Chapter 9: The Confrontation

The dinner with Qi Wensheng wasn't a total loss, though he wasn't thrilled when I demanded five percent of his family's shares for my support against his brother. Our alliance held, for now. Meanwhile, Shen Zhaoyue and Xie Yao's public image remained sweet, but cracks showed. She appeared on a dating app, sent out resumes—signs of a split.

The next spring, my focus was on work. Old friends faded, replaced by new suitors chasing my wealth. Qi Wensheng and I set an engagement date. Days before, Xie Yao showed up at my apartment, dressed like the man I'd styled in our past life. "I'm sorry for the trouble Shen Zhaoyue caused," he said. "She misunderstood our relationship. I've realized we're not right for each other."

I listened coldly. He was shifting blame, as:{"operation":"replace","value":" always. If he'd wanted to stop her lies, he could have. The Xie Yao I'd loved—old, warm, steady—was a memory. The man before me was calculating, young, and manipulative. "Miss Xin, we missed five years by mistake," he said, eyes confident. "Can we start over?"

I smiled. "No need. We already met, last lifetime." His face paled as I shut the door.

Chapter 10: The Truth

The night was quiet, stars bright. Xie Yao stood frozen, realizing I'd been reborn too. He'd come back sixteen years before me, planning a new life without me. He'd used his past-life knowledge to build wealth, but his ambition outstripped his means. I'd gone from loving him blindly to seeing him clearly, and now, we were strangers.

He tried to speak, but I cut him off, kicking him out. Later, Shen Zhaoyue apologized publicly for her lies, taking responsibility. Comments turned on Xie Yao: "Where's the guy hiding now?" He kept coming back, pleading, but I ignored him. At my engagement party, he sent a message: "Mingwei, I'll wait for you." Qi Wensheng, furious, sent him a photo of us kissing. Xie Yao blocked him.