Xia Chuyi wore a sarcastic expression that irritated He Qing.
"What apology do you not know you owe?" He Qing was extremely angry, yet put on a façade of heart-wrenching, righteous indignation.
"I don't know." Xia Chuyi spread her hands, quite frankly.
"As a young lady, running around early in the morning, only to have your sister misunderstand that you didn't come home all night and suffer that beating from Huo...! And you still say you don't know where you went wrong?"
Well, at least she had a bit of sense, knowing where to find her fault.
But, her focus was on... what exactly was Huo Shiqian's identity in the military, that everyone was so scared they dared not even say his name?
Xia Chuyi grew a bit curious.
If, at this time in her previous life, he was already so formidable, why did he so easily admit to the charge of rape?
She had a faint guess.
"Chuyi, Chuyi, there's no need, no need to apologize..." Xia Lan waved her hands, looking completely undeserving of the blame, but she was actually cementing her guilt.
Xia Chuyi smiled carelessly. "Oh, that thing. You all know, back in my hometown I got up before dawn to work. I'm used to waking up at that time, and once I'm up, I can't sit still, so just went for a stroll."
"Ah, speaking of which, Sister Lan is the fortunate one, her health is poor, frail and always ill, so she doesn't do anything at home, doesn't have to wake up early, living like a city lady!"
Xia Lan looked at her in shock.
She gave Xia Lan a triumphant look.
Yes, she was just spouting nonsense and making stuff up. So what? This was payback served fresh.
But her actual intention wasn't to frame Xia Lan, it was...
"Lanlan is unwell, what's wrong with doing less work?"
Sure enough, He Qing jumped out to defend her.
Xia Chuyi still remembered the words He Qing had said when breaking off their engagement back in the day.
Xia Chuyi, with your aggressive and domineering nature, how can you compare to Lanlan? Lanlan is kind, frail, gentle, nothing like a shameless shrew like you!
Back then, she knew, He Qing liked Xia Lan's type—submissive, frail, a faux gentlewoman.
In her past life, she was never gentle, which earned He Qing's disdain.
This time, she intended to be twice as domineering to make He Qing hate her even more, which would be advantageous for her plan to break off the engagement smoothly.
"What are you saying, 'what's wrong with doing less work'? In our rural village, which family's daughter doesn't work? How come she shouldn't work? She's not some city missy!"
Xia Chuyi rolled her eyes, pretending to be very angry, spoke her piece, and turned to leave.
He Qing was so angry his face turned green, and he grabbed her.
"Let go!" Xia Chuyi struggled, her tone and movements becoming even rougher.
"You!" He Qing refused to loosen his grip.
"You won't let go, huh?" She raised an eyebrow, smiled, and suddenly yelled, "Molester, there's a molester here!"
She stomped on He Qing's foot hard, and he let go of her in pain.
These were the years when molestation was a criminal offense, and He Qing's eyes blazed with anger.
"Xia Chuyi, what are you yelling about!"
"Help, there's a molester here..." Xia Chuyi shouted as she ran towards the second floor.
Even before reaching the second floor, the figure she expected appeared.
A handsome man in crisp military uniform, with agile movements, appeared before her, grabbed He Qing, yanked, pulled, and threw him down the stairs, making him fall face-first.
Xia Chuyi ran behind him and grabbed the hem of his clothing.
"Uncle Liberation Army, there's a molester!"
The air suddenly turned tense, and Huo Shiqian's face darkened like a pot.
Uncle Liberation Army?
Xia Chuyi blinked innocently.
Was there something wrong? She was only eighteen this year, and Huo Shiqian must be close to thirty, right? What's wrong with calling him uncle?
In any case, this lifetime, she would have no further associations with him, it was best to distance herself in terms of seniority.