He Zhen gave his contact details to Zou Weijun.
Since the man in the baseball cap failed to cause trouble, the commotion was quickly quelled under Zou Weijun’s calm handling. Readers waiting outside didn’t even know what had happened.
They only noticed the signing paused briefly and police took someone away, but without details, they speculated among themselves.
The signing resumed as normal, and the readers, caught up in excitement, forgot about the disturbance.
When He Zhen left the bookstore, he carried not only *The Zhao Family Letters*, which he’d intended to buy, but also *The Galaxy and You*. He couldn’t very well put it back with Wen Ying watching, could he?
He Zhen had that much gentlemanly courtesy.
Wen Ying, however, was shocked.
From what she knew of He Zhen, he’d never like a book like *The Galaxy and You*!
But then again, maybe.
When she knew He Zhen, he was 29. She’d missed his entire youth. Perhaps in his early 20s, he’d enjoyed such books?
Seeing *The Zhao Family Letters* in his hand, Wen Ying was utterly speechless.
Wasn’t that Zhao Dong’s book?
She wanted to kindly warn He Zhen that Zhao Dong’s memoir was full of fabrications, but since they were practically strangers now, and Zhao Dong was already mingling with the He family, her mood grew heavy.
She had no standing to meddle in what books He Zhen read or who he associated with.
Even if fate had separated her and He Zhen, Wen Ying still saw him as a good friend.
The thought of one day standing on opposing sides with him weighed on her. Who’d want to fall out with a good friend for no reason?
As He Zhen left with both books, Zou Weijun comforted Wen Ying. “Don’t worry. This is a wake-up call. We’ll tighten security for the upcoming events.”
“I’m not worried, Aunt Zou. Let’s keep signing. Don’t make the readers wait too long.”
It was late July, and Shanghai was sweltering. Wen Ying feared readers might get heatstroke queuing for so long.
With around two thousand readers at the event, the number of books she signed far exceeded that.
After the cap incident, readers could no longer bring their own drinks. Little Salamander arranged for crates of bottled water to be distributed, and readers, far from complaining, were delighted, finding Wen Ying considerate.
When Peng Guoqing arrived with Xie Qian, only a few readers remained outside, and the signing was nearing its end.
The event had lasted over four hours, with thousands of books sold, though exact figures were still being tallied. Zou Weijun suspected it might break the record for a young author’s signing.
“I bet Wen Ying’s hand is about to fall off,” Peng Guoqing said, admiring her.
Unlike him and Xie Qian, Wen Ying was truly grassroots, succeeding without family backing.
He’d heard *Teen Idol* alone earned her millions in royalties!
A high schooler earning millions on their own was remarkable in any family. Even the richest family in China would be proud of a daughter like her.
If Peng Guoqing had such success, would his wife still pray to Buddha? Would it matter if he had a mistress? With a child like that, who needs a husband? Let the useless man drop dead and not be an eyesore to Mrs. Peng!
Xie Qian, glancing at the sun, wasn’t thinking about record-breaking sales but whether Wen Ying was exhausted.
After Wen Ying patiently signed for the last few readers, the event concluded successfully. Only then did Xie Qian and Peng Guoqing enter.
The bookstore manager invited Wen Ying, Zou Weijun, and Little Salamander to the office, apologising earnestly again for the security lapse. That’s when Xie Qian learned someone had disrupted the signing!
The mess on the floor had been cleaned up, the man in the cap was taken by police, and Wen Ying seemed unharmed, but Xie Qian’s heart tightened.
He scanned her from head to toe, lips pressed tightly.
It sounded like just some smelly liquid.
But what if it wasn’t just foul?
If it was sulfuric acid, a single splash on her face could have disfigured her.
“I’m really fine!”
Sensing Xie Qian’s tension, Wen Ying reassured him. To prove she was unharmed, she spun around with arms outstretched, though her signing arm ached with every move, making her wince.
Xie Qian’s expression didn’t ease. Zou Weijun pulled him aside to talk.
“At first, I thought the troublemaker was an extreme reader. Fame attracts both fans and critics. But then the He family’s son was here and just happened to save Wen Ying. I can’t help but wonder if she got caught up in our family’s mess.”
“The He family’s son… you mean He Zhen?”
“Yes, him. If he hadn’t been quick, that foul liquid would’ve hit Wen Ying for sure. He stopped it.”
Zou Weijun handed Xie Qian the contact details. “Let’s not jump to malicious conclusions, but don’t be careless either. The troublemaker’s at the police station. Keep a close eye on their investigation.”
He Zhen being at the signing caught Xie Qian off guard.
Had he known this would happen, he’d never have left for business!
But he didn’t believe the He family was behind it. “The He family has no conflict of interest with Wen Ying. They wouldn’t target her.”
Nor could it be Xie Jinghu.
Xie Qian had always shielded Wen Ying well. Xie Jinghu, arrogant as he was, wouldn’t notice a “nobody” like her, let alone target her.
If anyone had a grudge against Wen Ying, it was someone in Shanghai—Zhao Dong!
Two years ago, Zhao Dong had clashed with her.
Normal people wouldn’t hold a grudge against a young girl, but Zhao Dong was petty enough to hire someone to disrupt her signing!
“Anyway, we need to stay vigilant. It’s best if it’s nothing, but if it’s true… you need to think carefully. In the current situation, whoever you’re close to might get dragged into trouble.”
Bestselling author, young screenwriter, popular blogger—these titles sounded grand.
But they were grand for ordinary people.
If Xie Jinghu learned how important Wen Ying was to Xie Qian, that scoundrel would exploit it!
If hurting Wen Ying could break Xie Qian, Zou Weijun believed Xie Jinghu wouldn’t hesitate, ethics be damned.
Zou Weijun genuinely liked Wen Ying.
That’s why she didn’t want to bring trouble her way.
“I understand.”
Xie Qian didn’t deny his closeness to Wen Ying. His mother’s warning brought a new sense of pressure.
—Can I really protect Hamster?
To that question, Xie Qian’s answer was, “I don’t know.”
