Chapter 24: Utter Annihilation

Qin Cheng immediately realized he had walked into a trap.

His face turned ashen. “Xie Xu, were you bluffing about the hidden camera earlier?”

“Of course. For someone as brainless as you, I couldn’t even be bothered to think up a real trick. See? Just one little bluff and you gave yourself away.”

Qin Cheng swore under his breath.

Xie Xu ignored him, glancing lightly at Xia Jing’an. “Now that we’ve got him, I’ll take my leave.”

Xia Jing’an looked at Xie Xu. “Thank you.”

“Don’t forget what we discussed earlier,” Xie Xu reminded her.

He didn’t specify what he meant, but both Lu Yiqi and Xia Jing’an understood; it was about Xia Jing’an apologizing to Lu Yiqi.

Xia Jing’an pressed her lips together, forcing out the words. “I know.”

Xie Xu had taken just a few steps when he realized Lu Yiqi hadn’t followed. He turned back. “Come on, what are you standing around for? Waiting to watch the show?”

Lu Yiqi really did want to stay and watch, but since Xie Xu had called her, she hurried to catch up.

No one knew exactly what Xia Jing’an did to Qin Cheng, but when Lu Yiqi searched for that video again, it was already gone. Not long after, rumors spread that Qin Cheng had dropped out of school.

When Lu Yiqi first heard, she thought Xia Jing’an had shown a rare hint of mercy. But when Qin Cheng came to their class to find her and Xie Xu, she realized Xia Jing’an’s actions had been anything but merciful; she was determined to crush him completely.

“Xie Xu, Master Xu, please, I’m begging you. Say something to Miss Xia for me—my family can’t be ruined because of my mistake.” Today, Qin Cheng was a shadow of the arrogant boy from the day before. Dark circles ringed his eyes, his face was haggard, and his jaw was already dotted with stubble. He looked utterly defeated.

Lu Yiqi frowned. “What’s going on? Didn’t you drop out? How could your whole family be ruined?”

A flicker of hatred crossed Qin Cheng’s face. “It’s all because of Xia Jing’an. All I did was post a video of her being rejected, but she wouldn’t let it go. Forcing me to drop out was just the beginning. Last night, the Xia Corporation rushed to acquire my family’s company. I’ve lost everything. The story about me dropping out is just a cover-up, nothing more.”

Lu Yiqi was stunned. Xia Jing’an hadn’t given him even a sliver of hope.

Qin Cheng kept pleading with Xie Xu. “Master Xu, Xia Jing’an likes you so much. Please, say something to her for me. Beg her to let my family go.”

Xie Xu replied, ice-cold, “Sorry, I can’t help you.”

He didn’t look the least bit willing to intervene.

When he saw he couldn’t count on Xie Xu, Qin Cheng turned desperately to Lu Yiqi. “Lu, please, won’t you talk to Xia Jing’an for me?”

Lu Yiqi hesitated, lips pressed together, at a loss for what to do.

To be honest, she felt a pang of sympathy. She had always believed that as long as someone was sincerely remorseful, they deserved a second chance. But in their world, a single misstep could mean ruin; to show mercy to an enemy was to be cruel to yourself. After all, in this world, the weak are meat for the strong.

In the end, she steeled herself. “I’m sorry…”

The moment those words left her lips, Qin Cheng collapsed entirely.

There was no hope left, none at all.

Because of him, his family was finished.

Qin Cheng closed his eyes, overwhelmed by despair.

Sometimes, the last straw that breaks the camel’s back is something as insignificant as a single, weightless phrase.

For Qin Cheng, that gentle “I’m sorry” was a call from the abyss.