Chapter 572: 575: Death with Eyes Open

“I only love Brother Lan, I’ve never loved any other man. I’ve always kept myself pure for Brother Lan, no other man has ever touched me. Xiao Li, just who set you and Brother Lan against me and got you both to misunderstand me like this? I… I…” She clutches at her clothes in the agony of absolute injustice and misunderstanding, looking as if her heartache might just kill her.

Starring dazedly at her, Mue Ting who’s been pushed to the floor by her retorted, “Miss… what… what are you talking about? Didn’t you say… that I was the one you truly loved? That your being with Ye Xinglan was only out of necessity? That we…”

“Shut up!” Shi Qianling hastily interrupts him, shouting angrily, “What nonsense are you spouting? Who told you to slander me? Was it the Chi family? Have you accepted some favor from the Chi family and are now deliberately trying to sow discord between Brother Lan and I?”

Mue Ting stared at her in astonishment, tears flooding from his eyes.

He lowered his head, choking on his despair. “You lied to me… you… you tricked me…”

“Stop playing the victim!” Shi Qianling shouts sharply, her voice full of anger and bitterness. “Mue Ting, I’ve been good to you, treating you as my trusted aide. And yet, you turn around and betray me, teaming up with outsiders to slander me. Mue Ting, do you even feel bad for betraying my kindness? Have you no conscience left?”

Mue Ting lifts his head to look at her, shaking his head while crying and laughing at once. “That’s not it… that’s not it… You said you loved me, that your being with Ye Xinglan was just for the benefit of the family. You told me you would marry me if I were of a higher status, that in your heart, I’m your real husband. You even said…”

“Shut up!” Shi Qianling grabbed a broken vase from the floor, and viciously smashes it on his head. “How dare you insult and frame me even when you’re about to die! Now tell me, who put you up to this? Was it Chi Yu or Gu Junzhu?”

The blow from the vase cut open Mue Ting’s head, blood trickling down from his forehead.

He fights to keep his eyes open, wiping the blood dripping down onto his eyelashes. He’s crying like a child.

Slowly he raises a hand, gripping a shard of the broken vase. With a quick swing, the shard slices through his carotid artery. His spurting blood splashes all over Shi Qianling’s face.

Shi Qianling screams in terror, scrambling backwards with her hands and feet.

Mue Ting slumps to the ground, clutching at his throat. Struggling to look in Ye Xingli’s direction, he gasps out, “Sorry… I really thought she loved me… I…”

But he can’t finish his sentence. His beautiful eyes remain wide open in death.

He dies with his eyes open.

Ye Xingli frowns, a feeling of suffocation gripping his heart.

He suddenly doesn’t want to stay here anymore.

He feels as if the very air in this place is polluted, each breath threatening to soiled his lungs.

He waves his hand. “Let’s go!”

His bodyguards crowd around him, escorting him out of the living room.

“Xiao Li!” Shi Shijun calls out from behind him, chasing after him.

Ye Xingli stops in his tracks and turns to look at him.

Shi Shijun gives a bitter smile. “Xiao Li, I know that both Shi Qianling and Shi Qianying are rotten to the core. I’m sorry that I failed to notice when my sisters went astray. But Xiao Li, you, your brother, and I grew up together. For that, I’ll make sure to punish Shi Qianling and Shi Qianying for their mistakes. But Xiao Li, I beg you, don’t let the whole Shi family pay for their sins. I implore you.”

Ye Xingli gives a bitter chuckle. “Are only your two sisters rotten in your family?”