Chapter 29: Secret photos

The next day, Lin Yi woke up, the fever had subsided, and her whole body was extremely sore.

Supporting herself against the wall, Lin Yiwei walked out of the bedroom weakly.

The clear sunlight flooded into the living room, outside the French windows, the bay shimmered with golden fish scales, and the sky was clear without a cloud.

Xie Bo had already left, leaving a note on the kitchen island: “Come over tonight – Bo.”

The pen strokes were strong, each stroke sharp as a blade carving into the paper.

She picked up a pen and wrote a delicate line on the note: “May not come, don’t wait – Yi.”

Feeling unsatisfied, she drew a pig’s head next to it.

Although she said that, there was a high probability that she would still come. After the crazy night last night, Lin Yiwei adjusted her strategy, maximizing the use of Xie Bo in this relationship to make her path less difficult and to quickly uncover the truth about the Chi family and Lin Xie.

If there was a little more selfishness…

Xie Bo’s skills were indeed excellent.

She found a corn cob and a few bags of dumplings in the fridge, put them in the steamer to heat, opened her phone’s Moments, scrolled down, and saw that Chi Xiyu had posted three or four meticulously edited birthday photos last night at 8 o’clock.

Among them, she posted one photo separately, not included in the grid of the photo set.

It was a selfie of her driving a sports car, facing the sunlight, wearing sunglasses, with a cute oval face, a slight dimple at the corner of her mouth, full of vitality.

She exuded youthful energy from head to toe, like a little rose nurtured in moist soil.

Unlike Lin Yiwei, who always carried a certain dark heaviness and stubbornness in her personality, even if someone was initially captivated by her beautiful face, after spending time with her, few boys could handle her quirky temper.

Not soft, not sweet.

Lin Yiwei even wondered, if Lin Xie had always been by her side, without leaving, would she become a bit more lovable.

Her brother shone on her like a little sun, after he left, dark clouds covered the sky, and Lin Yiwei’s life withered.

She felt that Xie Bo would soon tired of her, how long could a physical attraction last? Ten days, two weeks? If it could last a month, Lin Yiwei would have to look at him in a new light.

Before he grew tired of her, at least let her gain some “convenience” from him that resembled Chi Xiyu.

Otherwise, her path would be extremely difficult.

Lin Yi zoomed in on Chi Xiyu’s photo, she was also skilled in photography, the hands driving the car in the driver’s seat… were in the shot.

Those hands were strong-knuckled, nails neatly trimmed, following the flesh lines, with a faintly visible snake-shaped tattoo on the left wrist.

Xie Bo didn’t like showing his face in photos, so Chi Xiyu “accidentally” included his hands in the shot.

In the comments, her “well-trained” friends expressed their “envy” very well—

“So pampered, so pampered, so pampered!”

“He gave her a car and even drove her around himself.”

“Who wouldn’t be jealous of this?”

“The family must be in tears of joy.”

Lin Yiwei liked Chi Xiyu’s Moments.

…

During the afternoon break, Lin Yiwei approached Chi Xiyu’s seat, asking anxiously, “Xixi, about the painting that was damaged in the basement that day, were you planning to enter it in a competition?”

“Yes, I spent a long time on that painting!” Chi Xiyu got annoyed when she mentioned it, “It was ruined by you and Chi Xicheng, it’s really…”

“I’m sorry, Xixi, I’m really sorry.”

Seeing the little girl apologizing sincerely, Chi Xiyu felt a bit guilty.

After all, it was Chi Xicheng, the beastly brother, who didn’t behave, that led to the chain reaction of trying to mess with her friend.

“Never mind, it’s just a painting, I’ll paint another one, don’t worry too much about it. Also, don’t tell anyone else about this, after all, it’s my brother, it wouldn’t sound good if it got out.”

“Yeah, I haven’t told anyone. But Xixi, maybe… I can help you repair that painting together.”

She lowered her voice, tentatively saying, “We can do it together, at your house, where no one will know, like that assignment.”

Chi Xiyu raised an eyebrow, “If you really feel bad, you can help me with regular assignments, but that painting, I need to participate in the Christmas art exhibition at the end of the year, your skills aren’t up to par yet, I have to complete it independently.”

“The Christmas art exhibition, huh.” Lin Yiwei suddenly realized, “No wonder there was a cross.”

Chi Xiyu looked puzzled, “What cross?”

“The girl in the painting, she wore a cross in her neckline, not very prominent, but I was really amazed when I saw it, how did you create that subtle feeling with the colors?”

Chi Xiyu hesitated slightly, “Even if I tell you, you wouldn’t understand, our levels are far apart.”

Lin Yiwei smiled knowingly, “That’s true.”

“Let’s not talk about art.” Chi Xiyu quickly changed the subject, “Has Xie Bo been in touch with Ye Anning recently?”

Lin Yiwei shook her head, “No, he hasn’t.”

“What about other girls?”

“There are quite a few girls chasing after him, but Xie Bo hasn’t shown special interest in anyone,” She paused, “Including me.”

Chi Xiyu was satisfied with this answer, “That’s just how Xie Bo is, as long as he’s not tired of you, keep an eye on him for me.”

“Xixi, although I’m clumsy, I’ll do my best to handle the tasks you’ve assigned me.”

Her awkwardly sincere appearance, seen by the group of girls including Xu Qianxi, seemed too fake!

Although disdainful, they couldn’t bring themselves to flatter Chi Xiyu.

Only Lin Yiwei had no shame, not even a pretense.

So their relationship grew closer, Chi Xiyu took her hand, “Actually, I felt a bit guilty for making you leave my house soaked through on your birthday.”

“It’s my fault for ruining your birthday party.”

“I’ll definitely treat you well when I have the chance to invite you over to my place next time.”

“Uh-huh!”

During the group discussion class, Professor Mai assigned homework, asking them to submit a field sketch for the next week.

After the class, the class leader announced a field sketching activity for the weekend, and the students could sign up voluntarily and pay for themselves.

Wealthier students were keen on such group bonding activities and set high standards for self-funding, so students from more modest backgrounds typically did not sign up.

Chi Xiyu wanted to try out the supercar given to her by Xie Bo, so she signed up immediately.

Lin Yiwei didn’t hesitate and signed up with her.

…

In the afternoon, Lin Yiwei met with Ye Anning.

At school, the two of them acted like strangers, but privately they exchanged messages on WeChat every day. Sometimes they shared everyday things, and sometimes Lin Yiwei would discuss clues about her brother with her, and Ye Anning was always willing to help her analyze her thoughts.

They had become close friends who could talk about anything.

As for Xie Bo, Ye Anning seemed to have let go quite a bit. She told Lin Yiwei that a friend who would go through thick and thin for her was far better than a lousy man who would re-gift her carefully prepared present to his buddies.

It was as if she had been cursed before, wanting him more the less she could have him, inexplicably falling deeper and deeper.

Now that she thought about it, it was really silly.

Compared to men, they both felt that friends were more important.

With Ye Anning, Lin Yiwei felt like a normal girl, having a typical girl’s social life, shopping, drinking milk tea at a milk tea shop, buying some little trinkets she liked…

Lin Yiwei had some savings, and even though she had a “secret lover” who was generous with his money, she still insisted on working at a convenience store.

Xie Bo sometimes gave her some pocket money, a not insignificant amount, so she could buy whatever she wanted and not feel short-handed.

But this money was deposited into a card, which Lin Yiwei never withdrew from, only receiving text messages about each deposit.

She felt more secure spending money she earned herself, as any gifts from fate seemed to have their prices secretly marked.

Lin Yiwei was aware of this; she was tight with money, but it felt more honest and secure.

Ye Anning bought a Christmas-style little dress, and Lin Yiwei bought a brightly colored wool coat.

“Weiwei, you look good in pink!” Ye Anning held her hand, looking at her, “You should wear more light or bright colors; it looks very lively, don’t always stick to black and white.”

“Does it look good?” Lin Yiwei looked at herself in the mirror.

“It looks great!!!”

She rarely wore such delicate colors, always feeling her mood was too heavy for such tender shades.

Occasionally wearing them felt okay.

She took a photo in the mirror and rarely posted it to her social media.

Within two minutes, she saw that Xie Bo had liked her post—Thin: “Good girl.”

Previously, Xie Bo used to say she dressed old-fashioned, but now he actually provided a positive emotional response.

Lin Yiwei was startled and hurriedly deleted the post.

She had more than one mutual friend with him; having him openly comment on her social media, what would others think?

Fortunately… it was less than a minute.

She chose to block Xie Bo and reposted the social media update; soon after, Chi Xiyu liked her post.

She probably hadn’t seen the previous one.

Lin Yiwei breathed a sigh of relief, but soon Xie Bo discovered that Lin Yiwei had deleted the post and blocked him.

Thin: “?”

Breeze: “Haven’t we agreed? You must not do anything to make Chi Xiyu feel uncomfortable. You agreed to help me maintain my relationship with her.”

But Xie Bo doesn’t play by these rules.

Thin: “Unblock me, or I’ll like every single one of your Moments.”

Lin Yiwei hates being threatened, so she unblocks him but ignores him afterwards.

Thin: “Are you mad?”

No response.

Thin: “Are you shopping alone?”

No response.

Thin: “Next time, let me come with you. I’ll help you choose clothes.”

Still no response.

Soon after, Lin Yiwei’s phone starts vibrating non-stop.

Thin: “[Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet].”

Thin: “[Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet]…”

For ten minutes straight, Xie Bo sends red packets non-stop!

Even Ye Anning notices her phone continuously vibrating.

“Weiwei, who’s messaging you?”

“Don’t worry about it, he’s crazy.”

Xie Bo has indeed gone crazy, sending her countless red packets.

Sitting in a milk tea shop, Lin Yiwei accepts every packet without dropping any, her hands growing tired.

She accepts the money, but still doesn’t reply to Xie Bo.

In the milk tea shop, like any group of girlfriends out shopping, they hold their cute milk tea bottles and take selfies with beauty filters.

No matter how Ye Anning adjusts the filters, she’s not satisfied: “Ah, my face looks so big, no, no, people with big faces shouldn’t be in the front, I’ll stand behind you, you hold the phone.”

“Okay.”

Lin Yiwei accommodates her unconditionally and protectively, taking the phone and letting her pose behind her.

In the photo, framed by the café’s floor-to-ceiling windows, Lin Yiwei spots a girl wearing a white cashmere beanie also taking a photo of them!

It’s Xu Qianxi!

She turns around just in time to make eye contact with Xu Qianxi.

Realizing she’s been caught, Xu Qianxi turns and runs, but Lin Yiwei can’t let her get away and chases after her at high speed.

Xu Qianxi looks back while running and panics upon seeing Lin Yiwei relentlessly pursuing her. Wearing high-heeled boots, she can’t outrun Lin Yiwei in sneakers and is quickly caught at a street corner.

Lin Yiwei grabs her by the clothes and demands harshly, “You were taking pictures of us.”

Caught, Xu Qianxi stops running. Despite being out of breath, she remains defiant: “Oh, Lin Yiwei, playing different games behind people’s backs, you really have some nerve! You go shopping with Ye Anning and lie to Xixi, I’m telling her right now to show her what a two-faced person you are!”

After saying that, Xu Qianxi reaches for her phone to send the stealthily taken photos to Chi Xiyu.

Lin Yiwei snatches the phone away: “You can’t do that.”

Xu Qianxi steps forward trying to take the phone back, but Lin Yiwei throws it to the hastily approaching Ye Anning, who blocks Xu Qianxi from retrieving it.

Ye Anning quickly opens the gallery, deletes the photos, and doesn’t forget to clear the “Recently Deleted” folder.

Frustrated by their swift coordinated action, Xu Qianxi explodes: “Lin Yiwei, I’ve always suspected you had ulterior motives with Xixi, always fawning over her like a dog. It’s downright disgusting to watch!”

“Watch your mouth!” Ye Anning scolded sharply, “You’re the one who’s Chi Xiyu’s dog!”

“You two really have a special relationship,” Xu Qianxi sneered. “You think just because you deleted the photos, I can’t do anything? Unless you delete my memory too, I’m still going to tell her!”

“You… you can’t say that!” Ye Anning panicked, “I forbid you to say that!”

“Oh Miss Ye, just because you say ‘don’t’, I should listen? You really act like a princess,” Xu Qianxi mocked with a smirk, “I’m not buying it.”

After saying that, she turned and left confidently.Ye Anning anxiously tugged at Lin Yiwei, “What do we do, Weiwei? We have to stop her from telling Chi Xiyu.”

“How can we stop her, erase her memory? Unless we kidnap her.”

“Maybe we can buy her off.”

Lin Yiwei shook her head; she didn’t have the means to buy Xu Qianxi off.

Had all their careful planning been ruined by Xu Qianxi?

How could she accept that!

Perhaps there was still one last chance.

Lin Yiwei took out her phone, scrolled down to the ‘X’ section of her contacts, and dialed that man’s number.

The phone rang for quite a while before Xie Bo’s casual, magnetic voice answered—

“Heartless wretch.”

He was still upset about her only accepting his red envelopes and not replying to his messages.

“Xie Bo, I really need a favor, it’s urgent.”

“No,” Xie Bo bluntly refused, not even bothering to ask why, “You only call when you need something, you don’t reply to my messages, you block me. Am I that worthless to you?”

“Xie Bo, I’m sorry,” Lin Yiwei’s voice trembled, softening, “Please help me.”

At the DS Racing Club, Xie Bo was sitting on a bar stool, his long legs stretched out across to the opposite seat, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, “Stop playing the victim.”

“Xie Bo, please help me,” she inhaled sharply, her voice choked with sobs, “otherwise I’m really done for…”

The man played with a lighter, flicked it on with a snap, then snuffed out the flame with his fingertips, “Let’s hear you call me ‘brother.'”

Lin Yiwei hesitated for a few seconds before changing her plea: “Brother Xie Bo.”

Knowing she was laying on an Oscar-worthy performance, but Xie Bo couldn’t resist that “Brother Xie Bo,” his heart melted.

“Stop crying,” he put down the lighter, irritably said—

“I’ll help, but from now on, you better reply to my messages instantly.”