It wasn’t that his double-dealing had been exposed.
Assistant Qi’s tense scalp relaxed instantly, his expression particularly solemn, “You truly are brilliant, sir!”
After praising Xie Jinghu’s brilliance, Qi muttered to himself, “If I directly leak the news to Young Master Xie, he might not believe me. Fortunately, he has a few friends in Beijing. If the message comes through them, he shouldn’t suspect anything…”
Xie Jinghu didn’t care about the details and told Qi to handle it as he saw fit.
Qi, “acting under orders,” felt particularly confident when contacting Xie Qian.
“You absolutely mustn’t return to Beijing. As long as you stay out of it, Mr. Xie will get busy with work and likely let this matter slide.”
If Xie Qian couldn’t resist coming back to Beijing, things could get messy!
“I understand. Thank you, Assistant Qi.”
“My pleasure!”
Qi didn’t know how other spies lived, but he had to think carefully. After getting Xie Qian’s consent, he leaked the news to Tai Wu. Tai Wu had been in Shanghai, constantly pestering Peng Guoqing with jabs. When Peng Guoqing, short on time, got annoyed, Tai Wu returned to Beijing.
Tai Wu was loud and brash, and close to Zhang Nan. Qi didn’t need to inform him specifically; Tai Wu already knew.
Of course, Tai Wu sided with Zhang Nan.
Over the past two days, Zhang Nan’s friends had dug deep into Wen Ying’s background, concluding she was a formidable rival!
“She’s tough to deal with!”
Several heads crowded around a computer screen. Tai Wu pointed at Wen Ying’s photo, “Let’s be objective. First, she’s pretty. Second, she’s accomplished. Plus, they’re at the same top provincial school, supposedly desk mates. As the saying goes, proximity breeds opportunity. If she’s set her sights on Xie Qian, two years of daily interaction could melt even an iceberg like him. Don’t you agree, Zhang Nan? Honestly, you were foolish. If you liked Xie Qian so much, you should’ve followed him to Chengdu two years ago. With you by his side, no other girl would’ve had a chance!”
Zhang Nan, with her bright eyes and delicate features, was notoriously spoiled and temperamental. She wasn’t pleased with Tai Wu’s words, “So what if she’s been his desk mate for two years? I was his desk mate too!”
Tai Wu secretly rolled his eyes.
—Sure, sure, you were his desk mate, but a kindergarten desk mate can’t compare to a high school one!
High school was a risky time for young love to blossom. Two years as desk mates could outweigh a decade of being childhood friends. Given Wen Ying’s overall qualities, Zhang Nan’s loss wasn’t unjust!
Zhang Nan clearly didn’t share Tai Wu’s view.
When Tai Wu asked why she didn’t follow Xie Qian to Chengdu, Zhang Nan admitted she’d considered it.
But Xie Qian had gone to Chengdu to accompany Zou Weijun for her recovery. It wouldn’t have been appropriate for her to chase after him!
Even the most spoiled girl knew to be considerate in front of the boy she liked. Zhang Nan wanted Xie Qian to like her, not dislike her. How could she do something to annoy him?
So, when Xie Qian fell out with Xie Jinghu, Zhang Nan quickly distanced herself from Xie Jinghu.
Xie Qian would return to Beijing eventually.
With his aloof personality, other girls would struggle to get close. Zhang Nan felt she had a huge advantage.
Sooner or later, when Xie Qian started thinking about girls, wouldn’t he turn to her?
But plans couldn’t outsmart fate. Zhang Nan had crafted a “considerate” persona, yet the icy Xie Qian had found a girlfriend in Chengdu.
Tai Wu muttered, “She’s not just his desk mate. Look at her publisher. Sound familiar? She might’ve even won over her future mother-in-law.”
The editor-in-chief of Chengdu Literary Publishing House was Zou Weijun, a fact Tai Wu and others uncovered while digging into Wen Ying’s background.
Two years was enough to transform Xie Qian’s life, giving Wen Ying the chance to infiltrate every aspect of it. Zhang Nan was far behind—how could she catch up now?
Seeing Zhang Nan’s expression sour, Tai Wu, fearing a beating for speaking the truth, awkwardly changed tune, “I’m just saying. Honestly, you don’t need to do anything. A high school romance is trivial. Getting the Xie family’s approval is the real challenge. Even if they approve, they might break up over a fight. So, just act like you don’t know about this. It’ll show how magnanimous and graceful you are. But this is a lesson. Once Xie Qian and she split, you’d better keep a close eye on him to prevent other girls from swooping in!”
Tai Wu was clearly drawing from personal experience to advise Zhang Nan.
When he learned Xie Tang had a boyfriend, Tai Wu rushed in, humiliated her boyfriend Yan Yuchuan, and crushed his self-esteem, breaking up their relationship.
And then?
Nothing!
Xie Tang didn’t fall for Tai Wu after splitting with Yan Yuchuan. Tai Wu was furious, still regretting it, “Take me, for example. Why was I so hasty? If Xie Tang had brought that guy home, the Xie family wouldn’t have approved. I played the villain for nothing!”
Zhang Nan’s friends quickly comforted Tai Wu.
Ignoring the clowns, Zhang Nan stared at Wen Ying’s profile, murmuring, “I don’t care if she’s Xie Qian’s girlfriend. Since this rumour’s out, I have to meet her.”
Tai Wu said Wen Ying was accomplished, and Zhang Nan didn’t disagree.
If she wasn’t impressive, how could she be rumoured with Xie Qian?
Tai Wu suggested waiting for Xie Qian to break up and said the Xie family wouldn’t approve of an ordinary girl. Zhang Nan thought Tai Wu was wrong.
The Xie family didn’t seem to care about such things.
Moreover, Xie Qian wasn’t like other boys. For someone like him, letting a girl into his heart was already difficult. If he’d found a girlfriend, he wouldn’t easily let go.
The more Zhang Nan thought, the more frustrated she became.
She shouldn’t have bothered with that “considerate” nonsense!
Zhang Nan slammed the table, tears welling from the pain, “If I don’t meet her in person, how will I know why I lost?”
“Don’t rush. I’ll ask Peng Guoqing. He’s been sticking close to Xie Qian. He’ll know if she’s really his girlfriend!”
Tai Wu and the others took turns comforting Zhang Nan, who was determined to meet Wen Ying.
At the second signing the next day, Tai Wu and friends accompanied Zhang Nan to queue. The crowd of readers wanting Wen Ying’s signature was overwhelming. Zhang Nan, baking under the sun, grew dizzy and increasingly irritable despite her initial intent to stay poised.
Wen Ying was a bit nervous too.
Which one was Zhang Nan?
Looking at the long line of readers, each seemed like a potential Zhang Nan.
When Zhang Nan finally reached her, Wen Ying’s judgment was dulled. A shadow fell, and as she opened a reader’s book to sign, she saw written on the title page, “Are you Xie Qian’s girlfriend?” Wen Ying’s head snapped up.
So this was Zhang Nan!
Wen Ying looked at Zhang Nan, and Zhang Nan looked back.
Outside the bookstore, Xie Jinghu was lying in wait, like a skilled hunter, silent and still. His prey was his own son.
He wanted to see if Xie Qian would show up!
Suddenly, the phone rang in the car. Assistant Qi quickly handed it to Xie Jinghu, “Mr. Xie, it’s your mother calling.”
Xie Jinghu answered, barely saying “Mum” before Old Lady Xie’s joyful voice came through, “Jinghu, are you busy today? If it’s not too urgent, come back. I’m at your brother’s place, and Weijun is here too!”
