Chapter 38: Speculations

After hanging up with Grandpa Nan, Ji Ming turned to Wen Ya. “Wang Chenxi’s grandfather used to be Grandpa’s subordinate. They fought together. Grandpa said he was an upright man, but his children and grandchildren haven’t lived up to his standards. Old Master Wang begged Grandpa today, promising to give us an explanation. Grandpa’s leaving it up to us.”

“This is Wang Chenxi’s fault. She should be the one to apologize. It has nothing to do with Old Master Wang,” Wen Ya said firmly. Since Old Master Wang wasn’t biased, they weren’t the type to hold a grudge.

Ji Ming nodded. “Zhang Sheng and Wang Chenxi have already called off their engagement. Old Master Wang will bring Wang Chenxi to the Wen Corporation tomorrow to apologize. If you have any requests, just let me know.”

Wen Ya smiled when she heard this. “Since Mr. Wang promised to give us an explanation, it probably won’t be just a simple apology. I believe there will be more to it tomorrow. I’m not an unreasonable person.”

Ji Ming smiled and tapped her nose. “Yes, our little girl is the most reasonable.”

“I told you not to call me Xiao Ya,” Wen Ya said, though she couldn’t stop Ji Ming from using the nickname, just like her mother.

Perhaps due to Ji Ming’s behind-the-scenes efforts, the official response this time was swift. Several online troll groups that had targeted Wen Ya were caught in one sweep, and several influential accounts received legal notices.

The hundreds of legal letters shocked netizens. Wasn’t it just a few casual comments online? How could they be sued?

This quickly silenced many online trolls, who no longer dared to spread nonsense.

“Alright, the online mess is over. You just got back to South City, so you must have a lot to handle. Go back to the company and take care of business,” Wen Ya said, noting that several of her meetings had been postponed due to the relationship reveal.

“Does this count as being thrown away after use?” Ji Ming teased, staring at Wen Ya.

“What are you talking about? West Lakeside is opening for sale in a few days. I’m sure your company is just as busy,” Wen Ya replied, pushing him out the door and urging him to return to work. These tasks had to be done sooner or later. If not now, he’d have to work overtime tonight. After a long journey and a busy day, working late would be exhausting.

The original plan for the Guangzhou trip was three to five days, but it ended up lasting ten, completely disrupting the schedule. As a result, the company had a lot of piled-up work.

After handling some urgent documents, Wen Ya hurried to a meeting, mainly about the upcoming opening of West Lakeside.

West Lakeside was the project that sealed her and Ji Ming’s relationship, and both of them valued it greatly. Of course, their companies placed even more importance on it, as it was tied to the future development of the west city project.

By the time she finished work, it was almost seven. Ji Ming called right on time. “Are you heading home?”

“Just got to the garage. Why haven’t you left yet?” Wen Ya had delegated most tasks to Huang Jingyang, so her workload was lighter.

“I’m packing up to leave. Be careful on your way back. The online drama delayed things today. Find a few more security guards tomorrow. Actually, forget it—your company’s security is a bit weak. I’ll have someone recommend a few to you,” Ji Ming said, concerned.

Ji Ming’s grandfather was Old Nan, and his uncle and cousin were in the military. Wen Ya suspected they had connections to some elite forces. The people Ji Ming trusted were likely from that background.

After the incident in Yangcheng, Wen Ya was genuinely scared, so Ji Ming’s arrangements were exactly what she needed.

It was almost eight when Wen Ya got home. She found her mother waiting in the living room.

“Didn’t he come back with you?” Mother Wen glanced behind Wen Ya.

“He said visiting for the first time shouldn’t be casual. He wants to prepare properly and pick a good day,” Wen Ya replied, her face slightly red. They had just started dating, but it was already public. Now both families knew. Her mother’s question made her realize how fast things were moving.

“Hmph, he’s thoughtful,” Mother Wen said, shaking her head at her daughter’s naivety.

Wen Ya seemed smart, but when it came to love, she was a bit clueless. It was clear Ji Ming had planned this to solidify their relationship and eliminate any threat from Gu Chengze.

The man was clever and resourceful, but fortunately, he was sincere with Xiao Ya. Otherwise, Mother Wen would never have approved.

Wen Ya walked around the sofa and hugged her mother from behind. “I know what you’re worried about. Your daughter isn’t stupid. At first, I didn’t want to go public to protect him, but he said he didn’t care. So, I stopped worrying. I’m honest and upfront—why should I hide? Even if he wasn’t prepared, I had my own ways to fight back. I just didn’t expect I wouldn’t need to this time. It’s a shame my skills went unused.”

Ji Ming’s transparency and openness were something Wen Ya appreciated.

Mother Wen poked Wen Ya’s forehead. “You! You’re just like your father. But since you both understand, I won’t say more. Xiao Ya, it’s not easy to find someone you like. Now that you have, cherish them. The worst thing in a relationship is suspicion. Without trust, it won’t last.”

“I know,” Wen Ya said. They always communicated openly.

“It’s late, and you’ve had a long day. Go shower and rest,” Mother Wen said, patting her daughter’s head.

Wen Ya was indeed tired and didn’t argue. She went straight to her room to rest.

The next morning, as Ji Ming had predicted, Mr. Wang brought Wang Chenxi to her company to apologize.

Though reluctance showed in Wang Chenxi’s eyes, she didn’t dare misbehave in front of the old man. She sincerely apologized to Wen Ya and offered compensation.

“This girl has been spoiled by us. Don’t worry, President Wen. We’ll give you and President Ji a satisfactory explanation,” Mr. Wang said, leaving a gift before departing with Wang Chenxi.

Not long after, Wen Ya heard the Wang family had frozen Wang Chenxi’s bank cards and sent her to their rural hometown.

She immediately called Ji Ming. “Why was she sent to the countryside?”

“They were afraid they couldn’t control her abroad, so they sent her to the countryside. They even assigned two people to ‘take care’ of her—really, to monitor her,” Ji Ming explained. He was always informed of the Wang family’s moves.

The old man of the Wang family was indeed wise. If Wang Chenxi didn’t change her ways, she’d bring trouble to the family sooner or later.

If the story had followed the original novel, Wen Ya, as Gu Chengze’s fiancée, would have been the first to meet a tragic end. The villainous supporting character, Wang Chenxi, would have faced an even worse fate—gang-raped to death.

Wen Ya was suddenly struck by a memory lapse. As the antagonist, Wang Chenxi should have had a more significant role. How could she have missed this ending? It seemed an unknown force had made her forget.

By now, the world had diverged from the original novel, but many mysteries remained unsolved. These mysteries were tied to her and Ji Ming’s lives, so she had no choice but to uncover them.

She had been framed, leading to her bankruptcy, and with no other options, she was forced into prostitution, suffering at the hands of countless men. Wang Chenxi and the Wang family would also face bankruptcy, leaving her destitute and ultimately meeting a gruesome end.

The two shared a common fate—being…

But if Bai Yunzhu was truly behind this, why go to such extremes? Was it just about destroying their looks, or was there more to the story?

The thought was chilling. Wen Ya immediately reached for her phone to call the detective agency but hesitated. If they could have found answers, they would have by now. She considered calling Ji Ming but decided against troubling him again. Instead, she contacted her mother.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Mother Wen said, smiling as she massaged Father Wen. “I’ll have Old Wu meet you this afternoon. He’ll be with you from now on.”

The Wen family’s success, especially in real estate, meant they had their own connections. When Father Wen faced trouble, Mother Wen took charge. Old Wu had been the one to investigate Wen Ya’s incident last time.

Mother Wen had expected her daughter to ask for help sooner, but Wen Ya had remained silent until now.

“Thanks, Mom,” Wen Ya said, hanging up. Her phone rang again immediately. “Hello! Did you miss me?”

“Little girl, haven’t you heard the saying ‘a day apart feels like three years’? Isn’t it normal for me to miss you? Do you miss me?” Ji Ming teased.

“I did miss you,” Wen Ya admitted, chuckling. “What do you need?”

Ji Ming was disciplined, only texting during work hours and calling only for important matters.

“The bodyguard is here. Let’s have lunch together, and you can meet them,” Ji Ming said. The recent scare had left him uneasy. If he hadn’t received that call, he dreaded to think what might have happened. He needed to ensure her safety.

Wen Ya agreed. Security was a priority, and spending time with her boyfriend was a bonus.

After getting ready, Wen Ya, accompanied by Ah Yong and the others, headed to the restaurant Ji Ming had booked.