Moth Chasing the Sun 7

Yue Yongjian's face twisted with rage, his soul seeming to flee his body. "You're talking nonsense! Bitch!"

Qi Ziyang scoffed and addressed Zhao Yi's legitimate wife, who stood off to the side. "What's the matter? Did you think no one would find out about your little affair?"

Wang Yao's eyes flickered, forcing calmness. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Qi Ziyang laughed loudly, glancing at Zhao Yi, who looked confused and flustered. "Your husband might be an idiot, but I'm not. With so many people here today, I've already lost all face, so what do I have to fear? Let everyone know that my dear husband has been having an affair with Wang Yao! They've been sneaking around, burning with passion, sleeping together who knows how many times!"

Yan Xianchuan's gaze darted among the four, looking at each in turn like a startled groundhog in a melon patch, unsure where to focus first.

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Yue Yongjian's lips trembled as he shouted, a facade of courage masking his fear. "You're the one who's indecent, jumping into another man's bed, and now you want to drag me down? You've disgraced the Yue and Qi families!"

"Is that so?" Qi Ziyang said calmly. "On May fifteenth, you said you went horse racing with friends. A simple check of your schedule will reveal whether you actually went! As for June seventh, eighteenth, twenty-third, July ninth, fifteenth, twentieth, August first, eighth, seventeenth, twenty-fourth, and September... Ha, Yue Yongjian, you didn't really think your moves were flawless, did you?"

"You make all sorts of excuses, but your adulterous face has already betrayed you completely!"

Yue Yongjian's face paled and flushed by turns, and Wang Yao's expression soured as well. Their excuses for sneaking away were flimsy and wouldn't hold up under any scrutiny.

The others could tell from their expressions and stammering denials that Qi Ziyang spoke the truth.

These two—one married, the other married—had actually hooked up, carrying on an illicit affair!

Though modern society was open-minded, and most in high society kept mistresses, no one went around sleeping with another man's wife.

Zhao Yi stared at his spouse, watching her pretty face turn pale, watching her avoid his gaze in panic. He understood everything.

He jumped up in a rage, forgetting even the rejection symptoms from the forced suppressants administered during his heat. "I've been so good to you! What more could you possibly want! Other men keep mistresses, but I never have. All these years without a child, with the family pressing me—I bore that pressure without telling you. I gave you my heart, and what do you take me for? A fool?"

His lips moved as if to hurl more insults, but he held back, slumping to the ground in despair.

It would have been better if he had cursed her. A flicker of shame crossed Wang Yao's face. "I... darling..."

"Don't call me that," Zhao Yi said coldly. "We're getting a divorce."

Wang Yao's eyes widened in shock, about to speak, but Qi Ziyang cut her off.

"What, you didn't think you could patch things up and pretend nothing happened, did you? Miss Wang Yao, you seemed pretty pleased when you were sneaking around with someone else's husband."

Qi Ziyang sneered, nudging Zhao Yi with his shoe. "Stop playing the coward. This is a fine banquet—how did you end up in that guest room? Explain the whole story."

Zhao Yi didn't dare meet his eyes. He was a faithful romantic, never so much as holding another person's hand, devoted to his wife. How could he have ended up with another man by some twisted fate?

Seeing the attention on him, guilt-ridden, he immediately spoke. "I had a drink and felt a bit dizzy, and a servant offered to take me to a guest room to rest and fetch hangover medicine."

Wang Yao interrupted. "And you? Qi Ziyang, I recall you're allergic to alcohol and never touch a drop. You didn't just crawl into his bed to spite him, did you?"

"Me?" Qi Ziyang curled his lip, suddenly turning his gaze to his silent partner, Yue Yongjian. "Why, I was drugged and sent there by my own dear husband. Most people guard against being cuckolded, but he loves putting on the horns himself."

"Don't slander me! What would I gain from that?" Yue Yongjian grew frantic.

"Oh, there's plenty to gain," Qi Ziyang sneered. "You're a lust-driven degenerate. Sleeping with another man's wife isn't enough; you want to bed her husband too. Am I right?"

Zhao Yi looked up in disbelief.

Qi Ziyang continued. "Sneaking around was thrilling at first, but after a while, you got bored of it and wanted to go public. But Zhao Yi isn't like you—he's an upright man, and he'd never agree. So you hatched a plan to make me end up with him. You slept with his wife, and he slept with me—doesn't that even the score? It's a family scandal; Zhao Yi would never spread it. That gives you leverage over him. First the affair, then the whole mess, and you'd call all the shots."

The bystanders, who had been quietly enjoying the drama, gasped in unison at Qi Ziyang's words.

Were they wild in private? Yes.

But it was all consensual, among consenting adults. No one deliberately targeted someone else's wife—word would get around, and it was bad for reputations.

Bad for relations between the families, too.

And you'd never guess it—Yue Yongjian, so unassuming, not content with the wife, wanted the husband too.

What a piece of work.

The crowd murmured in amazement.

Yan Xianchuan: Wow! Just wow!

She squeezed Lu Mingqiu's hand, silently thinking: So this is high society? So complicated! So thrilling!

Lu Mingqiu: ...

She hated to admit it, but yes, this was high society.

Glamorous on the surface, rotten underneath.

Lu Mingqiu replied. "But this might not be so simple. Yue Yongjian is greedy and bold, but he wouldn't want this aired publicly. What does he stand to gain?"

"You're raving! Slander!" Yue Yongjian stomped his foot. "You need evidence—it's not just words!

"Evidence? I have it." Qi Ziyang's lips curled into a sneer, triumphant and satisfied, like a death sentence being passed.

"I often felt discomfort in my eyes and mentioned it to you. You grew impatient and told me to see a doctor myself. So I went, and the tests showed a corneal tumor that required surgery. I found it troublesome, so I replaced both eyes with prosthetic ones."

As his former spouse's face turned ashen, he delivered the final blow. "They have video and audio recording. I just exported the footage and saw everything. Otherwise, how would I have known it was you?"

Word by word, in a honeyed tone, he said, "My dear husband."

Yue Yongjian's face was ashen, utterly speechless.

And so the farce ended—scandalous even for the chaotic upper crust.

It was grotesque, utterly shaming.

The Newman Clan Head gave a heavy cough to draw attention, then spoke solemnly. "This is your private affair, and normally I wouldn't interfere. But to stage such a scene at my birthday banquet, I'm forced to intervene."

She cast a sharp glance. "Yue Yongjian, by pulling this stunt at my celebration, are you showing disrespect to the Newman family?"

Without waiting for a response, she raised her hand. "Throw him out."

She rose, eyeing the remaining three with disdain. "The rest of you, leave as well."

As the host of the banquet, she couldn't stay away for long, lest the guests suspect trouble.

Fuming, she walked out of the reception room, and the guests exchanged glances before following.

Teresa's gaze was venomous as she stared at Zhao Yi. "I don't care if you were drugged—you killed my Da Ju. You'll pay with your life!"

Then she looked at the other two, her eyes like poisoned daggers, wanting to flay them alive. With a cold snort, she left.

Yan Xianchuan and Lu Mingqiu lingered behind, mainly because Yan hadn't had her fill of the gossip and couldn't bear to leave, dawdling about.

Qi Ziyang seemed unperturbed, even taking time to smooth his clothes and hair.

"Aren't you angry?" Yan Xianchuan couldn't help asking.

"Getting angry over someone who betrayed you isn't worth it," Qi Ziyang said casually. "If I got upset over that idiot, it would be a waste of time."

"What are your plans now?" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "And just now... well, you were open with everyone. They all saw."

Qi Ziyang burst out laughing. He didn't know who Yan Xianchuan was, but from the way others treated her, he guessed her status—this was no ordinary well-wisher.

While everyone else fixated on the scandal and the loss of face among the elite, she alone asked about his feelings. That was rare.

So he didn't brush her off and said more. "First, divorce that idiot. Then... I don't know. Remarriage is probably out of the question. My family won't begrudge me a meal. Maybe I'll do something I actually want to do."

"As for being seen naked," Qi Ziyang honestly didn't care, "we all come into this world bare and leave it bare. Besides, I've got a great body—whoever saw it got lucky."

What a free spirit.

If it had been Yan Xianchuan in that situation, she'd have gouged out the eyes of everyone present, crushed them like grapes, snapped their necks, and collapsed the entire building for good measure.

If she were in a bad mood, she'd take their families down too—no one left alive.

This twisted society was liberal about romantic matters; just look at the sex industry, a fully legal and sanctioned trade in the Federation.

But the more 'liberal' it was, the more oppressive it was for omegas. The powers that be brainwashed them, preaching the importance of chastity.

Family clans and wealthy magnates wanted pure partners, so if you wanted to marry well, you couldn't fool around.

And as children, how could you not contribute to the family? Marrying strategically to advance the family's interests was your duty. The family raised you, gave you the best education and living conditions—wasn't it all so you could pay them back?

These doctrines were drilled into them from childhood, and their environment reinforced the 'correct' values. Over time, they came to believe that sacrificing themselves for the family was an honor, a duty, an inevitability.

What if the husband chosen for you kept a mistress?

What of it? Who doesn't? When everyone does it, it must be normal and natural. And they were the legitimate wives, the proper madams. Those mistresses were mere playthings, beneath notice. No need to get upset over such things and damage the marital bond.

As for the lower classes' debauchery, what did it have to do with them? Those omegas were shameless, throwing themselves at men.

And the betas? They were born low and self-disrespecting.

Generation after generation of omegas were raised this way, and in turn raised their own children the same, becoming puppets of the powerful without realizing it. They thought it was their free will, dividing themselves from other oppressed groups, believing themselves superior, unaware that they were all just dolls manipulated by the true elites.

It was in such an environment that the resisters stood out all the more.

Statements like Qi Ziyang's could even be branded as treasonous.

After this incident, the two couples were sure to split.

And the relations among these four families would likely become very tangled.

The carefully orchestrated birthday banquet had been upset, and the atmosphere turned sour. For the rest of the event, everyone was talking in hushed tones, discussing the fresh scandal.

In the world Yan Xianchuan had originally lived, the sexes were equal. Even the deadly escape games had no gender-based oppression—indeed, the latter was a dog-eat-dog world that only cared about strength.

Hearing all this was novel to her, so on the way back, she whispered to Lu Mingqiu, "Should we help him out?"

"He's kind of pitiful."

"I'm thinking the same way," Lu Mingqiu said. "Let me see what I can do."

But how to help? Where to start?

...

Meanwhile, the four were all expelled from the banquet, a humiliating spectacle.

Qi Ziyang refused to say another word to them, snorted, got into his car, and drove off.

Wang Yao tried to apologize to her husband, Zhao Yi, reaching for his sleeve, but he shook her off so hard she nearly fell.

Once, his gaze had been full of love and warmth; now he looked at her like she were a roach.

Wang Yao's shame turned to fury. "What's your problem! Yes, I was wrong, but are you blameless? You gave me gifts that only moved you, never asking what I actually wanted! Maybe you love me, but you don't respect me or understand me!" she sneered. "Yue Yongjian is a scumbag, sure, but he knows how to flatter me, how to be considerate and gentle. And you? You're nothing!"

Zhao Yi said nothing, looking as if he never wanted to see her or speak to her again.

Seeing that only stoked her anger, and she was about to lash out, but out of nowhere, several figures emerged and grabbed Zhao Yi, covering his mouth and dragging him away.

She paled, remembering Teresa's words, and panic seized her. Seeing no one around, she turned and bolted.

Even among wealthy families, there was a hierarchy. To the Newman family, the Zhao family was nothing, and Zhao Yi wasn't even an heir—they could kill him without consequence.

The Newman Clan Head had always doted on Teresa, knowing her shortsightedness and vindictiveness, but she made no move to stop her.

In a hidden room, Teresa's eyes brimmed with contempt. "You can blame your bad luck."

Zhao Yi shook with terror, muffled cries escaping as his mouth was covered.

Teresa thought to slap his face, but seeing the sweat on his brow, she wrinkled her nose in disgust and withdrew her hand, saying to her men, "Strangle him. Dispose of the body."

With that, she left the hidden room, adding airily, "You got off easy."

Humming a tune, Teresa made her way upstairs in good spirits, fetched a golden tiger from the pet room, and scratched its ears. "Da Ju, oh Da Ju, you're so cute."

The tiger nuzzled her hand affectionately, letting out deep rumbling purrs. Its markings were exactly the same as the one that lay dead in the other room just moments ago.

...

Yan Xianchuan and Lu Mingqiu had just returned home and were taking off their shoes when Lu Mingqiu suddenly said, "The Lin family is in trouble."

Yan Xianchuan: ?

She remembered the Lin family head—portly and shrewd—whom she'd just seen at the banquet. What could have happened? Another piece of gossip?

Lu Mingqiu continued. "There was a sudden electrical fire on the Lin family's floor, causing an explosion. No one survived."

Yan Xianchuan: ??

Huh?

So sudden?

Well... dead is dead; it had nothing to do with her anyway. Yan Xianchuan mustered a routine, "How tragic," a token exclamation.

Lu Mingqiu was accustomed to her demeanor, but her brow furrowed slightly. What a coincidence—just after the Lin family head returned from the banquet, with the whole family at home, all of them killed outright, not a single serious injury among them.

Was that plausible?

Even in an explosion, there would be pockets of safety. But everyone—every person, including the servants—died.

She sensed something off, but couldn't find a lead, so she set the feeling aside.

With the Lin family wiped out, what would happen to their property and business? Xie Five stepped up and went through the formalities to report to Yan Xianchuan, requesting approval to consolidate the Lin family's affairs.

Yan Xianchuan naturally agreed, then asked, "Is there anything I need to do?"

Xie Seven nodded. "Part of the orders with the Black Tiger Gang require your personal presence for negotiations. It's scheduled for ten o'clock two nights from now at Splendid Nightless City."

That segment of business had originally belonged to the Yan family, given to the Lin family by Yan Wanzhi. With the Lins blown up, it was time to take it back. Moreover, the Lins' small arms trade was to be fully absorbed by the Yan family as well.

Those were minor matters that Xie Five could handle himself. He'd been in Dingyang City for a long time, representing the Yan family, so with him handling the negotiations, it would go off without a hitch.

Splendid Nightless City was a nightclub, and it wasn't a place Lu Mingqiu could go.

There was an unspoken rule: when leaders of major families met for important business, bringing along a useless omega was a sign of disrespect.

The Yan family head's character was evident in how he raised his children. He had no regard for omegas, treating them as little more than amusing breeding machines.

To stay in his good graces, Yan Xianchuan would have to act indifferent toward Lu Mingqiu and not let her "get in the way" during such missions.

She agreed readily, and as soon as Xie Seven left, Yan Xianchuan collapsed into a heap. "What am I going to do?"

Lu Mingqiu couldn't help but laugh at her look of utter despair. "Xie Five will be there, and he'll lead the talks. You just need to nod at the right moments."

Yan Xianchuan scrunched up her face. "I'm afraid I'll mess up. What if I say the wrong thing? I'm so dumb, I don't know anything."

Lu Mingqiu smiled softly at her. "Over the top."

Yan Xianchuan looked innocent and puzzled. "What's over the top?"

Lu Mingqiu replied, "Your acting."

Yan Xianchuan touched her own face, surprised. "Really? I practiced in front of the mirror, and it looked perfect!"

Lu Mingqiu said, "You wouldn't be scared by such a minor situation. That sort of coy, vulnerable act really doesn't suit you."

"What!" Yan Xianchuan was taken aback. "It really doesn't suit me? Didn't you feel the urge to comfort me?"

Lu Mingqiu's expression was flat. "Only the urge to laugh."

Yan Xianchuan hesitated, sneaking a glance at Lu Mingqiu's face, and asked again, "Really not?"

Lu Mingqiu said firmly, "No."

"Then why did it work last time?" Yan Xianchuan murmured, bewildered. "I thought it worked perfectly."

Lu Mingqiu: ...

Lu Mingqiu, a woman with no dark past, flawless as a textbook, had just gained a memory she'd rather forget.

All thanks to the person before her.

Yan Xianchuan pulled a collapsible mirror from her shirt pocket and made a few more pitiful faces at it. "Doesn't this look great?"

When she'd pretended before, it always worked. Why did it fail with Lu Mingqiu of all people?

Puzzled, Yan Xianchuan headed upstairs, scratching her head.

What she didn't realize was that it always worked because others didn't know she was faking it. They didn't know she was mentally ill—literally. Her parents, who knew her true state, were only happier when she acted like that, doting on her unconditionally, so of course it worked.

Seeing that playing the victim wasn't working, she started looking up other strategies.

Playing weak suited someone who liked to dominate and control. If it didn't work, that meant it wasn't the right approach. Instead, she should show her domineering side and take control.

She needed to project strength, to be aloof and inscrutable.

Aloof... Yan Xianchuan searched and the first result that popped up was—expressionless.

Huh?

She read further and was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't all that different from what she used to be.

Easy.

The next morning, Yan Xianchuan got up, flexed her fingers in front of the wardrobe, pulled her lips down, half-lidded her eyes, and let her face go slack. She looked in the mirror—a perfect "don't mess with me" bored face!

Then she headed out, full of fighting spirit.

The first look Lu Mingqiu gave her: "What's wrong? Didn't sleep well last night?"

Yan Xianchuan answered curtly, "No."

Then, maintaining a "don't bother me" demeanor, she sat at the table, staring intently at Lu Mingqiu.

In her imagination, she was proud, cold, frosty as ice, aloof as a pine forest, like a rock or a frozen sea.

But in Lu Mingqiu's eyes, Yan Xianchuan looked like: I'm hungry! Feed me!