Feng Yuan took the laptop from Zhan Meng's hands, staring at the information and reports about Ye Yunchen displayed on the screen. The further she scrolled, the more unsettled she felt.
"Can't believe what you're seeing? If I hadn't been there myself, I probably wouldn't have believed it either. So, Yuan Yuan, don't put him on a pedestal. That guy—it's really hard to pin him down."
Feng Yuan stood frozen for a moment before handing the laptop back to Zhan Meng. "Cousin, tell me what exactly happened back then?"
Feng Yuan's relationship with Zhan Meng was no less close than that with her own sister. Since childhood, whether she was upset or happy, the first person she wanted to share with was this cousin. And whenever she was wronged, Zhan Meng would immediately confront whoever had bullied her without a second thought.
The most vivid memory she had was from her first year of college. She met a gentle senior who pursued her, only to discover after they got together that he had been deceiving her the whole time. His pursuit was solely because of her surname—the Feng family behind her. When Zhan Meng found out, she flew from Beicheng to Jiangcheng without hesitation and beat the man up.
Thinking back to her college days, Feng Yuan still felt a lingering fear. She hadn't even finished her freshman year before choosing to study abroad.
Zhan Meng snapped her fingers. "What are you thinking about? I'm talking to you."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"I said Ye Yunchen is a man of deep schemes. Someone at your level is no match for him."
"Cousin, it's not that serious. He and I are just ordinary friends. You're overthinking it."
"Is it me overthinking, or is it you with too many thoughts? Don't say I didn't warn you..."
"Yes, yes, I know. I have it under control. Besides, I already agreed to meet him. It wouldn't be right to cancel last minute. I swear, he and I are strictly friends—he's the senior, I'm the junior."
Zhan Meng rolled her eyes. "You think I want to talk about this? Rushing off to meet him like that—are you sure you don't have a guilty conscience?"
Feng Yuan pulled a pink knit sweater from her closet and held it up against herself. "What do you think? This inside, with a white wool coat outside?"
"Ugly as hell."
"Ugly? Really?"
"An eyesore!"
Zhan Meng casually spat out three words, crossed her arms, and turned to walk out. The little girl had grown up, but she was still just as clueless. As for Ye Yunchen, it wasn't that she was biased—it was that the first time she saw him, she hadn't liked him.
"Sis, if you're so bored, why not go find Ning Xi? I bet he hasn't left Jiangcheng."
"Who said I'm bored? I'm very busy!"
Zhan Meng replied without turning back. When she'd told Ning Xi to come to Jiangcheng, it wasn't a joke. She hadn't expected him to take it seriously. Counting the days, maybe it was time to go see Ning Xi?
With that thought, Zhan Meng's actions completely betrayed her calm facade. Feng Yuan changed her clothes and looked in the mirror, then suddenly heard a commotion downstairs and couldn't help laughing.
Her words and actions were always at odds.
Zhan Meng drove around the block, then slowly pulled out her phone and dialed Ning Xi's number.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
Ning Xi actually dared not answer her call! That got her riled up.
She fired off call after call, her patience wearing thin. Meanwhile, Ning Xi sat leisurely in the rocking chair he'd bought before the New Year, watching a variety show on TV. When his phone rang, he remained unmoved, acting as if he neither heard nor saw it.
Half an hour had passed. Ning Xi still wasn't answering. The first missed call, she could believe he hadn't seen it. But twenty calls ignored? Unless Ning Xi was both deaf and blind.
Ning Xi dragged his feet, answering Zhan Meng's call at the last second. "Sorry, I was sleeping with my phone on silent."
"Sleeping? Silent? Ning Xi, why not just say you're deaf?"
"If I were deaf, how could I hear you now?"
"I think you've got a death wish." Zhan Meng hung up, used the GPS to find Ning Xi's location, gripped the steering wheel, and made a sharp U-turn at the intersection fifty meters ahead, storming off to his house.
******
Lu Group.
Xia Yan had been called into Lu Zhengting's office several times that morning. After wearing high heels for so long, her feet didn't feel like her own anymore. She only got a break after Lu Zhengting finished his second meeting. But even in that short rest, she couldn't find peace.
The sound of clicking high heels came from outside her office. She frowned slightly. Lu Zhengting had no appointments that morning, so whoever was coming was either Ke Yaru or Jiang Mingxiu.
The visitor was outside Xia Yan's calculations, but she'd forgotten to account for another woman—Xia Siyue.
Xia Siyue barged straight into Xia Yan's office, her face cold and furious, her gaze fixed on Xia Yan. She clutched her handbag tightly, her knuckles turning white, and strode up to Xia Yan, suddenly raising her hand.
The moment her hand went up, Xia Yan instinctively stepped back two paces. "Xia Siyue, have you lost your mind?"
"Lost my mind? Xia Yan, you're ruthless, playing dirty tricks on me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you having a psychotic episode and forgot to take your meds? Or do you think making a scene here every chance you get is something to be proud of?" Xia Yan glanced at her coldly.
"You don't know what I'm talking about? Tell me, how did you find out? And how did you get it online?..."
"What are you even talking about?"
"Xia Yan, don't think putting on that innocent act will make me believe you're not involved. I'm telling you, Lu Zhengting will see your true colors sooner or later."
"So you're dead set on blaming me, huh? Fine, say whatever you want."
"Xia Yan, what do you mean? Explain yourself."
"Exactly what it sounds like. Can't you understand? I can't exactly argue with a mental patient."
Something she said must have triggered Xia Siyue. She suddenly threw her bag down and lunged, grabbing Xia Yan's neck with both hands, squeezing tightly. "If you won't let me have peace, I won't let you have it either. Xia Yan, aren't you surrounded by protectors? Why don't you call one to save you now?"
"Cough, cough... let... let go..." Xia Yan hadn't expected Xia Siyue to snap like that, nor had she anticipated such frenzy. Her neck was being choked, her breathing growing more labored, to the point of suffocation. Her flailing hand knocked over files on the desk.
Xia Yan stared at Xia Siyue's twisted expression, mustering all her strength to kick wildly in any direction. When Lu Zhengting came to find Xia Yan and saw this, his heart nearly stopped. He rushed over and kicked Xia Siyue hard in the back. Her face contorted in pain as she collapsed onto Xia Yan. Lu Zhengting quickly helped Xia Yan up. Her cheeks were flushed red, and she leaned limply against him. He pressed his fingers under her nose, felt her breath, and finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Zhengting." Xia Yan's throat was damaged, her voice hoarse. She grabbed his wrist, looked up, and seemed to find some comfort. After a pause, she lowered her gaze to Xia Siyue, slumped over the desk.
"Have you gone mad?"
"Hmph, right now I just want to strangle you. Every time I think of you existing, I wish I could make you disappear."
Hearing this, Xia Yan nodded symbolically. "I understand."
When the bodyguards arrived, they dragged the limp Xia Siyue away, waiting for Lu Zhengting's signal.
Lu Zhengting had planned to handle it privately, but Xia Yan patted the back of his hand and said hoarsely, "Call the police."
When the police came, Xia Siyue was taken away on charges of attempted murder.
Before leaving, Xia Siyue laughed wildly, pointing at Xia Yan, then at Lu Zhengting. "Lu Zhengting, Xia Yan is a wolf in sheep's clothing. You'll see her true colors sooner or later."
Xia Yan was stunned for a moment, then said calmly, "I want a word with her."
After resting a bit, Xia Yan had regained some energy. Coughing, she walked toward Xia Siyue. They stood face to face, eyes locked.
Xia Yan thought for a moment, then asked, "Why do you want to kill me?"
"Because you should have died long ago."
"Is that so? Since that's your answer, I guess I don't need to be soft-hearted anymore, do I?"
With that, Xia Yan returned to Lu Zhengting's side and signaled the police to take Xia Siyue away.
After the bodyguards left, the office returned to the quiet before Xia Siyue's arrival. Lu Zhengting had Xia Yan sit on his lap. His slender fingers gently lifted her chin, and seeing the finger marks on her pale neck, he knew how much force Xia Siyue had used.
Xia Yan rubbed her neck and lowered her head. "Don't look. It's fine."
Seeing Lu Zhengting frown, Xia Yan recalled Xia Siyue's words and suddenly changed the subject. "Xia Siyue came to the company out of nowhere and started saying..."
"I know what she was talking about." Lu Zhengting held Xia Yan and didn't go straight through the lounge connecting their offices. Instead, he went to his own office, still keeping her on his lap.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't move. I'll show you a video, and you'll understand." Lu Zhengting moved the mouse with one hand while controlling Xia Yan with the other, pulling up a file. When he opened it, Xia Yan was dumbfounded.
Wasn't this the so-called porn? There were photos and videos, all explicit, with clear, vivid figures. The faces were unmistakable, though it seemed only the men were blurred out.
Xia Yan pointed. "Isn't this too much? Only blurring the men?"
Lu Zhengting was caught between laughter and tears. "The original video had no blurring at all! Do you want to see other men? Huh?"
"That's not what I meant." Xia Yan gave Lu Zhengting a pained look, then added, "I didn't expect Xia Siyue to have such heavy tastes. Who's the man?" Before Lu Zhengting could answer, she suddenly remembered something, her face darkened, and she quickly closed the video. "Have you watched it several times already?"