One day half a month later, a man stopped on Xin Qing on her way home.
"Are you Miss Xin?" The man sounded grossly discourteous. Two beefy body guards stood behind him.
Xin Qing glanced at her surroundings. Pedestrians walked around this area. Silently, she felt a bit of relieved. Still, she asked warily, "Who are you people?"
The man took off his sunglasses and looked at her flippantly. "A beautiful Chinese doll, but a little slow-witted."
"Get to the point if you have something to say. Get out of my way if you don't," Xin Qing said coldly.
Seeing her unyielding attitude, the man put his sunglasses back on and decided not to beat around the bush. "Please stop pestering Meyer. He's about to be wed. I heard you already have a child. And as a married woman, shouldn't you be more careful in your daily interactions with others? Otherwise, it's going to reflect badly on everyone, wouldn't you say?"
She really stepped into trouble this time... Now, Xin Qing regretted her actions. Why did she forget Ying Qingcang's warning? However, she could not afford to show any weakness in front of others. "Pestering? Do you know who my husband is and what kind of status he has? Have you met him? If you haven't, then I suggest you go home and do your homework. Meyer can't measure up to my husband at all, whether it's looks, status and... wealth. What does Meyer have that could compel me to pester him?" Xin Qing chuckled. "You guys are pathetic. Who do you think you are, anyway? In China, you don't even have the right to see me!"
"You..." The man had not expected to hear such words from Xin Qing. But due to the fact that they were out on the streets, he dared not do anything brash. In the end, he said, "Very well. Let's just hope that it's really like what you said." After that parting shot, he took his henchmen with him and left in an overbearing manner.
Xin Qing hurried back home and locked the doors. After that, she looked out the window incessantly. Relief came when she found no one followed her home.
She threw out those words with quite a lot of mettle just now. In truth, she was so weak deep down she could die."Stupid idiot!" she chided and smacked herself. She brought all this upon herself. Ying Qingcang warned her about this, yet she still dared to approach Meyer...
Back in the academy, Xin Qing no longer had the courage to enjoy meals together with Meyer.
"I've spoken to them. I'm so sorry to have caused you trouble," Meyer looked at her apologetically.
Xin Qing shook her head. "It's not your fault. I think you had it much worse than me, right?"
"I'm fine. I'm already used to this type of thing." Meyer scoffed. "I knew what's in store for my future the moment I chose to become a designer." He gave Xin Qing a look of openness. "Otherwise, I'll definitely try to court you!"
"You still have the nerve to joke around!" Xin Qing scanned her surroundings. If anyone overheard, she might be taken out by a sniper tomorrow.
Noting her antsiness, Meyer smiled. "Don't worry. I know the cross I have to bear in life. That's why I've always treated you as a friend. Since I've have no right to make you happy, I need to at least prevent myself from causing you trouble. The best outcome that one could hope for is that both parties are alive and well."
Xin Qing stared at him. "Since when did you become so zen in your speech?"
"Hehe! I planned on visit ing China with you. Of course I have to do some research!" Meyer looked at her. "Don't worry. They won't come looking for you again."
Despite Meyer's words, Xin Qing still did not feel reassured and had been on guard for several days following that incident. She was so afraid that she would end up as a murder victim if she walked alone on the street. When another half month passed without anything happening, she finally felt relieved. During one of her routine calls with Zhang Mi, she received yet more mind blowing news.
"Qianqian is here?" Xin Qing fumbled her headphones. "But I haven't seen her?"
"She just boarded the plane. I just got back from the airport after sending her off. Trust me, you'll see her standing at your doorstep bright and early tomorrow!"
Xin Qing scratched her head in confusion. "No. I mean, why would she be coming here out of the blue?"
"Just wait till tomorrow. I'm sure she'll tell you everything." Zhang Mi yawned. "Hey, I'm going to bed. I stayed up all night yesterday, and I still sent her off this morning. I'm so sleepy." Zhang Mi hung up, completely ignoring the panicking Xin Qing on the other end of the line.
Xin Qing barely sat still at that point. For the whole night, she rolled around in bed, unable to sleep a single wink. She awoke bright and early the next morning to prepare the guestroom. She even made breakfast. Around nine, her doorbell rang. She rushed over and answered the door. Indeed, Shi Qianqian stood at her doorstep.
"Hi! I'm here to see you."
Xin Qing glanced at the gigantic luggage Shi Qianqian carried along with her. That thing was at least half as tall as another person. "You... How long are you planning to stay?" Xin Qing asked. Just how much stuff did it take to fill a suitcase that big?
"Why? Am I not welcomed to stay?" Shi Qianqian took stock of the house. "Mm. Not bad at all!"
Xin Qing lugged Shi Qianqian's luggage upstairs. After that, Xin Qing watched as Shi Qianqian hung pieces of her clothing into the closet. "Hey, come on. Tell me what's going on," Xin Qing said. "Is Ding Lei okay with you coming here?"
"Of course. In fact, he's the one who asked me to come."
At those words, Xin Qing knew those two schemed against someone. "What? Why? What are you two up to?"
Calmly, Shi Qianqian patted Xin Qing's shoulder. "This isn't a scheme. It's a strategic manuever."
Despite her failed attempt last time to publicly force Ding Lei into an engagement with another woman, Ding Lei's mother was still not up. Every day, she brought a woman to the company, whom she sent into Ding Lei's office regardless of whether Ding Lei willingly received guests. His mother then sat inside his office the whole day, acting like she owned the place while pointing fingers and dropping unsolicited advice here and there. The women she brought along were outright sly minks. Those women pulled disgusting pranks on Ding Lei, stuffing condoms and underwear into his pockets and briefcase when he was not looking.
"Why is his mother so against your marriage? How did your sister go through with her engagement back then?"
Shi Qianqian sipped her soup. "That year my family was still running a company!"
It turned out that when he was young, Ding Lei's parents abandoned her when they divorced. The Ding family and Shi Qianqian's family were neighbours at that time. After Ding Lei's mother remarried and ran out on her family, the Shi family took Ding Lei in and raised him like one of their own. They even left their company to Ding Lei. Afterwards, Ding Lei volunteered to marry Qianqian's sister. Around the same time, Ding Lei's mother, who had been missing all that time, suddenly reappeared with her current husband. That was when they discovered the man Ding Lei's mother remarried did not have any offspring. The man also ran a profitable company, but he was diagnosed with terminal stage cancer.
Nobody knew how Ding Lei's mother pulled it off, but her husband agreed to let Ding Lei return with her and take over the business. From the perspective of the Shi family, it was a good thing. In the end, Ding Lei returned with his mother. At first, his mother refused to let Ding Lei get married early. Later on, she discovered Shi Qianqian would be using all of Shi family's assets as dowry, so she agreed.
"So what you're saying is that your family owns a portion of the current Ding Enterprises' shares?" Finally, Xin Qing understood. "Then why on earth is she rejecting you?"
Shi Qianqian sneered. "One word," she said. "Greed!"
Ding Lei's mother assumed all of Shi family's assets were now owned by Ding family. What she was completely unaware of was the fact that Ding Lei had not signed the asset transfer agreement that year. In truth, half of Ding Enterprises belonged to the Shi family. Ding Lei was well aware of the type of person his mother was. To him, the kindness and nurturing that the Shi family bestowed upon him was mountainous. Other than the blood they shared in their veins, there was nothing between him and his mother.
"Now that I left the country, it's like I'm taking half of Ding Enterprises' assets with me. Haven't you been watching the local news? Ding Enterprises' market shares have already been experiencing decline."
Xin Qing stared at her wide-eyed. "But the whole company is at stakes here. You're playing with fire!"
"That's nothing!" Shi Qianqian said nonchalantly. Her face looked completely relaxed. "I'll tell you the same thing Ding Lei told me. If he could turn the two small companies that year into the way they are today, then he would have no problems doing it all over again."
Xin Qing patted her own chest. "I pity Ding Lei's mother."
Shi Qianqian chuckled, her smile immeasurably dazzling. "Let's see how long that old lady can last!"
One perk of having Shi Qianqian stay with her was that Xin Qing now enjoyed delicious Chinese cuisine every day when she returned home. That year, Shi Qianqian took painstaking efforts to care for Ding Lei. In fact, she attended culinary classes just for that. That weekend, they both decided to go shopping. Zhang Mi envied them. If it were not for the fact that she had no holidays, she would have hopped onto a plane to France too.
The only downside was the nightly video calls between Shi Qianqian and Ding Lei. Those two became as intimate as two people got. A few times, Xin Qing saw a blushing Shi Qianqian creep into the shower after those calls. When that happened Xin Qing always wondered deep down about the kind of shady things horny couples do.
Shi Qianqian noticed Xin Qing's ongoing subscription to mandarin papers. "Do you actually read that?" she asked curiously.
"Of course I do!" Xin Qing avoided Shi Qianqian's gaze. "I... I follow the gossip columns."
Shi Qianqian held nothing back and called her out on her lie. "You're scared to read about Ying Qingcang's marriage!"
"As if!" Xin Qing's eyes bulged wide as she glared.
Shi Qianqian narrowed her eyes. "What's the point of glaring at me? Deep down, you're still crying."
Xin Qing went silent. Shi Qianqian sighed. "You've been apart for so long, yet the ancestral behest had shown no side effects at all. I think it's all some kind of joke." The truth was that Shi Qianqian wished nothing but the best for Xin Qing, which was why it frustrated her to no end when she saw the spineless way Xin Qing acted right now. Shi Qianqian reached over and poked Xin Qing's head. "Only an idiot like you would believe that crap."
"If you're unable to bring someone happiness, then it's best to stay away from his life. Having both parties alive and well is the best outcome." Out of nowhere, Xin Qing quoted Meyer's words. Shi Qianqian released a mocking laugh. "Oh boy, it's all over for you now. You're getting sillier and sillier."
In a blink of an eye, the day arrived for her to present her design to CK. It would also be the first time Xin Qing stepped into CK since their attempted diamond purchase. The meeting took place in a small conference room this time. The old lady was there as well as the obese man, Daniel.
Sensing her confusion, the old lady explained. "We wish to keep the people who know about this meeting to a minimum. This will prevent any leaks."
Xin Qing nodded. She definitely agreed with that course of action. She had got on Randa's bad side before. Who knew if that person would try something to seek revenge on her.
"Why don't you guys have a look!" Xin Qing passed her design sheets to them. "This time, the theme is happiness."
The old woman glanced at her with mirthful eyes. "It must be fun designing your own jewellery!"
Ying Qingcang snatched the diamond away from William. It was impossible for CK not to look into a major event like that. CK, like the rest of the world, thought Ying Qingcang was Xin Qing's husband, so they naturally assumed the necklace belonged to Xin Qing.
Xin Qing understood what the old lady insinuated. A bitter feeling arose within her heart, though she tamped it down quickly. Feeling a bit sheepish, she smiled. She could not possibly explain anything to them right now. Such only made things worse.
"Come, tell us!" Daniel, who stared at the design drawings, finally raised his head. "Tell us your design concept."
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