Xia Ziyu bit her lip, her face showing both stubbornness and grievance.

Liu Yong also felt the Xia family members were all sourly affected, especially this female university student who acted as if she’d been bullied. Heaven knows, who had bullied her. She appeared out of nowhere causing trouble. As an elder and a grown man, what could he say?

Li Fengmei tugged at his sleeve, indicating she would speak up for her niece:

“So you came to apologize? If you’re apologizing, look like you mean it, not with that funeral face – it’s so inauspicious! Young people these days have no sense of propriety! What, can’t you see your elders standing here? Well, I suppose our family has cut ties with you Xias. Good dogs don’t block the road, so don’t stand in our way… Hey, I’m talking to you! Why are you hiding? I haven’t even touched you, and don’t you dare cry!”

Li Fengmei was aggressive but didn’t resort to physical action.

Some pilgrims watching were getting impatient.

Just say something! Standing there with that wronged expression without saying a word – the more impatient onlookers couldn’t wait, feeling Li Fengmei’s crude words weren’t entirely wrong.

Xia Ziyu didn’t argue back, making everyone subconsciously feel she must be here to apologize.

Xia Ziyu called out to everyone with a red face, even addressing Liu Fen as “Second Aunt.” Liu Fen didn’t know whether to acknowledge it.

Wang Jianhua pulled Xia Ziyu behind him protectively:

“Xiaolan, your sister hasn’t wronged you. The mistake was mine – I chose to be with your sister. But I don’t regret it at all. Ziyu is the kindest girl I’ve ever met, she cares about you-“

Wow!

That was a lot to take in.

Don’t assume rural folks wouldn’t understand. This man had probably been with the younger sister first, then switched to the elder sister. Having switched was one thing, but they couldn’t have it both ways – expecting the younger sister to graciously give them her blessing?

Xia Xiaolan remained silent while Xia Ziyu felt increasingly uneasy.

She had come to placate Xia Xiaolan and show her magnanimity in front of Wang Jianhua.

But Wang Jianhua, being a man, lacked such subtle thoughts and took all the blame upon themselves – how could this work?

“Xiaolan, it’s all sister’s fault. If this will make you stop being angry and not take it out on other family members, I’m willing to apologize! Could you go see Second Uncle? He misses you and Second Aunt terribly. During New Year, can’t family members sit down and talk things through properly… You should think about Second Aunt – divorce isn’t the way to resolve conflicts. She and Second Uncle have been married for twenty years, why should it come to this?”

Xia Ziyu’s words immediately diverted the onlookers’ attention.

Divorce was rare in those days, especially in rural areas. They had thought it was gossip about sisters fighting over a man, but it turned out to be the elder sister trying to promote family harmony.

As the “Second Aunt” mentioned in Xia Ziyu’s words, Liu Fen felt everyone’s eyes on her.

Divorce wasn’t something to be proud of. Liu Fen usually tried not to think about it, and few people in the commercial district knew about her divorced status – she could say she lived quite happily. Who would have thought Xia Ziyu would mention it in front of so many strangers, on New Year’s Day, at the Bai Xi Temple fair? Liu Fen felt everyone was staring at her!

Xia Xiaolan almost burst out cursing.

She had underestimated Xia Ziyu. A woman smart enough to get into university wasn’t foolish – she knew how to dodge the main issue and pick on the vulnerable.

But Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t indulge her bad habits!

Rather than jumping up and down as Xia Ziyu had expected, Xia Xiaolan’s eyes held a smile. Being intently gazed at by those eyes, Wang Jianhua found he couldn’t truly get angry.

Then the owner of those eyes said in a languid voice:

“So, you think you wronged me by stealing my boyfriend, and now you’ve come to apologize?”

Such passionate eyes – why did they speak such heartless, hurtful words?

Wang Jianhua opened his mouth but couldn’t explain publicly how he and Xia Ziyu had ended up together by accident.

Xia Ziyu seemed greatly wronged.

Why wasn’t Xia Xiaolan angry?

Why could she still maintain her composure and argue back? Previously in front of others, Xia Xiaolan would always shout and make a scene – people wouldn’t listen to what someone who had lost control was yelling about, letting Xia Ziyu have the final say. Being vague, switching concepts, deliberately leaving things unclear, letting others interpret things as they wanted… this trick worked very well even at university with roommates and classmates.

Xia Ziyu never had to be the villain, yet things always went her way. When she was wronged, others would fight for her; whatever she wanted to express, others would say it for her.

This trick had worked most effectively on Xia Xiaolan, but suddenly it stopped working – Xia Ziyu felt something was wrong, but having attracted so much attention, she now had to answer.

No, no, no, she had made a mistake in her haste, her rhythm disrupted by Xia Xiaolan’s sudden appearance.

The primary goal was to get Xia Xiaolan back to the Xia family, not to humiliate her in front of strangers and make her angrier! Xia Ziyu broke into a cold sweat, nearly making another mistake!

Xia Ziyu quickly weighed the pros and cons.

These onlookers didn’t know her – even if she admitted to stealing her cousin’s boyfriend, their opinion of her wouldn’t affect her future.

Wang Jianhua would pity her even more.

It would also let Xia Xiaolan vent her anger, allowing her next plan to proceed.

Looking at it anyway, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks!

Xia Ziyu took a deep breath:

“Yes, sister is apologizing to you. Jianhua and I got together by accident, and no matter how I explain it, my actions hurt you… I apologize, and I’m willing to make it up to you in other ways. Can you forgive your sister?”

Xia Ziyu’s eyes reddened slightly, her bitter smile showing helplessness. “It’s okay if you don’t forgive me, but Second Uncle hasn’t done anything wrong. If you’ll agree to reconcile with Second Aunt and Second Uncle, I’ll do anything!”

This apology seemed sincere to anyone listening.

Others were also listening to Xia Xiaolan’s decision, curious about how a young man could choose the elder sister over the younger one who seemed more appealing to young men. The older observers preferred Xia Ziyu’s appearance – dignified and fortunate-looking. The younger ones would prefer Xia Xiaolan – they’d only seen girls this beautiful in movies.

Even more beautiful than movie stars.

Xia Xiaolan seemed to seriously consider Xia Ziyu’s proposal:

“You’ll do anything?”

Xia Ziyu nodded with difficulty: “Anything within my power.”

Giving Wang Jianhua back to Xia Xiaolan was impossible – he was someone Xia Ziyu would never let go.

Xia Xiaolan suddenly smiled:

“I feel the sincerity of your apology, but I won’t forgive you. None of the compensation you could offer interests me… Xia Ziyu, I will never forgive you. You’ll understand the weight of these words sooner or later.”

Compensation?

Give Wang Jianhua to her?

He wasn’t even close to Xia Xiaolan’s type – in her mind, Wang Jianhua wasn’t worthy to tie Zhou Cheng’s shoes!

She wasn’t concerned about the so-called betrayal by her cousin and former love interest – she wanted justice for the deceased “Xia Xiaolan.” A human life – what could Xia Ziyu offer as compensation?

Though Xia Xiaolan spoke with a smile, Xia Ziyu shuddered.

This time her legs went weak – did Xia Xiaolan know about all those little schemes? No, impossible, Xia Xiaolan was so stupid!

“Xia Xiaolan, don’t go too far!”

Wang Jianhua shouted, unable to contain himself anymore. Liu Yong stepped in front of Xia Xiaolan: “What, you want to get physical?”