Chen Linyun was astonished beyond belief, eyes almost popping out of its sockets. His eyegla.s.ses got removed from the impact and landed on the ground a few meters diagonal.

Consequently, a small, straight cut oozed with some blood along his cheek. Perchance a pointy ring or nail scratched his clean-shaven skin.

The thing that he was most scared of happening had just pa.s.sed.

---

Three hours ago…

Chen Linyun whispered dotingly on Xue Jinxu's ear as Zhu Li Qiang approached the couple, "You get what you want, Misis Chen." He brushed his lips on her hair just beside her ear.

"I thought you wouldn't come." Xue Jinxu jovially greeted her most favored guest.

"I'll give all the credit to your husband. He's nuts. He didn't let go until I say yes. That's one crazy, doting husband you have."

"You did that? Aww, Chen Linyun!" Touched, Xue Jinxu tilted her head up for a kiss.

Chen Linyun's eyes brightened up as he plunged into his reward and gladly deepened it. The two kissed pa.s.sionately, unashamed, in front of Zhu Li Qiang, and all of the other guests.

"So this is what I get for attending this party, huh? Too much dog food for my liking." He grimaced as he s.h.i.+fted his sight elsewhere – anywhere – except to the lovey-dovey couple in front of him.

"I don't deserve this." He mumbled, annoyed, under his breath.

When Chen Linyun and Xue Jinxu pulled apart, the lady cleaned remnants of her lipstick on the husband's lips with her thumb. Chen Linyun gave her another smack while saying, "Anything for the wife. Happy wife, happy life, right?"

Xue Jinxu giggled and laid her head on his shoulders. Chen Linyun stamped another kiss on her forehead and wrapped one arm around her shoulders protectively.

Remembering that Zhu Li Qiang was still there, Xue Jinxu blurted out, "Oh, sorry, Zhu Li Qiang. Please make yourself comfortable. Food is over there." She winked while cupping one hand on the side of her mouth, "Make the most out of this opportunity. s.n.a.t.c.h your lady back."

"Hey, Jinxu. Why would I do that?"

"Just don't forget I'm rooting for you. Now go. Shoo!" She lightheartedly pushed him away towards his task for that afternoon. Truthfully, she wasn't anything from it.

Still…

'It's worth a try, right?' She thought, not wanting to give up.

Everything went well smoothly. 

It was more of a gender-reveal party to the guests. Xue Minhe and Teng Man Rui revealed that they were expecting a lovely daughter, while the Chen couple followed through and declared that they're expecting twin sons.

The whole party, from start to finish, was not only full of baby stuff but full of positivity as well. It's a clear celebration of the continuity of life.

Everyone wore genuine, happy smiles.

...Until an intruder disrupted the harmony and introduced unwarranted chaos into that party.

The man stood in the middle of the gathering and bellowed, with such a gaudy smile on his face, "Well, well, well. Looks like someone failed to invite me here."

Immediately, Xue Jinxu blurted out in response, "YOU!!! How did you get in here?! You're not invited and you will never be! Leave! Leave this instant!" She was worked up.

All the guests went mum from this simple exchange.

Father Xue and Zhao Feiyan stood up, and diplomatically talked to s.h.i.+ Fan Hai in hushed voices, and attempted to send him home silently.

However, s.h.i.+ Fan Hai boomed his voice in response, "Why? Am I not qualified to attend this party? The celebrants – the unborn children you are cheering for – are related to me by blood. One is my child, and the other, my half-brother's." His grin grew wider mockingly.

 "So I am doubly qualified to attend." He added.

The guests instantaneously gasped and exchanged gossipy exclamations.

"What does he mean?"

"Half-brother? Who?"

"He can't be the Xue young masters' half-brother and still father the Xue Big Miss' child, right? That would be incest."

"Then, does he mean…?"

"So Teng Man Rui… She's carrying that man's child? Not the Xue Young Master? This is huge!"

The guests, though civilized, could not control themselves from talking and discussing in m.u.f.fled voices.

Without Teng Man Rui in there, all eyes darted to Chen Linyun. The pressure of their gaze had him sweating profusely. Beside him, Xue Jinxu's balled hands shook in frustration, incredulity, and pure rage.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Xue Jinxu exclaimed.

"Honey, watch your temper. The twins."

She glared at him. "I don't want to believe him, but you have some explaining to do. How did you get dragged into this?!"

Xue Minhe motioned for Butler Lee to call the security, which the latter confirmed. The bulky men went inside the venue.

"Han Fengyu. Your empty baseless words against ours. Stop making up stories here." Xue Minhe authoritatively exclaimed.

"Seize him. Get him out of here." He ordered the security.

"Hey! Teng Man Rui! Where the h.e.l.l are you?!" He yelled. "Show yourself!"

The two security personnel held his arms. "Get off me!" s.h.i.+ Fan Hai struggled to free himself, then threw punches at the men. One landed on the security's face and another one landed on the man's arm.

s.h.i.+ Fan Hai went on rampant. "Man Rui!"

Kang Sola sprung to her feet. "Oppa, please stop." She rushed onto him and clung to his body to stop him from wreaking more havoc. She planted her feet on the ground and pushed him back with all her strength.

"What are you doing, Sola? Let go!"

Confused, Xue Jinxu looked at Chen Linyun questioningly.

 With Sola's intervention, the security personnel gained momentum. More men came as reinforcements. This time, s.h.i.+ Fan Hai was successfully reigned in and was dragged out of the venue.

"Hey! Hey!"

Kang Sola went with the security men, trying her best to calm her brother. 

"Man Rui!"

"Oppa, please stop. Please."

As the doors closed behind them, peace was restored. The guests were all dumbfounded from what had transpired.

Xue Mingli and Zhao Feiyan wrapped up the event shortly. They stood by the exit and apologized to the guests as they were leaving.

Finally, only the family members remained, except for Teng Man Rui, who couldn't be located.

Xue Jinxu turned to Chen Linyun. Baffled, her face was full of question marks.

"Is there some truth to it, Chen Linyun?" There was a hint of hurt and betrayal on her shaky voice.

He nodded.

As he did so, Xue Jinxu's eyes blacked out and felt the impulse on her arm for a slap.

*SLAP*

Chen Linyun's eyegla.s.ses twirled in the air and landed with a thud somewhere on the ground. A cut claimed a spot on his face.

"I've asked you several times about what you've been going through. I gave you so many chances to come clean. I told you we were partners. I tried so hard to get inside that head of yours."

"I felt you've been keeping too many secrets from me."

"But this? Anything with this magnitude should never be taken for granted. YOU have taken me for granted."

"You don't have plans on telling me, do you?"

Chen Linyun approached her, wanting to appease her growing tension.

"Don't! Stay away from me!" She stepped one step back while shaking her head vigorously and extending her hand to define the distance between them. "What is your intention, Chen Linyun?"

"What do you want from me? Are you working with that despicable man? Did you let that man in?"

"How about Sola? Guangxi..." Anxiety added to her features.

"I thought you loved me. Did you just make me a fool? What's true and what's not?"

"I am so confused."

"How long have you known? Or you've known it all along? Is this just a scheme? Everything is a scheme? Did you approach me to come after me and my family? Is this a lifelong plan?"

"I don't know. I don't know anymore." Xue Jinxu put her hands on her hips akimbo as she paced back and forth.

"I can explain." Chen Linyun stammered as he approached the lady again. Desperation was written all over his scrunched face.

"Stay away from me." Xue Jinxu dodged his touch. She turned to Xue Minhe who was standing close by, "Brother, please take me home – to the Xue Mansion." She placed both her hands on his forearm.

Xue Minhe wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "Okay, as you wish. Let me get Teng Man Rui, first."

Xue Jinxu tightened her clutch on his arm, panic-stricken. "Don't leave me, brother, please. Take me home now."

Helplessly, Xue Minhe gently towed his twin sister across the room towards the door.

"I'll find Teng Man Rui and bring her home to the Xue Mansion." Chen Linyun volunteered.

"No, don't. I'll ask Butler Lee to do it. Spare yourself the trouble." Xue Minhe retorted coldly.

Chen Linyun exhaled sharply. He stood still, as the brother and sister pa.s.sed him by. His eyes followed their disappearing silhouettes as they exited from the venue.

He staggered towards where his eyegla.s.ses fell. He squatted to pick it up, cleaned it with the hem of his dress s.h.i.+rt, but before he could wear it again, he stopped himself and decided to just fold it and held onto it.

He rubbed his face with his hand brusquely, sat down on the ground at a corner, leaned on the wall with one leg outstretched, one folded at the knee, and wept.

'It's over.'