C1 So It Was All Their Plan!

"I feel terrible..." Xiong Miao must have been drunk.

She staggered into the hotel room.

No sooner had she lain down than a strong hand gripped her.

"You brought this on yourself, woman!" a deep, masculine voice declared with a commanding presence.

Xiong Miao's world went dark.

In a flash, chaos ensued.

The next morning, Xiong Miao's eyes flew open to the sight of a strikingly handsome face, with eyebrows sharp as blades and features so finely chiseled they seemed God's own handiwork, infuriatingly beautiful.

Sunlight filtered in, casting shadows beneath the man's long lashes, echoing the chill in his gaze.

Wait, who is he?

Upon recognizing the face before her, Xiong Miao sat up quickly, her heart racing with panic. She stared at the stranger's face for a moment, then frantically scanned the room, which was unmistakably furnished like a hotel.

What had happened last night?

To celebrate her twentieth birthday, her half-sister, Xiong Jingxi, had thrown her a party at a bar.

After a few drinks, Xiong Miao felt dizzy and overheated, so Jingxi suggested she rest at the hotel.

But she hadn't anticipated waking up to this.

Seizing the opportunity before the man awoke, Xiong Miao dressed hastily and made her escape.

Reaching the elevator, the doors slid open to reveal Jingxi and a throng of reporters.

Jingxi looked surprised to see Xiong Miao so soon, but her surprise quickly gave way to cunning.

Before Xiong Miao could grasp what was happening, Jingxi yanked her into the elevator, the doors closing behind her, leaving no escape.

Then, Jingxi forcefully tugged at Xiong Miao's shirt collar, exposing her neck and causing her great embarrassment.

"Take a good look, everyone. What do you see here? And why else would she be rushing out of the hotel early in the morning if not to cover up her misdeeds? Write the news as it is. Once it's published, let's show the world the true face of the Xiong family's eldest daughter – utterly shameless!" Jingxi sneered, gripping Xiong Miao tightly, reciting the lines she had prepared in advance.

Xiong Jingxi had intended to catch the moment live but found herself a step too late.

Nonetheless, the man from yesterday had been impressive. Now, Xiong Miao was left with indelible marks that achieved the effect she desired.

In the cramped space, the flashbulbs relentlessly burst around her, making her feel as if she were bound in a dimly lit room, threatened and uneasy.

Xiong Miao struggled to free herself from Jingxi's grasp, pleading, "Stop taking pictures, I didn't..."

"See for yourself, Brother Su. Even now, she's still making excuses. She's only with you for the Su family fortune. She doesn't love you at all. She's so indiscreet, not giving you a second thought."

It was then that Xiong Miao realized Jingxi had been recording. Her mortifying expression had been broadcast to Su Hongyi via the phone screen.

In a panic, Xiong Miao tried to explain, "Hongyi, it's not what it looks like..."

"Don't bother speaking! Xiong Miao, I truly misread you. You were the one who betrayed me first. We're done! The shares your mother invested in the Su Corporation rightfully belong to the corporation. You won't get a dime. That was your promise to me!" Su Hongyi's face, illuminated by the cold blue light of the phone, was devoid of warmth or a chance for her to explain.

After Su Hongyi's declaration, Jingxi timely ended the video. The reporters had captured everything with clarity.

Xiong Miao was left speechless.

"You're utterly disgraceful. If I were you, I'd disappear. Otherwise, once the news breaks, your infamy will be widespread, and you'll be universally condemned. The Xiong family won't allow a woman who tarnishes their name to enter their home. You better watch yourself!" Jingxi's biting words lingered.

As the elevator reached the ground floor, Jingxi and the reporters swiftly exited, leaving Xiong Miao behind, her face ashen, haunted by the resolute words of Su Hongyi.

She had loved Su Hongyi for three years, only to be repaid with the words "our fate has ended."

He wouldn't even listen to her explanation.

Her heart ached as if it had been pierced by a knife.

"Miss, this is your ID card that you left here yesterday," the receptionist said, handing her the document.

It was Xiong Jingxi's ID card!

Xiong Jingxi had booked a room for her the previous day and had brought reporters early this morning to catch her red-handed!

As Xiong Miao pieced everything together, she emerged from her anguish.

The wine she drank yesterday must have been tampered with. Xiong Jingxi had schemed against her, causing her to lose everything!

The 10% share in the Su Corporation was the only thing her mother had left her before she passed away.

Her mother had invested her entire fortune into the Su family to give her a standing in front of them, all because she had once confessed her love for Su Hongyi to her mother.

Su Hongyi grew increasingly suspicious and distrusting of her, which led her to sign an agreement stating that if she were unfaithful, she would forfeit her shares.

Little did she know, this was all part of their plan to strip her of everything and push her out of the picture.

A mix of rage and sorrow surged within her. Xiong Miao's fists clenched tightly, her knuckles whitening as her body shook.

Her father had always favored Xiong Jingxi and her daughter.

To make room for Xiong Jingxi and her mother in the Xiong family, her own father had driven her and her mother out of their home, only welcoming her back after her mother's death.

Now, she faced her troubles without anyone to stand by her side.

...

Four years later.

The ground floor of the international shopping mall buzzed with excitement around the stage display area.

The reason was the presence of child stars filming a commercial.

Six little ones, dressed identically, struck adorable poses at the director's command.

The photographer enthusiastically snapped photo after photo.

In his career, he had never seen children so delightful and meticulously adorable. And what was even more extraordinary was that there were six of them, each as exquisite as a porcelain doll.

Dressed in vibrant red outfits, they pouted and struck adorable kissing poses, creating a festive and endearing scene that caught the eye of many passersby in the mall.

Once the photo shoot concluded, a woman clad in a sweet and fresh outfit approached with a warm smile, cradling six milk bottles in her arms.

The six little ones caught sight of her and, flailing their tiny legs, scrambled towards her in excitement.

"Mommy, milk."

"Mommy, grandma."

"Mommy, Nana."

"Mommy, want milk."

"Mommy, wah wah."

"Mommy..."

"Slow down, you two," Xiong Miao gently chided as she crouched down to distribute the milk bottles to each of them.

Once the little ones had their bottles, the eldest, Qianqian, stood with one hand on his hip like a miniature grown-up, expertly gripping the milk bottle with the other, sipping away.

The second, Junjun, couldn't drink his milk quietly, wiggling his little bottom as he gulped.

The third, obedient and sensible, stood right by his mother's side.

The fourth, Mama, simply lay on the ground, clutching his bottle and cooing contentedly.

The fifth, Lele, with his round, chubby cheeks, looked bewildered as he stared at his milk bottle, as if pondering life's great mysteries.

Xiong Miao surveyed the children's antics with an amused smile, only to realize that one milk bottle remained undistributed. She looked around in concern and noticed a small bundle of red on the makeshift bed beside the photo studio.

Who else could it be, if not the sixth baby?