Don’t dwell on what you can’t figure out.
Time will reveal all.
Wen Ying buried her unease and followed Xie Qian downstairs.
Xie Qian’s father’s mistress had some nerve, clearly recognizing Xie Qian yet calmly returning to her seat to continue chatting with Ms. Dai.
Ms. Dai was He Zhen’s mother, disliking being called Mrs. He, insisting on her maiden surname in public.
Wen Ying admired Ms. Dai’s resolve, it showed she wasn’t just her husband’s echo, living in his shadow.
Thinking it over, Ms. Dai hadn’t done anything heinous to Wen Ying, she simply didn’t want Wen Ying marrying He Zhen, and even her opposition was polite and refined.
Wen Ying couldn’t hate Ms. Dai just for that past disagreement, she wasn’t dollars or pounds, liked by some, disliked by others, perfectly normal!
But did Ms. Dai know the long-haired woman’s identity?
Did she know this woman was wrecking someone’s marriage?
If she did, what mindset allowed Ms. Dai to associate with her?
Or in the world of the rich, was the long-haired woman’s affair beyond reproach… Wen Ying recalled He Zhen’s view on fidelity in marriage, he didn’t support Chen Li’s hasty divorce from the cheating Deng Shangwei.
In her past life, without Wen Ying’s interference, despite Deng Shangwei’s resistance, he fell into Yu Wenhao’s honey trap and cheated!
Wen Ying brought up the past, furious, yet He Zhen could calmly analyze, saying Chen Li didn’t try to save the marriage before divorcing, not the best choice, and so on.
Later, when He Zhen proposed, Wen Ying didn’t accept, perhaps this issue planted a thorn, her subconscious wary.
She’d thought He Zhen’s views stemmed from studying abroad, but now, no need to blame foreigners, the influence was domestic, absorbed from his family.
Heh.
That “heh” was for Ms. Dai.
Imagining Ms. Dai, young, mingling with someone’s mistress, the elegant, regal halo around her shattered.
Ms. Dai didn’t like her? Well, Wen Ying didn’t like Ms. Dai either!
Xie Qian turned to speak to Wen Ying, but her odd expression left him baffled.
Like a snarling hamster.
Was it disdain for his father’s mistress or the woman in the purple suit?
Xie Qian felt Wen Ying knew the purple-suited woman, but she denied it.
“What’re you looking at me for? What’s our next move?”
Xie Qian suppressed his doubts, glancing at the lobby.
“Nothing, just wait patiently.”
Wen Ying soon learned what Xie Qian was waiting for.
The long-haired woman and Ms. Dai were talking when her phone rang from her handbag. She stepped aside to answer, initially hushed, then grew agitated, vehemently denying something.
What a vixen.
From hair to heels, every detail pristine.
How much money did it take to maintain such refinement?
The thought that her salon visits were likely paid by Xie Qian’s father, whose every cent was marital property, half belonging to Xie Qian’s mother, rounded up, this wretched woman was using Xie Qian’s money to stay beautiful—those five words, “spending Xie Qian’s money,” ignited Wen Ying’s fury.
Pah!
Shameless!
Looking at the long-haired woman again, Wen Ying found her far less stunning than at first, no matter how beautiful, a flawed character carried a stench no amount of designer perfume could mask.
Who was on the phone?
Wen Ying boldly guessed, maybe Xie Qian’s father.
Xie Qian called his uncle to “tattle,” his uncle dealt with his father, who then scolded his reckless mistress, a perfect food chain.
Knowing her idol still topped the chain, Wen Ying chuckled.
Xie Qian glanced at her, signaling her to tone it down.
Alerting them would ruin the latest drama!
Sure enough, whatever Xie Jinghu said on the phone, the long-haired woman hung up angrily, took several deep breaths, and turned to Ms. Dai.
Ms. Dai stood, “What’s wrong, who called?”
The long-haired woman shook her head, “I can’t stay in Macau, I’m heading to the airport now.”
Ms. Dai was shocked.
“Leaving right after arriving? We haven’t seen each other in ages, is this… because they don’t approve?”
The long-haired woman’s expression soured, Ms. Dai looked sympathetic, whispering, “This can’t go on, they’re too domineering. You didn’t chase him, he came to you, you didn’t mean to ruin anything, why can’t you return?”
The long-haired woman’s face hardened.
Why?
Because of bearing a son!
As if she couldn’t.
She could, and earlier, not just a son, but a daughter too!
By order of arrival, Zou Weijun was the latecomer.
Before friends, she wouldn’t admit Zou Weijun’s son held more weight in the Xie family than her own son and daughter. Facing Ms. Dai’s concern, she only sneered, “Cheng Lan, there’s no reasoning in this, Xie Jinghu’s scum, and I’m at fault too, this is my punishment!”
Ms. Dai didn’t know how to respond.
This woman, once the darling of their circle, was courted by many, Xie Jinghu won her with his looks, outshining rivals.
But looks weren’t everything, back then Xie Jinghu seemed unpromising, when her family hit trouble, she broke up with him and went abroad to fend for herself.
Who knew this spurred Xie Jinghu, he quit his stable job, went into business.
Back then, entrepreneurs were scorned, yet Xie Jinghu rose step by step.
Her “path” abroad failed, she returned with a son, reunited with Xie Jinghu, absence making the heart fonder, their passion reignited, soon bearing him a daughter.
But a son and daughter changed nothing.
Ms. Dai knew Xie Jinghu would never divorce.
Men separated love from profit, love was love, but splitting half the fortune? No need for the Xie family to intervene, Xie Jinghu wouldn’t part with it.
Even if he lost his mind for love, the Xie family wouldn’t allow it!
One was his lawful wife, the other a mistress, divorcing for her would make the Xie family a laughingstock.
Thinking this, Ms. Dai felt some pity for her.
Beneath the pity, a vague smugness lurked.
After all, this woman was once the circle’s star, Ms. Dai just a tagalong in her youth.
Their friendship was real, but so was the hidden glee.
Ms. Dai’s family wasn’t as rich as the Xies now.
But so what?
Her family’s wealth was earned with her husband, she had a say in spending, buying lavish jewelry guilt-free.
This woman, though not poor, lived off Xie Jinghu’s money. His affair exposed, the Xie family barred her from returning, she could only sneak back.
Coming to Macau was already low-key.
Yet the Xie family still found out.
Ms. Dai paused, “You just got to Macau, how’d the Xie family know?”
It must be the Xie family, or she wouldn’t be fleeing.
If only Xie Jinghu knew, a bit of charm, and he’d likely turn a blind eye!
The long-haired woman scanned the room, spotting Xie Qian.
“Bad luck, I guess!”
Ms. Dai followed her gaze, letting out a soft “ah.”
“…That’s Xie Jinghu’s son?”
He looked so like young Xie Jinghu.
But with better poise, Xie Jinghu was brash in youth.
Busy with check-in that morning, Ms. Dai hadn’t noticed Xie Qian, or she’d have recognized the resemblance and arranged to meet elsewhere.
Realizing her carelessness led to her friend’s exposure, Ms. Dai felt guilty.
The legitimate son, so domineering.
Bumping into her in Macau, and he’s expelling her, tsk tsk!
Ms. Dai gave Xie Qian another look, memorizing his face, while ignoring Wen Ying beside him.
Fearing her friend might act rashly, Ms. Dai noted the long-haired woman, seasoned by life’s ups and downs, was no longer the pampered “princess” unable to bear slights. She glanced at Xie Qian, said nothing, grabbed her bag, and left the hotel.
Ms. Dai hesitated, then followed.
At least see her to the airport.
Watching the two women leave, though Xie Qian technically won, his face held little joy.
Wen Ying’s eyes flickered.
Hotheads, man or woman, were easy to catch by their flaws.
The more composed, the trickier.
Xie Qian’s father’s mistress wasn’t just feminine, but shrewd—not the answer Wen Ying wanted.
She’d seen Xie Qian earlier, stood, then sat back casually.
Now, it seemed Xie Qian aimed to provoke her, but she might’ve been testing him, probing the Xie family’s stance through him.
Still, Xie Qian achieved his goal, the woman held her temper, but Xie Jinghu didn’t. As Xie Qian and Wen Ying headed upstairs, Xie Jinghu called, berating Xie Qian.
First, he demanded why Xie Qian was in Macau.
Then called him overbearing.
Hearing Xie Jinghu’s voice, Wen Ying wished she could teleport and thrash him.
Scolding his son for his mistress, Wen Ying, worldly as she was, was stunned!
Recalling Xie Qian’s words, the Xie family barred the mistress from returning, the family was domineering, but didn’t Xie Jinghu agree? Now he’s breaking that!
Wen Ying muttered, “Your dad’s a riot, Macau’s part of China, if she’s banished, why can’t you be here?”
Xie Qian, plotting how to rile his father, heard Wen Ying, stifled a laugh, and echoed, “…What did you promise Uncle, keeping that woman out? Now you think Macau’s not China? Say that to Uncle!”
