"I know everything," Zhongshan Taka said with a complex look, his voice filled with pain. "I know about your difficulties, but why did you give in to him?"

He saw clearly that Hashimoto Youko had cooperated willingly; she was not forced by Aoyama Xiu Xin.

"He insisted," Hashimoto Youko defended.

Zhongshan Taka's voice trembled, and tears involuntarily slid down from the corners of his eyes, "He insisted, so you just gave in to him?"

"I had no choice, he already had suspicions about me. If I had refused, wouldn't that have confirmed the allegations of seduction? All my previous efforts would have been wasted! I didn't want to see Aunt Runmei being sidelined; I didn't want to see that scum Aoyama Xiu Xin getting away with everything; I didn't want to see millions of citizens in Hokkaido continue to be deceived by him," Hashimoto Youko said, choking up.

"Yangzi, you are so confused!" Zhongshan Runmei said, both self-blaming and furious, her heart breaking as she spoke. "Aoyama Xiu Xin is using this kind of mentality of yours, forcing you to offer yourself to him, and that's what led to tonight's events."

"Wuuu, I didn't know, my mind was a mess at the time," sobbed Hashimoto Youko, grasping Zhongshan Taka's hand. "Taka, I didn't mean to disappoint you, please forgive me. Let's pretend tonight never happened, and have a good life."

She no longer wanted to uphold any justice; now she just wanted to protect her own emotions and marriage.

"Now I know you too are a victim, and I shouldn't blame you, but I really can't accept this fact. Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is you being with him..." Zhongshan Taka said painfully, shaking his head sorrowfully and decisively pulling his hand away.

There was no turning back, everything was irreversible.

Hashimoto Youko turned to Zhongshan Runmei, her face wet with tears, "Aunt, please, say something for me!"

Zhongshan Runmei opened her mouth but emitted no sound, as she too couldn't accept that her daughter-in-law had been involved with their enemy, Aoyama Xiu Xin. The Zhongshan family had their dignity to consider; what if she was pregnant with a bastard?

Seeing this, Hashimoto Youko was deeply shocked, her face showing disbelief and despair as she stepped back and screamed hysterically, "Aunt, how could you do this to me? I have come to this point all for your sake; how could you, how could you!"

"Yangzi, you are too agitated now, go home, take a bath, and calm down," Zhongshan Runmei said, taking a deep breath as she advised, then glanced at her son who remained indifferent, "As for your marriage with Taka, let's forget it. As you can see, forcing it under these circumstances will not lead to happiness in the future."

After she spoke, she turned and entered the house. As an old bureaucrat, being ruthless and hard-hearted was a standard trait, otherwise, she wouldn't have achieved her current position.

In the end, Zhongshan Taka gave Hashimoto Youko a complicated look, sighed, and followed his mother into the house.

"No! Aunt! Taka!" Hashimoto Youko couldn't accept the outcome and hurriedly followed them, only to be shut out by a loud clang. She sobbed loudly and pounded on the door shouting, "Aunt! Taka! You can't abandon me like this, you can't, you can't..."

She soon tired, her body felt drained of strength as she slowly slid down to sit on the ground, her eyes lifeless, dispirited, like a puppet.

Inside the living room, Zhongshan Taka couldn't help but look towards the door several times, but ultimately he didn't open it, channeling all his pain and resentment towards Aoyama Xiu Xin.

"Mom, I must take revenge! If I don't deal with that bastard Aoyama Xiu Xin, I'll never be at peace!"

"Your business overseas..." Zhongshan Runmei didn't want her son to stay because dealing with Aoyama Xiu Xin was too dangerous, fearing something might happen to him.

Without hesitation, Zhongshan Taka declared, "I've been made a cuckold, what use is my business now? If I don't avenge this, I'll never be able to hold my head up again!"

Zhongshan Runmei, seeing this, knew that it had become her son's obsession, so she didn't try to persuade him further and took a deep breath, "Then let us, mother and son, teach Aoyama Xiu Xin, this bastard, a lesson, and vent some anger for Yangzi too. She's a pitiful person. I hope she understands. I quite like her. Even if we can't be mother- and daughter-in-law, I'll still treat her as a junior."

Outside the door, Hashimoto Youko stopped crying, leaned on the door, and slowly stood up, looking at the door, the sorrow in her eyes had turned to resentment, and her lips were nearly bitten through.

She hated Aoyama Xiu Xin, that was certain.

Now she hated Zhongshan Runmei and Zhongshan Taka even more.

She had been taken by another man, wronging Zhongshan Taka. But wasn't all this for Zhongshan Runmei? And yet, Zhongshan Taka, ignoring their years of affection, discarded her like an old shoe. Even Zhongshan Runmei didn't speak up for her, and without any hesitation, announced the cancellation of their marriage. How heartless and unprincipled was that?

"You all should pay the price for hurting me."

After repeated blows, Hashimoto Youko turned dark.

She turned and staggered into the car but didn't rush to leave. Instead, she called Aoyama Xiu Xin.

"Mosi Mosi, I'm Aoyama Xiu Xin."

At that moment, Aoyama Xiu Xin was watching a video at home, keeping the volume very low to avoid waking Aoyama Haruko.

Hearing this guy's voice, Hashimoto Youko gnashed her teeth, and after a moment of silence, she said in a low and hoarse voice, "It's me, Hashimoto Youko."

"Ha ha, Youko, huh? What, did you find the thrill of just having a fling not satisfying enough, wanting to pick up where we left off with me? How about it, am I more competent than Zhongshan Taka, that guy who's all talk? Who's the eagle, who's the sparrow?" Aoyama Xiu Xin taunted in a frivolous tone.

"Vulgar!" Hashimoto Youko cursed fiercely, then said, "I'm going to accuse you of rape."

"Oh," Aoyama Xiu Xin responded, his tone undisturbed.

"I have proof inside my body, and the club's surveillance must have caught how I ran out disheveled. As long as I insist you raped me, even if you have a powerful background, public opinion will give you enough trouble," Hashimoto Youko threatened, then revealed her true purpose, "Unless from now on, you do as I say."

She wanted to use this to blackmail Aoyama Xiu Xin, to obtain benefits for herself, and by the way, take revenge on the Zhongshan mother and son.

This way, it wouldn't be in vain that she was taken advantage of.

"Well, go ahead and sue me. Do you think I would leave such an obvious flaw?" Aoyama Xiu Xin sneered slowly, "There is surveillance in the room, and I'm currently relishing your expressions, and your voice. If you decide to accuse me of rape, I'd have no choice but to release this video in court to prove my innocence. I don't mind being admired, but let's see if you mind."

As he finished speaking, he picked up the remote, turned up the volume, and pushed the phone a bit forward.

"Sekuni! Mr. Aoyama... Daddy~"

Hearing the degrading words she had just said to please Aoyama Xiu Xin, Hashimoto Youko confirmed he really did have the video, leaving her feeling both ashamed and furious.

"You really are a despicable, vulgar, shameless scoundrel!"

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