Why would the Jiang family arrange for a girl like Wen Ying to befriend Xie Qian?
Wen Ying’s appearance was average, her family background even more so. Xie Yuping couldn’t even entertain shady speculations—the Jiang family wouldn’t pick someone like Wen Ying if they had ulterior motives.
Xie Yuping shook his head, “Xiao Zhong, you’re overthinking it. Xie Qian’s sharp. An ordinary girl couldn’t fool him.”
Even if he were fooled, what could she gain? Coveting the Xie family’s power or Xie Qian’s money?
Those things were real, and expecting people to be completely indifferent to them was unrealistic.
A young man needed some knocks to grow.
Xie Jinghu, the third brother, had been handsome and pampered from childhood, breezing through life with his charm. Aside from an ex-girlfriend, no one ever said “no” to him, which turned him into a scoundrel.
Xie Yuping had high hopes for Xie Qian. He adored his nephew, fearing unfair treatment but also worrying that a smooth path would leave him unprepared for setbacks.
Choosing friends was something Xie Qian should learn to judge for himself.
Which friends were fleeting, and which were true companions for the journey ahead? Xie Qian would figure it out in time.
With this thought, Xie Yuping felt relieved.
“Whoever Xie Qian’s close friends are, I, as his uncle, will meet them eventually. No need to rush.”
Friends who endured over time would inevitably cross paths with the Xie family. Xie Yuping was patient enough to wait.
Zhong Yong looked sheepish, “I was making a fuss over nothing. You’re far more open-minded.”
Xie Yuping smiled, “No, you did well. Sending you to Rongcheng was the right call.”
He didn’t need to interfere, but he needed to know. Zhong Yong’s efforts, though seemingly unnecessary, showed he understood Xie Yuping’s concerns perfectly. Xie Yuping was pleased with Zhong Yong’s trip.
As for Xie Qian’s apparent indifference to the 2% stake in Jinhu Group, Zhong Yong didn’t mention a word.
That stake was Xie Yuping’s hard-won gift to Xie Qian. Suggesting Xie Qian didn’t care would be like sowing discord between uncle and nephew—Zhong Yong wasn’t that foolish.
Whether Wen Ying was deliberately arranged by the Jiang family, Xie Yuping didn’t pursue, and Zhong Yong wouldn’t overstep either.
As Xie Yuping said, time would sift the sand. Xie Qian’s true friends would naturally come into the Xie family’s view. It was too early to dwell on hypotheticals.
After meeting Xie Yuping, Zhong Yong was summoned by Old Madam Xie.
Before her, Zhong Yong was far less detailed, omitting much.
Old Madam Xie asked, “Is everything going well for Xie Qian in Rongcheng? Did he mention wanting to return to Beijing? Rongcheng’s a western inland city—far inferior to Beijing in every way. If Xie Qian stays there three years, he’ll surely be held back!”
Zhong Yong only gave a shy smile.
The old lady missed her grandson, hence the complaints. He’d listen but not take it seriously.
As for Xie Qian seeing a therapist, with Xie Yuping’s instructions, Zhong Yong wouldn’t breathe a word to Old Madam Xie.
She grumbled a bit, then asked about her daughter-in-law, Zou Weijun, “I heard Old Third’s wife started working?”
“Yes.”
Old Madam Xie, a career woman herself, saw no harm in her daughter-in-law working.
Thinking of Zou Weijun and Xie Jinghu’s marriage, she sighed, losing interest in questioning Zhong Yong further.
Men faced many temptations outside. Old Madam Xie didn’t think Xie Jinghu was right, but she was certain he never considered divorce.
Zou Weijun didn’t seem inclined to divorce either.
If so, why let things deteriorate this badly?
Blamed at home, Xie Jinghu sought solace elsewhere, growing closer to the other woman.
Zou Weijun should think of Xie Qian, if not herself.
Old Madam Xie knew Xie Yuping had forced Xie Jinghu to transfer 2% of Jinhu Group’s shares to Xie Qian.
She thought Xie Yuping did the right thing.
Jinhu Group’s shares weren’t just in Xie Jinghu’s hands. To show filial piety, Old Madam Xie held 5%.
She intended to leave those 5% to Xie Qian, but hadn’t decided when.
If Xie Qian stayed in Rongcheng and got the shares, wouldn’t that make him less likely to return?
Outsiders saw the Xie family as flourishing, destined to prosper for another decade or two. But at an age meant for retirement, Old Madam Xie still had worries.
Sometimes, she thought power and wealth were great, but without them, a family might not fare worse.
If Xie Jinghu hadn’t made so much money, would that woman abroad cling to him?
Old Madam Xie didn’t want Zou Weijun and Xie Jinghu to divorce, partly for Xie Qian and Zou Weijun, partly for the Xie family’s reputation, and partly because she despised the woman Xie Jinghu kept abroad.
That woman had once scorned Xie Jinghu as a nobody, marrying an overseas tycoon. When the tycoon died, she rekindled things with Xie Jinghu.
If she wanted money, just say so. Why call it love?
When did love become so cheap, discarded so easily?
Widowed for years, Old Madam Xie didn’t understand “love.” She wasn’t even sure she’d loved her late husband. But after his death, she raised four sons alone, never remarrying.
She didn’t know about love, only that she married a man, bore him four sons, and after his death, no other man entered her eyes. If any man could do, what kind of love was that?
Wen Ying had no idea she’d caught the attention of a big shot.
Of course, the big shot wasn’t too focused on her yet, too busy to bother.
If she knew, Wen Ying would probably shamelessly chat up Xie Yuping. Anything to prevent Xie Qian’s tragic fate—she’d try it all, useful or not.
While Yang Xi lay in wait, the police station made progress.
Someone confirmed Shu Lu had contacted Yue Shanni.
Surprisingly, the evidence came from one of Wen Ying’s junior high “plastic friends.” The girl confirmed Shu Lu had asked someone for Yue Shanni’s contact details.
Shu Lu and Yue Shanni weren’t in the same grade. Though one was Wen Ying’s former friend and the other her cousin, in populous Rongcheng, the odds of them meeting by chance were slim.
Shu Lu deliberately sought Yue Shanni out and made contact.
“It’s not enough to prove Yue Shanni acted on Shu Lu’s orders, but it confirms Shu Lu lied—she and Yue Shanni met privately.”
Why would a junior high student like Shu Lu go to such lengths to find Yue Shanni?
The police hadn’t gathered more evidence yet and didn’t confront Shu Lu, only updating the Wen family on the investigation’s progress.
Wen Ying was puzzled.
The girl who provided the clue was Fang Hui, close to Yue Shanni in junior high, one of the “plastic friends” who often mooched off Wen Ying’s pocket money.
In her past life, when Wen Ying studied in Rongcheng, Yue Shanni borrowed money from her twice. Fang Hui, attending high school back home, lost contact with Wen Ying.
When Wen Ying was hustling in Shanghai, Fang Hui graduated university, returned home, and worked as a temp in a government office, taking years to secure a stable job.
Wen Ying didn’t know who Fang Hui married, but with a secure job, she likely fared better in a small town than Yue Shanni, a housewife with two kids.
During the police investigation, Fang Hui voluntarily offered the clue. Wen Ying found it odd, and Fang Hui messaged her on QQ.
“Yue Shanni got expelled, you know. We’re all classmates—did you have to be so harsh?”
Wen Ying replied with a string of ellipses.
There was a reason they’d cut ties. None of her plastic friends treated her as a real friend. Fang Hui clearly sided with Yue Shanni, her tone accusing Wen Ying of causing Yue Shanni’s expulsion.
Wen Ying wanted to tell Fang Hui to get her head checked.
Why bother arguing with someone like that? Fang Hui’s intelligence was consistently mediocre—hence the years it took to land her stable job.
“Fang Hui, you’re scolding me for being harsh while helping the police with clues. What’s wrong with you?”
“You think I wanted to help you? It’s because of Song Shao… Forget it, you wouldn’t understand. Yue Shanni’s family isn’t well-off. By getting her expelled, you’ve practically ruined her!”
Fang Hui’s tone was heated.
She ranted, essentially saying Wen Ying was clueless about hardship.
Yue Shanni was from Rongcheng but attended junior high in Wen Ying’s small hometown because her mother, unwilling to care for her, left her with her grandparents. Yue Shanni’s father had abandoned them years ago for another woman and was now out of touch.
Outsiders only knew Yue Shanni was from Rongcheng, giving her a city-girl aura. She was stylish and popular in junior high, but it was superficial. Her mother, a compulsive gambler, gave her little allowance. For snacks or new clothes, Yue Shanni relied on “suckers” like Wen Ying for money.
Fang Hui thought Wen Ying was oblivious to struggle because her parents had decent jobs, making her relatively well-off in their small town.
Plus, Wen Ying had a wealthy aunt and uncle who often slipped her extra cash, making her much better off than them.
While Wen Ying endured her parents’ strict control, feeling stifled and inferior, others envied her.
Truly, others’ food always tasted better, and others’ parents seemed kinder.
Wen Ying had no interest in debating Fang Hui. Convincing her was pointless.
Yue Shanni’s hardships didn’t justify her leeching off Wen Ying under the guise of friendship.
It wasn’t Wen Ying who left Yue Shanni with no school to attend—it was Yue Shanni’s greed that did her in.
What surprised Wen Ying was Fang Hui mentioning Song Shao.
Song Shao had said if Yue Shanni asked Wen Ying for money again, she should contact him.
Wen Ying had completely forgotten about it.
She only wanted to apologise and thank Song Shao, not drag him into this mess. Besides, as an adult, needing a teenager’s help to handle such matters would be humiliating.
Yet Song Shao found out anyway.
Wen Ying opened Song Shao’s QQ, sent an emoji, and found him online. He got straight to the point, “Let’s meet up!”
