Volume One, Chapter 14: Tang Xing Has Returned

Su Wanyue smiled without a word. Fu Hanzhou scanned everyone present but did not see me, a trace of anxiety flashing across his face.

Until he spotted a car by the door—Beijing K66666.

A smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

That was my car, the very one I had driven on the day of the incident.

I remembered the murderer had snatched the keys from me!

I had thought he was greedy and would try to sell the car, but I never imagined he would be so brazen as to drive it right up to the Su family gate!

Could it mean the murderer had already reached the Su residence?

The very thought sent chills down my spine.

My eyes swept the room, but the murderer was nowhere to be found.

“Sister Tang Xing should be here by now!”

Su Wanyue had also noticed my car.

Fu Hanzhou sneered coldly, “Soon, she’ll have no choice but to admit her mistake to me.”

“Don’t be too hard on Sister Tang Xing,” Su Wanyue said softly.

Fu Hanzhou looked at her gently, “You’re always so soft-hearted—that’s why Tang Xing always makes things difficult for you!”

I felt a wave of nausea, disgusted, and too weary to look at them.

By then, the family banquet was nearly ready.

Upon entering, Su Wanyue tried to cling to him.

Fu Hanzhou, however, restrained himself in front of the clan matriarch.

Su Wanyue was displeased.

“Hanzhou, darling~”

Fu Hanzhou comforted her, “Getting Tang Xing to forgive me is the most important thing right now! If she doesn’t, I won’t be able to explain to Grandfather!”

Moreover, with Fu Tingxiao’s return, Fu Hanzhou feared he would take over the Fu Corporation.

He knew Grandfather favored me most and surely would not easily hand over control to Fu Tingxiao.

Unfortunately, I was dead.

Fu Hanzhou, your plan has failed.

To the right was my small room. I used to live in the large room on the second floor, but since Su Wanyue moved into the Su household and won everyone’s favor, she had seized my room.

My parents and Tang Yu said that to avoid bad luck, they had pushed me into the storage room on the first floor.

That tiny room was where I had lived for ten years.

Fu Hanzhou pushed open the door and frowned, “Is this where Tang Xing used to live?”

Su Wanyue also noticed the cramped space, “She used to throw tantrums and sulk by moving into the storage room. She did it to spite Mom and Dad. I told her many times, but she wouldn’t listen and even told me to shut up!”

Su Wanyue was clever, her words completely clearing herself of blame.

Fu Hanzhou’s worry vanished from his eyes as he thought of what I had done to him before: “That’s just like her! When you see her, make sure she comes back and admits her mistake to me!”

Su Wanyue nodded obediently.

Fu Hanzhou smiled, ruffling her hair before heading upstairs to meet the clan matriarch.

Seeing Fu Hanzhou’s retreating figure, the obedient expression on Su Wanyue’s face instantly twisted into one of vicious cruelty.

“Tang Xing, oh Tang Xing, you will never come back in this life!”

With that, she turned and left.

A shiver ran through me!

My death was indeed connected to Su Wanyue.

I wanted to follow her, but my soul was forced to trail Fu Hanzhou instead!

Helplessly, I watched Su Wanyue disappear from sight.

Fu Hanzhou met the clan matriarch in the lounge.

When she saw him, her aged face was cold and unyielding.

“What are you here for?”

The clan matriarch’s expression tensed upon seeing him.

She had heard rumors of Fu Hanzhou’s infidelity. When I previously visited her, she held my hand and said I was a miserable girl.

I smiled and said it was just gossip, but deep down, I knew Fu Hanzhou had a woman on the side!

Like a traditional woman, I turned a blind eye, only to lose my life.

Mrs. Su accompanied Fu Hanzhou to greet the matriarch. He had prepared an emerald necklace as a gift.

The matriarch waved her hand dismissively, her face lined with age, eyes gazing coldly out the window at the drizzling rain: “Why are you alone? Where is Tang Xing? Bring Xingxing to see me; it’s been so long since we last met.”

The matriarch’s face was full of longing.

She had no children and, as clan leader, wielded the greatest power in the Su family.

Even my father had to lower his voice and show deference before her.

Fu Hanzhou was taken aback by her words and asked in surprise, “What? Tang Xing hasn’t come back?”

The matriarch’s face darkened with anger, glaring at him, “What do you mean ‘hasn’t come back’? Haven’t you been with her these past few days?”

Fu Hanzhou’s face turned pale, and he lowered his head guiltily.

The matriarch immediately saw through him and, furious, smashed the emerald gift box on his head.

“Get out of here!”

Fu Hanzhou was unused to such treatment. As the favored son of the Fu family, he was always pampered and protected.

Now, wounded and resenting me deeply, he was utterly humiliated.

“Brother Hanzhou! Are you alright?” Su Wanyue entered just then and saw blood trickling down his forehead, the emerald necklace discarded on the floor like trash.

An eerie silence fell over the room.

Tang Feng dared not speak, and Mrs. Su shrank back in fear.

These two cowards acted tough in front of me but cowered before the clan matriarch.

The matriarch’s gaze hardened upon seeing Su Wanyue: “What are you here for?”

She had long sensed Su Wanyue’s scheming nature and disliked her.

Meeting the matriarch’s scornful look, Su Wanyue feigned weakness, “Clan leader, our Su family respects you deeply, yet you treat Brother Hanzhou coldly. Aren’t you afraid Sister Tang Xing will be heartbroken?”

The matriarch sneered, “Fine. Three days! Within three days, I want to see Tang Xing! Otherwise, none of you will be spared!”

Her words caused an uproar.

Everyone knew I had been missing for several days.

Yet the matriarch, who held the fate of both the Tang and Su families in her hands, dared not entertain any rebellious thoughts.

“Yes, yes, clan leader, please rest. I’ll go prepare for the banquet!” Tang Feng wiped his sweat and gave a nervous laugh before hastily leaving.

The matriarch sneered and turned to Su Rong, “And you?”

Su Rong, terrified, found an excuse to leave.

Only Fu Hanzhou and Su Wanyue remained in the room.

I saw a sinister smile curl at the corners of Su Wanyue’s lips.

Her voice soft and gentle, she said, “Clan leader, if there’s nothing else, Brother Hanzhou and I will take our leave.”

The matriarch turned away with a cold expression. She had never liked Su Wanyue, so her departure suited her well.

Seeing Fu Hanzhou hesitate, Su Wanyue claimed to feel unwell. Fu Hanzhou had intended to suppress the matter of my disappearance.

Watching their intimate backs, the matriarch sighed deeply.

She picked up a photo placed on the bedside table and gently stroked my image.

Her eyes reddened as she said, “Back then, I should have stopped you from marrying him!”

My eyes burned with heat. It was I who had insisted on marrying Fu Hanzhou, willing to sacrifice my future and pride.

Clearly, I was wrong.

Alas, there was no room for regret now.

I wanted to embrace her, but my hands passed through her body.

My nose stung sharply, tears threatening to fall.

At that moment, a noise came from downstairs.

“Tang Xing has returned!”