CHAPTER 838: CHAPTER 838: RUI WANG’S DAUGHTER

Qiao Li raised one eyebrow and looked straight into Shi Qin’s furious eyes.

"Oh? So tell me—was it me who told you to sleep with a greasy old man?"

Shi Qin’s face turned red with anger. She glared at Qiao Li like she wanted to scream.

"If you weren’t so powerful," Shi Qin snapped, "I wouldn’t have to use such disgusting methods! You forced me!"

Qiao Li let out a soft sigh. "Shi Qin," she said, shaking her head, "you had so many paths to choose from. You could’ve gone to another school. You could’ve become a teacher. You even have superpowers. You could’ve joined any special course."

She paused, her voice calm but serious.

"But instead, you chose to throw everything away. Just so you could get back at me. And for what? Power?"

Shi Qin clenched her fists. Her body shook with rage.

"My powers are fading," she growled. "And guess what? Yours will too. All of us from our generation... we lose our powers eventually. You think you’re special? One day, you’ll be nothing, just like me."

Qiao Li blinked. She didn’t deny it. "You’re right," she said softly. "Our powers won’t last forever. That’s the truth."

But her voice didn’t waver.

"Still," she continued, "even if I lose everything, I would never choose your path. I’d never become like you."

She looked Shi Qin up and down with quiet pity.

"Your mother... she’d be disappointed."

Shi Qin’s eyes widened. "Don’t you dare speak about my mother!" she shouted.

Qiao Li chuckled. "Relax. I can’t show her anything anymore. She’s already dead."

Shi Qin froze.

Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

Qiao Li’s voice lowered.

"My father couldn’t stand to see my mother cry anymore. So he made sure your mother never had a peaceful ending. She didn’t even get a proper gift at her funeral."

Shi Qin’s whole body trembled with rage. Her eyes turned wild, like she was losing her mind.

"I swear!" she screamed. "One day, I’ll make you pay! I’ll make you cry tears of blood!"

Qiao Li smirked, her arms still crossed. "If that’s what you want, I’ll be waiting."

She took a step back and nodded at the police officers who were standing nearby.

"But for now... you’re going to jail."

"No! Wait! Please, Qiao Li!" Shi Qin’s voice cracked. She fell to her knees and begged, grabbing onto Qiao Li’s coat. "Please don’t do this. I’ll do anything! Just... don’t send me away!"

But Qiao Li looked away.

Her voice was cold.

"If I knew there was a snake this close to me," she said, "I would’ve crushed it a long time ago."

From the side, Ou Lin finally stepped forward. He had been standing there the whole time, watching silently to make sure nothing went wrong.

He let out a small sigh of relief.

Honestly, he had been terrified that Qiao Li would get hurt.

Qiao Li noticed the look on his face and rolled her eyes.

"You’re being too overprotective," she said. "What, do you think I’m made of glass?"

Ou Lin smiled, just a little. "Maybe," he said, "you are."

Qiao Li snorted. "That’s funny. For ten years, you didn’t even look at me. I chased after you like a fool, and you acted like I didn’t exist. And now you’re acting like I’m some fragile doll?"

Ou Lin didn’t reply. He just gave her a sad smile.

What Qiao Li didn’t know was that for years, he had been protecting her from the shadows. There had been many attacks aimed at her—poisoned letters, hackers, even fake friends. But his team had stopped them all before they ever reached her.

This time, however, Shi Qin had surprised them.

He couldn’t stop this plan in time.

Still, he didn’t explain anything.

He just looked into Qiao Li’s eyes and said softly, "I care about you."

Qiao Li rolled her eyes again. "Hmph. I don’t trust men. You all say sweet things, and then leave when it matters."

She turned away and walked off.

Men’s words couldn’t be trusted. She had learned that lesson well.

Later that evening, Qiao Li returned to the Qiao Mansion.

As she walked into the living room, her eyes lit up.

"Lea!" she shouted in surprise.

Sitting on the couch was Yu Holea, flipping through a magazine. When she heard Qiao Li’s voice, she looked up and smiled warmly.

"Li," she said. "I missed you too."

Qiao Li rushed over and gave her a big hug.

"How are you doing?" Yu Holea asked.

"Good. And what about you? What are you up to?" Qiao Li asked.

"I am going to capital." Yu Holea replied.

Qiao Li pulled back and looked curious. "What happened?"

Yu Holea sighed. "Someone was trying to frame him. They were planning to leak his secrets. They wanted the world to know that Yu Sicong is gay."

Qiao Li’s eyes widened.

"That’s... awful," she said. "So what are you going to do?"

Yu Holea’s expression turned serious. "I’m going to finish this once and for all."

Qiao Li nodded firmly. "You should. No one messes with family."

Then she paused.

"Are you free right now?"

Yu Holea smiled. "I took two days off from work. I also just finished filming my movie."

Qiao Li’s face lit up again.

"So," she asked, "is there any chance you can get out of your dates and go on a shopping date with me instead?"

Yu Holea let out a soft chuckle and leaned back on the couch. "Honestly, we really are best friends. I came to the Qiao Mansion with the exact same idea. I even told Mrs. Qiao earlier that I’m taking you out shopping today."

Qiao Li clapped her hands like a little kid who just got her favorite candy.

"Yes! Then today, we’re going to shop until our brothers’ bank accounts have a dent they’ll never forget!"

Just then, Ou Lin, who had been standing nearby, coughed politely.

"You’re forgetting something," he said. "You need a protector before heading out. And I think I’m the perfect person to escort you both."

Qiao Li rolled her eyes so hard it looked like they might get stuck.

"Ugh, not again," she groaned. "We’ve been shopping together for the last ten years. We never had any problems. Besides, we both know martial arts, and between the two of us, we’re probably stronger than you."

Ou Lin raised an eyebrow. A small smirk played on his lips.

"Is that so?" he asked. "Then how about we test it? One strength challenge. Let’s see who’s actually stronger."

Qiao Li didn’t hesitate. She smirked right back.

"Deal. I accept the challenge."

Before the mood got too intense, Yu Holea stepped between them, arms out like a referee.

"Okay, okay, stop!" she said, shaking her head with a smile. "Qiao Li, he’s not wrong. It is smart to have protection today."

Qiao Li narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "Oh? Siding with your cousin now?"

But before she could say more, Yu Holea’s face grew serious.

"I found out the truth, Qiao Li," she said quietly. "I finally got to the bottom of the secret that’s been buried for twenty years."

Qiao Li blinked. Her expression changed in an instant.

"What... what do you mean?"

Yu Holea sat down and took a deep breath. "Yu Mei wasn’t the real Yu Mei. Her body was possessed by a witch’s daughter. Her name was Mirai."

Qiao Li’s mouth opened in shock, but she stayed quiet.

Yu Holea continued,

"Mirai used Yu Mei’s body to get revenge on the Yu family. It’s because Yu Lin made a terrible mistake years ago. He harmed a witch, and in return, the witch helped her daughter Mirai enter Yu Mei’s body to destroy us from within."

Qiao Li’s heart raced. "Wait... what? Then what about Yu Mei’s original soul?"

Yu Holea’s eyes darkened. "Ou Xiaoxiao’s body... was taken over by Yu Mei’s soul."

Qiao Li’s whole body stiffened.

"Yu Mei... "

Yu Holea nodded slowly. "She’s been using Xiaoxiao’s body all this time, to live in luxury while harming the Ou Family."

Qiao Li turned toward Ou Lin, her face turning pale. Her voice lowered to a whisper.

"How... how did you even stand being around her?"

Suddenly, memories rushed back. The way Ou Xiaoxiao changed. The way she looked down on Qiao Li.

How she turned cold and cruel overnight. Qiao Li had even mentioned it once to Ou Lin, but he had brushed it off and told her not to talk about it again.

Now it all made sense.

Qiao Li felt a strange pain in her chest. Was she too careless? Did she miss something important?

She looked at Yu Holea with hesitation.

"Did the Ou family... know?"

Yu Holea nodded. "They’ve known for twenty years."

Qiao Li froze in place.

She turned slowly to Ou Lin, and for the first time, she understood a piece of the puzzle. Maybe—just maybe—Ou Lin had avoided her to protect her.