Chapter 130: A Possession in the Palm

It was unexpected that even with the relationship between them so strained, Shao Siming could still urge Xie Qingtang to return to the Shao family without the slightest hint of shame or hesitation.

"Qingtang, come home. The doors of the Shao family will always be open to you. No matter how much you hate me, you will always be my firstborn, my daughter. That is something I, Shao Siming, will never deny." Shao Siming suddenly spoke with a touch of genuine emotion, his voice filled with tenderness.

Yet, this soft-spoken display from Shao Siming brought not a shred of warmth to Xie Qingtang. Instead, it made her entire body tense with vigilance, her hair standing on end.

It was an instinctive reaction, like an animal sensing danger. Xie Qingtang narrowed her eyes at the seemingly composed Shao Siming and remarked, "A weasel paying respects to a chicken—never with good intentions."

"Are you sick, Xie Qingtang? Father sees you struggling all alone out there and wants to bring you back to the Shao family to take care of you, yet you claim he has ulterior motives. I think you deserve to be rotting in some backwater ditch, living a miserable life," Shao Bin retorted angrily.

Xie Qingtang smiled coldly, standing tall and refusing to bow her head in the slightest. "Shao Bin, you’re right about one thing: I am highly guarded, and I have a very good memory. When I was just a child, after losing my mother, Shao Siming threw me into a mountain village without a second thought for my survival. Why should I believe now that he is sincerely inviting me back to the Shao family?"

"For all I know, he’s just digging another pit, hoping I’ll return to the family and jump into it willingly so he can bury me alive."

At these words, Shao Bin’s expression turned peculiar. He shrank back, muttering, "Are you crazy? Do you have some kind of persecution complex, thinking everyone is out to get you?"

"You're wrong about that. It’s not that I think everyone is out to get me; it’s just that I know you people are," Xie Qingtang replied coldly.

Watching the three of them at loggerheads, Dong Weiyi, who stood nearby, roughly grasped what was happening, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

Xie Qingtang, unwilling to entangle herself any further with Shao Siming and Shao Bin—for she had no desire to remain at the banquet while they were present—turned and walked away.

When she reached the entrance of the Deli Hotel, Dong Weiyi chased after her. He draped his coat over her shoulders and said with a smile, "The weather has turned chilly. Let me take you back to Cunshantang."

"There is no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Dong. I can get back on my own," Xie Qingtang said indifferently. However, Dong Weiyi simply gestured for the valet to bring his car around, adding with a faint smile, "Actually, I have an important matter to discuss with you, Miss Xie. It just so happens that dropping you off at Cunshantang is on my way."

Faced with such thoughtfulness, Xie Qingtang did not know how to refuse and eventually nodded in agreement. The two of them got into the car.

"Cheap woman. Acting all high and mighty a moment ago, and now she’s already hopped into the car with that man from the Dong family? Hmph." Unbeknownst to Xie Qingtang, Shao Siming and Shao Bin were standing at the entrance of the Deli Hotel, having witnessed the entire scene. Shao Bin spoke with disdain.

Shao Siming narrowed his eyes. "It seems Mr. Dong is very satisfied with Xie Qingtang. Our plan can proceed as intended."

"Father, do you really think Xie Qingtang will go along with marrying Mr. Dong? Judging by her attitude today, she won't be easily swayed," Shao Bin said, his brow furrowed.

Shao Siming waved his hand dismissively. "That doesn't matter. The important thing is that Mr. Dong is pleased with her. That is enough."

With that, the two men walked back into the banquet hall. After all, they had gone to great lengths to secure invitations and needed to cultivate connections that would benefit their business.

As the car traveled toward Cunshantang, Dong Weiyi gathered his thoughts and said with a smile to Xie Qingtang, "Miss Xie, there is something you likely don't know: the reason I sought you out for medical treatment was actually because of a recommendation from Mr. Shao."

At these words, Xie Qingtang turned her head sharply, her gaze piercing. "What did you say? Shao Siming recommended me to treat your daughter? Surely he didn't just want me to treat your daughter—there’s more to it than that, isn't there?"

"Heh, you guessed correctly, Miss Xie. In fact, from the very beginning, Mr. Shao introduced you to me with the intention of marriage." Dong Weiyi did not hide the truth, stating it directly.

After those words fell, Xie Qingtang was at a loss for what to say. She remained stunned for a long while before she regained her voice. "Mr. Dong, are you telling the truth? Shao Siming actually used me as a candidate for an arranged marriage?"

"To be precise, that’s not entirely accurate. Shao Siming wanted to use you as a pawn for a strategic alliance, marrying you off to me to secure the Dong family's support. At first, I didn't agree, but once I learned that you were a highly skilled practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, I changed my mind," Dong Weiyi said bluntly, his demeanor appearing remarkably candid.

At that moment, a chill rose from the soles of Xie Qingtang’s feet to the top of her head. She felt as though she were standing in a walk-in freezer, her face stiffening and her thoughts grinding to a halt.

From the very beginning, she had been nothing more than a plaything in the hands of Dong Weiyi and Shao Siming, manipulated and toyed with without even knowing it.

Realizing this, she understood that Dong Weiyi’s proximity to her and his help were not mere coincidences or accidents, but a scheme pre-arranged by him and Shao Siming.

Thinking that everything had been a trap, a calculated move, Xie Qingtang felt a deep, icy despair. Looking at the gentle, refined Dong Weiyi before her, she no longer felt a shred of goodwill.

"Seeing the way you look at me, Miss Xie, I assume you are deeply disappointed. However, the reason I confessed this to you is so that our relationship might be clearer; I do not wish for it to be tainted by such deception." Dong Weiyi explained further. He hadn't realized at the start just how hostile the relationship between Xie Qingtang and Shao Siming truly was.

After spending time with her, Dong Weiyi had gradually discovered that Xie Qingtang was a good person, and he no longer wished to use her as a tool.