the more furious Gu Yanze grew.
“How could you do something so vicious out of jealousy? I’ll teach you a lesson for your sister’s sake!”
The pain was unbearable, like ants eating away at her chest, but Lingyuan stubbornly lifted her chin. “I didn’t do it.”
He forced her down again and again, nearly suffocating her. Even the housekeeper knelt and begged Gu Yanze to stop, but he kicked her aside and continued his rage.
After failing to stop him, the housekeeper pleaded with Lingyuan to just admit guilt, saying, “If you don’t, he’ll really…”
Lingyuan, pressed against the ice-cold floor, suddenly laughed.
In her last life, Su Wantang had confessed to everything and was forgiven. Now, she was being forced to admit to something she hadn’t done, just to appease Gu Yanze.
No one would believe her explanations; they only wanted her to confess.
This kind of treatment only made her hate him more.
The suffocating pain spread through her entire body, her lips bitten until they bled. Gradually, she lost all sense of pain, darkness swallowing her as she slipped into unconsciousness.
When she woke up in the hospital, the noise of incoming messages made her head ache. As she prepared to leave, she saw that every news outlet was reporting on Gu Yanze’s public proposal.
On every screen, a handsome man knelt on one knee, holding a woman’s delicate hand.
Su Wantang, crying like a pear blossom in the rain, choked out, “Aze, you’re so good to me. But that video… why did you do that? I only wanted to save you, not…”
Before she could finish, Gu Yanze pulled her into his arms.
Chapter 05
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