Shu Jie had initially been wary of Xie Sui, having encountered many two-faced individuals before. Her former boss, Mr. Lin, had also presented himself as cultured and gentlemanly.
Back then, he had pursued her, and Shu Jie had genuinely been smitten. A gentle, wealthy uncle with refined manners – what girl wouldn't like that?
But after the novelty wore off, Lin Tianxiang’s true nature surfaced, and she gradually grew disillusioned with love.
Now, seeing Xie Sui chatting up an older lady, looking like a ruffian, brought an unexpected touch of humor.
“Mr. Xie, this is Ms. Qiong. She’s looking for investment to publish her books. She’s a writer and had approached Mr. Lin before. I’ve met her.”
What a coincidence. After poaching Mr. Lin’s artist, she was now trying to poach his business. Xie Sui felt a strange rivalry with Mr. Lin.
Shu Jie introduced Qiong Auntie again, “This is Mr. Xie. He also runs an entertainment company, so he’s not a swindler.”
Qiong Auntie finally relaxed, “You’re so young. Hello.”
“Hello. Honestly, I felt nervous the first time I saw Ms. Qiong. So you’re a writer! Don’t laugh, but I was most afraid of my Chinese teacher as a child. You look a bit like her.”
“Why were you afraid of your teacher?”
Both women were curious.
Xie Sui explained, “Because my Chinese teacher would make you copy the textbook thirty, fifty times until you felt sick. My biggest dream growing up was to make my Chinese teacher copy books a hundred times.”
“Haha…”
Both women burst into laughter, never expecting Mr. Xie to be such a humorous person.
If Xie Sui wanted to, there was no woman he couldn’t win over. With his past experiences, he could discern any type of woman at a glance.
It could be said that men inherently held an advantage over women. If a man truly set his mind to it, there was almost no woman he couldn’t pursue, provided he was willing to put in the effort – not the kind of effort one would expend in seeking revenge for the annihilation of one’s entire family.
Though, there were cases where one’s entire family was wiped out, yet the protagonist still ended up entangled in a life-or-death struggle with the perpetrator after they lost their memory. But that would be a tragic romance.
Xie Sui had no intention of venturing into tragic romances. His mind wasn’t that messed up to deliberately make things difficult for himself.
Lin Tianxiang watched Shu Jie laughing heartily, a cold sneer appearing on his face. That slut, thinking she could leave him without his permission.
And already flirting with another man so quickly. Women were indeed unreliable.
Shu Jie went to the restroom, a smile still lingering on her face. She couldn’t recall the last time she had felt this happy. Mr. Xie had a certain charm that made people let down their guard, feeling relaxed and joyful. This decision she had made was the right one.
However, as Shu Jie exited the restroom, she spotted Lin Tianxiang. Her heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over her.
As expected, Lin Tianxiang sneered, “Having fun, aren’t we, slut? So eager to leave me?”
Shu Jie retorted, “Didn’t you tell me to leave? It wasn’t me who wanted to leave. What do I even mean to you?”
“Nothing. Just a little plaything. But if a plaything wants to leave, it has to ask for my permission.”
Shu Jie said fearfully, “What do you want? We agreed. Mr. Xie even promised to pay you the liquidated damages. You’re not going back on your word, are you?”
“It’s not me going back on my word; it’s you.”
Shu Jie didn’t understand, her large eyes full of confusion. She looked innocent and adorable, truly beautiful, making Lin Tianxiang wish he could have his way with her right then and there.
“You probably forgot. We’ve been together for so long, you’ve already been marked by me. It so happens that I have a habit of recording these moments. If you dare to go with him, I’ll release these things to the public. See how you’ll be able to live your life afterwards.”
Shu Jie couldn’t believe it and slapped him fiercely. “You’re despicable!”
“Ha, I am despicable. How else would one achieve great things? Be good and obedient. Unless I let go, you’ll never escape my grasp until I’m tired of you.”
Shu Jie was scared. No girl could face such a situation without fear. Tears streamed down her face, her heart filled with despair.
Lin Tianxiang relished her despair. She could not be with anyone but him.
Shu Jie didn’t know how she managed to return to the venue. Xie Sui was already engrossed in conversation with Qiong Auntie, completely charming her.
However, Qiong Auntie didn’t agree immediately. She needed to do some research, mainly because his demeanor was somewhat suspect.
They exchanged contact information. Xie Sui felt he had gained quite a bit that evening.
Afeng was also engrossed in conversation with a screenwriter, seemingly another Qiong Auntie, looking at him like a fan girl.
Xie Sui couldn’t help but chuckle. Women, no matter their age, always had a girlish heart.
Xie Sui noticed Shu Jie’s unusual demeanor immediately and asked, “What’s wrong? Your complexion is so bad?”
“It’s nothing, Mr. Xie. Thank you for your help, but… I, I…”
“Lin threatened you, didn’t he? People like him are a disgrace to men. Apart from his male anatomy, he has no manliness.
Don’t be afraid. I’m here for you. Did he take pictures or record you?”
“How did you know?”
Xie Sui replied, “Besides such despicable tactics, he’s not capable of anything more clever. While despicable, it’s very effective against girls.”
Hope flickered in Shu Jie’s heart, “Can you help me?”
“Of course, absolutely. You’re my artist. Do you think I’ll let him bully you? This Mr. Lin is truly disgusting and deserves a lesson.”
A cold glint appeared in Xie Sui’s eyes. Lin was being too annoying, jumping around like this.
He would have Ah Hua send people to monitor Lin Tianxiang as soon as he returned, finding out where he went and where he hid the items.
The contract termination continued, and Lin Tianxiang was furious. Was Shu Jie really willing to ruin her reputation to leave him?
In his anger, Lin Tianxiang decided to destroy Shu Jie. He drove to his villa, a place where he often brought his female artists. Security was very tight.
He retrieved the items and rushed back to the company. On the road, his car suddenly rear-ended the car in front.
“Are you blind? Why did you slam on the brakes?”
Two people got out of the car ahead. Unbeknownst to him, his escape route had also been blocked. Lin Tianxiang sensed danger, “What do you want?”
Could they be kidnappers?
Lin Tianxiang, remembering recent news reports, felt his legs go weak. He shouldn’t have come out in such a hurry without his driver or bodyguards.
The two groups approached. Two people searched the car, while two others controlled Lin Tianxiang, took the tape, and left.
In less than two minutes, the surrounding people hadn’t even registered what happened before it was over.
Xie Sui hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. He had even prepared backup plans A, B, and C, none of which were needed.
“Xie Sui, you son of a bitch! It must be you! Are you deliberately trying to mess with me?”
Lin Tianxiang, enraged, kicked the car door and cursed. The traffic police mistook him for a lunatic and almost sent him to a mental hospital.
Shu Jie looked at the tapes, sobbing uncontrollably, her gratitude towards Xie Sui immeasurable.
Xie Sui asked Ah Hua, “Do we have a backup? We can’t let our guard down. We still need to monitor him. Only when he’s completely finished can we relax.”
Shu Jie hadn’t considered this and became nervous again, “Will there be a backup?”
“That’s uncertain. Don’t worry, Ah Hua will handle it. Right, Ah Hua?”
Xie Sui winked at him, but Ah Hua, being stoic, didn’t understand his gesture and simply replied professionally, “Yes, Miss Shu. Please rest assured, I will keep a close eye on Lin Tianxiang.”
“You may go.”
Ah Hua left. Shu Jie’s contract termination proceeded smoothly. Xie Sui didn’t renege on the agreement and directly paid Lin Tianxiang thirty million, knowing that Shu Jie would earn him countless times that amount. This girl was the real money tree.
Speaking of money trees, the one he had cultivated came to see him – his sister-in-law, Lin Shishi. Xie Sui had almost forgotten about her.
“Mr. Xie, is it convenient for us to talk?”
“Oh, suddenly so polite and courteous. I’m not used to it.”
Lin Shishi suppressed her hatred. “What are you saying? I’ve always respected you. The Lunar New Year is approaching, and I want to go home. May I?”
“Yes, of course. Lunar New Year is a big event, you must go back. Otherwise, I won’t be able to explain it to your parents. You can go.”
“Really?”
Lin Shishi didn’t quite believe him. She thought Xie Sui would keep her under control, unable to leave Port City.
“Really. Finish the work you have at hand, and you can go immediately. Have your assistant book your ticket and make arrangements in advance. You’ll still get paid. It’ll be nine to one, with me taking nine. I’ll have the accountant calculate it. Go home and filial piety to your parents.”
Hearing this split, Lin Shishi seethed with hatred. Others received at least a fifty-fifty split, while she only got one-tenth.
But she didn’t dare voice any objections. If she angered Xie Sui, even this one-tenth would be gone.
Although it was only one-tenth, her schedule was full with magazine shoots, modeling, and commercials. She could still earn tens of thousands.
“Okay, thank you, brother-in-law.”
“Alright, you can go. Have Director Yang come in. While you’re away, all your schedules will be handled by Shu Jie.”
This statement made Lin Shishi uneasy. She had seen Shu Jie before. Although not as delicate or beautiful as herself, she possessed an indescribable allure and was more appealing to men.
More importantly, she was natural, whereas Lin Shishi had undergone plastic surgery. She couldn’t match Shu Jie’s confidence.
Lin Shishi felt anxious and couldn’t focus during her commercial shoot, earning a harsh scolding from the director.
She didn’t dare to argue, or she’d have money deducted again.
The exhausting day ended. She returned to the company-provided dormitory, a one-bedroom apartment. It was decent for an ordinary person, but for someone with her level of fame, it was too shabby.
It wasn’t even comparable to the villa she used to live in.
Lin Shishi felt no hope for the future, yet she was unwilling to give up the current glamour. She was truly conflicted.
Xie Sui had also settled matters here and was preparing to go home.
He hadn’t informed Lin Wanwan in advance, wanting to surprise her.
However, before he could leave, Du Feiyang and the others returned, all looking grim.
“Why didn’t you say you were back? I could have picked you up!”
“Don’t mention it. There’s a problem at the construction site. I wanted to discuss it with you, but then I remembered the Lunar New Year is coming, and my dad has been urging me to return, so I came back first. We’ll talk about it after the holiday.”
“What problem? Didn’t Secretary Tang help resolve it?”
Du Feiyang replied, “Secretary Tang is useless. It’s a bunch of hooligans, bringing their elderly and weak, playing the rogue. I’m the ancestor of rascals, yet I’m helpless against them. It’s so frustrating.”