“Aunt Tai, you didn’t lie to me?”
Xie Tang instantly stood up.
Xie Tang knew that matchmaking was a profession, but for such matters to have a matchmaker was simply too disgusting!
Tai Jing sighed. “Human hearts are treacherous. Things you think won’t happen do happen. Some people’s bottom lines are much lower than you imagine.”
Ximen Qing could hook up with Pan Jinlian so quickly thanks to Madam Wang’s help. Xie Jinghu and the woman surnamed Zhuo rekindling their old feelings also had someone playing the role of “Madam Wang”. Madam Wang helped Ximen Qing for a small profit. The intermediary who connected Xie Jinghu might be after a big gain. Exactly for what was not something Tai Jing wanted to explore. This was the Xie family’s matter!
“Aunt Tai, who exactly is this intermediary?”
Tai Jing smiled and shook her head. “I can’t say.”
Xie Tang was anxious.
“Aunt Tai…”
Tai Jing picked up her bag and also stood up. “I’ve already said enough. If I say more, it would really cross the line. I’m not afraid to tell you the truth. If it were your parents asking me today, I would speak everything I know. But you are too young.”
Young people like Xie Tang had a sense of justice, easily impulsive and hot-blooded, just like Tai Jing back then.
Xie Jinghu’s affair had been exposed for more than a day or two. The couple had not divorced yet. It seemed the Xie family was suppressing it to prevent divorce.
Xie Tang was a Xie family member, no doubt. But Xie Tang could not represent the Xie family in decision-making. Tai Jing liked Xie Tang’s passion, but did not want to do foolish things with Xie Tang.
A figure blocked Tai Jing’s way.
The young man’s tall posture was like a green pine. Tai Jing looked up, and in that instant, she was dazed. “Xie San?”
No, Xie San was not this young!
Tai Jing finally woke up. The one blocking her path was not Xie Jinghu, but Xie Jinghu’s son.
“Xie Qian, why are you here?”
Xie Tang’s surprise was no less than Tai Jing’s.
This was not a good time for explanations. Xie Qian nodded to Xie Tang, turned to Tai Jing politely. “Aunt Tai, may I invite you for a cup of coffee?”
As Xie Qian spoke, he pulled the chair out further, making a “please” gesture. Tai Jing hesitated for a while and slowly sat down. Xie Qian’s face then showed a smile.
“Aunt Tai, because you have been abroad for so many years, our contact has been relatively little. But I think, no matter how many years have passed, whether abroad or at home, your character will not change.”
“…”
Tai Jing could not tell if Xie Qian was praising her or criticising her.
Xie Qian obviously had his own rhythm. “The Xie family’s matters, Sister Tang cannot decide, naturally I cannot decide either. We are both too young, unable to make decisions for the Xie family. The Xie family is a big family. All Xie family members must unite and present a united front externally. But internally, this big family consists of different small families. We are not small parts on a machine. We are individuals with thoughts.”
Tai Jing was silent.
She already knew what Xie Qian was going to say.
Now, the only way to stop Xie Qian from continuing was for Tai Jing to decisively get up and leave.
No matter how eloquently Xie Qian spoke, if Tai Jing did not listen, she would not waver.
But as soon as Tai Jing looked up and met Xie Qian’s eyes, what she saw was not only a face very similar to Xie Jinghu in his youth. She saw a young man in a disadvantaged position.
Xie Tang inquired about these secrets because Xie Tang was just.
Tai Jing could choose not to say, no need to offend the Xie family to fulfill Xie Tang’s justice.
Xie Qian inquiring about these did not even need to pull the banner of justice. Xie Qian naturally stood in the “justice” camp. He was the party involved, also the victim.
Tai Jing was very glad she did not have children back then.
If she had children and then discovered her ex-husband’s affair, and then her ex-husband’s first love girlfriend came with the child, then Tai Jing’s child would be as miserable as Xie Qian.
Xie Qian had done nothing wrong. He had been an only child for over a decade, suddenly had half-siblings from the same father but different mother. It was truly a calamity from heaven!
Tai Jing took a deep breath. “What I say next, you two just listen. Once we leave this coffee shop, no matter who comes to verify, I will not admit it. I have no evidence. Believe it or not, anyway, I am just telling you a piece of gossip from the past…”
Tai Jing’s story started from before the Zhuo family incident.
Xie Jinghu’s mistress was still a princess surrounded by stars back then. Xie Jinghu moved the princess’s heart with his enthusiasm and outstanding appearance, defeated a crowd of competitors, became the princess’s officially announced boyfriend.
The two looked very matching in appearance. Wherever they went, they were the focus in the crowd, could be called a perfect pair.
Such two people coming together, the princess’s suitors scattered mostly in an instant. But there were also those who did not give up, continued to court the princess.
After all, they were in the same circle. Several suitors saw Xie Jinghu frequently, on the surface restrained their admiration.
Until the Zhuo family suddenly had an incident.
It was said to be sudden, but thinking back, there were signs early on. It was just that Tai Jing’s group were very young back then, young enough that their minds were full of eating and playing every day, not caring about others at all.
A month before the Zhuo family incident, the princess organised several dance parties in a row. These dance parties invited guests widely. The participants were not limited to young people in the circle, included many faces Tai Jing found unfamiliar.
Among them was the overseas Chinese tycoon the princess later married.
“She was always the focus in the crowd. No matter the occasion, no one could ignore her. Those dance parties were even more so. The originally glamorous flower bloomed doubly, charm astonishing! She fluttered like a butterfly among the guests, talking to this one for a while, drinking with that one for a while, making Xie San very unhappy.”
No one wanted a social butterfly girlfriend.
Xie Jinghu and the princess had a big argument midway through a dance party.
That night, Tai Jing ate cold medicine before attending the dance party. Halfway through dancing, her head felt dizzy, deliberately went to a quiet place to sit and rest, did not want to join the second half.
Hiding for peace, Tai Jing not only was forced to witness Xie Jinghu and the other’s argument. After Xie Jinghu left in anger, she saw even more exciting drama.
Probably because of such a prelude, Tai Jing was so calm later when catching her ex-husband and the nanny in bed.
Xie Jinghu left, another young man came.
He replaced Xie Jinghu to comfort the upset Zhuo princess. Tai Jing saw the two slowly lean together. The Zhuo princess pulled the young man’s hand to cover her lower abdomen, said she was pregnant.
Tai Jing was stunned back then. Now speaking of it was more natural. “That person was quite responsible, immediately said he wanted to marry her, but she refused.”
Speaking to this point, Tai Jing paused to drink a sip of coffee to moisten her throat.
Xie Tang had already listened dumbfounded.
Third uncle, the tycoon, and this unnamed man. Indeed, who to let be the child’s father all depended on the woman surnamed Zhuo’s word?!
Xie Qian was thoughtful. “She of course would not marry that man, nor marry my dad. Even the tycoon she later married was not the best husband candidate at the time. Outsiders did not know the Zhuo family was about to have an incident. The Zhuo family internally must have felt it. She frequently organised dance parties not to grasp the afterglow before collapse and go crazy last time. It was the Zhuo family wanting to do something under the cover of the dance parties. She was looking for people who could help the Zhuo family!”
No matter who, at that time, to be able to help the Zhuo family, the Zhuo family was probably willing to pay any price, including the daughter they doted on daily. Before the building collapsed, she could be sent out as a thank-you chip!
