Shouted down by the crowd, Siao Jia turned pale and slumped to the ground, not daring to retort. The mob had gathered quickly, and after pointing fingers and screaming insults, they were just as quickly dispersed.

Xu Ke had also been about to leave, but Yang Qing appeared and called out, "Xu Ke, wait a moment."

"Still pestering me?" Xu Ke looked at her coldly. "My patience has its limits. Don't force me to call the police."

"I just want to talk to you about this and resolve it once and for all," Yang Qing said.

Siao Jia had already gotten to her feet and stood beside Yang Qing. Her face was ashen from the harsh berating she had just received. For the first time, she knew what it felt like to be scorned by everyone!

"This way, you won't have to see us again either," Yang Qing said with a smile. "Just delete the entire chat history, and we'll never bother you again."

Siao Jia's expression changed. What does Yang Qing think she's doing? We didn't discuss this yesterday!

A flicker of movement in Xu Ke's eyes was the only change in his cold expression. "Nothing to discuss."

"I think it's a good deal. Delete the records, delete Jia Jia from your contacts, and you get your peace and quiet back. Isn't that perfect?"

Xu Ke gave Yang Qing a sarcastic look. "Why would I delete something that disgusts you both?"

Yang Qing held back Siao Jia, who was about to explode. "Then what are your terms?"

"Terms?" Xu Ke said flatly. "You two can go kill yourselves."

Even though Yang Qing had come prepared, she was still infuriated. When did Xu Ke become so ruthless? Wasn't he always so honest and considerate?

She gritted her teeth. "Is this your idea of a sincere negotiation?"

"You're the one who wanted to talk, not me," Xu Ke sneered.

Yang Qing wanted to lash out, but she remembered her plan and forced herself to swallow her anger. "How about this? Jia Jia gives you a key to the new house, and you delete the records. What do you say?"

Siao Jia's expression changed again.

"And then you'll just change the locks?" Xu Ke's voice dripped with even more sarcasm.

"I swear she won't," Yang Qing asserted. "Besides, if she changes the lock, you can just call a locksmith. You're an owner of the house too, after all."

After speaking, Yang Qing squeezed Siao Jia's hand, and Siao Jia could only nod.

But Xu Ke slowly replied, "That's not enough. That house belongs to me."

"You're so insistent that I delete the chat history. Is it because you're afraid I'll use it to ruin Siao Jia's chances of marrying into a wealthy family? If you want to marry rich, you'll have to pay a higher price."

Siao Jia gritted her teeth, wishing she could eat him alive, but she took a deep breath. "Then what exactly do you want?"

"It's simple," Xu Ke said calmly. "Return the money my mother gave you, and give me back my half of the house."

He knew it would be difficult to get the house back; the chat history wasn't worth nearly that much. But this was a negotiation. If you don't start with a high ask, how can you expect to bargain?

"Impossible!" Siao Jia shrieked.

Yang Qing frowned. "Xu Ke, the house is impossible. Even if you sued, the court wouldn't award it to you. But we can get Jia Jia to return the money your mother gave her."

Siao Jia quickly tried to stop her. "That's my money!"

"That was my mother's money," Xu Ke said, his cold stare making Siao Jia shudder in fear.

Yang Qing grabbed Siao Jia. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. The money your mom gave Jia Jia will be returned to you. On top of that, Jia Jia will pay you 50,000 to buy the chat history. How does that sound?"

"100,000, and the key to the new house," Xu Ke said, his expression unchanged.

"60,000," Yang Qing gritted out.

Siao Jia's expression became even more pained.

"Deal," Xu Ke nodded. "Transfer the money."

The money he'd given her was far more than 60,000, but it didn't matter anymore.

Yang Qing looked at Siao Jia. "Transfer it."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Siao Jia tried to stall.

"Then I'll go home and back it up," Xu Ke said with a humorless smile.

Siao Jia took a deep breath and, with a look of defeat, pulled out her phone and a key.

"Received: 64,000."

This was the 60,000 plus the money from Xu Ke's mother.

"Deleted." In front of both of them, Xu Ke deleted the chat history and removed Siao Jia as a contact. "If I see either of you again, I'll chase you off with a broom."

As he deleted six years of their chat history, Xu Ke thought he would feel a pang of sorrow. To his surprise, however, the pain of the past was already starting to fade.

"Fine," Yang Qing answered for Siao Jia, who was too aggrieved to speak.

Even though she had conned a lot of money out of Li Jun and Xu Ke, it couldn't soothe her current heartache.

Xu Ke ignored her face, which had turned purple with rage, and simply turned and left.

「In Yang Qing's house.」

Siao Jia finally exploded, her rage building the more she thought about it after they returned. "What kind of rotten idea was that? And you kept telling me to listen to you! Why didn't you just let me take the photos Li Jun gave me to confront him this morning? You made me cause a scene, I didn't get a single penny, I got cursed out by a mob, and I lost 60,000! And for what? To delete one insignificant chat history! What was the point of any of that, Yang Qing?!"

But Yang Qing wasn't worried in the slightest. She wore a triumphant smile. "Who said my plan was for you to get money by causing a scene?"

"What do you mean?" Siao Jia froze.

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