The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign-Chapter 109

It was only at this moment that Xing Jiale truly realized the issue.

Mrs. Zhong, though generous, was no fool. He figured that to persuade her to willingly part with those 500 million, this person must have demonstrated some tricks, making Mrs. Zhong see that compared to other solutions, giving her the money was the most cost-effective.

But Xing Jiale had always believed that Shen Ying’s prowess lay in her skill at playing with emotions. Now, however, it suddenly dawned on him that if that were all, Mrs. Zhong wouldn’t have taken her seriously in the first place.

Moreover, Mrs. Zhong despised being coerced, which meant their initial transaction must have been built on a mutually satisfactory outcome.

The more Xing Jiale thought about it, the more he realized how far off he’d been. Unable to hold back, he blurted, "How exactly did you pull it off?"

Shen Ying, however, didn’t answer him, which only fueled Xing Jiale’s irritation.

At that moment, Mrs. Zhong stepped onto the stage, and the guests immediately quieted in anticipation.

Holding a wine glass, she first expressed her gratitude for everyone’s presence before announcing, "Tonight, aside from celebrating the collaboration between the Zhong and Gu families, there’s another important matter to declare."

She glanced at a couple standing nearby, then let her gaze settle on Zhong Chen. "The heir of the Zhong family, Zhong Chen, will be engaged to Gu Yao, the daughter of the Gu family."

The moment the news broke, the guests instinctively applauded in congratulations while silently digesting the seismic implications of this powerhouse alliance.

But Zhong Chen’s face twisted in shock. He stared at Mrs. Zhong in disbelief before snarling, "No way. I refuse to acknowledge this."

Despite being publicly contradicted by the very person being engaged, Mrs. Zhong didn’t even bat an eyelid. She took a sip of her wine, then said coolly, "I never said I needed your acknowledgment."

Her tone was indifferent, but her stance was unshakable. Though the crowd was startled by Zhong Chen’s open defiance, Mrs. Zhong’s demeanor made them dismiss it.

After all, in high-society arranged marriages, rebellious children throwing tantrums were a dime a dozen—most eventually caved in anyway.

Given Mrs. Zhong’s shrewdness and dominance, a child’s opinion was never part of the equation.

So the room quickly buzzed with lively congratulations again.

Furious, Zhong Chen sneered, "Right, it doesn’t even matter."

"How could I forget what kind of person you are? Expecting effort to change your mind was my mistake."

"I should’ve known better than to rely on compromise from the start."

Zhong Chen had had enough. Holding back for the sake of this old woman had left him tangled in a mess of relationships.

His eyes swept the room until they landed on Shen Ying. He strode over, grabbed her hand, and demanded, "Come with me."

But the moment he turned, resistance pulled him back.

Zhong Chen whirled around to see Xiao Yun, who had somehow appeared beside Shen Ying, gripping her other hand.

"Let go," Xiao Yun said sternly. "She’s not going anywhere with you."

Zhong Chen was in no mood for pointless arguments, and Xiao Yun’s interference was the last straw.

Old grudges flared, and without thinking, Zhong Chen swung a punch.

Xiao Yun staggered back but didn’t take it lying down—he retaliated instantly.

The guests gasped as the heirs of the Zhong and Xiao families brawled in public.

Amid the chaos, a figure slipped unnoticed behind Shen Ying.

Gong Zhaoxi took her hand and whispered, "Come with me."

Shen Ying recognized his voice and raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t this a bit inappropriate? Your brothers are fighting."

Gong Zhaoxi sighed dramatically. "Exactly! That’s why I need to remove the source of conflict—you."

"If you’re not here, they’ll stop fighting over nothing. I’m doing this for their sake."

No sooner had he spoken than two icy voices cut in from behind—

"Oh, how considerate of you."

"Should we thank you for your selfless mediation?"

Gong Zhaoxi froze, then slowly turned to face Zhong Chen and Xiao Yun’s fists.

The three of them instantly devolved into a free-for-all. Mrs. Zhong watched the farce unfold and signaled her bodyguards to intervene.

But the trio was beyond reason, and the guards, hesitant to use full force, found themselves locked in a stalemate.

As the scene spiraled, Shen Ying was suddenly yanked into an embrace.

Xing Jiale’s voice rang out above her: "Stop! She’s mine now."

"Take one step closer, and I’ll—I’ll kiss her."

The three froze mid-motion, glaring at Xing Jiale, who had Shen Ying locked in an intimate grip from behind.

Their outrage erupted in unison: "You bastard—"

Before they could finish, the bodyguards seized the chance to restrain them.

Mrs. Zhong raised her glass with a smile. "My apologies for the disruption. Please, enjoy the rest of the evening."

The guests, though bursting with gossip, maintained polite composure.

After ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‍instructing the guards to remove the troublemakers, Mrs. Zhong exchanged a few pleasantries with the Gu couple before leaving the banquet.

The moment she was gone, the room erupted like a burst dam, everyone dissecting the spectacle.

Still held by Xing Jiale, Shen Ying was hauled indoors along with the others.

Once all five were dumped inside, guards stationed themselves around the room to prevent further violence.

Xiao Yun broke the silence first, flashing a smirk that made Zhong Chen’s blood boil.

"Congrats on the engagement, Chen. Who’d have thought we’d grow up to this?"

Zhong Chen’s glare could have flayed skin. "Don’t think the old woman’s interference means you’ve won."

"As long as I’m alive, you’ll never be with her openly."

Gong Zhaoxi rubbed his bruised face, muttering, "I was just trying to help, you ingrates."

"Look what you did to my face!"

Xing Jiale scoffed. "Oh, let me see—"

"Pathetic. Chen, Yun, you’ve gone soft."

His taunt drew three lethal glares.

Zhong Chen: "What the hell were you doing earlier? Want me to shut that mouth permanently?"

Xiao Yun: "Jiale, I thought you had principles."

Gong Zhaoxi: "Wait—you’ve been needling Ying nonstop. Are you actually into her, pulling the ‘tease-to-attract’ routine?"

Xing Jiale recoiled as if scalded. "Shut your mouths!" he roared.

"I’d rather die than become a lovesick idiot like you three. Never."

"Your stupidity was so unbearable, I had to dumb myself down just to get through to you!"

He pointed angrily, his voice filled with bitterness: "Don’t be ungrateful. I made a sacrifice for all of you today."

"If I had another chance, I’d just watch the three of you beat each other to death without saying a word."

Seeing how genuinely furious he was, the three of them shrank back, their expressions sullen.

Then, Xing Jiale turned to Shen Ying: "And you. No one knew about Zhong Chen’s engagement except me—I only found out by accident when I overheard Mrs. Zhong talking with the Gu family."

"But you knew before it was even announced. You’re hiding too many secrets. This isn’t just some high school drama anymore. If you knew everything, why didn’t you say anything? What are you really planning?"

Zhong Chen’s face darkened. He quickly moved closer, pulling Shen Ying toward him. "Is that true? You knew before the old woman made it public?"

Shen Ying nodded.

Zhong Chen’s voice grew urgent. "How did you know? Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let her announce something like this?"

Xiao Yun scoffed. "Isn’t it obvious? Because she wants you to forget the past completely, cut ties with her, and start a new life."

"Go to hell, Xiao Yun." Zhong Chen sneered. "Do you really think you’ll come out of this unscathed?"

"You fought me in public tonight. Do you think your family won’t find out? They’ll know you betrayed our decade-long friendship over a girl, that you kept picking fights with me, and that you’ve been clashing with Zhaoxi too."

"How do you think they’ll react? You really think they’re more lenient than my old hag of a mother?"

Xiao Yun’s expression shifted. His parents weren’t as domineering as Mrs. Zhong, but the interests of the four families were deeply intertwined.

Their close bond wasn’t just about friendship—it was also built on shared family interests. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

His parents might not care if he dated an ordinary girl, but betraying Zhong Chen and alienating the group was another matter entirely.

And would Shen Ying even hold up under scrutiny? She’d played them all. What would his parents think of their relationship?

Realizing Zhong Chen’s scheme, Xiao Yun’s face twisted with fury. "You set me up?"

That public fight hadn’t just been about venting anger.

Zhong Chen smirked. "Payback."

Gong Zhaoxi clapped enthusiastically. "Well played, Zhong Chen. A traitor like him deserves to suffer the consequences."

Zhong Chen’s gaze locked onto Gong Zhaoxi. "Hand it over."

Gong Zhaoxi blinked innocently. "Hand what over?"

Without hesitation, Zhong Chen reached behind him, wresting something from Gong Zhaoxi’s grip—his phone. He unlocked it, swiped into the messaging app, and shoved the screen in Gong Zhaoxi’s face.

There, plain as day, was a freshly sent message:

"You’ve been dumped twice in less than a week—it must hurt. Let me help you through this. Be my girlfriend."

Zhong Chen held the phone up. "Care to explain?"

Xiao Yun and Xing Jiale leaned in, their expressions turning icy as they read the message.

Gong Zhaoxi shrank back into the couch. "I was doing you all a favor."

"If I take her off your hands, at least she won’t end up with some outsider, right? A brother’s ex is still closer than a random classmate."

Before he could finish, two punches landed squarely on him.

Just then, the door swung open. Mrs. Zhong walked in, and the four immediately separated.

Her first words were sharp and final: "Xiao Yun, Zhaoxi—I’ve already called your parents. They’re on their way."