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Taking advantage of Xie Mo’s moment of shock, Wen Shuyu took a good look at him. He stood around 5’9”, weighed about 130 pounds, and had an ordinary appearance. Dressed in a typical polo shirt and flip-flops, he didn’t leave a lasting impression.
Just as her colleagues at Liangshi Technology had described.
Xie Mo, having just woken up, was still groggy and not very alert. However, upon hearing Jiang Huaiyu’s name, he instantly snapped to attention, his wariness visible as he quickly shut the door.
Fu Qingzi was quick on her feet, blocking the door. “Hey, big brother, we need your help with something.”
With her soft, delicate voice paired with her doll-like face, she was practically a charm offensive.
“Little brother, we really have something important to discuss.”
With her bright, sparkling eyes and a sweetly uttered “little brother,” Wen Shuyu felt her heart melt, not to mention Xie Mo’s.
She mentally gave Fu Qingzi a thumbs up.
Xie Mo hesitated, his grip on the door weakening. Wen Shuyu and Fu Qingzi seized the opportunity to slip inside through the crack.
“What do you want?” he asked, surprised to find two girls barging into his home.
Fu Qingzi lowered her head. “Little brother, I’m really sorry. We wouldn’t come to you if it weren’t absolutely necessary.”
She fiddled with the chain on her bag, pursed her lips, and sighed softly before falling silent.
After a long pause, she finally spoke up, “Do you still have any dirt on Jiang Huaiyu? We want to buy it.”
Xie Mo immediately stood up and tried to push them out. “You two are in cahoots! Get out!”
Fu Qingzi pressed her hand on his arm urgently. “No, big brother, you misunderstood. My sister has been married to him for a few months, and well, um…”
She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Wen Shuyu tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to stop talking. She covered her face with her hand and pretended to cry, though no tears fell. In a moment of frustration, she pinched her thigh, forcing a few droplets down her cheeks.
They landed on her long pants, creating little splotches.
Fu Qingzi pulled a tissue from her bag, dabbing away the fake tears as she said with concern, “Sister, stop defending him. Look how he treats you!”
Turning to Xie Mo, she added, “My sister grew up with him, thinking he was a good guy, so she married him. In public, he acts like the perfect husband, but at home, it’s a completely different story.”
Fu Qingzi rolled up Wen Shuyu’s sleeves and pant legs, revealing bruises of various colors dotting her arms and legs—each mark a testament to her suffering.
“Qingzi, don’t look,” Wen Shuyu cautioned, carefully lowering her sleeves to avoid touching the injuries.
Xie Mo’s gaze shifted to Wen Shuyu’s face, where he spotted a long, deep cut extending from her eye to her temple. It was already scabbed over and would surely leave a scar.
A striking face marred by a cruel blemish.
“Is he even a man? Doesn’t he understand how to cherish a woman?”
Fu Qingzi fumed, adding fuel to the fire. “Exactly! He’s not human! And he still won’t divorce her. We’re just hoping to find more leverage—he’s so obsessed with appearances. If we could threaten him with something that could ruin him, like harassment claims against female employees, that’d be perfect.”
Wen Shuyu quietly applauded her friend’s cleverness, both girls holding back laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Xie Mo brought them a glass of water, looking awkward. “I don’t have anything else.”
He felt sympathy for Wen Shuyu’s plight and harbored a strong disdain for Jiang Huaiyu.
But he truly had no more dirt to share.
“Aren’t you a lawyer? Can’t you help with the divorce?”
“Big brother, a healer can’t heal themselves, and it’s hard to save others when you’re drowning,” Wen Shuyu said, covering her face again, tears welling up once more.
Fu Qingzi chimed in, her voice choking with emotion. “Big brother, please help us. If this goes on, my sister might get killed by him!”
Wen Shuyu wiped away her tears and grasped Fu Qingzi’s wrist. “Qingzi, let’s not make things harder for him. It’s not easy for him either. Let’s go and find another way.”
As they turned to leave, she shot Xie Mo a smile. “Sorry to bother you, big brother. Here’s a supermarket gift card for waking you up so early.”
She placed the card on the cluttered edge of his desk, and Xie Mo reluctantly accepted it.
Supporting Wen Shuyu, Fu Qingzi led her toward the door. Wen Shuyu sighed, “Maybe this is just my fate.”
The two girls, tearful and dramatic, left Xie Mo stunned.
Watching the injured girl limp away, Xie Mo fell into a contemplative silence. He had seen her bruises and understood the gravity of the situation.
Just as they were about to step outside, Xie Mo called after them. “Wait! You can do what I did—twist the truth and embellish it. I have a great source for that kind of thing.”
Wen Shuyu hesitated, frowning. “Isn’t that illegal? We shouldn’t do anything wrong.”
Xie Mo slapped his thigh. “What’s wrong with that? He hit you, right? Compared to what he’s done to you, this is nothing!”
While still cautious, he eagerly shared details about his recent encounter, a smug look on his face. He kindly passed his contact information to Fu Qingzi and assured her he would introduce them to a reliable source.
“Hey, I only know this because someone told me. I wouldn’t share it with just anyone; I felt sorry for you two.”
Wen Shuyu raised an eyebrow. “Who told you?”
“Anonymous. I have no idea,” he said mysteriously. “But I suspect it’s from Zhengchang Group, the biggest competitor of my last project.”
Wen Shuyu had heard of Zhengchang Group before, mentioned by her father long ago. The details were fuzzy, but it was clear this was no simple matter. She resolved to ask her father about it when she got home.
Not wanting to seem overly concerned and arouse Xie Mo’s suspicion, Wen Shuyu regained her composure. “This has nothing to do with me. The more people that take him down, the better.”
At the same time, she pulled another card from her bag and pressed it into Xie Mo’s palm. “Thank you so much, big brother! I came in such a hurry that I didn’t bring anything. This is a gift card for a fruit shop, valid at all their branches. You have to accept it!”
Xie Mo looked conflicted but ultimately slipped it into his pocket.
About ten minutes after the girls left, he stepped outside to check the card balances—$2000 on the supermarket card and $1000 on the fruit shop card.
He thought to himself, Pretty generous. It’s a shame; I really wanted to help them out.
Meanwhile, the two girls in the car finally relaxed, shedding their earlier defenses. They pulled out their self-defense sprays and pepper sprays from their bags.
“Let’s go find Xie Mo alone, just in case he has backup,” Fu Qingzi suggested.
They exchanged knowing smiles, praising each other.
“Qingzi, you’re amazing! I’ll treat you to a big meal!”
“You’re not too shabby yourself, Wen Xiaoyu.”
As Wen Shuyu started the car, she caught sight of Xie Mo entering the corner fruit shop in the rearview mirror.
Turning to Fu Qingzi, she asked, “Why did you help us?”
Fu Qingzi lifted her chin proudly. “I was helping Song Jinnan, okay?”
Wen Shuyu had almost forgotten that Fu Qingzi was one of the shop owners.
The old town was lush with phoenix trees, their branches low-hanging, reminding them of their childhood adventures together.
But after Jiang Huaiyu entered the picture, Fu Qingzi had distanced herself from Wen Shuyu.
Fu Qingzi leaned against the car window. “Wen Xiaoyu, I think I finally understand why Jiang Huaiyu likes you.”
She had overheard her dad mentioning Jiang Huaiyu and had done some digging on Xie Mo—she was quite the gossip expert.
Wen Shuyu’s mind raced. She had already researched Xie Mo’s reasons for leaving his job and was ready with a plan to confront him. She prepared all her tools in one night and decided to approach him without fear of his intentions.
“Does he really like me? I think he just sees me as a wife, not that he actually likes me.”
She had an inkling that Jiang Huaiyu felt differently about her.
The most confident people still leave room for doubt before receiving a clear confession from the other side.
What if I misread his feelings? That would be embarrassing.
Fu Qingzi didn’t understand Jiang Huaiyu. His mysterious nature set him apart from other clueless classmates.
She comforted Wen Shuyu, saying, “He probably does like you. But what about you? Why are you working so hard to help him?”
With no need to hide the truth from Fu Qingzi, Wen Shuyu admitted, “I think I might like him just a tiny bit. Please keep it a secret.”
Fu Qingzi flashed an “OK” sign. “Don’t worry. If you like him, just say it.”
After a moment, at a red light, Wen Shuyu replied, “I don’t want to say it now. Things are good as they are.”
They occasionally brushed against each other, and it felt nice. But the thought of confessing to someone she knew so well—like family—seemed strange.
It was better to avoid complications.
Fu Qingzi turned to her. “Are you still the Wen Shuyu I know? Where did the passion for Lu Yunheng go?”
Back then, Wen Shuyu had firmly told Fu Qingzi that she liked Lu Yunheng and didn’t want her to see her as a rival.
She had wanted everyone to know about her feelings for Lu Yunheng.
A long silence fell in the car.
Fu Qingzi eventually encouraged her, “Look at you—so beautiful! If Jiang Huaiyu doesn’t like you, he’s blind. You can find someone else. I can introduce you to a few guys.”
Then, with a playful grin, she added, “Or you could sleep with him first and then dump him—make him go crazy!”
Wen Shuyu burst out laughing. “You’re letting your jealousy speak!”
Fu Qingzi replied, “Who told him to ignore me? You’ll take revenge for me.”
Wen Shuyu pinched her cheek playfully. “Okay, okay! I’ll take revenge for little Qingzi!”
After spending time together, Wen Shuyu grew increasingly fond of Fu Qingzi, the sweet, naive princess.
The two girls drove along the one-way streets of the old town, searching for an internet café. In today’s age, finding a decent internet café was more difficult than climbing a mountain.
As Fu Qingzi prepared to get out of the car, she advised, “Maybe it’s best not to say anything. The first person to speak loses.”
Wen Shuyu unbuckled her seatbelt without responding. “Let’s get down to business.”
About twenty minutes later, the two girls emerged from the internet cafe, laughter escaping their lips.
Meanwhile, in the offices of Liangshi Technology, Song Jinnan burst into Jiang Huaiyu’s office, his phone in hand, full of urgency. “Check the trending topics!”
A rapidly rising hashtag caught their attention: #LiangshiTechnologyTurnaround#.
Upon clicking it, they found a processed audio clip featuring the unmistakable voice of Xie Mo, revealing how he sought out hired online help to twist the truth.
There were claims about bribes to manipulate inspection reports and how the hired forces operated with alarming professionalism.
In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures were required—using their own methods against them.
Simultaneously, an internal memo circulated at Liangshi Technology, announcing disciplinary actions against Xie Mo for leaking company secrets. After being warned once and refusing to change his ways, he continued to sell customer privacy. The company leadership had no choice but to fire him.
“That’s his voice! I’ve seen him do similar things back in college.”
“What a scoundrel! But without the full picture, I can’t comment.”
“I’ve used their treatment device before and had no issues; it’s much more effective than others.”
“I heard they helped people in financial trouble, and I didn’t believe it until now that it’s clarified.”
Testing reports flooded in, not just from local institutions in Nancheng but also from major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
Positive reviews began to mount, and previously silent internet users were now stepping up to share their experiences—the shift in public opinion was rapid.
One video could distort the truth; another could clear it. This was the double-edged sword of the internet.
But the cost of this clarification was steep, both in reputation and finances.
Not just one platform, but multiple had mobilized friends, pouring money into amplifying their influence.
Wen Shuyu anxiously scrolled through the trending page. “Is your friend reliable? Why isn’t it trending higher yet? I spent a fortune on this.”
Fu Qingzi patted her shoulder, reassuring her, “Don’t worry; trending topics can be controlled and bought. Even if I’m not great at my job, I can definitely handle this.”
The two of them weren’t in a rush to head home; they sat in the car, glued to the trending news. Soon, the hashtag shot to the top, now tagged with “hot.”
As the elders who had been resting under the trees headed home to sleep, they left the sycamore-laden old district, satisfied.
Numerous calls came in from those wanting to resume their orders, but Jiang Huaiyu turned off his phone. “I’m going to find Yu Yu. Are you coming with me? Fu Qingzi is there too.”
Song Jinnan hesitated. “I won’t go; I’ll stay to deal with things here.”
When it came to others’ matters, he felt powerless to intervene, especially since his own feelings were still unexpressed.
They agreed to meet at Fu Qingzi’s apartment.
On the way, Jiang Huaiyu communicated with Song Jinnan. Currently, there was no direct evidence linking the incident to Zhengchang Group; they might push the blame onto temporary workers.
The breakthrough depended on Xie Mo—whether he had left any evidence, screenshots of negotiations, or transfer records.
The immediate priority was to sue Xie Mo for defamation, deliberately fabricating and spreading rumors that significantly impacted the company’s reputation and finances.
After receiving a call, Wen Shuyu accompanied Fu Qingzi to her home, waiting for Jiang Huaiyu.
The little princess’s home was just as she imagined—delicately decorated in shades of pink, with a pair of men’s slippers waiting by the door.
It was clear who they belonged to.
As Jiang Huaiyu arrived at the address and climbed the stairs, the moment he saw Wen Shuyu, his eyes filled with concern. He pulled her into an embrace. “You were hurt! I’m going to find him!”
He hadn’t thought to confront Xie Mo when the company was on the brink of collapse, but seeing Wen Shuyu’s injury made him panic.
Wen Shuyu held onto him, reassuringly saying, “It’s fake! Just ask Zhou Hangyue; he recommended the person who did this.”
Jiang Huaiyu switched on his phone’s flashlight, inspecting the injury closely. The wounds varied in depth and color; some were even swollen, almost convincing enough to be real.
Even so, he hesitated to touch it, as if afraid that doing so would cause actual pain.
His concern remained. “Did he hurt you? Please don’t hide anything from me.”
He couldn’t bear the thought of what might happen if something happened to Wen Shuyu.
“I’m fine; I promise.”
Wen Shuyu glanced past him. “Has Song Jinnan not arrived yet?”
“No.” She tugged at his sleeve, and Jiang Huaiyu interpreted the gesture. “He’s busy handling things.”
“Handling things,” Jiang Huaiyu mused; that felt like an excuse. Fu Qingzi waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t cover for him. It won’t affect your love life; I’m going to sleep.”
Wen Shuyu tried to smooth things over, flashing a heart sign. “He’ll come once he’s done, Fu Qingzi, love you!”
“I love you too,” Fu Qingzi replied, slipping into her bedroom.
Feeling a bit gloomy, Fu Qingzi’s mood affected Wen Shuyu, prompting her to scold Jiang Huaiyu. “Jiang Huaiyu, can’t you bring him here? Fu Qingzi is risking everything for your company, just like I am.”
Without Fu Qingzi, Wen Shuyu would never have succeeded on her own; Xie Mo wouldn’t have believed her.
Wen Shuyu pulled out her phone, dialing Song Jinnan. “Song Jinnan, I’m warning you, get to Fu Qingzi’s house right now, or I swear I’ll make sure you can’t have kids.”
She nearly shouted it.
Jiang Huaiyu relayed the message, “My wife means business; you better hurry.”
For now, the situation was at a standstill, and Wen Shuyu wanted to go home for a nap.
Actors really are a different breed; she felt on the verge of exhaustion.
The afternoon light was harsh, with flowers and plants drooping under its intensity, and the asphalt was scorching hot.
As Wen Shuyu turned right in the parking garage, a thought struck her, and she flipped the car around.
She sent a voice message to Jiang Huaiyu, “I’m just stopping by my place; the flowers haven’t been watered in ages.”
Wen Shuyu had been so absorbed in her time with Jiang Huaiyu that she had completely forgotten about the flower that had been her companion for eight long years.
When Jiang Huaiyu received a message, he called back. “What’s so great about that pathetic flower that you keep thinking about it?”
A strong whiff of jealousy wafted through the air; even from the neighboring building, Wen Shuyu could sense it.
She shot back at him, “Don’t call it pathetic!”
When no one around her supported her pursuit of legal aid, it was the flower that kept her company through sleepless nights.
In times of uncertainty, when she felt lost among the documents, it was only the flower that stayed by her side.
Wen Shuyu carefully brought the flower back and placed it in the flower room, insisting that Jiang Huaiyu help take care of it.
She laid down the law: “Take care of it properly, and not a single leaf is allowed to wilt.”
He was to tend to the flower that her rival had given him.
As long as the flower thrived, Wen Shuyu was in good spirits. Sitting on the living room carpet, she began to tally up her expenses with Jiang Huaiyu.
Pulling out receipts and payment screenshots, she propped her chin on her hand, smirking, “President Jiang, you owe me for the fake injury, supermarket gift cards, fruit shop cards, and even the money spent on trending topics.”
Jiang Huaiyu brought over a bowl of freshly cut fruit and fed her a piece. “Reimburse you? I’m broke! All my assets are with you now.”
Wen Shuyu found herself enveloped in his embrace, wrapped in his shadow.
A deep, magnetic voice whispered in her ear, “I wonder, Miss Wen, do you mind if I trade myself for you?”
Wen Shuyu made a dismissive gesture. “Not at all. Men are the least valuable right now.”
He felt the sting of rejection.
On the dining table lay an old iron box, the sun reflecting harshly off its surface.
With her mouth full of mango, Wen Shuyu mumbled, “Why’s your box out? What secrets are hidden inside that you don’t want me to find out? Aren’t you afraid I’ll learn the truth?”
Jiang Huaiyu replied nonchalantly, “Not afraid.”
He had taken it out in the morning to store some reports and simply forgotten to put it back.
Wen Shuyu stood up. “Then I’m going to take a look.”
Suddenly, Jiang Huaiyu caught her in his arms.
“Not now.”
“Then you can hold onto your box,” she pouted, pushing him away before heading to wash her hands and retreating to the bedroom.
Jiang Huaiyu couldn’t console her and switched the subject. “Yu Yu, today was too dangerous. You and Fu Qingzi are both girls; what would happen if he decided to get violent?”
Wen Shuyu shrugged. “I already researched his personality, and besides, Fu Qingzi and I have pepper spray and stuff.”
She wasn’t foolish; she understood the physical differences between men and women.
Just like now—she had just pushed him away, only to be caught again.
Jiang Huaiyu rested his head on her neck, planting soft kisses, “You can’t do this again; I’ll worry. If something happens to you, what would I do?”
“You can just find another wife.”
She spoke so lightly, like the clouds floating outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
So subtle, it was hard to tell if she was genuinely annoyed or if she truly felt that way.
Jiang Huaiyu held her shoulders, turning her to face him directly, compelling her to meet his gaze. “If I can’t find another Wen Shuyu, my wife can only be her and no one else.”
Wen Shuyu’s heart skipped a beat. “Has Song Jinnan gone?”
Jiang Huaiyu looked deeply into her eyes, asking, “Why do you care so much about them?”
Wen Shuyu smiled. “I really like Fu Qingzi; I don’t want her to be sad.”
“And what about me?”
“Do you like me?”
He stood against the light, his handsome face revealing a blend of emotions that were hard to decipher.