Chapter 21: Breakup

With a heavy heart, Bai Xiaoli returned the token of affection I had given her yesterday. I did not reach out to take it, but instead looked at the girl in front of me, her eyes red from crying, puzzled. I asked, “Xiaoli, what’s happened? Did your father say something to you?”

Bai Xiaoli must have told her father about how I saved him. Bai Ranhe had always opposed our relationship. Xiaoli must have heard something from someone else; otherwise, how could her attitude toward me change so drastically in just one night?

Seeing that I didn’t take the pocket watch, Bai Xiaoli set it down on the table. She lifted her head, her dark eyes serious and focused on my face. “Pi Yangxi, tell me, have you been married before? Do you have a child with someone else?”

“What?” I was utterly taken aback and hurried to explain, “Who told you such nonsense? I haven’t even been in a relationship before.”

“Xu Yingying!” Bai Xiaoli’s words carried both jealousy and disappointment.

At the mention of Xu Yingying, my face clouded instantly. I stared intensely at Bai Xiaoli, and sure enough, I could still see a faint trace of evil lingering between her brows—something only encountered after meeting something unclean. Luckily, Bai Xiaoli’s fate was strong; otherwise, she would have been seriously ill today.

“Xu Yingying sought you out?” My tone turned grave.

Seeing that I really knew Xu Yingying, Bai Xiaoli seemed convinced there was something between us. Unable to contain her emotions, she collapsed onto the table and burst into tears, sobbing as she spoke: “That woman told me everything. She said you already—already stayed in a hotel room with her, and were about to get married. She told me not to be the other woman.” Bai Xiaoli lifted her head and glared at me. “Pi Yangxi, I never imagined you were this kind of person. You’ve broken your grandfather’s engagement anyway, so from now on, we have nothing to do with each other.” With that, Bai Xiaoli stood up to leave.

I grabbed her arm, my gaze unwavering as I looked at her. “Xiaoli, you’ve been deceived. Xu Yingying isn’t human—she’s a malevolent spirit!”

“What?” Bai Xiaoli was startled by my words, but her expression softened as she asked, “Then, are the things she said true or false?”

I shook my head solemnly and told her it was false. Then I explained everything that had happened in my room yesterday, even showing her the red string I had tied above my door. Bai Xiaoli clearly trusted me completely now. She asked again, “Have you ever been with any other woman?”

I shook my head, replying, “Of course not. I, Pi Yangxi, swear on my life—I am still a virgin. If I lied to you, may lightning strike me down.”

Bai Xiaoli blushed, lowering her head and muttering shyly, “Who asked you to swear? Besides, whether you’re a virgin or not has nothing to do with me.” Though she said that, I could see the joy blooming in her heart. But soon, she lowered her head again, her brows furrowing as if deep in thought.

I waited for Bai Xiaoli to confide in me, but after a long silence she still didn’t speak. Instead, she picked up the pocket watch from the table and handed it to me once more, saying, “Yangxi, I’m sorry, I still can’t marry you. Because I’m about to marry someone else.”

Hearing this, my heart plunged to the depths like a roller coaster. I quickly asked, “What happened? Who are you marrying?”

Bai Xiaoli let out a deep sigh. “Our Bai family has encountered unprecedented trouble. If it’s not resolved, not only will we go bankrupt, we’ll also face billions in compensation…”

From her tone, the Bai family seemed to be facing an extremely difficult predicament. Indeed, breaking off the engagement had brought disaster upon them.