Chapter 518 Indulgence Is Not Love

**Chapter 518: Indulgence Is Not Love**

Jiang Yu’s words were like a bomb dropped into a calm lake.

They didn’t even know that Xiong Shuihua and Jiang Hao were in a relationship, let alone that she had another boyfriend.

As her brothers, they viewed their sister through rose-colored glasses. Convincing them that their sister would two-time someone was harder than reaching heaven.

"Shuihua, is what she said true?" Brother Xiong asked.

Xiong Shuihua bit her lip, unwilling to deceive the brothers who doted on her.

But she couldn’t admit it…

Seeing her struggle, Jiang Yu let out a humorless laugh.

"You don’t have to talk about that other boyfriend, but I really want to know—why did you become involved with Jiang Hao?"

Xiong Shuihua pursed her lips, nervously avoiding Jiang Yu’s gaze.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jiang Hao is my only boyfriend. I’ve never been with anyone else. What you’re saying now is no different from what your mother did—both are just attempts to ruin my reputation and clear your brother’s name!"

Xiong Shuihua’s words stoked Brother Xiong’s rage.

He had actually considered being civil with Jiang Yu earlier, only to nearly get taken in by her!

"You think dragging my sister’s name through the mud will get Jiang Hao off the hook? Let me tell you, what he did to my sister—he should die ten thousand times for it!"

Xiong Shuihua clung to him, weeping quietly, refusing to respond and choosing to avoid the confrontation.

Jiang Yu understood Brother Xiong’s feelings—people naturally side with their own.

If it were Jiang Ye involved today, she wouldn’t believe it either.

"Shuihua, don’t you know Zhong Yue?"

At the mention of "Zhong Yue," not only did Xiong Shuihua go pale, but all three Xiong brothers did as well.

This involved a family matter even Jiang Yu had never heard of.

Xiong Shuihua was a child born after her father’s death. Back then, their father had died under mysterious circumstances, leaving them as orphans with their widowed mother.

When Xiong’s mother realized she was pregnant, she once considered terminating the pregnancy.

But the three Xiong brothers, the eldest already fifteen or sixteen at the time, took charge of supporting the family.

Brother Xiong treasured Xiong Shuihua, this sister who was twelve years younger than him, as if she were made of glass.

Xiong Shuihua could be with anyone—except Zhong Yue.

Because between the Zhong and Xiong families was their father’s life!

Even when Xiong Shuihua used to trail after Zhong Yue as a child, they’d forbidden it.

"Were you really in a relationship with Zhong Yue?" he asked hoarsely.

Xiong Shuihua, knowing how serious this was, frantically shook her head.

"Brother, I really wasn’t. You’d rather believe her than me?"

Brother Xiong’s heart turned cold.

He knew his sister better than anyone—how could he miss the guilt written all over her face?

"You're dating Zhong Yue, so why did you accept Jiang Hao's advances? Are you actually two-timing him?"

Xiong Shuihua looked away, ashamed. "Even if I were, how does that excuse Jiang Hao harassing me?"

Brother Xiong was boiling with anger, and this time, it was directed at her.

"Date whoever you want, but not Zhong Yue! You know damn well what the Zhongs did to our family—"

"Why not?" Xiong Shuihua had held back for too long. She’d kept it secret for this exact reason—her family’s disapproval.

But she was done waiting. Why couldn’t she be with Zhong Yue?

Why did her family dislike the Zhongs so much that even Zhong Yue got the cold shoulder?

"Dad wasn't killed by Zhong Yue! You can't blame him for it! Brother, this isn't fair to Zhong Yue!"

The three Xiong brothers exchanged glances—cold, sick at heart, swallowing bitter disappointment toward their sister.

Wasn’t Zhong Yue one of them?

If they really got married, wouldn’t she be dragging them back into dealing with the Zhongs?

Xiong Shuihua still burned with resentment, chewing her lip, tears streaming down.

"What does Zhong Yue have to do with this? It was Jiang Hao who harassed me—Zhong Yue has nothing to do with it!"

Xiong Laosan cut off Brother Xiong before he exploded. "Brother, take Shuihua home first. Keep Mom out of this for now."

With Brother Xiong there, they’d never talk this through.

Only after the two left did Xiong Laosan turn back to Jiang Yu.

"Department Head Jiang may be young, but you’ve got a real talent for sowing discord."

Jiang Yu leaned back in her chair, cool as a cucumber.

"I’m just calling it like I see it. How is that sowing discord?"

Xiong Laosan’s face went stone-cold. "Cut the crap. Why bring up Zhong Yue now?"

"First, let me be clear—I’m not covering for Jiang Hao. But your sister’s playing a deeper game here."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"I suspect Zhong Yue told Xiong Shuihua to frame Jiang Hao."

"What’s in it for my sister?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. But this was aimed at me. Jiang Hao just got caught in the crossfire."

Still, Jiang Yu felt no guilt toward Jiang Hao—he probably had it coming.

Xiong Laosan remained puzzled. "You got history with my sister? Or is it Zhong Yue you’re after?"

Jiang Yu spread her hands. "Don't know her. Never met her."

Xiong Laosan let out a bitter laugh. "Then how can you be so sure Jiang Hao was framed?"

"Gut feeling."

Jiang Yu leaned slightly forward. "Xiong Laosan, my instincts are sharp. And I happen to know something about your sister—though it's her private matter."

Xiong Laosan's expression stiffened. "If it's her privacy, how do you know about it?"

Jiang Yu admitted frankly, "I hired someone to look into it."

Xiong Laosan couldn't hold back his anger any longer and scoffed, "You're crossing a line!"

Jiang Yu shrugged, indifferent. "Wasn’t my first choice, but your sister’s shady. Do you know why she visited the gynecologist? Some things are better left unsaid—by me, anyway. Why don’t you ask her?"

Xiong Laosan froze, a sickening thought dawning on him.

Jiang Yu said calmly, "You spoil her, but that’s not love."

Xiong Laosan’s heart sank. Without another word, he bolted for the door.

Xiong Laoer was still in the dark, not understanding Jiang Yu’s implications.

He hurried after him and asked, "Laosan, what did she mean? What’s wrong with Little Sis?"

Xiong Laosan remained silent, heading straight home.

When they returned, the house was in chaos—their mom had already found out about Xiong Shuihua and Zhong Yue.

One called her a traitor for dating the enemy’s son.

The other shot back, standing her ground.

Xiong Laosan first calmed their mother and helped her to her room to rest.

"Mom, we’ll handle Little Sis’s mess. You just focus on recovering."

Their mom, ghostly pale, muffled a cough into her palm.

"No matter what, she can’t be with Zhong Yue!"

Xiong Laosan nodded repeatedly. "Don’t worry, I’ll knock some sense into her."

Once outside, seeing Xiong Shuihua’s tear-swollen eyes, his chest tightened on instinct.

"Enough crying. We need to talk."

He handed her a clean handkerchief, his expression grave.

Xiong Shuihua shrank back, fidgeting with her fingers as she stared at the handkerchief.

Third Brother wasn’t acting like himself.

"Third Brother, my answer’s simple: I’m not leaving him."

Xiong Laosan scoffed. "How is this not insane to you? If you love him so much, why were you with Jiang Hao? Does Zhong Yue even know about you and Jiang Hao—and he doesn’t care at all? No guy in his right mind would put up with this! Or did Zhong Yue put you up to this?"

Now that the fog cleared, he realized none of this added up.

Unless it's like Jiang Yu said, this was all targeting Jiang Hao from the beginning.

Zhong Yue sweet-talked Xiong Shuihua into helping him, deliberately getting close to Jiang Hao and putting up a front.

"Shuihua, deep down, is Zhong Yue more important than your family?"

Xiong Shuihua cried silently, unwilling to choose between them.

"Third Brother, why are you pushing me like this?"

"You two aren’t the same!"

Xiong Laosan’s voice hardened: "Then tell us, why did you go to the hospital? What were you doing in gynecology? Why did Zhong Yue send you to get close to Jiang Hao and set him up?"

"Laosan!" Brother Xiong cut in sharply. "Shuihua is your sister! How can you say such things?"

"If we just let her stay with Zhong Yue without stepping in, that would truly harm her! Big Brother, do you know why she went to the hospital?"

Xiong Laosan’s eyes turned bloodshot as he suddenly grabbed Xiong Shuihua’s arm.

"I’ll ask one more time—why did you go to gynecology?"

Xiong Shuihua refused to answer, tears streaming down her face.

"Did you…" Xiong Laosan’s voice turned hoarse. "Did you go to get an abortion?"

The Xiong brothers were struck silent, as if their minds had gone blank.

They understood each word, but together, they made no sense.

Xiong Shuihua was crying so hard she nearly collapsed, shame burning through her until she felt lightheaded.

The secret she had worked so hard to hide was finally laid bare before her family.

Brother Xiong’s eyes bulged with fury as he roared, "Was it Zhong Yue?"

Afraid they’d take it out on Zhong Yue, Xiong Shuihua dropped to her knees with a thud.

"Big Brother, it wasn’t his fault! It was bad timing—I chose to end it myself."

Brother Xiong let out a bitter laugh. "If he had any decency, he wouldn’t have let you go through with it! Xiong Shuihua, we raised you with love so you'd have a good life, not throw yourself away for some man!"

He shut his eyes, swaying on his feet.

The shock hit him like a physical blow.

He couldn't believe his sister had gone through something so serious without him noticing.

Guilt, regret, heartache—it all crashed down on him, nearly crushing him.

Xiong Shuihua refused to hear it, stubbornly trying to shoulder all the blame.

"Big Brother, it really wasn’t his fault! It was all me!"

Xiong Laosan said in disappointment, "You’re brave enough to defy us for him, but he doesn’t even have the courage to step forward and take responsibility. Do you really think a man like that is worth relying on?"

If not for Jiang Yu, they might never have found out.

Nor would they have known how much Zhong Yue was exploiting her. "Shuihua, your brothers would never harm you. Zhong Yue isn’t someone you can trust. You have to tell us what he made you do—did he send you to get close to Jiang Hao? Why would he do that?"

At the mention of Jiang Hao, Xiong Shuihua showed a rare look of guilt on her face.

Jiang Hao had been good to her, yet she had wronged him.

She hung her head, her thoughts all over the place.

If I speak up, that means betraying Zhong Yue—would he never forgive me?

"Third Brother, please don't push me."

Xiong Laosan shouted angrily, "Am I the one pushing you, or are you pushing us? Are we just supposed to stand by and watch you go down this dark path?"

Xiong Laoda finally realized—was that kid he personally sent away really innocent?

He trembled with rage, pointing at Xiong Shuihua and yelling, "How long have you even been with Zhong Yue before he turned you bad? Do you even realize what would happen to Jiang Hao if he gets convicted? He could get the death penalty! That’s someone's life—doesn’t that bother you at all?"

Xiong Shuihua flinched, feeling cornered and helpless, and finally broke down crying.

"I’ll talk, I’ll tell you everything—okay?!"