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My Sponsored Double Champion Ruined My Future, So I Sent Her Family to Raise Pigs
墨書 Inktalez
On the day of the college entrance examination application, I spent a fortune to cultivate two impoverished students from the mountains, both of whom became the top scorers in the city for liberal arts and sciences. At the same time, I tore up my intention letters for Tsinghua University and Peking University, just to accompany my boyfriend, who had just barely passed into a third-tier university, for a year of retaking the exam.
Just as I was about to get angry, a line of blood-red text suddenly appeared before my eyes.
【Plot Warning: If the Male Supporting Character intervenes, he will be jointly schemed against by the female leads. Not only will his qualification for guaranteed admission be replaced, but he will also be sent to a juvenile detention center due to charges of school bullying, ruining his life.】
【He is merely a tool used by them to motivate their destined prince to strive harder; this is his fate!】
My heart trembled as I quietly withdrew my outstretched hand.
"Since this is your decision, I respect it."
But they forgot that our three guaranteed admission qualifications were specially approved "joint quotas" by the Education Bureau.
If they gave up, it meant my qualification would also be voided.
And I despised nothing more than others ruining my future.
In the office of the Academic Affairs Director, the air conditioning was set to a chilling level.
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian, the two girls whom my Ling Family had supported for eight years, stood side by side.
One was as cold as the moon, while the other was gentle like water; they had once been seen by my father as the perfect daughters-in-law.
Today, one was the top scorer in liberal arts and the other in sciences; they were supposed to sign the guaranteed admission agreement to top universities with me here.
"Director, we have decided to give up our guaranteed admission qualifications," Li Xingwan said softly, but each word struck heavily in the silent office.
Shu Yue Jian nodded in agreement, her gaze resolute. "We want to retake the year."
The director pushed his glasses up his nose in disbelief. "Have you thought this through? This is an opportunity that countless people dream of!"
I stood aside, my anger nearly burning through my throat.
For these three joint admission spots, my father had used countless connections and resources; I had endured countless sleepless nights to maintain impeccable grades.
Now they were willing to give it all up for someone named Jiang Jie, a school bully who barely scraped past the third-tier university line.
Because of him, everything I was about to achieve was about to turn into smoke.
I stepped forward, ready to question them when a blinding flash of blood red crossed my vision.
【Plot Warning: If the Male Supporting Character intervenes, he will be jointly schemed against by the female leads. Not only will his qualification for guaranteed admission be replaced, but he will also be sent to a juvenile detention center due to charges of school bullying, ruining his life.】
【He is merely a tool used by them to motivate their destined prince to strive harder; this is his fate!】
The cold words seemed to carry a chill from hell that froze me in place.
The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. Juvenile detention...
I would never allow these two women—who owed their current status to my Ling Family—to ruin my life.
"Since this is your decision, I respect it," I heard myself say in an unfamiliar calm tone.
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian were clearly taken aback.
They exchanged glances; Li Xingwan's brows furrowed. "Ling Ye, you agreed so easily? What are you plotting?"
Shu Yue Jian chimed in, "We just think Jiang Jie has great potential and want to help him out. If we all work hard together, we can definitely get into better universities next year."
【Exactly! If it weren't for the Male Supporting Character's interference, our male lead Jiang Jie and the female leads wouldn't have missed an entire year.】
【Let him revel in this moment; once he’s sent to juvenile detention and comes out with a criminal record, his family business will be acquired by our male lead, leaving him nothing but despair and death in the end.】
I took a deep breath, suppressing the nausea that surged within me. My parents had brought them out from a remote mountain area years ago, enrolling them in the best schools and hiring the finest teachers, treating them as future daughters-in-law and nurturing them as family. They had once been gentle and caring towards me, swearing that they would marry no one but me in this lifetime. But everything changed with the arrival of Jiang Jie.
Just because I advised them not to associate with someone like him, they regarded me as their enemy. This time, they were even more direct, aiming to sabotage my future.
“I’m not plotting anything,” I said, forcing a smile. “I just think it’s great if you’re happy.”
Upon hearing this, Li Xingwan’s tense expression finally softened.
“It’s wonderful that you think that way, Ling Ye. A year goes by quickly; wouldn’t it be better if the three of us took the entrance exam for Nancheng University together?”
“Yeah,” Shu Yue Jian added with a smile, “Don’t worry, the college entrance exam is nothing for us. We’ll definitely be top scorers next year.”
I nodded perfunctorily. They had forgotten that without my father securing competition channels for them and without my help in highlighting key points and predicting questions, they wouldn’t even reach the minimum score required for admission. Top scorers? It was nothing but a huge joke.
I watched as they signed the statement relinquishing their guaranteed admissions in front of the director before turning to leave the office. Outside, the boy named Jiang Jie leaned against the wall, a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, his face showing impatience.
As soon as he saw them come out, he extinguished his cigarette and approached with a look of feigned affection. “Xingxing, Yueyue, all set?”
“Yeah, we’ve given it up.”
“Great!” Jiang Jie exclaimed as he pulled them into an embrace, casting a smug glance in my direction filled with provocation and triumph.
Ignoring him, I walked straight to the end of the corridor and took out my phone. The call connected.
“Hello, Uncle? It’s Ling Ye.”
“Yes, there’s been a change. Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian have given up their guaranteed admissions.”
“Right, which means mine is automatically voided too.”
“But it’s fine; we can activate that backup plan you mentioned earlier.”
A month later, the third-year retake class began its term. Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian were thrilled to be classmates with their “potential stock” Jiang Jie, embarking on what they called their joint struggle.
As for me, I was packing my bags to report to another university. My father’s backup plan included an offer from a prestigious overseas university and a spot in another top domestic university’s independent admissions program.
Giving up my guaranteed admission was merely changing paths for me. Meanwhile, they had truly blocked their own way.
Messages flashed continuously in the class group chat. “Breaking news! Our class’s literary and science top scorers Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian are actually retaking their year!”
"Are you crazy? You're giving up your guaranteed admission for a guy?"
"Exactly! It's all for Jiang Jie! I heard that on the first day of school, those two girls posted on the school forum saying they want to help Jiang Jie create miracles!"
I felt a lump in my throat and immediately turned on Do Not Disturb.
At that moment, my friend A Zhe sent me a private message.
"Aye, you're really wasting your sincerity on dogs."
I replied with a bitter smile emoji.
When they first came to my house, they didn't even know how to use a toilet and were completely clueless when faced with steak knives and forks.
I taught them little by little how to adapt to the city, took them out to see the world, and told them that girls could have their own careers and dreams.
Once, when they were mocked by some rich girls as country bumpkins, I stood up for them and got into a fight, almost receiving a disciplinary record from the school.
Since then, they told everyone I was their hero, and their biggest dream was to marry me.
But with Jiang Jie's appearance, the hero they spoke of became the dragon blocking their pursuit of true love.
"Jiang Jie is just like us; he came from the mountains, and his family is poor. What's wrong with us helping him?"
"Your family is so rich and lacks nothing. Jiang Jie has nothing; do you really need to be so stingy about us caring for him?"
These words made my ears feel numb.
I didn't want to discuss them any further, so I sent A Zhe a "Setting off now" sticker.
But I never expected that the day before school started, they would show up at my father's private club with Jiang Jie.
"Xingxing, Yueyue, is this place owned by Ling Ye's family? It's so impressive!"
Jiang Jie followed behind them, his eyes greedily scanning the surroundings before finally landing on me.
They acted as if they didn't see me at all and walked straight up to me with an air of entitlement.
Li Xingwan spoke up, her tone commanding.
"Ling Ye, my parents are coming to the city next month for medical treatment; can you tell your dad to arrange a long-term suite for them here?"
I looked at them coldly while also noticing the reappearing blood-red words in the void.
"[Male Supporting Character When will this annoying guy go abroad? I want to see the sweet daily struggles of the main couple!]"
"[Exactly! He has no sense at all; he deserves to be mistreated.]”
"[Did only I notice that the plot is different this time? Why hasn’t Male Supporting Character been sent to juvenile detention?]"
"Aren't you supposed to be studying? How do you have time to come here?" I said coldly.
Hearing my words, their expressions changed instantly.
Jiang Jie immediately put on a pitiful look. "I'm sorry, Ling Xuezhang, it was me begging Xingxing and Yueyue to bring me here. They said your family has the best study suites here that can help me focus on my studies."
"If I'm bothering you, I'll leave right now."
In the next moment, Li Xingwan suddenly rushed forward and knocked my coffee cup onto the floor.
"Ling Ye! How can you speak like that?"
She stood protectively in front of Jiang Jie, as if I were some kind of monster.
"Next year's college entrance exam reform means there's a lot of pressure to review; we want your dad to use his connections to find us some top-notch teachers for tutoring so that Jiang Jie can join too!"
Shu Yue Jian glared at me angrily as well.
"Yeah! How did you become so selfish? Now that you have a backup plan, you're saying such cold-hearted things! Apologize to Jiang Jie!"
She spoke as she pulled me, trying to force me to bow my head.
I shook off her hand, but the two of them pressed down hard on my shoulders simultaneously.
"Apologize to Jiang Jie!"
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian's hands were like iron clamps, firmly pinning my shoulders down.
I held my neck stiffly, saying nothing, feeling as if my shoulder blades were about to be crushed.
Seeing that I refused to back down, Li Xingwan's eyes hardened, and she lifted her foot to kick at my knee.
I was already on guard; I sidestepped and dodged her attack.
She overextended herself and stumbled slightly, nearly falling over.
I looked at them coldly and said slowly, "Apologize? In your dreams!"
Jiang Jie in front of me immediately reddened around the eyes upon hearing this, looking as if she had suffered a great injustice.
"Forget it, Xingwan, Yue Jian. As a child from a poor family, I don't deserve an apology."
"It was my fault for coming to a place like this and upsetting Ling Xuezhang. It’s my mistake; I apologize to Ling Xuezhang..."
As he spoke, he actually pretended to kneel before me.
Shu Yue Jian quickly supported him, looking heartbroken.
"What did you do wrong? The one at fault is Ling Ye! He looks down on others just because he has money!"
She suddenly turned her head, furious, and raised her hand to slap me across the face.
The sound of the wind was sharp in the air.
But I didn’t feel any pain.
A stronger hand intercepted her wrist mid-air.
My father had appeared behind us at some point, his face dark enough to drip water.
"What are you doing?"
His voice was low but carried the weight of thunder.
The entire lounge fell silent instantly.
Shu Yue Jian's wrist was gripped by my father, turning pale with pain, yet she didn’t dare utter a word.
She looked at my father in shock and then at me, seemingly not expecting his sudden appearance.
Li Xingwan also panicked, quickly releasing my shoulder and lowering her head.
"Uncle Ling... we..."
My father released Shu Yue Jian's hand, his gaze as cold as ice.
He didn’t even glance at the two girls; his eyes were fixed directly on Jiang Jie.
"Who are you?"
Jiang Jie was intimidated by my father's presence and stammered, "I... I'm Jiang Jie, a friend of Xingwan and Yue Jian."
"Friend?" My father scoffed coldly, "Since when did outsiders have the right to act recklessly in my Ling Family's clubhouse?"
He didn’t say another word but signaled to the bodyguards behind him.
Two bodyguards in black immediately stepped forward, one on each side of Jiang Jie, dragging her out like a dead dog.
“Uncle Ling! No!”
“Jiang Jie!”
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian exclaimed, wanting to chase after them, but my father’s glare pinned them in place.
“You two, stand still.”
In the lounge, only the four of us remained.
My father sat on the sofa, leisurely wiping his hands as if he had just dealt with some trivial garbage.
He raised his eyes to look at the pale-faced Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian.
“I heard that you two gave up your direct admission qualifications for that boy?”
The two girls trembled slightly, not daring to speak.
“Very good,” my father nodded, “you have some backbone.”
“When I brought you out of the mountains, it was because I saw that you were smart and eager to learn. I thought I could cultivate two companions for Ling Ye, who could become his right and left arms in the future.”
“Do you have any idea how much money the Ling Family has spent on you and how many teachers we’ve hired?”
“Now it seems I misjudged you.”
His tone was calm, but each word struck like a knife, cutting into their hearts.
Li Xingwan bit her lip and finally couldn’t hold back: “Uncle Ling, we know we were wrong. We shouldn’t have brought Jiang Jie here…”
“You’re wrong not for bringing him here,” my father interrupted her. “You’re wrong for forgetting who you are.”
“Forgetting whose food you eat, whose clothes you wear, and whose money you use.”
Shu Yue Jian burst into tears, her voice trembling. “Uncle, we really know we were wrong… We just wanted to help Jiang Jie; he’s so pitiful…”
“Pitiful?” My father seemed to have heard a joke. “There are many pitiful people in this world; should I help them all?”
“The resources of the Ling Family are not for you to use to support outsiders.”
My father stood up and walked in front of them.
“From today on, all your expenses in the Ling Family will be cut in half.”
“All the cards under your names will be canceled. Every month, I will have the butler give you a fixed allowance equivalent to that of an ordinary high school student.”
“As for the top-tier teachers and internal materials you want, don’t even think about it.”
“Since you’re so confident that you can rely on yourselves to help a useless person get into a prestigious school, then let me see your abilities.”
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian stared at him in disbelief.
“Uncle! You can’t do this!”
“How can we possibly… without those resources?”
“That’s your problem,” my father’s tone was unyielding. “The path you chose is yours to walk; you must complete it even if it means crawling.”
“And,” he paused before adding, “after next year’s college entrance examination, regardless of the results, you both will move out of my house.”
“The Ling Family does not raise ungrateful wolves.”
These words became the last straw that broke them.
Both girls' legs went weak as they collapsed onto the carpet, their faces ashen.
After my father dealt with them, he told me to go back to my room and rest.
As I reached the door, I heard their suppressed sobs behind me.
Li Xingwan's voice was filled with despair. "What should we do... Yue Jian... without the support of the Ling Family, what will we do next year?"
Shu Yue Jian's voice was full of regret. "It's all my fault... I shouldn't have hit Ling Ye... Now Uncle is completely angry..."
"No, it's not your fault." Li Xingwan sniffed, her voice suddenly turning harsh. "It's Ling Ye's fault! He must have told his dad! He can't stand to see us being nice to Jiang Jie!"
"Right... it must be him! He's so malicious!"
I didn't stop my footsteps and went straight upstairs.
They still didn't understand that what truly angered my father wasn't just the fact that they hit me or helped Jiang Jie.
It was that they had torn up the guaranteed admission agreement with their own hands.
That agreement was not only about our future but also about my father's reputation in an important project.
Their recklessness had caused my father to lose face in front of a crucial business partner.
That was the root of his anger.
Cutting off their financial support was just the first step.
When I returned to my room, A Zhe's call came through.
"Is it done? With your dad stepping in, that kid should be in serious trouble, right?"
"He got thrown out," I replied flatly.
"And the two girls?"
"They were also taught a lesson by my dad; their financial support is cut off, and they'll have to leave after the college entrance exam."
On the other end of the line, A Zhe laughed gleefully. "Nice! It was about time! Let’s see how they use your money to support their little boy toys now!"
I didn’t laugh.
Because I knew this wasn’t over yet.
The warning written in blood was "sent to a juvenile detention center."
As long as Jiang Jie was around, this threat would always hang over me like a sword.
I had to find a way to end this once and for all.
In the following months, Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian indeed had a hard time.
From pampered young ladies, they suddenly turned into pitiful creatures who had to scrimp and save for a few hundred dollars in living expenses overnight.
They sold off the designer bags and jewelry that my mother had given them, barely maintaining their appearances in front of Jiang Jie.
It was said that they would only eat one steamed bun each for lunch every day just to buy the latest study materials for Jiang Jie.
A Zhe shared these stories with me as jokes.
I listened without any particular feelings about it.
Soon, the results of the first mock exam came out.
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian, once top students, both fell out of the top two hundred in their grade.
This news caused a stir at school.
Meanwhile, I was already sitting in a classroom overseas, starting my university life.
I thought our worlds would no longer intersect from then on.
Until that day, I had never received a call from my father with such a serious tone.
“Aye, you need to come back to the country immediately.”
My father rarely spoke to me like this. A sense of dread washed over me, and I quickly booked the earliest flight home.
After landing, the family butler was there to pick me up.
In the car, he handed me a tablet.
“Sir, please take a look at this.”
On the screen was a surveillance video. The location was our villa's garage, and the time was late at night.
A shadowy figure sneaked in, pried open the trunk of my old sports car, and stuffed a black package inside. After completing this act, the person left quietly.
I recognized the face clearly. It was Jiang Jie.
“When did this happen?” I asked the butler.
“Just last night. Your father installed the latest security system at home; as soon as he entered, we were alerted.”
“What did he put inside?”
“We called the police,” the butler said gravely. “They came to investigate, and it contained high-purity drugs.”
A cold sweat broke out on my back. If my father hadn’t discovered it in time, and if I had happened to return and used that car, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Being implicated in drug trafficking was enough to ruin my life.
[Plot correction… The Male Supporting Character escaped school bullying but fell victim to framing.]
[Jiang Jie has turned dark! Unable to win over the female lead, he aims to destroy the Male Supporting Character! I like this plot!]
I stared at the blood-red words reappearing before me, feeling my hands and feet turn icy.
“What about Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian?” I asked.
“They have been trying to contact your father recently, pleading for him to restore their funding,” the butler replied. “After being rejected, they approached Jiang Jie.”
“They told Jiang Jie that if he could get you into trouble, forcing your father to seek their help, they could return to the Ling Family.”
My heart sank to the bottom. So that was it. They weren’t unaware of what Jiang Jie was doing; they were even instigators in all of this. They thought that by dragging me down, they could manipulate my father into compromising.
They were truly… insane.
“What does my father plan to do about this?” I turned off the video and gazed out at the rapidly retreating cityscape.
“The chairman said he would leave this matter for you to decide.”
When I returned home, Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian were kneeling in the middle of the living room. My father was sitting on the sofa, leisurely sipping tea.
As soon as they saw me enter, their eyes lit up like they had seen a savior.
“Ling Ye!” Shu Yue Jian crawled a few steps towards me, trying to hug my leg. “You have to tell your dad that we know we were wrong! We won’t dare to do it again!”
Li Xingwan was also crying, her face streaked with tears. “We were deceived by Jiang Jie! He forced us to do this! Ling Ye, for the sake of our past friendship, please spare us this time!”
I stepped back in disgust, avoiding their touch.
“Friendship?” I laughed. “Do we still have any friendship left between us?”
My words made their cries abruptly stop. Both of them stared at me in shock, tears still glistening on their faces. I walked over and sat down next to my father, pouring myself a cup of tea.
“Where is Jiang Jie?”
“At the police station,” my father replied, setting down his cup and speaking calmly. “The evidence is conclusive; he’ll likely spend the rest of his life there.”
Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian’s faces turned pale as paper in an instant.
“No... that can’t be...” Li Xingwan murmured, “How could the police...”
“How could they find him so quickly?” I finished her sentence with a smirk. “Because my dad knew about your plan all along and reported it in advance. They were just waiting for him to walk right into their trap.”
Shu Yue Jian suddenly lifted her head and glared at me fiercely.
“It’s you! Ling Ye! You set us up!”
“Set you up?” I laughed as if I had heard the greatest joke. “Shu Yue Jian, get it straight; from start to finish, it was you two who were plotting against me.”
“First, you ruined my opportunity for early admission, and now you want to use such despicable means to destroy my life.”
“Your appetite really is quite big.”
They were left speechless by my words, only able to glare at me with resentment. My father waved his hand at the butler and said, “Take them away and lock them in the basement until I decide how to deal with them.”
The bodyguards stepped forward and dragged the two limp figures away. The living room finally fell silent.
My father looked at me and sighed. “Aye, how do you want to resolve this matter?”
I thought for a moment and said, “Dad, I want to visit their hometown.”
My father seemed surprised but nodded nonetheless. “Alright, I’ll have A Zhe accompany you.”
The next day, A Zhe and I boarded a plane heading to that remote mountain village. After several hours of flying and then a few more hours by car, we finally arrived at that little village that was hard to find even on a map.
It was much like I had imagined—poor and backward. Muddy dirt roads and dilapidated houses greeted us as we found Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian’s home.
It was said to be a home, but in reality, it was just two adjacent mud-brick houses, their walls riddled with cracks, as if they could collapse at any moment.
The door was opened by two middle-aged women who looked weathered by life; they were likely the girls' mothers. Upon seeing us, their eyes filled with wariness and unease.
When A Zhe pulled out photos of Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian living extravagantly in the city, along with evidence of their instigation of Jiang Jie to frame me, the expressions on the two women's faces changed instantly. They could hardly believe that their daughters, funded by a wealthy benefactor to study in the city, had turned out this way.
"This... this can't be true..." Li Xingwan's mother stammered, snatching the photos and examining them one by one. "My Xingxing is so well-behaved; she could never do such a thing..."
Shu Yue Jian's mother broke down in tears, collapsing onto the ground and wailing as she pounded her thighs. "What sin have I committed..."
Soon, villagers were drawn to the sound of her cries, surrounding the small courtyard tightly. When they saw the photos and heard A Zhe recounting the girls' actions in a straightforward manner, shock rippled through the crowd. Jealousy, disdain, anger... a myriad of emotions spread among them.
I stood outside the crowd, watching coldly. I wasn't there to seek sympathy or to boast about anything. I simply wanted them to understand one truth: people must pay for their choices. And for these girls, the price had only just begun.
On the day we left the village, the village chief approached us. He was a small old man with dark skin and a face full of wrinkles. He handed me a cloth bag containing some money that the villagers had scraped together along with some local specialties.
"Boss Ling," he rubbed his hands together, looking guilty. "It’s our village’s failure to educate our children that has caused you trouble."
"Those two ungrateful girls can no longer stay in our village. When they return, we will strike their names from the family register; from then on, whether they live or die will have nothing to do with us!"
I refused his offering. I simply informed him that my father would withdraw all poverty alleviation projects from this village. As for those two girls, when they emerged from the basement, I would send someone to bring them back.
The old man's face fell instantly. He wanted to plead for them but seeing my unyielding gaze, he ultimately said nothing and let out a heavy sigh.
I knew I was being cruel. But all of this was self-inflicted.
Back in the city, I went to the detention center to see Jiang Jie. He wore a prison uniform and had shaved his head; he looked haggard and unrecognizable, stripped of his former arrogance.
Upon seeing me, his eyes were bloodshot and filled with hatred. "Ling Ye! You bastard! May you die a terrible death!" he screamed as he lunged at the visiting window, his face contorted with rage.
I looked at him calmly. "Whether I live or die is something you will never see."
I slid a document across the glass surface towards him.
"Take a look, this is your parents' company, the latest quarterly report."
Jiang Jie’s parents ran a small but established building materials business, and over the years, they had accumulated some wealth. This was also the foundation of Jiang Jie’s arrogance.
He picked up the document with confusion, and after just one glance, his pupils constricted sharply.
The company's stock price had plummeted.
All of their major projects had been unilaterally terminated.
The bank had rejected all their loan applications and started demanding repayment of previous debts.
"This... this is impossible!" He shook his head in disbelief. "My dad's company was doing fine, how could this happen..."
"Because those projects and those banks all have shares owned by my Ling Family behind them," I replied calmly. "It’s easier for me to bankrupt a small company than to crush an ant."
"Don’t you think being rich is impressive?"
"Now let me show you just how impressive true wealth can be."
Jiang Jie’s body swayed, collapsing into the chair, his gaze vacant as if his soul had been drained away.
"Why..." he murmured, "why would you go this far..."
"Because you messed with the wrong people and touched things you shouldn’t have."
I stood up, looking down at him from above.
"Just stay here and try to become a better person."
I turned and left without looking back.
When my father's men brought them out from the basement, both women were unrecognizable.
After days without seeing daylight, Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian had greasy hair plastered to their scalps, and their designer clothes were wrinkled like dried pickles.
They were pushed in front of me by the bodyguards, their legs giving way as they knelt down, not daring to lift their heads.
"Ling Ye..."
"Who told you to call me by my name?" I tossed two plane tickets onto the coffee table in front of them with a sharp snap. "Tomorrow morning at eight, get on that flight back to your hometown."
Li Xingwan shot her head up and screamed, "No! We can’t go back! We’ll be killed! Ling Ye, I beg you, don’t send us back!"
Shu Yue Jian crawled over desperately, clinging to my pant leg with tears and snot smearing my trousers. "We were wrong! We really were! We’ll do anything you want—work like dogs, wash dishes—just don’t kick us out!"
I kicked her away in disgust.
"And now you say you were wrong? Weren't you bold when tearing up the admission spots?"
I spoke slowly and deliberately; my voice was low but made them tremble even more.
"Weren't you proud when you instigated Jiang Jie to go after me?"
They collapsed on the floor, unable to utter a word except for their sobs.
"Don’t worry; you won’t die." I shifted into a more comfortable position on the sofa. "The villagers will 'take good care' of you. Since you love playing saints so much, go back and save the world."
I waved my hand, and the bodyguards immediately stepped forward, dragging them out like sacks of potatoes as their cries faded into the distance.
The next day, A Zhe called me, laughing like a rooster at dawn.
"Damn it, Aye! You’re truly something else! I just got the video taken by the villagers; that scene was something else—comparable to a large-scale struggle session! Their parents crossed their names off the family tree in front of everyone in the village and cut ties completely! Now they’ve been sent to the pig farm on the west side of the village; I heard they only get three meals a day based on the pig herder's mood!"
I hung up the phone and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The traffic below flowed silently, and this city felt like a world completely separate from that village.
A year later.
"Hey, Ling Shao, you look different after coming back with a layer of gold!" A Zhe exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around me at the airport exit, nearly squeezing the breath out of me.
I laughed and punched him playfully. "Get lost."
As we got into the car, he drove while gossiping. "By the way, I ran into Shu Yue Jian a few days ago. Guess where?"
"Where?"
"At the entrance of some rundown electronics factory on the outskirts," A Zhe said with a grimace. "I drove past and saw her in a filthy work uniform, squatting on the curb eating bread, looking as skinny as a telephone pole. I heard she and Li Xingwan had raised pigs in the village for half a year but couldn't stand it anymore and sneaked out. As for Li Xingwan, who knows? I also heard that they almost came to blows over a pack of instant noodles; their plastic sisterhood is officially over."
I didn’t respond and turned to ask him, "How's everything at the company?"
"They're all waiting for you to take charge, President Ling."
My life after returning was filled with meetings and reports. My dad had practically handed over all decision-making power for the domestic branch to me. It was exhausting, but I was indeed learning a lot. Those people and events from my past seemed to have been left behind in some dusty corner of my mind.
My dad wanted me to network more within the industry, so I found myself at this business cocktail party. The atmosphere was filled with elegant attire and clinking glasses.
I was chatting casually with a partner when suddenly there was a commotion nearby, accompanied by the sharp sound of breaking glass. A waitress holding a tray clumsily knelt on the ground to pick up the shards, while a portly man nearby pointed at her and shouted angrily.
That face belonged to Li Xingwan. She looked gaunt, her skin rough and darkened, but that cold and stubborn spirit still shone through.
The event manager rushed over, bowing and apologizing profusely to the guests before turning to Li Xingwan and yelling, "You can forget about your salary this month! Get out of here!"
Li Xingwan lowered her head, biting her lip hard as her shoulders trembled slightly. I held my wine glass and slowly walked over.
"Manager Wang, that's enough."
As soon as the manager saw me, his scowl transformed into a smile. "Ling Shao! If you say so, then it's settled. Yes, yes! It's all my fault for not recognizing your importance."
He kicked Li Xingwan, still kneeling on the ground. "Get lost! Don't block Ling Shao's view!"
Li Xingwan slowly lifted her head and looked straight at me. I ignored her gaze and turned to leave.
"Ling Shao, do you know her?" one of my business partners asked curiously.
"I don't know her," I replied while swirling my glass of red wine.
"Just someone in my way."
After the cocktail party ended, I leaned against the car waiting for the driver. The parking lot was empty, with only the cold wind seeping into my collar.
“Ling Ye.”
The voice was hoarse, and I didn’t turn around immediately.
“Is there something you need?” I lit a cigarette without looking at her.
“Thank you… for earlier.” She stopped a few steps behind me, her voice tense.
“No need.”
“I…” She paused for a long time, as if trying to squeeze each word out of her throat. “Can we talk?”
Only then did I turn around, my fingers holding the cigarette hesitating for a moment.
The cheap foundation on her face couldn’t hide anything; instead, it made her rough skin stand out even more.
“What do you want to talk about? About how miserable your life is now?”
Her shoulders slumped. “I know I was wrong, Ling Ye. I regret it, really. Me and Shu Yue Jian… we truly regret it.” She took a step forward but didn’t dare to come too close. “If… if we hadn’t done those things back then, would it be…?”
“There are no ifs.” I flicked the cigarette butt to the ground and crushed it with my toe. “You chose this path yourselves. The way you look now is what you deserve.”
“I know…” Her voice was thick with emotion. “I just… I just want to ask you if you could… give me another chance?”
“A chance?”
“Let me come back to your side,” she suddenly looked up, speaking urgently. “I’m willing to do anything, as long as you…”
I laughed suddenly.
“Li Xingwan, have you forgotten how you stabbed me in the back for that Jiang Jie kid?”
“Have you also forgotten how happy you two were when you plotted against me?”
“Now that things have gone south, you want to come crawling back?”
I stepped closer, lowering my voice.
“What do you take me for? A recycling station?”
She trembled all over, unable to say a word.
“I’m not… I didn’t…”
“Get lost.” I couldn’t be bothered to look at her again. “Don’t let me see you again. Otherwise, next time it won’t be as simple as raising pigs.”
I opened the car door and got in.
As the car pulled out of the parking lot, I glanced in the rearview mirror; she stood there like a doll stripped of all its bones.
I turned up the music, drowning everything out with deafening sound.
On the way home, A Zhe’s call came through, loud and excited.
“Dude! You won’t believe this! Guess who’s back!”
I shifted my phone to a different position. “Spit it out.”
“Mu Qing! The top student you’ve been sneaking glances at while studying abroad! She’s back!”
Mu Qing.
That name hit me like a stone thrown into a still pond, sending ripples across my mind.
I admit that after being disgusted by Li Xingwan and her friend, everyone looked like trash to me—except Mu Qing.
She was always quietly sitting by the library window, sunlight pouring over her hair—a girl one could gaze at for an entire afternoon.
"When did this happen? Where is he?" I straightened up.
"He just got off the plane; he’s probably at home adjusting to the time difference. I sent you a message on WeChat. I can only help you this far; the rest is up to you!"
After hanging up, I clicked on the familiar avatar, a picture of a cat's back.
The request was approved almost instantly.
Mu Qing: "Hey, isn't this Ling Young Master? I heard you're a domineering CEO now?"
There was a funny emoji following her message.
I replied, "Don't listen to A Zhe's nonsense; I'm still working hard for my dad."
Mu Qing: "That really is unfair to our President Ling. How about I treat you to a meal to welcome you back?"
I responded, "I’d love that. Tomorrow?"
She took a while to type back before sending just one word.
"Okay."
The next day, I surprisingly left work early.
We agreed to meet at a stylish Western restaurant. When I arrived, she was already sitting by the window, poking at the dessert in front of her with a fork.
She wore a simple white dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, looking even more vibrant than I remembered.
"Ling Ye, over here!" She waved at me with a bright smile.
We talked about everything—from quirky professors abroad to being confused by food delivery apps back home—there seemed to be endless topics to discuss.
Being with her made the irritation I brought back from the cocktail party fade away.
After dinner, I walked her downstairs.
"Mu Qing." Just as she was about to turn and go inside, I called out to her.
"Mm?" She turned back.
The streetlight cast a warm glow, elongating her shadow.
I cleared my throat, my heart pounding like a drum: "Um... I like you. Would you consider... me?"
She froze for a moment before bursting into laughter, two small dimples appearing on her cheeks.
I was about to say something to ease the awkwardness when she suddenly stepped closer and tilted her head at me.
"Ling Ye, is your reflex arc a bit too long?"
"Huh?"
"I said, sure."
After getting together with Mu Qing, life became sweet and fulfilling.
She is a wonderful girl—independent, confident, with her own career and aspirations.
We support each other and grow together; we are not just lovers but also the best of partners.
My parents are very pleased with her and keep urging us to settle down soon.
Everything seems to be heading in the best direction.
As for Li Xingwan and Shu Yue Jian, I occasionally hear bits and pieces from A Zhe.
I heard that after resigning from the cocktail party job, Li Xingwan has switched several jobs but hasn’t stayed long at any of them.
She had no education, no skills, and couldn't endure hardship, struggling at the very bottom of society. Shu Yue Jian's situation was similar.
One time, A Zhe saw her on the roadside, handing out flyers to a greasy middle-aged man who was getting too handsy with her, and she could only endure in silence. The pride and glory they once had had long been worn away by reality.
And that person who ruined them, who almost ruined my Jiang Jie, ended up with an extended prison sentence due to poor behavior while incarcerated. He would probably spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Hearing this news, I felt little stir in my heart. They were merely insignificant passersby in my life; their fates had nothing to do with me. I only cherished what I had in front of me: my career, my family, and my beloved Mu Qing.
A year later, I proposed to Mu Qing. On a romantic night filled with flowers and balloons, I knelt on one knee and presented the ring I had prepared for so long. She cried as she accepted.
Our wedding was grand, attended by nearly all the city's elite. At the ceremony, watching Mu Qing in her pure white wedding dress, beaming with joy, I felt like the happiest person in the world.
My life had once plunged into darkness due to others' malice, but I had climbed back up and encountered better scenery and better people along the way.
During the toast, A Zhe threw his arm around my neck, drunkenly declaring, "Aye, you little rascal, you're truly a winner in life now." I chuckled and clinked glasses with him.
Whether I'm a winner or not is uncertain. All I know is that from now on, I will do everything in my power to protect my family, my loved ones, and the happiness I've fought so hard to attain. As for those who live in dark corners, let them rot there forever. The sunshine has never belonged to them.
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