Is it strange for a daughter to hug her mom?
In other households, probably not, but for Wen Ying and Chen Ru, it was a groundbreaking moment.
Not only did Chen Ru freeze, but even Wen Ying, with two lifetimes of experience, felt a bit awkward. After the hug, she bolted downstairs, fleeing the scene.
Why was she running?
Why could she hug friends or a lover but not her own mom?
Maybe she was afraid of rejection.
Afraid her affection would be brushed off.
Afraid her closeness would be seen as pointless.
So, without waiting for Chen Ru’s response, Wen Ying escaped first.
Wen Ying gave a self-mocking smile: she thought she was unbreakable, but it turned out she still had fears!
Regardless, she didn’t regret hugging Chen Ru.
In that moment, she wanted to do it, so she did.
As for Chen Ru’s reaction… old habits die hard. Her mom’s domineering stubbornness wouldn’t vanish because of one hug. Wen Ying was still figuring out how they’d get along moving forward.
Wen Ying boarded the bus. A few stops from the TV station, she spotted Xie Qian at a bus stop. Leaning out the window, she called him to board and offered him her seat. Xie Qian pressed her shoulder to keep her seated and stood instead.
Wen Ying grinned. “I haven’t told Wang Shuang and the others you’re back in Rongcheng. They’ll be floored when they see you.”
Xie Qian nodded. “I’ve sorted out the laptop issue. You can pick it up tomorrow and take it home.”
A scholar’s mind, so sharp for studying, was just as effective elsewhere. Solving problems was second nature to Xie Qian, though he’d never before considered how to deceive parents—nor had he imagined blaring a megaphone at school to cause a scene. Having done something out of character once, the second time felt natural. His solution for Wen Ying was flawless: in just half a day, he’d found a mall holding an anniversary event. Somehow, he convinced the organizer to store the Samsung laptop as an event prize.
Of course, the laptop wasn’t part of the raffle; it could only be claimed with a ticket.
Explaining briefly, Xie Qian handed Wen Ying a small ticket.
“This is the ticket for your ‘prize.’ You won it eating KFC on the mall’s first floor. Don’t slip up.”
Wen Ying was at a loss for words.
Her male idol not only gave her a gift but ensured she had no worries about it. How could the old soul beneath her youthful exterior not be thrilled?
If an adult had done what Xie Qian did, it might feel like an indescribable “CEO-style greasiness.” But coming from Xie Qian, it was pure scholarly precision.
Why KFC? Because food is consumable, and Wen Ying could “eat” it on the spot.
If the prize was tied to buying something else at the mall, they’d need to arrange a physical item.
Though her parents were unlikely to check if she’d bought what was on the ticket, Xie Qian preferred to avoid complications. He set the timing for the evening, aligning with when Wen Ying would be heading to Night Snack Street from home.
Even the mall’s location was strategic—on the route from Chen Li’s place to Night Snack Street.
Wen Ying could picture the entire scenario: a few days ago, she left her aunt Chen Li’s house for Night Snack Street, succumbed to hunger midway, got off the bus, and popped into the mall’s KFC for a burger and cola. She entered the mall’s raffle with her receipt, not thinking much of it. Then, to her shock, the mall notified her today that she’d won a laptop. If Wen Ying weren’t dieting and avoiding burgers and fries, she’d almost believe it herself!
With Xie Qian’s arrangements, the mall was fully coordinated. Even if Wen Ying brought her parents to claim the prize, no one would suspect a thing.
All this effort just to let her happily take the gift home without getting scolded. If such thoughtfulness was deemed “greasy,” Wen Ying felt she deserved to be collectively bashed by Xie Qian’s fangirls!
Xie Qian went to all this trouble yet handed her the ticket so casually, as if it were a trivial matter.
Wen Ying had always thought she was the one chasing Xie Qian, striving to be his friend and change his fate from her past life. In this friendship, she saw herself as the giver. She had indeed given, but she’d also received Xie Qian’s friendship. A laptop could be bought with money, but this series of actions, this ticket’s weight, was worth more than the laptop itself.
Xie Qian’s return was the truest form of friendship.
Wen Ying took the ticket, carefully tucking it into her pocket. “We’re good friends now, right?”
Xie Qian didn’t speak, but his expression softened.
Some people, even after decades, never truly connect. Even spouses or parents and children can hide deceit or schemes. Yet some, after just two months, feel completely at ease with each other.
They’d exchanged contact info, met regularly, and shared meals—definitely friends.
Good friends? That’s a step above.
You think of me, I think of you. Mutual care and concern—that’s good friends, isn’t it?
If that’s the measure, then he and Wen Ying were indeed good friends.
Xie Qian suddenly recalled something. “You asked my cousin about Zhao Dong. After I went back to Beijing, what did Zhao Dong do?”
Xie Qian didn’t yet know about Shu Guobing’s real-name report against Wen Dongrong. Wen Ying was pondering how to explain it without burdening him.
While Wen Ying wrestled with how to broach the topic, Wen Hongyan and Shu Lu were pleading with Boss Cai to bail out Shu Guobing.
Cai Youlun didn’t say he’d abandon them, but how far he’d go depended on his inquiries.
There wasn’t much to inquire about—it hinged on Zhao Dong’s intentions.
Such a weak pawn—was Zhao Dong really going to prop him up? It seemed like a waste of effort.
As for Zhao Dong, he’d searched Beijing for Xie Qian to no avail. He then had someone check study-abroad agencies, only to learn Xie Qian had transferred to Rongcheng. The news left Zhao Dong stunned for half a day.
Zhao Dong wasn’t one to give up easily. He immediately told Zhao Qian to return to Rongcheng and grew warier of Wen Ying.
Xie Qian’s transfer to Rongcheng had multiple factors, but Zhao Dong, unable to piece it together, assumed Wen Ying’s influence.
How had the Xie family agreed?
Rongcheng’s educational resources couldn’t compare to Beijing’s!
Convincing his family to let him transfer must have been tough for Xie Qian.
The harder it was, the greater Wen Ying’s influence on him.
Zhao Dong refused to admit he was outmaneuvered by a young girl, nor did he want to give up the shortcut that was Xie Qian. He had no choice but to deal with the Shu family. Shu Guobing’s case wasn’t without room to maneuver, but Zhao Dong didn’t act directly. He let Cai Youlun handle it with one clear goal:
Even if Shu Guobing could be bailed out, it had to seem extremely difficult. The Shu family and Wen family needed to be driven into a complete feud, sharpening the Shu family as a weapon.
