Shu Guobing was released even earlier than Wen Dongrong had anticipated. Detained for less than fifteen days, Shu Guobing was let out.
The detention of over ten days did nothing to dampen Shu Guobing’s arrogance. He harbored a deep hatred for Wen Dongrong. If Cai Youlun hadn’t repeatedly warned him—saying that many favors had been called in to secure his release and that he must focus on running the business—Shu Guobing’s first act upon release would have been to confront Wen Dongrong.
On Wen Dongrong’s side, his senior leader at work changed tack, urging him to “reconcile.”
“You’re all family—what misunderstanding can’t be resolved? If you can make peace, do it, so we don’t waste public resources again.”
Wen Dongrong figured the leader’s shift in attitude likely came from someone pulling strings.
Was the “benefactor” backing Shu Guobing really that influential?
Wen Dongrong hadn’t initially taken Shu Guobing seriously, but this incident made him more cautious. If Shu Guobing wasn’t dealt with, he was a ticking time bomb, liable to explode at any moment.
Even if nothing else, if Shu Guobing pulled something like this again at a critical moment for Wen Dongrong’s promotion, the loss would be significant!
Because of this, Wen Dongrong’s smoking habit intensified.
Chen Ru wanted to make a snide remark, but seeing the pile of cigarette butts in the ashtray, she felt a pang of sympathy.
“So, what’s your plan?”
Wen Dongrong asked about her foot injury. Chen Ru moved her ankle. “No big issue going up and down stairs. I just need to be careful walking. I’m thinking of ending my leave and going back to work.”
Wen Dongrong stubbed out his cigarette.
“Alright. Once you’re back at work, I’ll end my leave and return to the office. There’s bound to be some gossip about this at work. Old Li and the others are waiting to see me humiliated—how can I let them have their way?”
The more others wanted to see him falter, the more Wen Dongrong had to act unfazed.
When in a position of strength, showing vulnerability could garner sympathy, like the strategy Wen Ying suggested last time—a confident person isn’t afraid to appear weak.
But when at a disadvantage, not a hint of defeat could be shown. In tough times, you have to hold firm, or competitors will pounce, and leaders will question your competence.
On Wednesday, when Wen Ying got home from school, Wen Dongrong was already gone.
Say what you will, Comrade Old Wen, despite being an unabashed careerist, had an unyielding spirit because of it. Rising from a poor rural family with many siblings to where he was today, he lacked neither resilience nor determination.
He had plenty of flaws, but Wen Ying genuinely admired his strengths.
As for someone like Shu Guobing, Wen Ying saw no redeeming qualities in him.
…
On Thursday morning, Shu Guobing, riding in an Audi with a driver, personally took Shu Lu to school.
Shu Lu chatted with a few classmates, vehemently insisting that Shu Guobing was “innocent and wronged.”
“If my dad had done something bad, how could the police let him out so quickly? It was all a misunderstanding.”
As for what the misunderstanding was, Shu Lu hemmed and hawed, vaguely mentioning some conflict with her cousin’s family. The story she told was a particularly manipulative version, constantly praising Wen Ying and claiming she didn’t blame her. Yet, the classmates listening couldn’t help but feel indignant on Shu Lu’s behalf.
“And my aunt—I know she was concerned about me, but how could I do something like that? Everything I have was bought by my dad.”
Shu Lu didn’t miss a chance to establish her “rich girl” persona.
Teenage middle schoolers, lacking mature judgment, bought into Shu Lu’s narrative. Seeing Shu Guobing’s boss-like demeanor, they believed her.
Just because they were poor before, did that mean Shu Lu’s family couldn’t get rich through hard work?
Suspecting Shu Lu was cozying up to old men just because she had nice things—how filthy-minded!
Not only was Wen Ying unlucky, but Chen Ru was branded as a vicious villain, practically the wicked witch from a fairy tale.
As for Shu Lu, she went from a pitiful girl living under others’ thumbs to someone whose family was now wealthy, yet still bullied by her domineering cousin.
Wen Ying arrived at school in this atmosphere.
When she saw Wen Ying, Shu Lu timidly greeted her.
Wen Ying couldn’t be bothered to respond.
Every word she exchanged with Shu Lu made Wen Ying worry she’d lose control and beat her up right at the school gate. It wouldn’t even need to be severe—just enough to match Chen Ru’s injury.
She didn’t hit Shu Lu, but Shu Lu kept trying to make her presence felt. Wen Ying shot her a withering glance. “Cousin, ever heard the saying, ‘Good dogs don’t block the way’?”
Shu Lu looked wounded. “You’re calling me a dog…”
“I didn’t call you a dog. I was talking about dogs. If you’re not blocking the way, you wouldn’t assume it’s about you.”
As Wen Ying moved to leave, a few of Shu Lu’s classmates blocked her, insisting she had insulted Shu Lu and demanding an apology.
Wen Ying’s hands and throat itched, ready to teach these junior high kids a lesson, when someone called her from behind.
It was Xie Qian, riding a bicycle.
Xie Qian had always tuned out strangers. Growing up under constant attention, if he responded to every enthusiastic gesture, he’d have no time for anything else. Over time, he developed his own “sensory filter system.”
“Did you memorize yesterday’s text? Teacher Lin’s going to do a spot-check during morning reading.”
“I did, but it’s still a bit shaky. I’ll recite it for you in class to check?”
Seeing Xie Qian, Wen Ying forgot about Shu Lu and her friends, chatting with him as they entered the school.
They’d walked quite a distance before Shu Lu snapped out of her daze.
Not just her—her female classmates were also holding their breath, staring at Xie Qian’s back in a daze.
After a long pause, Shu Lu came to, her cheeks flushed, as if she’d been teleported to a high-altitude region and was short of oxygen.
“Who was that talking to my cousin?”
“That’s Xie Qian! You don’t know him?”
Her classmate’s tone was shocked.
It had been almost two weeks since school started, and there were still girls who didn’t know Xie Qian?
Not just the senior girls in high school—even some first-year junior high girls had heard of Xie Qian’s name and sneaked peeks at him during breaks.
The classmate wasn’t just shocked—she was envious. “Shu Lu, your cousin’s in the same class as Xie Qian, and they seem pretty close.”
In the first week of school, Xie Qian’s “beauty” had spread like a virus across the school. Initially, people discussed it on the school’s online forum, but after some users complained, a dedicated Xie Qian fan forum was created just two days ago!
People only dared to gush about Xie Qian online, praising his otherworldly looks and showering him with flattery.
But to approach Xie Qian in person and strike up a conversation? They didn’t have the nerve.
Xie Qian exuded an aloof, noble air that screamed “strangers keep out.” Without a good reason, trying to chat him up and stumbling over words would be mortifying.
Xie Qian was like a breeze from the clouds, easing the pressure of studies and adding color to everyone’s youth.
Some said seeing Xie Qian made them realize the male leads in romance novels could be real.
He was too perfect, making people hesitant to disturb him.
Even the girls in Xie Qian’s class reportedly kept their distance from him.
The way Wen Ying spoke to Xie Qian so naturally left Shu Lu’s classmates green with envy, even tinged with awe: no wonder she was the fierce cousin who bullied poor Shu Lu!
Shu Lu’s mind was buzzing.
—So that’s Xie Qian!
