Chapter 22 Lu Xuelan Is Truly Loyal

The next morning, at Yunhe Villa.

As the sky was just beginning to lighten, an urgent knocking sounded at the door.

Liu Qingxue rose from bed, rubbing her temples, her face still bearing the languid grace of a sleeping beauty, as she opened the door.

Standing before her was a woman in uniform, whose beauty rivaled Liu Qingxue's own.

“Qingxue, something so serious happened yesterday—why didn’t you call the police?” Lu Xuelan’s face was filled with anxiety. Without waiting for an answer, she stepped straight into the villa.

The fiery policewoman who had once arrested Chu Tian turned out to be Liu Qingxue’s close friend—a twist Chu Tian could never have expected.

“Xuelan, what are you talking about?” Liu Qingxue, still dazed, continued to rub her temples.

“Did you drink last night?” Lu Xuelan’s elegant brows furrowed as she caught the scent of alcohol lingering around Liu Qingxue.

“Yes, I went to a bar with my junior yesterday,” Liu Qingxue replied offhandedly as she settled onto the sofa.

“Your junior?” Lu Xuelan pressed further, “Was it your junior who killed Cheng Xiangdong?”

At her words, Liu Qingxue snapped fully awake, suddenly realizing why Lu Xuelan had come.

She recalled her encounter with Chu Tian the previous day—how, in order to save her, he had indeed killed Cheng Xiangdong.

“We found a headless corpse yesterday. It’s confirmed to be your driver, Cheng Xiangdong, and someone anonymously reported that you were involved in his death,” Lu Xuelan’s tone turned grave. “So tell me, how did your driver Cheng Xiangdong really die?”

“It… it was me. I killed him.” Now completely lucid, Liu Qingxue could not let Chu Tian bear this crime. She could only take the blame herself.

“Qingxue, are you out of your mind? Why would you confess to a crime you didn’t commit?” Lu Xuelan’s anger was palpable, her voice almost a roar.

What sort of man would let Liu Qingxue take the fall for him? Could it be Liu Qingxue’s boyfriend?

Her gaze swept the living room and suddenly landed on a school uniform draped over the sofa.

It was Chu Tian’s—he hadn’t had a chance to pack up his things before being dragged to the bar by Liu Qingxue the night before.

Lu Xuelan snatched up the uniform, and her instincts told her this belonged to the boy who had killed—the very same Chu Tian.

In the next instant, she tossed the uniform aside, drew her pistol from her waist, and dashed toward the rooms of the villa.

She was set on searching every room, convinced Chu Tian was still inside.

“Xuelan, listen to me—Chu Tian only killed to save me,” Liu Qingxue called after her, hurrying to catch up and grabbing her arm.

At last, Lu Xuelan halted—she had heard a familiar name.

“Who did you just say?” she demanded. “Chu Tian? The Chu Tian from Tianmen No. 1 High School?”

Her brows knitted as she recalled Xu Jiao’s headless corpse. So Chu Tian was a serial killer, and his methods always involved crushing the victims’ heads?

With no alternative, Liu Qingxue recounted everything, especially how Cheng Xiangdong had tried to take indecent photos of her.

Hearing this, Lu Xuelan’s expression darkened.

So Chu Tian was Liu Qingxue’s junior, and he had killed only to save her.

“Qingxue, I understand now. Let me handle this,” Lu Xuelan said, holstering her pistol. She didn’t linger for small talk, nor did she insist on taking Chu Tian away, but simply left the villa.

Watching her friend go, Liu Qingxue finally felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

No one understood Lu Xuelan better than she did—if not for their friendship, Lu Xuelan’s sense of justice would have made her far less lenient.

But Lu Xuelan was also fiercely loyal. Now that she had taken responsibility, there should be no more trouble.

At least, she hoped so. She truly hoped so.

...

Qingxue Group—IPO Press Conference.

“Today the security must be watertight. I have a feeling something will happen,” Liu Qingxue said, her brow furrowed, a sense of foreboding lingering in her heart ever since Lu Xuelan’s visit that morning.

“Don’t worry, big sister. With me here, no one will stir up trouble,” Chu Tian replied with a light laugh, utterly unconcerned.

Liu Qingxue shot him a glance. She knew he wasn’t much help, but his reassurance did manage to calm her nerves somewhat.

As the guests arrived, the press conference began right on schedule.

Liu Qingxue appeared that day in exquisite makeup and an off-the-shoulder evening gown, stepping onto the stage herself and immediately capturing the attention of all in attendance.

Countless spotlights bathed her figure, and the constant clicking of cameras filled the air.

Many had heard her reputation and knew there was a stunning CEO in the business world, but when Qingxue Group was still a small company, few had paid attention, dismissing tales of her beauty as exaggeration.

Some even claimed her photos must be heavily edited—that with the help of beauty filters, anyone could look like a fairy.

But seeing Liu Qingxue in person, the crowd realized the rumors were true.

Tall and elegant, with a cold and noble aura, her beauty was of a kind no ordinary woman could compare to. Even with just a touch of makeup, she outshone every other woman present.

In an instant, Liu Qingxue became the focus of the entire venue.

She began by introducing Qingxue Group’s latest cosmetic products. Though it was her first time in front of so many flashing lights, she showed no sign of stage fright—her bearing was poised and regal, betraying not the slightest hint of nerves.

Up to this point, the press conference proceeded smoothly, without a single mishap.

“All right, I’ve finished presenting our new products. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask,” she said, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. Perhaps, she thought, the Song family wouldn’t cause trouble after all.

At that moment, a reporter stood up, directing his microphone toward her.

“President Liu, it’s rumored that you hired a pretty boy yesterday, causing much discontent among your employees. Is there some special relationship between you and this pretty boy?”

The reporter smiled slightly, deliberately raising his voice.

A commotion swept the room at once.

This was the IPO press conference for Qingxue Group, and for a reporter to pose such a question publicly—regardless of its veracity—would undoubtedly tarnish Liu Qingxue’s reputation and even affect the company’s stock price.

Clearly, this reporter was here to cause trouble, likely sent by someone behind the scenes.

At this, Liu Qingxue’s ominous premonition was realized, leaving her momentarily at a loss…