Chapter 79: A Third-Rate Mistress

Xia Ling was almost stunned to the point of senselessness.

She stood there, frozen in place.

The next second, tears poured from her eyes.

She rushed forward, desperately clutching Yan Feng's arm. "Yan Feng, how can you do this? This is our child! Do you know how hard it was for us to have him? How many medicines I took, how many injections I endured—have you forgotten all of it?"

Yan Feng frowned deeply.

"I haven't forgotten, but Xia Ling, do you want me to lay out everything you've done, one by one?"

Xia Ling gazed at him, pleading.

Yan Feng decided to lay everything bare. "Back then, you imitated Xiao You’s handwriting, forged that diary, and tore us apart. You took the opportunity to worm your way in. Over the years, you’ve always appeared gentle and pure, but behind my back, you never stopped scheming against Xiao You."

"You feared the truth would come to light, so you had a child in advance to tie me down. You are heartless, duplicitous, and cunning to the core. I must have been blind to ever trust you, to ever join you in hurting Xiao You."

"And now, you still show no remorse. You think that by bringing up the child, I’ll simply surrender to your wishes. Xia Ling, in your eyes, am I really so foolish—someone you can manipulate at will?"

Yan Feng’s voice grew colder with each word.

Thinking back, he realized just how tightly she’d had him under her thumb all these years.

Xia Ling clung to Yan Feng’s hand, weeping like a flower in the rain.

"No, it’s not like that, Ah Feng. I love you—I love you so much! Everything I did was because I didn’t want to lose you. I know I was wrong; I know I need to repent. I’ll go to Ciyou and confess, I’ll kneel and beg for her forgiveness."

Xia Ling nearly collapsed to her knees.

"Ah Feng, don’t leave me. It took so much for us to come this far, to finally have our own child. You can’t just abandon me like this, please—I beg you."

"I won’t terminate the pregnancy. This child means more to me than my own life. Without him, I can’t go on."

Half kneeling on the ground, Xia Ling pleaded for mercy, sobbing uncontrollably.

People passing by glanced over, their faces filled with surprise and curiosity.

In the past, Yan Feng would have softened.

But now, seeing the probing, suspicious looks from those around them, he felt only humiliation.

He didn’t want to tangle with Xia Ling here any longer.

"Xia Ling, if you insist on having this child, that’s your choice. But I won’t acknowledge him, nor will the Yan family. You won’t get a penny from me. The child will be yours alone, and has nothing to do with me—I won’t take any responsibility. If you can accept that, then go ahead and have the child."

"Yan Feng, how can you be so cruel? How can you treat me this way?"

A surge of irritation rose within Yan Feng.

By now, the crowd gathering was growing larger.

A mocking voice came drifting from the gates of BJ.

"Young Master Yan, what kind of drama are you putting on here?"

Bo Jin Xiu emerged unhurriedly, surrounded by a group of people.

Those with him were also the type of privileged scions who considered themselves above the rest of Beijing’s elite. They were all involved in the Paradise Resort project and would be dealing with each other often in the future—Yan Feng already knew most of them.

Each of them was handsome and outstanding in their own right, but next to Bo Jin Xiu, who shone like the moon among the stars, their inferiority was obvious.

Fang Bo, sharp-tongued as always, quipped with a teasing smile, "Young Master Yan, you really don’t know how to cherish a beauty. How could you let such a lovely lady kneel on the ground? Even if you don’t feel sorry for her, I do."

Yan Feng didn't want to become a spectacle for these second-generation heirs.

He shook off Xia Ling and strode away.

Xia Ling hadn’t expected Yan Feng to become so cold and heartless, abandoning her without a second thought.

Fang Bo took it upon himself to help Xia Ling up. "Beauty, men really are no good. Why not come with me instead? I’m no better, but at least I admit it."

Xue Tao, standing by, remarked, "Fang Bo, you really have no standards. Can’t you tell she’s been pregnant for months?"

Fang Bo recoiled as if scalded, hastily letting go of Xia Ling.

"Married women are my thing, but I don’t want to be a bargain father," he said.

Bo Jin Xiu cast a cold glance at Xia Ling and was about to leave when she called out to him.

"Mr. Bo, I have something to say to you."

Bo Jin Xiu, already descending the steps, didn’t pause.

"Aren’t you at all interested in matters concerning Jiang Ciyou?"

He finally stopped.

He told the others, "Go ahead to the restaurant. I’ll be there in a moment."

They turned to look at Xia Ling.

Just moments ago, she’d seemed pitiful, her face streaked with tears. Now she stood steadily, her expression indifferent, no trace of sadness—her eyes fixed on Bo Jin Xiu with the cold calculation of a predator.

What a terrifying woman.

That was Fang Bo’s first impression.

He offered a word of warning to Bo Jin Xiu. "Be careful. This woman changes her face so quickly—I doubt she’s any good."

Bo Jin Xiu said nothing.

Once the others had walked away, he turned and ascended the steps, stopping two meters from Xia Ling.

A sly smile curled the corners of her lips. "So, Mr. Bo, you really care about Jiang Ciyou?"

Bo Jin Xiu had little patience for her, his gaze icy as he frowned slightly. "What do you want to say?"

He suspected stopping for her was unwise.

Xia Ling would likely say something to harm Jiang Ciyou.

But since it concerned her, he wanted to know what she’d say.

"Mr. Bo, you’ve only known Jiang Ciyou for a month. Do you really understand this woman?"

Bo Jin Xiu sneered. "Miss Xia, I am not Yan Feng. Sowing discord won’t work on me."

Xia Ling laughed coldly. "Ciyou is beautiful—she’s been popular with boys since high school. She relishes being the center of attention, always surrounded by men. She knows how to handle them. So it’s no wonder even a prince like you would be drawn to a married woman."

She was testing him, trying to see if Bo Jin Xiu knew about Jiang Ciyou’s relationship with Yan Feng. Even if they never registered their marriage, they’d held a wedding ceremony. If Bo Jin Xiu wanted, he could certainly dig up traces of it. Would he truly not care if Jiang Ciyou was branded a married woman?

Bo Jin Xiu saw through her ploy at once.

"Miss Xia, perhaps you’re unaware that Young Master Yan and Ciyou never registered their marriage. But I know. You’ve been with Yan Feng for three years, and yet he couldn’t even tell you that. What does that say?"

"It means that, in his eyes, you have always been the mistress who could never step into the light."

"Others may see you as the other woman, but even Yan Feng does. He could have given you a proper title, but from beginning to end, he kept you in the shadows. That makes you not just a mistress—but a third-rate one at that."

Bo Jin Xiu repeated the words "mistress" again and again, making Xia Ling’s face flush pale and green by turns.