Beg Me to Remarry
Chapter 616 - 617: Room for Maneuver

Chapter 616: Chapter 617: Room for Maneuver

Facing the door sat Qin Nuan, clad in a dark green wool coat. She seemed to have a particular fondness for such shades, and it had to be said, she looked indeed stunning in it.

Her voluminous curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, every tip seemingly exuding gentleness.

Xia Ning was dressed in a light pink woolen garment. Although she looked attractive, next to Qin Nuan, she appeared rather petty, especially with the day’s outfit which carried a hint of trying to look younger.

Before long, the server brought over their coffee and desserts. The fragrance of the hot coffee wafted through the air, bringing with it a mild warmth amidst the swirling steam.

Qin Nuan pinched a golden Petal Spoon between two fingers, stirring her coffee deliberately.

She slightly bowed her head, the light from a dim, amber-hued lantern above casting a glow upon her.

As much as Xia Ning hated to admit it, she couldn’t deny that Qin Nuan was very beautiful. Among all the women Xia Ning knew, perhaps only Fu Han’s beauty could rival Qin Nuan’s, or maybe Bai Wei’s.

But the three of them were of different styles. Qin Nuan radiated a seductive charm, like the vivid, golden fruits of autumn, so luscious they made one long for a taste.

Although Bai Wei’s features fell slightly short compared to the other two, she possessed a unique aura that beautifully merged girlish naiveté with a spirited elegance; Xia Ning had never seen such an aura on anyone else, which might well be why Bai Wei became a superstar.

As for Fu Han, she was the girl with the delicate features, yet she exuded a faint aloofness. To put it nicely, it was a sort of cold elegance, but in Xia Ning’s own words, Fu Han was just putting on airs.

Truth be told, Xia Ning didn’t like any of those three women.

She looked at Qin Nuan with evident hostility, "Just say it, what exactly do you need to let my brother go?"

Although Xia Ning knew that Xia Guoxiong had already approached Qin Nuan, she still refused to give up; lately, Xia Guoxiong’s attitude toward her had noticeably worsened, which made her anxious.

Originally, Xia Ning hadn’t been particularly concerned about Xia Cheng’s affairs; after all, if only she knew, Xia Cheng had forced himself upon several girls already.

But those girls were all hushed with money by Xia Cheng or Xia Guoxiong, never bringing the incidents to light.

Qin Nuan, however, was different. After Xia Cheng left that day, she went straight to the police, supposedly carrying with her the house’s surveillance footage which clearly showed Qin Nuan resisting throughout; Xia Cheng had violated her will and forced himself upon her.

Xia Guoxiong had sought a renowned lawyer for the case, but after examining the situation, the lawyer outright refused, saying the evidence was rock-solid. Unless time could be rewound to stop Xia Cheng, there was no solution.

Before leaving, the lawyer told Xia Guoxiong that since it was he who tied the bell, only he could untie it. If Qin Nuan was willing to drop the charges and resolve things privately, Xia Cheng might not be entirely without hope.

Therefore, although Xia Ning knew her father had repeatedly failed, she still arranged a meeting with Qin Nuan.

Thinking of this, Xia Ning sighed deeply within her heart. She spoke in the calmest voice she could muster, "Qin Nuan, I believe you know why I asked you out."

"I know." Qin Nuan elegantly lifted her coffee cup with two fingers and took a sip, smiling at Xia Ning in a way that suggested she was done talking.

Her demeanor fueled a fire in Xia Ning, a sensation of being overpowered by Qin Nuan.

Xia Ning bit her lip, suppressed the rising anger, and spoke, "You agreeing to meet me indicates there’s still a chance to turn things around for my brother, right?"

"Of course," Qin Nuan replied with a smile, as captivating as the red of a sunset that bathes the sky in hues of crimson, extremely dazzling, "I made my demands clear long ago, just get He Xing to back off from Lixing, and I can let Xia Cheng off."

Xia Ning took a deep breath and despite trying to hold back, spoke impatiently, "If we could have done it, we would have by now. The problem is that slut Fu Han disagrees, and there’s nothing I can do about it."

"Fu Han disagrees?" Qin Nuan took interest, lifting her hand to admire her freshly done nails, shaking her head with feigned regret, "Then there’s nothing to be done. If Lixing can’t get out, let Xia Cheng keep him company. After all, they know each other, it’s better to have company."

"You!" Xia Ning trembled with rage, her beautiful face ablaze with fury, "Don’t be so self-righteous. Haven’t you slept with Xia Cheng before? Why are you insisting on suing him this time?"

Her voice was loud. Although the Cafe was not crowded, the cleaning server still overheard and glanced their way.

Qin Nuan’s expression instantly hardened, and after a few seconds, she glared viciously at Xia Ning, "Who I sleep with and when is my right. Xia Cheng broke into my home and forced himself on me; it’s all on camera. Since you think he’s done nothing wrong, go tell that to the judge."

"I..." Xia Ning’s building momentum immediately faltered. She loathed Qin Nuan so much it made her teeth itch, yet frustratingly, she was the one needing favors.

She gulped down her coffee in one go and then said in the calmest voice she could, "Qin Nuan, there’s really no need for us to be at such loggerheads. We could very well cooperate in another manner, right?"

"What way?" Qin Nuan smirked, not without sarcasm, "Are you talking about money?"

"No." A faint smile touched Xia Ning’s lips, appearing as if she had gained the upper hand as she watched Qin Nuan with amusement, "Qin Xiaonian is also a form of currency for us to trade with, isn’t she?"

At the mention of "Qin Xiaonian," Qin Nuan’s complexion immediately changed, her pupils involuntarily dilating and her voice starting to tremble, "What... What are you talking about, I don’t know."

"You don’t know?" The power firmly in her grasp, Xia Ning looked meaningfully at Qin Nuan, "You think because you changed your household registration, I wouldn’t know? Such a matter only takes a little investigation by a private detective to be laid bare."

Without response, Qin Nuan glared at Xia Ning with eyes full of hatred, as if wishing she could rip Xia Ning apart; her deepest secret was now exposed by Xia Ning, and under such circumstances, no less.

Under such a daunting gaze, Xia Ning was not the least bit intimidated. On the contrary, her smile only brightened, "So of course I came here prepared today. I’ll assume your love for Yi Lixing is genuine, but you can’t just neglect your own sister, can you?"

"What do you want to do?" Qin Nuan frowned, her eyes fixating on Xia Ning like a beast eyeing its prey, barely containing her loathing.