Being a spy, of course Zhao Qian couldn’t tell Wen Ying the truth.
She raised the book in her hand and sneered, “Mind your own business where I got it. The book is in my hands, so I have every right to be here!”
Wen Ying narrowed her eyes.
The No. 600000 copy of Finding Yong had been missing all along. There was no way Zhao Qian had suddenly found it just in time to sneak into the book signing. That copy must have been in someone’s possession for a while, only handed to Zhao Qian today.
Why was Wen Ying so certain Zhao Qian hadn’t prepared it long ago?
Because it was impossible.
Let alone the fact that Zhao Qian hadn’t voluntarily appeared in front of her for ages, even if she wanted to cause trouble, with her upbringing she would never bother finding excuses. She would just show up whenever and wherever she felt like it.
Someone who could obtain that book early and hold onto it without a word, someone with that kind of patience… Wen Ying immediately thought of Zhuo Yue.
Zhuo Yue had once asked a restaurant server about Wu Chunqin’s family.
Wen Ying had been on guard, worried Zhuo Yue would try something to harm Wu Chunqin’s family of three, afraid that the future she had painstakingly changed (convincing Wu Chunqin’s couple not to send Shen Huan abroad early) would be ruined by Zhuo Yue’s interference and drag Shen Huan back onto his tragic previous-life path.
Wen Ying didn’t think she was being paranoid. Learning good is hard, learning bad is easy. She couldn’t place too much faith in Shen Huan’s willpower.
Yet after so long, Zhuo Yue had made no further moves. It almost seemed Wen Ying had been overthinking.
But had she really?
Not necessarily.
Zhuo Yue definitely wanted to do something.
That was why, at the Magnolia Awards after-party, Zhuo Yue had first approached Wen Ying pretending to be a “reader” to make her presence known, then secretly secured the No. 600000 copy of Finding Yong, planning to establish herself as Wen Ying’s loyal fan.
She wasn’t targeting Wen Ying. Wen Ying was just a stepping stone. The real goal was Xie Qian.
An illegitimate daughter was looked down upon, so Zhuo Yue planned to take a different route and infiltrate Xie Qian’s social circle.
Clever idea.
Too bad plans never keep up with change. Before Wen Ying’s book signing could even happen, Xie Yuping had already tested Zhuo Yue and proven she wasn’t Xie Jinghu’s biological daughter.
No matter how cleverly she manoeuvred, Zhuo Yue had no blood tie to Xie Qian at all. Her status was even more awkward than an illegitimate child!
From the day Wen Ying gave Zhong Yong her suggestions to the day Zou Weijun and Xie Jinghu officially divorced, not only Wen Ying, but Sara Zhuo and her children had surely been tormented too.
Zhuo Chen was biological. Once Xie Jinghu’s anger cooled, he would probably still look after him.
Zhuo Yue was not. Even after Xie Jinghu calmed down, he would only demand repayment of everything he had given her.
Zhuo Yue must be frantic.
In her panic, she naturally had no mood to play loyal reader in front of Wen Ying. So she handed the long-prepared Finding Yong to Zhao Qian and sent Zhao Qian to test Wen Ying’s reaction.
Wen Ying felt she had pieced together why Zhao Qian was here.
Yet looking at Zhao Qian’s smug face, Wen Ying actually felt a twinge of sympathy for Zhuo Yue… What was the use of having eight hundred schemes when your choice of minion was this terrible!
“Yes, yes, yes, you’re qualified. I’ll give you a special autograph later.”
Wen Ying brushed Zhao Qian off.
Five real readers were waiting for her warmth. She had no intention of wasting time on a fake one.
Watching Wen Ying, radiant and full of life, take photos with the five real readers, Zhao Qian stood frozen.
Zhuo Yue had clearly said something happened to Xie Qian. How was Wen Ying completely unaffected?
Wen Ying had even offered her a special autograph. As if Zhao Qian cared.
Zhao Qian wanted nothing more than to draw a giant turtle on Wen Ying’s poster!
The two-hour book signing passed. Wen Ying took care of every reader. The winners all felt the trip worthwhile. After today’s close contact, their chance of ever unfollowing her was practically zero.
The most enthusiastic girl noticed Zhao Qian looked unhappy and kindly comforted her:
“Are you so happy you’re stunned? Too nervous meeting Xiao Yu? Don’t worry, I won’t laugh at you. I have plenty of fangirl experience. I know how overwhelming it is to meet your idol for the first time. You’ll get used to it!”
Who was the country bumpkin here?
Zhao Qian ground her teeth: You lot are the real hicks!
A bunch of hicks who had never seen the world and had no idea how rustic Wen Ying used to be.
Dark, tacky, tacky, dark!
Zhao Qian wanted to hurl the book and storm out, or cause a scene and humiliate Wen Ying, but one glance told her security outnumbered readers three to one.
So Zhao Qian swallowed her anger and sat obediently, enduring until the end, even accepting Wen Ying’s signed copy.
Wen Ying wrote sincerely: Reading enriches the heart. May you wander the sea of books and forge a wise life.
Handing the book to Zhao Qian, Wen Ying smiled brightly. “This is my most sincere blessing for you.”
“Xiao Yu is so gentle~”
“Xiao Yu really spoils her fans!”
The five real readers showered her with praise. The fake reader Zhao Qian nearly fainted from rage.
The real readers saw it as a blessing. Only Zhao Qian knew it was mockery of her lack of culture!
When the event ended, Zhao Qian fled.
Wen Ying still had media interviews. Zhao Qian hurried out and slipped into a car parked across the street.
“Why are you panicking?”
The driver was none other than Zhao Dong.
Zhao Qian whined, full of grievance, “Bro, you have no idea how infuriating that Wen woman is. I never should have come to this stupid book signing. She doesn’t know anything. Zhuo Yue only said something happened to Xie Qian but wouldn’t say what. Why didn’t Zhuo Yue come test her herself…”
Zhao Qian rambled on.
She wasn’t completely stupid; she knew Wen Ying disliked her.
If Wen Ying disliked her, why would she tell the truth?
She had been humiliated for nothing and gained zero information.
Zhao Dong cut off her whining. “Xie Qian definitely had an accident. I haven’t found out the details yet. But I heard that just yesterday, Xie Qian’s parents finalised their divorce.”
“What? Xie Qian’s parents divorced?”
Zhao Qian was so shocked she forgot she was in a car and tried to stand up, banging her head on the roof. Tears sprang to her eyes from the pain. “…Does that mean Aunt Zhuo is finally becoming the official wife?”
Zhao Dong’s interests were tied to Sara Zhuo. If she became the official wife, he would benefit, and Zhao Qian would too.
Still, thinking that Zhuo Yue could soon become a legitimate Xie family daughter made Zhao Qian extremely unhappy.
She didn’t like Wen Ying, and liked Zhuo Yue even less.
Zhuo Yue always acted gentle and refined, but in front of Zhao Qian she carried an indescribable air of superiority.
Zhuo Yue was prettier, had more pocket money, and an older brother who doted on her.
Zhao Dong forced Zhao Qian to be his lackey; Zhuo Chen never forced Zhuo Yue to do anything.
At least Zhao Qian had one point of pride over Zhuo Yue: she was not illegitimate.
Though the Zhao family had a fine tradition of living off rich women (her father had received wealth from an older mistress), Zhao Qian was definitely born after her father left the mistress and remarried his original wife.
Now that Xie Qian’s parents were divorced, if Sara Zhuo became the official wife and Zhuo Yue was formally acknowledged, everything would be covered up. No one would ever mock Zhuo Yue as illegitimate again!
Zhao Qian was anxious. Zhao Dong’s expression, however, was subtle.
“I only said Xie Qian’s parents divorced. When did I say Sara Zhuo would become the official wife?”
Zhao Qian looked blank.
In truth, Zhao Dong was just as much in the dark as she was.
He only knew that shortly after the Xie family met Zhuo Chen and Zhuo Yue, Xie Jinghu divorced Zou Weijun.
For Zhao Dong this should have been excellent news, proof he had backed the right horse… except Sara Zhuo herself had not told him!
Xie Jinghu’s divorce was no secret, and the fact he had given half the company shares to his ex-wife was already circulating inside Jinhu. Zhao Dong always kept an ear to the ground; the divorce happened yesterday, and he heard about it today.
Xie Jinghu divorcing was sudden.
Giving half the company shares to his ex-wife was even more sudden.
Sara Zhuo hadn’t breathed a word about it. Zhao Dong sensed something fishy.
Even if they weren’t truly in love, they were at least in the same boat. By withholding critical information, was Sara Zhuo planning to kick him aside now that she thought she could become the official wife?
At that thought, Zhao Dong gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles went white.
