Tag: The Socially Anxious Side Character is Too Cute

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Wen Qiaozhou didn’t smile often, but he wasn’t completely devoid of laughter either. It was just that he was naturally elegant, so his smiles were always subtle and restrained.

This was the brightest smile Xu Qingli had ever seen from him. His eyes curved into crescents, revealing a glimpse of pearly white teeth, his entire gaze brimming with warmth. It was enough to make her heart skip a beat.

There was no shortage of handsome men and beautiful women online, and even without stepping outside, Xu Qingli could admire them to her heart’s content from the comfort of her own home.

However, the gap between images or videos and reality was still vast. That sense of authenticity and vitality simply couldn’t be replicated, no matter which angle you were viewing a livestream from.

This world was originally one of illustrated characters, where good looks were commonplace. Yet, Wen Qiaozhou still stood out as the most striking among them. Even a meticulously crafted 3D model couldn’t capture the divine beauty of his features.

She had never had the chance to observe him this closely before, but now, struck by the radiance of his smile, she felt a little dizzy. Her inner fangirl took over for a moment, and she forgot what she was about to say, staring at him in a daze.

Wen Qiaozhou noticed that the chibi version of her buried in the soil seemed to have something stirring around its head, as if trying to break free from the dirt.

He was curious—what could it be? At the same time, he wondered how she planned to free her own head, so he didn’t say anything either.

The air around them suddenly grew still. The two silently gazed at each other under the dim lighting, the only faint sounds being their breaths and the rhythmic thumping of… 

“Ring ring—” Xu Qingli’s phone rang abruptly, the shrill tone echoing through the garage, startling her.

Flustered, she fumbled to pull out her phone and saw Shui Miao’s name on the caller ID. Instantly, she snapped back to reality—she might be Wen Qiaozhou’s sister. Getting lost in a fangirl moment over a possible “brother” whose intentions still remained unclear was entirely inappropriate.

Xu Qingli hastily retreated several steps, answering the call like a thief caught red-handed.

There had been some trouble during today’s event, leading to a late finish, and everyone was exhausted. Since there was nothing else to do, Xu Qingli had let Shui Miao go straight back home as the venue was closer to her home. However, Shui Miao remained concerned and called to check in, estimating that Xu Qingli should have arrived home by now.

Forcibly stifling the tremor in her voice, Xu Qingli let her know that she was already in the garage and would head upstairs soon. Then, she hung up, not forgetting to take several deep breaths after doing so.

By the time she turned back to face Wen Qiaozhou, she had regained her composure. With a polite smile, she asked, “Well then, President Wen, shall I head back now if you’re busy?”

“Alright.” Seeing how late it was, Wen Qiaozhou didn’t keep her any longer. Instead, he walked over, pushed open the entrance door, and held it open for her, gesturing for her to enter.

“Thank you.” Though this wasn’t the first time Xu Qingli had experienced his gentlemanly courtesy, she still felt pleasantly surprised, and she hurried inside with quick, small steps.

But Wen Qiaozhou didn’t leave immediately. He stepped forward again and pressed the elevator button for her.

Once inside the elevator, Xu Qingli grew nervous—would Wen Qiaozhou escort her all the way up? If so, her home address would be exposed. Though he could easily find out if he wanted to, it still felt different.

“Since you’re tired, rest early,” Wen Qiaozhou said from outside the elevator, showing no intention of following her up. “Goodnight.”

“Okay.” Xu Qingli exhaled in relief and waved at him. “Goodnight, President Wen.”

As the elevator doors closed, she couldn’t resist stealing one last glance at him.

Wen Qiaozhou saw that the little girl above her head had already crawled out of the dirt and seemed to have just taken a bath, with a pink towel draped over her head. Then she reached out, pulling a soft bunny pillow out of thin air and extending it toward him, a speech bubble popping up along with a smile at the corner of her mouth: [Good night~]

Though the entire scene was silent, Wen Qiaozhou felt as if he could hear her coquettish voice, his heart skipping a beat as his entire body softened into a puddle.

He somehow ended up standing at the elevator entrance for a long time, only turning to leave when someone else entered. He then turned and headed off to find Huo Wanfeng.

Huo Wanfeng was almost asleep when he opened the door, and seemed surprised to see him. “Why didn’t you call first? What if I wasn’t home… Come in.”

He had previously called Jiang Xing and knew Wen Qiaozhou had gone back to have dinner with Grandma Zhu that evening. Seeing him show up so late at his place, he couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

Although others might not be aware, he knew very well that Wen Qiaozhou’s relationship with his family was complicated.

If Grandma Zhu had called him back to the ancestral home, it definitely wasn’t just for a simple meal.

“Just dropped by on the way,” Wen Qiaozhou said.

The implication was clear—it didn’t matter whether Huo Wanfeng was here or not. He hadn’t come for him anyway.

Huo Wanfeng was so annoyed he could almost die of anger, but since he was still concerned about him, he didn’t press the issue. “Want something to drink or eat?”

“No need.” Wen Qiaozhou wandered around the apartment. “I just came to see the place.”

“What do you mean?” Huo Wanfeng followed closely behind him. “By the way, did Jiang Xing tell you? I’m moving next week.”

“He did.” Wen Qiaozhou replied indifferently, showing no curiosity about why he was moving and not bothering to ask further.

Unable to find an opening to start bragging, Huo Wanfeng grew impatient and forced the topic himself. “Aren’t you going to ask where I’m moving to? Or why I’m moving?”

“Where else would you move?” Wen Qiaozhou didn’t even need to look at the words above his head to guess, answering with disinterest. “Isn’t it just moving to Miss Ruan’s neighborhood?”

“What ‘Miss Ruan’?” Huo Wanfeng was fuming. “Her name is Shu Ruan. You really have no manners at all.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

Then why do you keep calling her “Ruan Ruan” over and over again, in your head? Are you that close? Would you dare call her that to her face?

“Right, so you’ve been driven by love to move,” Wen Qiaozhou said flatly. “Don’t you have any other fresh ideas?”

“…” Huo Wanfeng had no retort and could only blurt out, “Oh, and you do? Then teach me a few moves!”

Wen Qiaozhou scoffed, “You’re a lost cause. You can’t be taught, blockhead.”

“…” Huo Wanfeng was seething with anger at this point, pointing at the door. “The exit’s right there. Get out. Now. Immediately.”

Wen Qiaozhou completely ignored his little temper tantrum, finishing his tour of the apartment before finally turning back to ask, “What are you planning to do with this place after you move?”

“Sell it, probably.” Huo Wanfeng said. “I won’t be coming back to live here anyway.”

He had bought this place on a whim after a fight with his family, an act done entirely out of spite.

The apartment wasn’t bad, with a decent location and all, but for someone used to sprawling mansions, it was a bit underwhelming.

“Sell it to me,” Wen Qiaozhou said.

“It’s already a bit small for me living alone, so you can imagine how cramped it would be with two people in the future…” Huo Wanfeng was already fantasizing about living with his wife when he suddenly realized what Wen Qiaozhou had said. He couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief, “What did you say?”

He could hardly believe his ears. If even he found the place unimpressive, how could Wen Qiaozhou, with his picky standards, possibly approve of it?

“Or you could rent it to me,” Wen Qiaozhou added, as if oblivious to his shock.

“Have you lost your mind?” Huo Wanfeng reached out in astonishment, trying to feel his forehead to check if he had a fever.

Wen Qiaozhou tilted his head to avoid his hand, walking over to the sofa to sit down. Spotting a small stuffed teddy bear nearby, he picked it up and gave it a squeeze before asking Huo Wanfeng, “Selling or renting?”

“I’d give it to you for free,” Huo Wanfeng said, now certain he wasn’t joking, and sat down beside him. “But you have to tell me—what do you want this place for?”

Wen Qiaozhou rubbed his temples, exasperated beyond words. “You blockhead—truly thick as a plank.”

“How am I—” Huo Wanfeng suddenly smacked his own forehead. “Is this for Little Pear Blossom?!”

Wen Qiaozhou seriously didn’t want to talk to him anymore. He lowered his head and squeezed the little teddy bear again. The texture wasn’t bad. But for some reason, he felt the little rabbit pillow in Xu Qingli’s mind probably felt even better.

He wondered if there was a similar one for sale. If not, maybe he could ask Xu Qingli to design one? It would probably sell well—after all, it was seriously adorable.

“Hahaha!” Huo Wanfeng was practically dying of laughter. “And you mocked me? You’re clearly no better! Moving in is your only move too, and you even copied that from me. And now, you even want to move into my place…”

The more he spoke, the more self-righteous he became. “How dare you shamelessly call me a blockhead? Why don’t you come up with something fresh instead?”

“I have no experience, so I don’t know how,” Wen Qiaozhou admitted frankly. “But aren’t you, the illustrious Second Young Master Huo, the self-proclaimed expert in eating, drinking, and all things fun and worldly?”

Huo Wanfeng: “…”

This was probably why one shouldn’t brag so carelessly.

“So, are you going to agree or not?” Wen Qiaozhou was losing patience. “If not, I’ll find someone else.”

Buying a property was easy for him, but this wasn’t a new neighbourhood, and occupancy rates were high. The thought of living in a secondhand home someone else had occupied was unbearable, and renovating would take too much time. Comparatively speaking, a place Huo Wanfeng had lived in was tolerable enough that he was willing to ask him, despite knowing the mockery he’d have to endure.

“Deal!” Huo Wanfeng nodded eagerly. “How could I pass up a chance to fleece some money out of you?”

He knew Wen Qiaozhou’s little cleanliness quirks well enough to understand that coming to him meant he was dead set on this. Without hesitation, he quoted three times the market price.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…Didn’t you just say you’d give it to me?”

It was a miracle they’d remained friends for so many years.

“I learned from the best,” Huo Wanfeng grinned smugly. “Take it or leave it.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Xu Qingli had been feeling a bit annoyed lately.

The promotional video for the Wen Group had been released with overwhelmingly positive reception, and waves of praise for it flooded the internet.

Xu Qingli had watched it herself and had to admit that Wen Corporation’s team was truly top-notch. Whether it was the director, stylist, cinematographer, or post-production, everything was executed at the highest level. It was to the point where she barely recognised herself in it as the person on the screen was simply too stunning. And the best part? Despite how awkward she’d often felt during filming, none of it could be seen in the final cut.

Shui Miao had Xiao Yezi gather the feedback from fans, and almost all of it was positive.

Aside from the visuals, the main point was that this promotional video signified Xu Qingli’s significant rise in status within the Wen Group.

From an outsider’s point of view, the three of them were now female artists at the highest tier under Wen Group.

In the original novel, Shu Ruan had used the promotional video to leap into the public eye, skyrocketing her fame and quality of projects.

Now, although there were three female leads, their styles and personas were vastly different, and the overlap in project offers wasn’t high.

Even where there was overlap, Wen Xiangxiang was only in it for fun, and lately, she had been busy with marriage alliance matters, so she was unable to take on so many projects and naturally wouldn’t compete with Xu Qingli. As for Shu Ruan, she was especially grateful to Xu Qingli, and with the company’s rumours about Xu Qingli and Wen Qiaozhou, her team knew how to handle things appropriately. When they came across offers suitable for Xu Qingli, far from competing for them, they instead directly handed them to Shui Miao, practically letting them have the first pick.

Overnight, invitations of all kinds came pouring in for Xu Qingli like a snowstorm.

These offers were all better than what she had before. These past two days had Shui Miao smiling even in her dreams, looking at Xu Qingli as if she were a golden money tree.

Xu Qingli understood how she felt, but after this period in the entertainment industry, she had realized she truly wasn’t suited for it and she increasingly wanted to quit. Naturally, she didn’t want to take on more work, and just thinking about the offers and projects on Shui Miao’s desk gave her a headache.

“We won’t make you take everything,” Shui Miao said with a laugh, having come to Xu Qingli’s home today specifically to discuss her future plans. Noticing her reluctance, she assumed it was due to exhaustion. “Our situation now isn’t the same as before. We can’t just take any job now. From now on, we’re going for quality, only accepting projects with high pay, low effort, and cooperative teams. It’ll definitely be easier than before.”

Xu Qingli knew Shui Miao would never agree to her quitting, so her initial plan had been to fade into obscurity on her own. Eventually, Shui Miao would have no choice but to give up on her and move on to new talent. But now, it seemed she wouldn’t be fading into obscurity anytime soon.

If she didn’t make things clear with Shui Miao, the conflicts between them would just keep piling up endlessly.

She had to have a proper talk with Shui Miao.

Of course, she couldn’t mention the transmigration—that was completely out of the question. And using social anxiety as an excuse wouldn’t work either. Besides that, convincing Shui Miao wouldn’t be easy.

Xu Qingli had thought a lot about it, but the moment she opened her mouth, she chickened out. After calling out, “Sister Miaomiao,” she suddenly froze, unsure what to say.

“What’s wrong?” Shui Miao looked at her curiously.

In her panic, Xu Qingli suddenly remembered something, “Do you really think I’m a descendant of that Wen family member?”

Shui Miao nodded, then recalled something herself. “Right, I was just about to tell you something I heard the other day. I almost forgot with all the busyness lately.”

After hearing that rumor, she had privately paid more attention to such matters and had actually uncovered a related piece of information.

“Someone at the company actually saw it with their own eyes. That woman had morning sickness and fainted at work, then was rushed to the hospital,” Shui Miao whispered. “Then Chairman Wen hurried to the hospital, only to run into Chairwoman Zhu there… They say the scene was extremely ugly. The next day, all of that woman’s work was suspended, and the company paid a huge sum in breach of contract penalties. I found some obscure news about the contract termination from back then, and it’s all true. The key point is, she was pregnant. And the timing matches exactly with 22 years ago, which lines up with your age… Wait, wouldn’t that mean you’re not President Wen’s cousin, but his aunt?!”

The lives of the wealthy truly are chaotic.

Xu Qingli: “…”

It seemed Shui Miao had already made up her mind about her connection to the Wen family.

But Xu Qingli still didn’t want to believe it. However, she didn’t argue the point and instead said, “If that’s really the case, then maybe we shouldn’t take on any new projects for now.”

“Why?” Shui Miao was caught off guard by the sudden shift to work matters.

“Based on what you’re saying, if Chairwoman Zhu finds out about my existence, she’d definitely be furious,” Xu Qingli explained. “Right now, I’m not famous enough for her to know who I am. But if I actually become popular, the media and paparazzi will definitely dig into my background. Do you think this secret could stay hidden then? So, I think getting famous would actually be more dangerous. Maybe… I should just leave the industry? Stay away from all this drama, after all, safety first.”

Shui Miao never expected the conversation to take such a sharp turn toward leaving the industry.

Honestly, until now, she’d mostly been in it for the gossip. The dramatic soap operas of the wealthy playing out in real life was just too juicy to resist and easily ignited one’s voyeuristic desire to gossip.

But hearing Xu Qingli say this made Shui Miao start thinking about the situation from her perspective.

From the information she’d gathered, Chairwoman Zhu hated the entire entertainment industry, even the company she’d founded, all because of one artist. The trauma that artist caused her must have been immense. If she found out her company had signed that artist’s descendant and even featured her in the company’s own promotional material, she’d never let it slide.

If this were about someone else, Shui Miao might have thought, Serves her right for being the other woman. As for the descendant being implicated, well, tough luck.

However, she was very familiar with Xu Qingli, and knew about her difficult childhood. And seeing how cautious she’d become after “turning over a new leaf,” especially recently, Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. Plus, their interests were tied together, so she naturally leaned toward Xu Qingli’s side. After all, no one gets to choose their family.

Now, hearing Xu Qingli’s words and seeing the genuine clarity in her eyes, which weren’t an act, Shui Miao felt a pang of heartache. She softened her tone and said, “These resources wouldn’t have come to us without President Wen’s tacit approval. Maybe things aren’t as bad as you think… Chairwoman Zhu acknowledged all the other children and brought them into the Wen family. Maybe she just didn’t know about you back then. If she finds out, she might accept you too.”

“Then how could I possibly have the face to go to the Wen family? It would be so shameless.” Xu Qingli shook her head like a rattle drum. “If Chairwoman Zhu wants revenge, I’d be dead without a burial place. If she doesn’t hold a grudge, I’d feel even more ashamed. How could I possibly have the face to shamelessly leech off the Wen family’s resources and popularity? So I think retiring from the entertainment industry now is the wisest decision. Although leaving showbiz might mean less glamour and a harder time making money, it’s not like I don’t have the hands and feet to support myself. At the very least I’ll be able to live with a clear conscience. Sister Miaomiao, could you help me figure out how to terminate my contract without paying the penalty fee, or at least minimize it? Please?”

Shui Miao hadn’t expected her moral awareness to improve so quickly, and her attitude to be so resolute. After a pause, Shui Miao said, “How about this, let’s go ask President Wen directly.”

She had only meant to enjoy some gossip, but ended up driving her cash cow to quit the industry. Shui Miao was now filled with regret.

Yet she couldn’t refute Xu Qingli’s reasoning.

At this point, the only option was to seek clarification from Wen Qiaozhou.

Better than both of them speculating endlessly.

“Huh?” Xu Qingli looked at her in shock. “How would we ask?”

March up to Wen Qiaozhou and ask if he’s her cousin… no, her nephew?

If he was, could she even escape?

If he wasn’t, would he slap her back to her senses on the spot?

Xu Qingli didn’t care about her true identity. She just wanted to get out of the industry, so she refused to agree.

But Shui Miao clearly had different ideas: “Who said you should ask directly? You should probe subtly.”

“I’m not as quick-witted as you,” Xu Qingli shook her head again. “I can’t do that.”

“You’re not quick-witted?” Shui Miao didn’t believe her. “When you were raising your ‘fish,’ your reactions were more quick-witted than anyone else.”

This wasn’t her being sarcastic, just stating a plain fact.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Neither could convince the other. Xu Qingli wasn’t good at arguing and finally compromised, “Let me think it over properly. Give me a few days.”

“Fine, I’ll give you three days,” Shui Miao also relented. “No work assignments during this time.”

Buying three days was better than nothing. It gave her time to consider alternatives, so Xu Qingli nodded in agreement.

“Then I’ll head back first.” Shui Miao stood up, heart aching as she looked at the offers in her hand. She turned back to Xu Qingli, “No matter what, having money of your own is what truly matters… Never mind, think it over first. I won’t disturb you for the next three days.”

After Shui Miao left and closed the door, Xu Qingli finally exhaled deeply and collapsed onto the sofa.

Heavens above, what should she do?

Less than two minutes later, her phone that had been tossed aside suddenly rang.

Xu Qingli turned her head painfully to look. It was Shui Miao, who had just promised not to disturb her for the next three days, already calling her.

She frowned and reached for it, but the call ended abruptly.

Was it a misdial?

Xu Qingli lay back down.

Just then, another message popped up on her phone, still from Shui Miao.

Xu Qingli opened it.

[Pear Blossom! Come to the garage! Quickly!]

Xu Qingli bolted upright from the sofa.

Shui Miao was generally calm and composed, and rarely this frantic.

Has something happened to her?

Xu Qingli immediately called her back while scrambling to find her shoes and keys.

The call connected but was hung up within a second.

Was she really in danger?

Xu Qingli hurried out the door. As she closed it, she spotted a brick on the shoe cabinet and instinctively grabbed it.

It was a prop from a previous event she’d brought home to study. Though it looked realistic, it wasn’t actually dangerous, just intimidating.

Holding it was merely to boost her own courage.

If there was serious trouble, she’d still need to call the police.

By the time she stepped out of the elevator, Xu Qingli was fully prepared—brick in one hand, phone in the other with 110¹ already dialed, ready to call them with a flick of her finger at the slightest sign of danger.

The parking garage was eerily quiet and illuminated by dim lights, with only parked cars in sight—no people.

It appeared perfectly safe, yet somehow felt like it concealed an immense danger.

Xu Qingli’s own parking spot was in a more secluded area. Guessing Shui Miao might be there, she took a deep breath and quickened her pace. But as soon as she rounded a corner, she saw Shui Miao standing and talking with Wen Qiaozhou.

Hearing footsteps, both of them turned to look.

Shui Miao: “…”

She had simply thought running into Wen Qiaozhou was a rare opportunity not to be missed, so she wanted Xu Qingli to come down and greet him, hoping to glean some information.

However, she also knew Xu Qingli had been resistant to this idea before. Worried she might refuse, Shui Miao had deliberately not explained why she wasn’t answering her calls.

She had indeed intended to make her anxious, but never in her wildest dreams did she expect Xu Qingli’s imagination to be so vivid that she’d actually grab a brick and rush downstairs?

Wen Qiaozhou also noticed the brick in Xu Qingli’s hand, but what drew his attention more was the chibi version of her floating above her head.

The moment she saw him, several speech bubbles instantly popped up above the little figure’s head.

[Ahhhh!]

[Why is it him?!]

[Help!!!]

[Run away, quickly!!!!]

The next second, she reached out and grabbed a pair of wings with one hand, strapping them onto her back, while tossing a pair of wind fire wheels² into the air with the other. Then she shot upward, landing on the wheels. Her little wings flapped so fast they became a blur, and the wind fire wheels beneath her feet spun into two blazing fireballs as she charged forward headfirst without a second thought.

Unfortunately, she didn’t get far before crashing into an invisible wall, gently bouncing her back.

The little girl refused to give up, flapping her wings with all her might in another direction. Of course, she was knocked back once again. Undeterred, she changed direction once more, seemingly determined to keep going until she collapsed from exhaustion.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

How can a person be this cute?

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HE’S FALLING HE’S FALLING EVERYONE HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAH

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1.  Emergency number in China ↩︎
2. Used by Nezha, they conceal the power of wind and fire and can be stepped on to be used as a mode of transport. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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“Where did you hear this from?” Xu Qingli was a bit stunned and couldn’t help but ask, “Is it reliable?”

“It should be reliable.” Even though the car was filled with their own people and the soundproof partition had been raised from the start, Shui Miao still instinctively lowered her voice. “You should know too, right? That the Wen Group has never placed much importance on the film and entertainment sector.”

Xu Qingli nodded—this had long been an open secret. Recently, Wen Qiaozhou seemed to be paying more attention to the entertainment industry, sparking speculation. She knew she had heard plenty of rumors while attending events.

“But the Wen Group started in the clothing industry, and even now, clothing, jewelry, and accessories still make up a significant portion of their business. The entertainment industry is closely related to these sectors, that’s why the Wen Group also established its own film and talent agencies. Yet they don’t prioritize them—don’t you think that’s a little contradictory?” Shui Miao didn’t rush to answer but instead posed a question.

“It is rather strange.” Xu Qingli nodded. The novel had mentioned this too, but no definitive answer had ever been given. “I heard it’s because Chairwoman Zhu doesn’t like the entertainment industry.”

Shui Miao said, “But the film and talent agencies were both personally established by Chairwoman Zhu.”

“Really?” Xu Qingli genuinely didn’t know this. When she was preparing for the promotional shoot, this detail hadn’t been included despite the company giving her the detailed background information.

Seeing her shocked expression, Shui Miao felt a sense of accomplishment. “It’s true. That’s why the film and entertainment division has managed to survive to this day, and also why we’re here now. If she hadn’t personally founded them, they would’ve already been dissolved long ago. It’s not as simple as just neglecting us.”

“But why?” Xu Qingli was itching with curiosity. “Sister Miaomiao, just tell me directly.”

“Because the first artist she signed after personally establishing the film and talent agency became…” Shui Miao leaned in close to Xu Qingli’s ear, whispering almost inaudibly, “the mistress between her and the former chairman. Well, more accurately, she might’ve been the fifth or sixth mistress. Anyway… you get the idea.”

Xu Qingli understood what she meant.

The former chairman of the Wen Group was Wen Qiaozhou’s grandfather.

Based on what she’d read in the novel and learned in reality, Wen Qiaozhou’s grandfather was quite the womanizer, with many lovers and several illegitimate children. Rumour had it that Zhu Zhenshan had married him to form an alliance between the two families, with no real affection between them, so she didn’t care. Others claimed they had always led separate lives.

But later, Zhu Zhenshan suddenly became the chairwoman, and shortly after, Wen Qiaozhou’s grandfather passed away unexpectedly. Some said they had a falling out, while others even accused Zhu Zhenshan of murdering her husband. Yet Zhu Zhenshan recognized all of Grandfather Wen’s illegitimate children and treated them well. The large family even got along quite harmoniously, which didn’t seem like the aftermath of a bitter split.

In any case, opinions were divided, making it one of the Wen family’s greatest mysteries.

Given this context, it seemed odd that Zhu Zhenshan would be so furious over a minor artist that she’d abandon a company she personally established. Just what kind of magic did this last mistress possess?

“Was this artist special in some way?” Xu Qingli couldn’t help but ask.

“No, she was just a minor artist—reportedly with no notable background.” Shui Miao shook her head. “Now, you can’t even find any of her works.”

“Then why?” Xu Qingli was puzzled.

“The real reason is only known to the Wen family; us outsiders can only speculate. Whatever the reason, it’s obvious she must have angered Chairwoman Zhu.” Considering Xu Qingli’s possible identity, Shui Miao refrained from mentioning baseless rumors. “Because Chairman Zhu brought all of Chairman Wen’s children living outside the family back to the Wen household—all of them except for the descendants of that woman.”

As she finished speaking, she shot a glance at Xu Qingli.

Xu Qingli finally understood—Shui Miao meant that if she really was part of the Wen family, she was likely the descendant of that mistress.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Was this supposed to be something to celebrate? Why was Shui Miao acting so mysterious about it?

“Even if you are a descendant of the Wen family, what happened back then has nothing to do with you,” Shui Miao said, trying to comfort her as if sensing her thoughts. “At that time, it wasn’t just you—even your parents probably hadn’t been born yet.”

“If it really is me, then it still definitely has something to do with me.” Xu Qingli felt that if this were true, she would immediately flee as far away as possible. As for meeting the Wen family? Just the thought made her scalp tingle—she wasn’t that shameless.

“But… I still think I might not actually be connected to the Wen family.” Without any concrete evidence, Xu Qingli wasn’t willing to believe it. “From what you said, shouldn’t President Wen also despise the descendants of that minor actress? If he’s paying attention to me now, is it for revenge? But with his status and power, crushing me now would be effortless—why would he bother going through all this trouble?”

Disliking someone meant even a glance at them would be irritating. So, how could he possibly greet her with a smile and treat her gently? Especially when the other person was far beneath him in status; messing with her would be as easy as squashing an ant to him.

“President Wen’s thoughts can’t be deduced with normal logic,” Shui Miao lowered her voice again. “Besides, I heard from some of the company’s seniors today that Chairman Zhu and President Wen don’t actually get along. Chairman Zhu only uses President Wen to make money, while President Wen wants to truly take control over the entire company… Otherwise, why else do you think he would suddenly take an interest in the film and entertainment division? It’s a provocation tactic. In any case, you might be an important figure in this case.”

Actually, from the seniors’ description today, the mistress who had angered Chairman Zhu back then also had a delicate, pitiable appearance, looking just like a little white flower. This description immediately made Shui Miao think of Xu Qingli. Combined with Wen Qiaozhou’s earlier attitude, she had already suspected this to be a possibility, hence her belief that Xu Qingli was part of the Wen family.

But since Xu Qingli now seemed resistant to this identity, Shui Miao didn’t press further, only adding, “Of course, I also might just be overthinking it. Given President Wen’s attitude toward you, whatever his intentions are, he’ll probably reveal them soon, right?”

At that, Xu Qingli felt an inexplicable nervousness wash over her.

*

Wen Qiaozhou watched Xu Qingli’s car drive out of the gate before turning to head toward the study.

In the living room, the old butler approached and handed him a scroll, smiling as he said, “Though this painting isn’t finished, I find it has a unique charm. It’s a rare masterpiece, so I took the liberty of keeping it.”

Wen Qiaozhou took it and unrolled it, examining it carefully.

Although Xu Qingli had only completed the basic outline, her strokes were precise, as if no further adjustments were needed.

Though Wen Qiaozhou hardly painted anymore, he had still learned some basic art skills as a child.

The more he looked, the more he admired Xu Qingli’s skill. Such precision couldn’t be achieved without years of dedicated practice.

Just as he was engrossed in the painting, his assistant Jiang Xing entered and said, “President Wen, the car has been prepared.”

“Alright.” Wen Qiaozhou carefully rolled up the scroll, bid farewell to the old butler, and left with Jiang Xing.

The car was parked right outside. Holding Xu Qingli’s painting, Wen Qiaozhou buckled his seatbelt with one hand and suddenly remembered something. He turned to Jiang Xing, “Next to the Star Orphanage where Xu Qingli lived as a child, there’s a—”

Before he could finish, Jiang Xing’s phone rang.

“Apologies,” Jiang Xing said, glancing at the caller ID before informing Wen Qiaozhou, “It’s Chairman Zhu.”

Wen Qiaozhou paused and gestured for him to take the call.

After listening to the instructions, Jiang Xing turned back, “Chairman Zhu requests your presence for dinner this weekend if you’re available.”

Wen Qiaozhou gave a noncommittal hum, leaning back against the seat with unchanged composure. He seemed to have completely forgotten his unfinished sentence from earlier.

Jiang Xing hesitated but didn’t remind him.

The fact that a grandmother would rather invite her grandson through an assistant rather than calling him directly spoke volumes about their strained relationship. Having served Wen Qiaozhou since his succession, Jiang Xing remained unaware of the reasons but knew better than to pry.

*

On Saturday evening, Wen Qiaozhou returned to the Wen family ancestral home for dinner.

“Qiaozhou, you’re here?” The long-serving housekeeper under Zhu Zhenshan’s employment greeted him warmly. “You’ve lost weight. Have you been overworking yourself?”

“Not at all,” Wen Qiaozhou replied courteously. “Just dressing lighter for the warmer weather.” After exchanging pleasantries, he proceeded to Zhu Zhenshan’s study.

At seventy-seven, Zhu Zhenshan still remained in remarkably good spirits. Dressed impeccably with neatly combed hair, her naturally aged face still bore traces of her former elegance. At this moment, she was sitting by the window practicing her calligraphy. The bold and vigorous writing contrasted sharply with her elegant and refined appearance.

Wen Qiaozhou approached her quietly so as not to disturb her.

Zhu Zhenshan’s calligraphy today retained its usual beauty and also carried an uncharacteristic softness to it.

“I’m getting old,” Zhu Zhenshan sighed, setting down her brush. “I can barely write anymore.”

Wen Qiaozhou lowered his gaze, avoiding her eyes as he responded, “You’re not old at all, Chairwoman. Age is irrelevant when the spirit remains young.”

Zhu Zhenshan paused. “But my spirit has aged. Lately, I keep thinking about past memories.”

“Which memories?” Wen Qiaozhou inquired neutrally.

“Memories of your grandfather.” She readjusted the Buddhist beads she’d removed for writing and put them back on her wrist, saying slowly, “Qiaozhou, do you think he’ll still be angry with me when we meet again?”

“He won’t,” came the firm reply.

“How would you know?” Zhu Zhenshan challenged in return.

“The fact that you can see him means he has been waiting for you,” Wen Qiaozhou reasoned. “Why would he wait for you if he was angry?”

“You clever boy—are you implying I might not even meet him after death?” Zhu Zhenshan pointed out his underlying implication. “He probably won’t wait for me.”

Wen Qiaozhou was about to speak when she waved her hand again and sighed, “I’m overthinking things again.”

“Don’t worry so much,” Wen Qiaozhou took the opportunity to say. “Let me update you on the company—”

“Let’s not talk about work at home,” Zhu Zhanshan interrupted him gently. “How about we talk about life instead? Have you found a girlfriend yet?”

Wen Qiaozhou paused briefly before replying, “Not yet.”

“Then how about Grandma introduces you to someone?” Zhu Zhanshan said with a smile. “In a few days, your Grandma Zhou’s granddaughter is returning from abroad. I’ll arrange for you two to meet. You played together as children and were very close back then, remember?”

“You’re mistaken,” Wen Qiaozhou said calmly. “We did play together as children, but we weren’t close. She even threw mud at me once.”

“Hahaha, is that so? Then I guess you two count as ‘no conflict, no acquaintance¹,’” Zhu Zhenshan laughed even more heartily. “That girl studied design at a world-class university. Now, she’s cultured, sensible, and very accomplished. Of course, she might still fall a bit short compared to you, but… surely she’s better than those flighty, decorative little starlets in the entertainment industry, don’t you think?”

Wen Qiaozhou’s eyes darkened.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After leaving the ancestral residence, the first thing Wen Qiaozhou said to Jiang Xing upon getting into the car was, “Find out who’s been reporting my whereabouts to Chairwoman Zhu.”

Jiang Xing tensed and immediately replied, “Understood.”

As the car slowly pulled away from the estate, Wen Qiaozhou gazed out the window at the aged yet dignified and imposing courtyard, watching it gradually fade from view.

“Oh,” Jiang Xing suddenly remembered something and turned back to Wen Qiaozhou. “Young Master Huo called earlier. He said he’s moving into a new place next week and invited you to the housewarming.”

“Tell him I’m busy—” Wen Qiaozhou’s tone was indifferent, but he abruptly stopped mid-sentence and said to the driver, “Head to the Hundred Flowers Complex.”

The Hundred Flowers Complex was the residential complex where Huo Wanfeng lived. Jiang Xing didn’t think much of it and turned the car around.

They soon arrived at the Hundred Flowers Complex. Huo Wanfeng lived in one of the inner buildings, but just as the driver was about to proceed further, Wen Qiaozhou said, “Just stop here, at Building Five.”

The driver, accustomed to his ways, didn’t ask questions and simply pulled over.

Wen Qiaozhou unbuckled his seatbelt and said, “I have something to attend to. You all can—”

Before he could finish, a car pulled in ahead of them. Jiang Xing noticed it and remarked, “Isn’t that Miss Xu’s car?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the sound of a car door opening followed. Wen Qiaozhou had already stepped out.

Jiang Xing, who had been reaching for the door handle, withdrew his hand.

Wen Qiaozhou got out of the car just as the vehicle ahead came to a stop.

Perhaps noticing him, Xu Qingli quickly emerged from the car, looking surprised as she greeted him, “President Wen? It’s so late, what are you doing here?”

After hearing Shui Miao’s words, she had spent days drowning in anxiety, but contrary to her worries, Wen Qiaozhou had made no further moves.

Yet just as she had stopped dwelling on it, he appeared right outside her building?

“I came to see Second Master Huo about something,” Wen Qiaozhou said, meeting her gaze. “Why are you back so late?”

“I attended an event,” Xu Qingli replied, her voice noticeably weaker.

Today’s event had been exhausting, and she was completely drained.

Wen Qiaozhou noticed the tiny figure above her head, sitting on the ground with disheveled hair and a dejected expression. He almost burst out laughing.

But though his lips curved slightly, the smile didn’t quite form.

Xu Qingli had lowered her guard against Wen Qiaozhou quite a bit since their last time playing cards together. The lighting in this spot was slightly dim, and feeling bold, she stared at him more carefully, leading her to notice this subtle gesture of his, which inevitably made her wonder.

[Why does he seem unhappy?] A thought bubble slowly appeared above the little figure’s head.

Knowing that this “he” definitely referred to himself, Wen Qiaozhou felt a strange emotion welling up from within him.

He took a step forward, about to speak, when he saw the little figure suddenly stand up, another bubble popping up: [Watch me cheer him up!]

Then, the little girl dashed forward several steps and planted her hands on the ground as if attempting a somersault.

But just as her head touched the ground, a section of the ground suddenly caved in… leaving her head stuck, with only her feet flailing helplessly in the air. Her body was then immediately surrounded by a flurry of [Ahhhh!!!] bullet comments.

Xu Qingli could tell Wen Qiaozhou was in low spirits, and her mind even conjured up some funny moves she’d drawn in her comics. But it was just a thought, and she would rather die than actually demonstrate them to Wen Qiaozhou.

She cleared her throat, shaking off the ridiculous ideas, and was about to speak when she saw Wen Qiaozhou suddenly break into a smile.

Like ice and snow melting, like flowers unfurling their buds—it was breathtakingly beautiful.

---

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
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1.  “不打不相识” → a set phrase meaning people become acquainted through conflict ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

The discussion about Wen Xiangxiang quickly shifted after just a few remarks.

It was unclear whether Huo Wanfeng knew about Wen Xiangxiang’s feelings for him, but his attention had always been solely on Shu Ruan.

Upon learning that Wen Xiangxiang’s arranged marriage partner was far from shabby and in fact, quite well-off, Xu Qingli finally put her worries to rest.

Since Wen Xiangxiang and Huo Wanfeng were never meant to be, it was better for her to explore other possibilities sooner rather than later.

After some casual chatting, the group officially started playing cards. The most common way to play Fight the Landlord was with three people.

Originally, Huo Wanfeng had the perfect plan: if they played with the four of them, he would team up with Shu Ruan; if they played with three, he would let the other three play while acting as Shu Ruan’s strategist by her side.

But to his surprise, Wen Qiaozhou unexpectedly beat him to the punch by claiming he didn’t know how to play. Since Wen Qiaozhou rarely played cards in general, Huo Wanfeng didn’t suspect anything and had no choice but to join the game himself, letting Wen Qiaozhou sit beside Xu Qingli to learn.

Wen Qiaozhou moved his chair a little closer to Xu Qingli.

“President Wen, why don’t you play?” Xu Qingli offered him the cards.

“No need, I’ll watch you play first,” Wen Qiaozhou replied, raising his hand to gently decline. His fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of her hand.

It was just a fleeting touch, like a dragonfly skimming the water, and he withdrew his hand almost immediately. However, Xu Qingli couldn’t help recalling the dream she’d had that night—the one where she kept playing with someone else’s hands… Although Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t possibly know about it, her cheeks still warmed slightly. She quickly sat back and didn’t insist further.

Xu Qingli drew the landlord card in the first round. Her reserved nature, combined with Wen Qiaozhou watching her, made her a little nervous, leaving her utterly defenseless against Huo Wanfeng and Shu Ruan when they teamed up against her.

Seeing how well he and Shu Ruan worked together, Huo Wanfeng immediately convinced himself it was because they were “in sync.” Thrilled, he couldn’t stop praising her.

“Just shut up,” Shu Ruan said helplessly, glancing at Xu Qingli. “We only won because we had good cards.”

Xu Qingli didn’t mind. As long as no one was deliberately targeting her, she preferred not to be the centre of attention in situations like these.

But Wen Qiaozhou was clearly far more petty.

In the second round, Xu Qingli offered him the cards once again. This time, Wen Qiaozhou didn’t refuse.

When it was his turn to make the decision first, he didn’t even glance at his cards before saying, “Pass.”

Xu Qingli barely had time to react, sucking in a breath and holding it, staying silent. Wen Qiaozhou had drawn an excellent hand, perfect for playing as the landlord.

Shu Ruan was next in line. Since Wen Qiaozhou had taken all the good cards, Shu Ruan’s hand was naturally weak, so she also passed. In the end, Huo Wanfeng had no choice but to take the landlord role.

At this point, Wen Qiaozhou handed the cards back to Xu Qingli. “You play instead. I’ll keep learning from the sidelines.”

With a strong hand and Shu Ruan refusing to go easy on him either, the two of them crushed Huo Wanfeng far more brutally than Xu Qingli had been beaten in the previous round.

Huo Wanfeng protested, “It’s definitely not because I’m bad at this, it’s just that both of your cards are too good! Seventh Brother Wen, why didn’t you take the landlord role with such a great hand? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know how to play,” Wen Qiaozhou replied with absolute confidence, lazily leaning back in his chair and tilting his head slightly toward Xu Qingli. “Besides, if your skills are bad, don’t blame it on luck. These two ladies just play better than you.”

Huo Wanfeng couldn’t argue with that, so he could only fume silently, “One more round.”

Xu Qingli pressed her lips together, her mouth curling up involuntarily. She lowered her voice and said to Wen Qiaozhou, “You should draw the cards for this round too.”

He seemed to have good luck drawing cards.

This side of Wen Qiaozhou inexplicably made Xu Qingli feel safe and less restrained.

“Okay.” Wen Qiaozhou watched as the little girl above her head sat on a chair, tiny feet swinging back and forth, in a rare state of relaxation. She looked so leisurely and carefree that his voice unconsciously softened a few degrees.

Sure, all her other dramatic expressions were adorable, but this peaceful, contented version of her? It simply made him soften from the inside out.

Counting cards wasn’t difficult for Wen Qiaozhou to begin with, let alone with the help of his special ability. In the subsequent rounds, he effortlessly controlled the game. If Xu Qingli became the landlord, he did everything to help her win; if Shu Ruan became the landlord, he deliberately gave Huo Wanfeng opportunities to feed her cards; and if Huo Wanfeng became the landlord, he mainly targeted him to create amusement, caring less about winning and more about keeping the atmosphere lively.

In the end, everyone was satisfied: Xu Qingli didn’t care about winning or losing and was just happy to play in a relaxed manner; Shu Ruan, who valued winning, ended up with the most victories; and Huo Wanfeng, who only wanted to catch Shu Ruan’s attention, excelled at both suicidal card-feeding and being the life of the party—he was certain that from now on, whenever Shu Ruan thought of card games, the first person to pop into her mind would be Huo Wanfeng.

As for whether the two of them would end up together, that would depend on Huo Wanfeng’s personal charm. Wen Qiaozhou had already done his best to help his friend.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Wen Qiaozhou kept his achievements hidden. When seeing Xu Qingli off, he said to her, “Thank you for teaching me how to play cards. I had a great time tonight. Let me treat you to a meal sometime.”

Although the atmosphere tonight had been pleasant, as a socially anxious person, Xu Qingli still wasn’t keen on dining alone with her boss. She quickly replied, “You were the one who was amazing. I didn’t really teach you anything—in fact, I feel like you played even better than me.”

His occasional, seemingly casual hints always had yielded unexpectedly good results. If not for the lack of a reason, she might have even suspected he was just pretending to be a novice.

“Just a coincidence,” Wen Qiaozhou said, afraid that continuing the conversation would expose him. He smoothly changed the subject with a smile, “Anyway, you worked hard tonight, whether it was playing cards or helping Wen Xiangxiang with her portrait.”

“About Xiangxiang…” Xu Qingli hesitated but mustered the courage to say, “Actually, I think her arranged marriage isn’t that bad…”

She wasn’t normally the type to meddle in others’ affairs, so she paused mid-sentence, still searching for the right words. Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t help but ask, “You like that type?”

“Huh? No.” Xu Qingli had no idea how the topic had shifted to her and shook her head hurriedly, speaking faster in her fluster. “What I mean is, Xiangxiang mentioned before that she’ll still ultimately choose an arranged marriage. If that’s unavoidable, and this candidate’s conditions are decent, why not let them give it a try? Relationships are, after all, a matter between two people. As outsiders… wouldn’t it be inappropriate for us to interfere too much?”

She still believed Wen Qiaozhou genuinely disapproved of the arranged marriage and wanted to break them up.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

Actually, he hadn’t paid any attention to Wen Xiangxiang at all. The fact that she was about to enter an arranged marriage was something he’d only heard in passing from Huo Wanfeng. As for what her fiancé was like, he truly had no idea. However, he knew Wen Xiangxiang’s parents were extremely materialistic people, so he had already unconsciously assumed that their choice of marriage partner wouldn’t be great. His earlier casual remark had merely been a ploy to keep Xu Qingli around so that he could see her drawing in person. As for whether he would help Wen Xiangxiang or how he would do it, he hadn’t really thought it through. But now, seeing how seriously Xu Qingli was taking his words, his conscience pricked him slightly.

“Alright, we’ll do as you say,” Wen Qiaozhou said, a little sheepish, softening his voice. “Let them figure it out on their own.”

His voice was already deep and mellow, but when he spoke gently, the sensation truly felt like your ears were getting a spa treatment.

Even though this was exactly what she had meant, hearing it from Wen Qiaozhou’s lips made it feel different somehow. Xu Qingli was relieved that she wouldn’t have to join him in doing something strange anymore, yet she also felt embarrassed at the same time and said quickly, “Then I’ll head back now. Sister Miaomiao is waiting for me.”

Shui Miao knew she had been playing cards with Wen Qiaozhou and the others, so she hadn’t disturbed them earlier. Now, she was waiting at a distance, though she didn’t approach them.

Wen Qiaozhou didn’t say anything more, watching as she left.

Xu Qingli got into the car and, through the window, saw Wen Qiaozhou still standing at the entrance. She waved at him.

“Looks like you had fun?” Shui Miao sat down beside her, sniffing the air. “What’s that smell on you?”

“A smell?” Xu Qingli startled, immediately lowering her head to sniff herself. “Does it smell bad?”

She couldn’t detect anything.

“It’s not exactly bad,” Shui Miao shook her head, curious. “What did you do?”

It wasn’t hot enough for her to sweat that much, and with just the few of them together, what could they have done that involved something smelly?

Xu Qingli hesitated awkwardly before mumbling, “Stinky… tofu.”

Shui Miao’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “You ate stinky tofu at President Wen’s place?! What were you thinking?”

“No, no, he was the one who wanted it,” Xu Qingli hurriedly explained the situation, then couldn’t help muttering, “Besides, I took care of it.”

When the butler first brought the stinky tofu, despite the fact that bringing this dish out was somewhat impolite, Xu Qingli had genuinely been happy. Wen Qiaozhou had wanted it too, so her concerns about smelling were also brushed off, after all, they were both going to be eating it.

But later, when the butler came to fetch her to meet Huo Wanfeng with Wen Qiaozhou, Xu Qingli belatedly realized how inappropriate it was. She had rushed to rinse her mouth, wash her face, sprayed on perfume, and even used a hairdryer to blow-dry herself… Had the smell really lingered this long? Did that mean everyone had smelled it?

That would be mortifying!

“President Wen likes stinky tofu?” Shui Miao was focused on something entirely different, her disbelief evident on her face. “Are you sure he ate it?”

The question made Xu Qingli pause, then she shook her head. “No, he didn’t get the chance to.”

Shui Miao studied her, hesitating.

“Just say what you’re thinking,” Xu Qingli pressed her lips together.

“There’s another smell on you—it’s men’s cologne,” Shui Miao said, her nose sharp. “Where’d it come from?”

Men’s cologne?

Xu Qingli thought for a moment before it clicked. “From President Wen’s clothes?”

The coat he had given her earlier did indeed carry a faint scent, somewhat similar to Wen Qiaozhou’s own fragrance, though slightly stronger. She had carried that coat for a while, and later when she felt cold during the card game, she had even draped it over herself. Could the scent have transferred onto her?

Wait a minute, Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t actually eaten the stinky tofu, had changed his clothes, and then inexplicably lent her a coat sprayed with cologne… Could it be that he had been trying to discreetly mask the stinky tofu smell clinging to her, sparing her the embarrassment?

Although he really was considerate, Xu Qingli’s mood still plummeted instantly.

As someone with social anxiety, one of her worst fears was making a fool of herself. Even if others helped cover it up, the memory alone could be mortifying afterward.

But what upset Xu Qingli even more than her embarrassment was the realization that she had thought she and Wen Qiaozhou shared similar tastes, though now that didn’t seem to be the case.

No, things still didn’t add up for Xu Qingli: “But then why did he suddenly have someone deliver stinky tofu?”

There was no way he could have known she happened to be craving it. And even if he did, why would he go out of his way to indulge her every wish?

“Maybe it was a test,” Shui Miao said, clearly focused on a different angle. “I heard some gossip tonight—apparently, the Wen family really does have illegitimate children living out there. Pear Blossom… you really might be President Wen’s sister¹.”

Xu Qingli froze.

Occasionally, in her wildest fantasies, she’d dream of being a long-lost heiress to a wealthy family. But at this moment, she realized she felt no joy in the news at all.

---

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1. Can be used interchangeably with cousin as it’s just a matter of adding the maternal/paternal (biao/tang) prefix in front. At this point, we still don’t know whose illegitimate children are out there and it’s rather vague in Chinese too so I’ve left it as sister as a cousin sister is still a sister. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

In the novel, Wen Qiaozhou was portrayed as an exceptionally lofty character. He’s the most handsome man in the entire novel, adept at reading people, extraordinarily intelligent, and possessing refined tastes. The Wen Qiaozhou that Xu Qingli encountered in reality also lived up to this portrayal. So even with his looks aside, his noble and elegant demeanor made it impossible for her to associate him with a food like stinky tofu.

Just watching Wen Qiaozhou eat it would feel like sacrilege, let alone daring to eat it in front of him herself.

As a result, Xu Qingli only dared to entertain the thought in her mind, never voicing it aloud.

But who would have thought that he not only ate it but actually liked it?

Xu Qingli could hardly believe it and couldn’t help asking again, “President Wen, you like stinky tofu too?”

Though she found it hard to reconcile Wen Qiaozhou with stinky tofu, since she loved it herself, she didn’t think any less of him for it. On the contrary, it made him seem much more down-to-earth because of it.

Therefore, her tone unknowingly carried a hint of anticipation.

At this moment, Wen Qiaozhou was holding his breath, torn over whether he should flee the scene without a shred of dignity left behind.

Hearing her question and seeing the sparkle in Xu Qingli’s eyes, he forced himself to lower the leg that had already prepared itself to act and reluctantly nodded.

Curse his damn pride.

The fact that she shared so many similar tastes with someone this good-looking made Xu Qingli even happier. She glanced down at the two portions of stinky tofu the butler had bought, both equal in size, and divided half from one portion into the other. Then, pushing the larger portion toward Wen Qiaozhou, she said cheerfully, “I can’t eat too much at night, or Sister Miaomiao will scold me. Here, you can have more.”

The corners of Wen Qiaozhou’s tightly pursed lips twitched slightly.

It seemed there was no way out of this without telling the truth—there was no way he could bring himself to eat this.

Why did such a food even exist?

Just as Wen Qiaozhou gritted his teeth and steeled himself to come clean to her, his phone rang.

It was Huo Wanfeng calling.

Never had Huo Wanfeng seemed more endearing. Wen Qiaozhou swiftly pulled out his phone and gestured to Xu Qingli that he needed to step out.

Xu Qingli certainly wouldn’t mind.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Once outside the study, Wen Qiaozhou exhaled deeply in relief, then hurried straight to the courtyard. Taking a deep breath of the flower-scented air, he finally felt like he could breathe again and answered the call, “What is it?”

“Want to come over for cards?” Huo Wanfeng’s voice was brimming with joy. “Shu Ruan and I don’t feel like singing, and it’s no fun with just the two of us…”

With his ability to read minds, playing cards was like seeing everyone’s hands laid bare—utterly pointless—so Wen Qiaozhou rarely indulged in playing.

He was about to decline when Huo Wanfeng added, “If Little Pear Blossom joins too, it would be even more fun with the four of us.”

Wen Qiaozhou changed his answer. “Sure.”

Whether they played cards or not didn’t matter; getting Xu Qingli out of the study was the priority. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare see her again tonight. He really couldn’t muster the courage to re-enter that study anymore.

After hanging up, Wen Qiaozhou turned and asked the butler to fetch Xu Qingli, then went to change his clothes.

By the time he came downstairs, Xu Qingli was already waiting in the living room. Hearing his footsteps, she looked up, her expression puzzled when she saw his outfit.

“I noticed the wind picking up earlier, and it’s a bit chilly now.” Wen Qiaozhou handed the coat draped over his arm to Xu Qingli. “I brought an extra jacket for you. If you don’t mind, you can put it on.”

“Ah?” Xu Qingli was flustered. “Thank you, but I-I’m not cold.”

She had never worn a man’s clothes before, and the thought alone made her blush furiously. Far from feeling cold, she was actually a little warm.

“Then you can take it with you,” Wen Qiaozhou insisted, genuinely concerned about the strong wind outside. “You can wear it if you feel cold later.”

“Oh.” Not knowing how to refuse, Xu Qingli reluctantly took the coat and held it in her hands.

The fabric felt soft and luxurious. Worried she might wrinkle it, she loosened her grip slightly, leaving her feeling slightly uneasy.

“Let’s go.” Wen Qiaozhou led the way, heading to find Huo Wanfeng.

Tall and long-legged, he didn’t seem to be walking particularly fast, yet Xu Qingli had to quicken her pace just to keep up. “Where are we going? Aren’t we drawing the portrait anymore? I haven’t finished my sketch…”

Wen Qiaozhou glanced back at her, slowing his steps until they were walking side by side. “The drawing can wait. Huo Wanfeng said there’s something urgent, so let’s see what he needs first.”

“It probably isn’t anything urgent,” Xu Qingli muttered under her breath.

Wen Qiaozhou paused. “Hmm?”

“Oh, Shu Ruan texted me saying they’re short on players for cards. So, they must be together, right?” Xu Qingli hurriedly explained. “If it’s nothing important, maybe we… I mean, maybe I should get back to the portrait?”

She figured that since Wen Qiaozhou had asked her to help Wen Xiangxiang, then he also must care about her. She was even more afraid he might take his frustration out on Huo Wanfeng and Shu Ruan, so she wasn’t keen on joining them.

Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t expected Shu Ruan to text her. His offhand excuse had nearly been exposed, and he couldn’t quite meet her eyes due to the sheer embarrassment of it all. Clearing his throat, he said, “It’s fine. We won’t need it tonight anyway… It’s good to balance work and rest. I shouldn’t have taken up your free time in the first place.”

“I don’t mind,” Xu Qingli quickly waved her hands. “Drawing is like a form of relaxation for me.”

“Still, I’m imposing on you,” Wen Qiaozhou replied.

After going back and forth a few times, they arrived at their destination.

Huo Wanfeng had gone to fetch a pile of snacks and happened to run into them at the door. His face lit up with delight. “Come on in… Little Pear Blossom, what do you want to play?”

Seeing his undisguised enthusiasm, Xu Qingli sighed inwardly. “I’m not very good at games…”

“No problem! If you don’t know how, Seventh Brother Wen can teach you,” Huo Wanfeng said eagerly. “He’s an expert.”

Xu Qingli: “…I know how to play Fight the Landlord¹.”

“Then let’s play Fight the Landlord!” Huo Wanfeng beamed, completely oblivious to the fact that Xu Qingli’s response clearly indicated she didn’t want Wen Qiaozhou teaching her. “Shu Ruan said she’s fine with Fight the Landlord too.”

Wen Qiaozhou’s gaze flickered slightly before he said nonchalantly, “But I don’t know how to play.”

“There’s actually something President Wen can’t do?” Huo Wanfeng was even more amused, laughing mercilessly before suddenly turning to Xu Qingli. “Then let Little Pear Blossom teach you.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

She was about to say she wasn’t good at teaching when Wen Qiaozhou already turned to smile at her, saying, “Then I’ll trouble you, Teacher Xu.”

The cool night breeze along the way had gradually calmed Xu Qingli down, but at his words, her face flushed again, warmth spreading through her body. Unconsciously, she held the coat in her hands a little further away.

“Huh? Why are you holding Seventh Brother Wen’s clothes?” Huo Wanfeng, sharp-eyed, recognized the jacket in her hand and turned to Wen Qiaozhou. “Aren’t you being too lazy? Can’t you carry your own clothes? Little Pear Blossom isn’t your assistant.”

Wen Qiaozhou recalled the hammer the chibi version of Xu Qingli had used to bonk him on the head earlier and wished he could borrow it right now to give Huo Wanfeng a couple more whacks.

How could someone become even more clueless after supposedly gaining awareness²?

Has he really gained awareness or not?

“Where’s Shu Ruan?” Xu Qingli, embarrassed by his words, used the excuse of looking for Shu Ruan to hurry into the house first.

The situation that should have been easy to explain had somehow turned the atmosphere ambiguous.

Wen Qiaozhou shot Huo Wanfeng a glance, shook his head, and followed her inside.

Huo Wanfeng was baffled, but since he was in a good mood today, he didn’t bother arguing with him. Hugging the snacks to his chest, he quickly caught up with them.

Xu Qingli and Shu Ruan were already seated and chatting. Huo Wanfeng hurried to sit beside Shu Ruan, placing the snacks on the table and enthusiastically offering, “Take whatever you like, help yourselves.”

Shu Ruan glanced at the snacks and picked out only a vegetable-flavoured pack. “I gain weight easily, so I shouldn’t eat too much…”

“You’re not fat at all,” Huo Wanfeng quickly interjected. “You’re just right now, even a bit on the thin side.”

“You’re not one of my fans…” Shu Ruan sighed helplessly and pushed the snacks toward Xu Qingli, changing the subject. “Pear Blossom, what do you want to eat?”

Although Xu Qingli wasn’t prone to weight gain, she knew she’d already eaten a lot tonight. Since she hadn’t left the entertainment industry yet, she still had to be somewhat mindful of her image. Remembering that Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t even gotten to eat his stinky tofu, she nudged the snacks toward him. “President Wen, you—”

“Seventh Brother Wen doesn’t eat snacks,” Huo Wanfeng cut in. “Little Pear Blossom, don’t worry about him. He’s ridiculously picky, especially with food. Anything with a slightly strong flavor—”

“Weren’t you going to play cards?” Wen Qiaozhou interrupted. “Are we still playing or not?”

“Yes, yes, we are.” Huo Wanfeng pulled out a deck of cards. “You don’t even know how to play yet, so why the rush?”

Wen Qiaozhou ignored him and turned to Xu Qingli. “Teacher Xu, could you explain the rules to me?”

In her original world, quite a few people had called Xu Qingli “Teacher Xu,” but when Wen Qiaozhou said it, the feeling behind it felt inexplicably different.

Maybe it was his voice, which was naturally deep and magnetic, like rough gravel rolling over her ears, leaving an odd itch in her heart.

“Don’t call me that,” Xu Qingli whispered.

Her tone was normal, but Wen Qiaozhou saw the little girl above her head sitting on a chair, hands clapped over her ears, cheeks slightly flushed, little feet kicking up and down, shaking her head like a rattle drum. Combined with her words, it felt as if Xu Qingli was being coquettish with him.

Wen Qiaozhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he rolled up his sleeves a little. “Then what should I call you?”

“Just my name, or like the others, Pear Blossom is fine.” Xu Qingli lowered her head, quickly searched up the rules for Fight the Landlord, and handed her phone to Wen Qiaozhou. “As for the rules… since you’re so smart, you’ll probably understand just by looking, right?”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

Wasn’t this putting him in a difficult position?

After a brief consideration, Wen Qiaozhou chose the option of being “so smart,” “Then I’ll take a look first and ask you if I don’t understand something.”

“Okay.” Xu Qingli exhaled in relief and instinctively grabbed a bag of chips, opening it and taking a bite.

Eating chips was such a great way to relieve stress.

Beside them, Shu Ruan noticed their interaction and looked thoughtfully at Huo Wanfeng.

Huo Wanfeng suddenly became sharp-witted at this moment, winking at her to imply that there was indeed something going on between them.

Afraid she might not understand, he even took out his phone, preparing to send her a message.

But just then, a new notification popped up on Huo Wanfeng’s phone. His finger accidentally tapped it, opening a photo of a man.

Although Shu Ruan was standing close to him and wasn’t intentionally trying to peek, the photo still inevitably entered her line of sight, causing her to instinctively lean back slightly.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, I don’t know this guy,” Huo Wanfeng said, baffled, worried she might think he had some strange kink. He quickly minimized the photo to check the message and soon figured it out. “This is the arranged marriage prospect someone introduced to Xiangxiang.”

“Huh?” Upon overhearing this, Xu Qingli craned her neck and asked, “Xiangxiang’s arranged marriage prospect? Can I take a look?”

Wen Qiaozhou had said the man was old, ugly, short, and dark.

She wanted to see just how shabby he was. If it really was that bad, she even felt like encouraging Wen Xiangxiang to stand up against it.

“Sure,” Huo Wanfeng pushed his phone toward her. “He’s actually quite good-looking.”

“Huh?” Xu Qingli couldn’t help but blurt out, “But wasn’t it said… that his conditions weren’t very good?”

She eagerly lowered her head to look at the photo, failing to notice the slightly stiff expression of Wen Qiaozhou sitting beside her.

Was every single force tonight determined to expose him?

The man in the photo appeared to be around thirty. Though the half-body shot didn’t reveal his height, he had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and an upright demeanor. He didn’t look dark in the photo, though it didn’t rule out the possibility of photo editing. But even if he were a bit darker, he’d still be a traditionally handsome man.

Xu Qingli couldn’t help but push the phone toward Wen Qiaozhou, gesturing for him to take a look.

This didn’t seem too shabby at all?

“These conditions aren’t good enough for you? They’re only slightly worse than mine,” Huo Wanfeng teased, unaware that Xu Qingli had already been misled by Wen Qiaozhou. “Little Pear Blossom, your standards are a bit high.”

Wen Qiaozhou cleared his throat, barely glancing at the photo before looking up at Huo Wanfeng. “Is this the one whose family sells fish?”

“What do you mean by selling fish? Didn’t I tell you before? His family is in the seafood import-export business,” Huo Wanfeng said helplessly. “Never mind, in President Wen’s eyes, there’s practically no difference between seafood and fish.”

Wen Qiaozhou glanced at Xu Qingli.

Suddenly, it dawned on Xu Qingli. “President Wen, do you consider anyone shorter than you short, anyone less handsome than you ugly, and anyone less fair-skinned than you dark?”

“He’s a pampered young master who lives in the clouds,” Huo Wanfeng chimed in, intending to mock Wen Qiaozhou, though he inadvertently ended up helping him out.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

Thanks to both of you, his cover hadn’t been blown—for now.

---

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
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1. Dou Dizhu (Fight the Landlord) is a popular three-player Chinese card game, typically using a 54-card deck, where one “landlord” plays against two “peasants” to be the first to discard all cards. Players bid for the landlord role, aiming for specific combinations like pairs, sequences, bombs (4 of a kind), or rockets (both jokers). ↩︎
2. Used in the context of ‘gaining awareness’ of their own feelings/opposite gender. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Xu Qingli shrank her neck slightly, not understanding why he was laughing.

“Wen Xiangxiang’s family has arranged a marriage alliance for her. The prospective groom is an older man, reportedly from a family that sells fish. He always carries the smell of fish on him, is dark-skinned, short, and stocky…” Wen Qiaozhou, now in a good mood, stopped teasing her and answered his own question. “She’s in a bad mood since she doesn’t like that man.”

Xu Qingli was stunned.

The novel had mentioned that Wen Xiangxiang’s family had always wanted her to enter an arranged marriage, and after the male and female leads later confirmed their relationship, Wen Xiangxiang did indeed leave the entertainment industry. But as a supporting character, the author only briefly noted that she ultimately chose the arranged marriage, and without specifying who the groom was, Xu Qingli had no way of knowing either.

She had always assumed that since Wen Xiangxiang was part of the Wen family’s collateral branch, the marriage alliance would at least be with someone of equal status, with someone wealthy or good-looking, if not both.

But judging from what Wen Qiaozhou said—just what about that man made him a suitable match for Wen Xiangxiang?

In the novel, Wen Xiangxiang had targeted Shu Ruan and lost in the end. Though she didn’t leave in disgrace like the original owner had, her exit was far less glamorous than her debut, so if the groom’s conditions were poor, it might have made some sense for that to be her ending.

But the current Wen Xiangxiang was still the enviable little princess, so logically, this shouldn’t be the case.

Yet Xu Qingli didn’t doubt Wen Qiaozhou at all. Her first thought was of Wen Xiangxiang mentioning earlier that she had loved art as a child but had to give it up because of her brother. Though she claimed her mother had moved on, it might have been a cover-up. After all, wealthy families often had many unspoken secrets… Could it be that her family disliked her and deliberately found her a shabby match? Xu Qingli vaguely recalled that Wen Xiangxiang’s parents were divorced.

No wonder Wen Xiangxiang was in a bad mood today and acting out of character today.

With her family arranging such a humiliating marriage, and seeing the person she liked making progress with someone else, who could possibly stay calm under such circumstances?

As for Wen Qiaozhou’s question, it had simply been a conversation starter, nothing more.

Xu Qingli felt a little embarrassed. She always assumed Wen Qiaozhou was terrifying, but in reality, he hadn’t done anything particularly unreasonable.

“Well…” Xu Qingli braced her hands on the table, preparing to stand. “I should…”

Go?

Regardless of why Wen Xiangxiang was upset, or how much she sympathized with her, there was nothing she could do to help.

In that case, Wen Xiangxiang’s abrupt departure might indeed have been due to urgent matters.

“Would you like to help her?” Wen Qiaozhou asked at the same time.

Xu Qingli froze, her grip loosening again. “Me? What could I possibly do to help?”

As the head of the Wen family, if he was willing to intervene, it might make a difference. But what influence could she, a nobody, have over Wen Xiangxiang’s family?

“Weren’t you planning to draw her portrait?” Wen Qiaozhou said. “Finish the portrait first. But since she isn’t here, can you work from a photo instead?”

“I can, but…” Xu Qingli looked at him in confusion. “What good would that do?”

In an era where photos could be taken instantly, what use could a hand-drawn portrait possibly have?

“I have my reasons,” Wen Qiaozhou replied calmly, his expression unreadable. “But I can’t explain them yet.”

Xu Qingli was baffled. “Oh.”

Whether Wen Qiaozhou was a good person or a bad person, he was no doubt intelligent—that much was true. So Xu Qingli truly didn’t harbor any doubts about his reasons.

But still, did she really have to draw it here?

Unfortunately, before Xu Qingli could voice her thoughts, Wen Qiaozhou quickly interjected, “Shall we start now? Do you need any other materials? I can have someone bring them over.”

This was the plight of someone with social anxiety. Even if she didn’t want to, once someone else made the decision first, it became difficult for her to refuse after.

Xu Qingli still couldn’t bring herself to suggest leaving after hesitating for a while. Instead, she asked, “Do you know what kind of art style Xiangxiang likes?”

Wen Xiangxiang had already suffered so much, and since Xu Qingli had been the one to propose drawing for her, she might as well go through with it. If it could genuinely bring Xiangxiang a little joy amidst her sadness, then it would be worth it.

“…” Wen Qiaozhou paused, then countered, “Which style are you most skilled in?”

Although her style was indeed quite versatile, how would he know Wen Xiangxiang’s preferences?

“I…” Xu Qingli scratched her head sheepishly. “Actually, I’ve never actually formally studied art, so I don’t really have a defined style.”

So she really hadn’t studied it… So was it all just natural talent?

Wen Qiaozhou grew even more eager to see her work. Of course, he also wanted to understand her background and took the opportunity to ask, “So you taught yourself entirely through self-study?”

He had initially been leaning back in his chair, but now, he leaned forward slightly, as if genuinely interested in her story. He was resting his hands on the table, which just so happened to be right within Xu Qingli’s line of sight.

There was no denying how his hands were truly exquisite, flawless from any angle at any time. Distracted, Xu Qingli answered without thinking, “When I was little, I did have a teacher…”

Before she could finish speaking, she caught herself mid-sentence and quickly shut her mouth, realising she had been exposed.

“A teacher?” Wen Qiaozhou didn’t overthink it. “Not from an art academy I presume?”

“No.” Xu Qingli quickly composed herself, trying to patch up the discrepancy. “I grew up in an orphanage, and life there was pretty dull with little entertainment. I was never very sociable, even as a child. I preferred being alone and would doodle in the sand, drawing whatever I saw. There was a Taoist temple not far from the orphanage. Once, when the orphanage was supposedly haunted, the orphanage director asked the temple’s abbot for help, and afterward, the place actually became quite peaceful. After that, both institutions would help each other out, and sometimes we’d also visit the temple. Later, my teacher came to the temple and said he’d been heartbroken, disillusioned with the world, and wanted to devote the rest of his life to the study of metaphysics…”

Wen Qiaozhou listened intently, unable to resist interjecting, “This teacher of yours sounds… oddly unreliable. Did he abandon his vows and return to the secular world after just a few days as your teacher?”

“You actually guessed right.” Xu Qingli chuckled, her enthusiasm making her forget her usual restraint around him. “He saw me drawing in the sand and said I had some talent, so he wanted to mentor me. But I’d always just experimented on my own, while he was trained systematically. Our approaches were too different, and before I could even grasp his techniques, he left and never came back. So my art is all instinctive, and I’m not really that good.”

Her story was half-truth and half-fiction. The orphanage where the original owner of this body had lived really was near a Taoist temple, and the abbot had been on good terms with the orphanage director. However, the original owner had never studied art, nor had she ever had any such teacher. But surely Wen Qiaozhou wouldn’t be bored enough to investigate that, right?

“Don’t underestimate yourself. Those who can teach themselves are the ones who are truly talented,” Wen Qiaozhou said gently, his fondness for Xu Qingli growing. “Draw according to the style you love and excel at. After all, it’s sincerity that moves people the most. Wen Xiangxiang will feel it too.”

Hearing this, Xu Qingli couldn’t refute it any further and reluctantly spread out her drawing paper in front of him.

“By the way, what fruits or snacks would you like?” Wen Qiaozhou asked again.

Xu Qingli didn’t want to trouble him, “No need.”

“I’ll have someone bring some anyway,” Wen Qiaozhou picked up the ancient book again. “It’s no trouble.”

Xu Qingli swallowed, but merely said, “Anything is fine. I’m not picky.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

A variety of snacks and fruits had already appeared in a circle above her head. The little girl circled a few rounds, like an emperor selecting concubines, before finally deigning to pick a few. Among them, he recognized two fruits—bayberries and lychees. But there was another snack… Wen Qiaozhou, who had never eaten street food before, had no idea what it was and couldn’t recognise it.

At that moment, Wen Qiaozhou realized that having the barrage in text form actually had its own advantages. Xu Qingli’s doodles were adorable but far too hard for him to guess.

“Alright,” Wen Qiaozhou set the book down and stood gracefully. “Keep working on the drawing then, I’ll step out for a moment.”

Xu Qingli was more than happy for him to leave and nodded vigorously.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

As soon as Wen Qiaozhou entered the lobby, the butler hurried over. “President Wen, what would you like to order?”

“Prepare some bayberries and lychees for the study,” Wen Qiaozhou paused, then asked, “There’s also a snack that’s served in a box and looks like a black lump. What is it?”

The butler blinked. “Are you still talking about food?”

“…” Wen Qiaozhou gestured with his hands. “About this big, square-shaped…”

After a moment, the butler suddenly said, “You’re not talking about stinky tofu, are you?”

Stinky tofu?

Wen Qiaozhou had heard of it but never tried it. Now that the butler mentioned it, he vaguely recalled seeing it at street stalls when he was passing by. But since he never ate it, the memory was faint, hence why he hadn’t recognized it at first glance.

“Yes, stinky tofu,” Wen Qiaozhou nodded. “Prepare one—no, two portions.”

The butler stared at him in shock. “Are you sure?”

“Is stinky tofu hard to buy?” Wen Qiaozhou didn’t understand why he was so shocked. The estate was somewhat remote, so if it really was that difficult to buy…

“It’s not hard to buy…” The butler hesitated, before saying with difficulty, “But… Do you know that stinky tofu is called stinky tofu because it smells terrible?”

Wen Qiaozhou, on the other hand, had always had an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell. Any food with an unpleasant odor never made it past his nose. He avoided fish precisely because he couldn’t stand the fishy smell, and even when the scent was barely detectable to others, he could still manage to pick it up.

And now, this man actually wanted stinky tofu? Has his nose stopped working?

“Then go buy it,” Wen Qiaozhou said.

If even the adorable Xu Qingli could eat it, how bad could it really be? At worst, he just wouldn’t have any.

“Very well,” the butler agreed, turning to arrange it, though inwardly, his admiration for President Wen only grew even more.

In order to pursue a girl, he overcame problems he hadn’t been able to overcome for over twenty years.

A person with such determination, was there anything he couldn’t succeed at?

Both bayberries and lychees were readily available, and the butler quickly brought them over. Wen Qiaozhou personally carried the fruit platter into the study.

Xu Qingli worked swiftly, already having finished sketching out a general outline. Even without details, anyone familiar with Wen Xiangxiang would immediately recognize her. It was already incredibly lifelike.

Her art skills were clearly far more impressive than Wen Qiaozhou had expected.

“You’ve worked hard.” Wen Qiaozhou placed the fruit platter in the center of the desk. “Have some fruit.”

“Thank you.” Xu Qingli looked up, her eyes lighting up.

Everything prepared by the Wen family was undoubtedly top-tier. The deep red bayberries still had tiny droplets of water clinging to them, each one looking delightedly plump and juicy. The lychees came in several varieties, all seemingly larger and of better quality than ordinary ones.

The little girl above her head spun in circles with joy, her eyes so full of stars they practically seemed to be overflowing.

Wen Qiaozhou feigned nonchalance, saying, “I just so happened to crave these two kinds of fruit. I wasn’t sure if you’d like them too. Should I have them bring something else instead?”

“No need, I love them.” Xu Qingli answered honestly, her big eyes curving into crescents. Getting exactly what she wanted to eat delivered right to her, how blissful of a life was this!?

Who would’ve thought her tastes would align so perfectly with Wen Qiaozhou’s?

The corners of Wen Qiaozhou’s lips lifted slightly before he picked up the ancient book once more, pretending to calmly flip a page.

Xu Qingli ate two bayberries—their flavor even better than she’d imagined—and couldn’t resist stealing a glance at him.

Wen Qiaozhou saw the little figure of her dancing excitedly and cleared his throat, popping a bayberry into his own mouth.

He usually found bayberries a bit too tart, so he rarely ate them at all. This variety, however, seemed to be much sweeter, and he decided to ask the butler to stock more of them.

Just as his thoughts began to wander, two knocks sounded at the door.

He looked up to see the butler, ever efficient, already back with the stinky tofu.

Wen Qiaozhou motioned for it to be brought in, then said to Xu Qingli, “I also wanted to try some stinky tof—”

Mid-sentence, his nostrils twitched slightly, and the rest of the words died in his throat.

Is this really food?!

Not a biological weapon?!

But before he could stop him, the butler had already opened the takeout box.

Wen Qiaozhou: !!!

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i’m just imagining wen qiaozhou inwardly regretting how efficient his butler is—little did he know that his efficiency would be the exact reason for his downfall (his poor sense of smell LMAO)

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Xu Qingli immediately dismissed her own speculation. Although the novel mentioned Wen Qiaozhou’s uncanny ability to read people’s minds, to the point where it almost seemed as if he possessed actual mind-reading skills, it was ultimately just a metaphor the author used. He didn’t actually have mind-reading abilities.

She couldn’t afford to lose her composure now.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Qingli forced herself to remain calm. “President Wen, what are you talking about?”

“You looked like you’d disconnected for a moment…” Wen Qiaozhou, realizing he might have revealed too much, quickly backtracked. “Have you reconnected now?”

Xu Qingli secretly breathed a sigh in relief. She knew it! It wasn’t that easy for someone to see into another person’s mind. Their thought processes had simply overlapped for a moment.

Still, it was strange that her thought process could align with Wen Qiaozhou’s.

Her friends had always said her way of thinking was unusual, something most people couldn’t follow.

“I wasn’t disconnected…” Xu Qingli naturally refused to admit it, stubbornly insisting, “I just didn’t expect you to be here…”

As she spoke, she turned to look at Wen Xiangxiang, hoping the girl would help her out of this awkward situation.

But the little princess, who had earlier claimed to fear nothing in the world, had already quietly turned her back, pretending to know nothing. Whether she was afraid of Wen Qiaozhou or simply found the two of them unbearable to watch was unclear.

Xu Qingli: “…”

“What do you need?” Fortunately, Wen Qiaozhou swiftly changed the subject, easing her discomfort.

Xu Qingli hurriedly replied, “Just any piece of paper and a pen will do.”

After this little episode, her desire to draw had significantly diminished. She should have just asked the butler for a plain A4 sheet—no, better yet, she shouldn’t have brought up drawing at all.

“Come here.” Wen Qiaozhou turned and walked behind the bookshelves, forcing Xu Qingli to follow him.

Once they rounded the first row of shelves, she realized the space was far more expansive than she’d imagined. Rows upon rows of meticulously arranged bookshelves made this less of a study and more of a private library.

After passing six or seven more shelves, Wen Qiaozhou stopped and gestured for her to look ahead. “We have all kinds of paper here. Have a look and see which one you need.”

Xu Qingli glanced up and was met with a dazzling array. They even had antique-grade archival paper among the collection.

However, she felt too awkward to rummage through someone else’s belongings. She simply picked up a sheet of rice paper nearby. “This one will do. Thank you, President Wen.”

Wen Qiaozhou watched as she remained outwardly composed, while the little figure in her mind scrambled up the bookshelf like a monkey, touching and flipping through everything with glee, eyes crinkled into delighted crescents. He nearly burst out laughing.

“You can take anything you like,” Wen Qiaozhou offered. “There’s plenty more in storage.”

“No need, I wouldn’t use much anyway.” Xu Qingli politely declined. “Thank you, President Wen.”

Meanwhile, the little figure in her mind now dangled precariously from the edge of a shelf, swinging its tiny feet as it stared in Wen Qiaozhou’s direction. Its expression was a mix of regret, envy, and resentment, with two thought bubbles slowly forming beside its head: [Ugh! Flaunting wealth like that!] and [Damn capitalists!]

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

For the first time, being insulted didn’t anger him, in fact, it only made him feel like laughing even more.

“Shall we look at pens next?” Wen Qiaozhou considerately led her around a couple more times.

This time, Xu Qingli moved even faster, grabbing a drawing pencil before turning to leave. “This is enough. Thank you, President Wen.”

Then, it suddenly occurred to her that Wen Xiangxiang hadn’t followed them inside.

Where was she? Still standing by the entrance like she was being punished?

After weaving through the rows of bookshelves, she looked up, only to find the doorway empty.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Where was Miss Wen?

Did she leave without even saying goodbye?

Forget it, she should hurry and leave too.

Just the thought of being alone with Wen Qiaozhou made her scalp prickle with unease.

“I’m going to find Xiangxiang,” Xu Qingli said quickly. “Goodbye, President Wen. Thank you for the paper and pen.”

Just as she finished speaking and was about to leave, the butler suddenly appeared at the door: “Miss Xu.”

“Huh?” Xu Qingli looked at him as if he were a lifeline. “Have you seen Xiangxiang?”

“Miss Xiangxiang said she had urgent business and left first,” the butler replied. “She asked you to enjoy yourself and said she’d find you to draw another time.”

Then, turning to Wen Qiaozhou, he added, “President Wen, Miss Xiangxiang also asked you to take care of Miss Xu.”

Wen Qiaozhou nodded, appearing perfectly agreeable. “Of course.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

Snap! The lifeline had broken.

Wen Xiangxiang, that traitor! Who did she come here for in the first place? How could she just run off without a word? So cruel!

Even worse, she had the nerve to ask Wen Qiaozhou to “take care” of her. Was that really taking care of her? That was practically a death sentence for her!

Why didn’t she dare say that to Wen Qiaozhou’s face?

After delivering his message, the butler swiftly disappeared from the doorway, giving Xu Qingli no chance to ask further questions.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Who would’ve thought this elderly-looking butler could move so fast? Having him guard the estate was obviously a waste of his talent.

“Um…” Though inwardly fuming, Xu Qingli didn’t dare show it. She turned back to Wen Qiaozhou and handed him the paper and pen, saying softly, “Seems I won’t need these after all, but thank you anyway.”

Wen Qiaozhou observed the little figure in her mind, weeping two thick streams of tears while clutching a broken blade of grass, looking utterly dejected. He wondered what sort of emotional turmoil she’d just gone through in such a short time. Instead of taking the items, he asked, “Were you really that eager to draw for Wen Xiangxiang?”

She seemed to hold Wen Xiangxiang and Shu Ruan in particularly high regard, as the mental images she conjured of them were always beautiful.

Unlike him, who still hadn’t made an appearance in her inner thoughts.

Wen Qiaozhou found this to be quite odd. Logically speaking, he and Xu Qingli had interacted quite a bit by now, so why was there still no mental image of him?

Was she too afraid to imagine him, or simply unwilling to?

Humans were strange creatures, he mused. Normally, he couldn’t care less about how others perceived him, dismissing such thoughts as soon as they arose. Yet with Xu Qingli, the lack of an answer only made him more curious.

Faced with his question, Xu Qingli had no choice but to answer honestly, “It wasn’t so much about drawing; Xiangxiang was in a bad mood earlier, so I wanted to distract her with something else, but since she’s busy now, there’s no need for it anymore.”

She thought she had made herself perfectly clear to him, but Wen Qiaozhou’s takeaway was different—so she really could draw.

Every time he glimpsed the scenes in Xu Qingli’s mind, he wondered if she was an artist instead of an actress.

Though imagination and artistic skill were two separate things, and having one didn’t guarantee the other, the level of detail in Xu Qingli’s inner world was extraordinary. Many of the nuanced touches she envisioned weren’t something just anyone could conceive, yet she consistently fleshed out every detail in mere moments.

At first, Wen Qiaozhou thought it was because her mind was simply too active, her imagination running wild. Later, it suddenly occurred to him that some details might not actually be things she was actively thinking about at the moment, but simply habits that had become second nature to her.

Now, it was confirmed that she could indeed draw. Moreover, she had proactively offered to draw for Wen Xiangxiang. Combined with the artistic style he had seen in her inner world, he estimated her skills were quite impressive.

Wen Qiaozhou grew increasingly curious about Xu Qingli.

He had carefully reviewed her detailed background.

She was an orphan, raised in a welfare institution since childhood.

Having volunteered before, Wen Qiaozhou had visited welfare institutions and had some understanding of life there. It wasn’t as if the children starved, but the conditions were far from ideal, and there certainly wasn’t extra money for them to cultivate artistic pursuits.

Xu Qingli had only gotten the chance to learn dance because of her exceptional physical attributes, along with a stroke of luck—a grandson of a renowned dancer had been abducted and ended up in the welfare institution. When the elderly dancer traced the news and came to retrieve his grandson, he happened to notice Xu Qingli’s potential and arranged for her to study dance.

However, after the elderly dancer passed away, the training center he sponsored encountered some issues, and the welfare institution couldn’t afford the extra expenses, forcing Xu Qingli to discontinue her dance lessons.

Given her circumstances, it was highly unlikely she had the opportunity to learn how to draw. Did she pick it up after entering the entertainment industry? Or was her talent for art even greater, and hadn’t been uncovered yet?

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

“Come sit here first,” Wen Qiaozhou said with growing interest, pulling out a nearby chair.

Xu Qingli: “Huh?”

Why wasn’t he letting her leave yet?

Wen Qiaozhou glanced at her, “What? Don’t want to stay with me?”

“No, not at all,” Xu Qingli hurriedly waved her hands, not daring to meet his eyes. “Absolutely not.”

Even if she did, she wouldn’t dare say so. He was her boss, after all!

“Then sit,” Wen Qiaozhou said, picking up the teapot and pouring her a cup of water before sliding it toward her. “Do you know why Wen Xiangxiang is in a bad mood?”

Xu Qingli hesitated before sitting down. Was Wen Qiaozhou just concerned about his little sister¹?

Although the novel described their relationship as strained, with Wen Qiaozhou barely acknowledging this cousin from a branch family, let alone having any affection for her, many details now suggested that reality differed somewhat from the novel.

Wen Xiangxiang wasn’t as domineering as portrayed in the novel, so perhaps Wen Qiaozhou did have some feelings for this little sister of his, even if he rarely showed it.

Should she tell him the truth, then?

Would Wen Qiaozhou hold a grudge against Shu Ruan and Huo Wanfeng because of Wen Xiangxiang?

In the novel, Wen Qiaozhou’s eventual descent into becoming the villain stemmed from irreconcilable conflicts with the male and female leads.

But from what she could see now, their relationship seemed to be quite good, with no apparent friction.

Could Wen Xiangxiang’s situation become the starting point of their conflict?

Originally, neither the male and female leads, nor the antagonist, had anything to do with her. She didn’t plan to alter anyone’s fate just because she had some foreknowledge from transmigrating into the novel. However, as someone with social anxiety, she feared causing trouble or inadvertently creating conflict. Although she couldn’t control others’ disputes, she also didn’t want to be the one who sparked them.

Xu Qingli was utterly torn, her cheeks flushing slightly as she struggled with whether to tell the truth.

Wen Qiaozhou could see her hesitation but couldn’t quite grasp what she was so conflicted about.

Just as he was about to ask, he saw the head of Shu Ruan pop up in front of the little girl. The little figure of Xu Qingli quickly ran over, gently hugged Shu Ruan’s head, and pressed it back into the void, refusing to let it reappear.

Wen Qiaozhou: ?

He was even more confused now. What exactly was she doing?

Immediately after, Huo Wanfeng’s head also popped up. His style was similar to Shu Ruan’s, with his facial features proportionally scaled down, making him easily recognizable.

However, Xu Qingli was far less gentle with Huo Wanfeng than she had been with Shu Ruan. She somehow produced a hammer out of nowhere and gave his head a solid thwack, knocking him straight back down into the void. Seemingly still worried he might pop up again, she even hammered the spot where his head had disappeared a few more times for good measure.

It was like she was playing whack-a-mole.

Wen Qiaozhou even saw Huo Wanfeng retreat with a head full of colorful stars spinning around him.

Wen Qiaozhou had initially been a little put out that Huo Wanfeng had a little figure in her head and not him—but now, the feeling of complete satisfaction truly set in, and he couldn’t help letting out a soft chuckle.

Xu Qingli: ?

---

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

1.  Cousins can still refer to each other as little sister, brother, etc. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

In the end, Wen Qiaozhou invited everyone, not because of the still-clueless Huo Wanfeng, but because he noticed the little figure in Xu Qingli’s mind desperately clinging to Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang, unwilling to let go, and guessed she preferred a livelier gathering.

Truthfully, Xu Qingli didn’t enjoy crowded settings, but compared to being alone with Wen Qiaozhou, she’d still much rather have more people around.

Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang were two of the people she had interacted with most in this world, and she had a favorable impression of them. Having them nearby would also make her feel slightly more at ease. So, if this meal was destined to be unavoidable, she hoped Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang would be there too.

However, she definitely wouldn’t voice this directly after what happened because of the female lead selection last time. Unexpectedly, Wen Qiaozhou suddenly changed his mind on his own this time.

Today happened to be the last day of the promotional shoot, which could be considered its wrap-up day. Wen Qiaozhou took the opportunity to invite the entire filming crew to stay at the estate. They could have dinner first, then some fun.

Though the team had been working here for days, knowing it was the Wen family’s private estate, they hadn’t dared to wander around. Today would be their chance to explore.

The estate was often used to host guests, so it was fully equipped with entertainment facilities, no less impressive than professional venues outside.

Still, everyone remained somewhat restrained. After a quick tour, they settled down and eventually decided to go for karaoke.

Xu Qingli excused herself to the restroom. When she returned and pushed open the door to the karaoke room, she found it already packed with people, all greeting her enthusiastically.

Her scalp prickled with discomfort. Forcing a smile in response, she quickly scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar face that could offer some sense of security.

She spotted Shu Ruan first, but Shu Ruan was already deep in conversation with Huo Wanfeng.

Hearing the commotion, the two turned their heads and nodded at her with smiles. Shu Ruan even waved, gesturing for her to join them.

It seemed they were getting along well today, which was quite a rare sight.

Xu Qingli naturally wouldn’t intrude. Just as she was about to look for someone else, an arm suddenly looped through hers.

As someone who disliked physical contact, Xu Qingli stiffened, about to pull away when she noticed from the corner of her eye that it was Wen Xiangxiang and forced herself to stay still.

“Let’s sit over there.” Unaware of Xu Qingli’s subtle sense of discomfort, Wen Xiangxiang tugged her toward the sofa.

Xu Qingli didn’t want her to see Shu Ruan and Huo Wanfeng either, so she hurried along, instinctively blocking her view.

Several people were already seated on the sofa, but they stood up to make room when the two approached. Wen Xiangxiang, however, headed straight for the corner.

This wasn’t like her usual behavior. Xu Qingli felt a flicker of confusion but didn’t dwell on it.

“Xiangxiang, Pear Blossom, what songs do you want to sing?” someone immediately asked enthusiastically. “I’ll queue them up for you.”

“My throat’s a bit sore today, so I won’t sing.” Wen Xiangxiang nudged Xu Qingli. “Pear Blossom, you go ahead.”

Xu Qingli hastily waved her hands. “I won’t either. You all enjoy yourselves, don’t mind us.”

The person hesitated briefly but didn’t press further before walking away.

Xu Qingli glanced sideways at Wen Xiangxiang. She had pulled her over but wasn’t engaging in conversation. Though she appeared to be smiling while watching others sing, her gaze… wasn’t actually on the singers at all. Instead, it subtly drifted through the crowd, lingering covertly on Huo Wanfeng.

It turns out she had already seen it, but was just pretending not to know.

Xu Qingli sighed silently in her heart. The novel described Wen Xiangxiang as arrogant and domineering, caring only about her own preferences and never considering others’ feelings. But now, it seemed that wasn’t entirely true.

In the room, some were singing, some chatting, others playing games… with everyone talking at once, the room was like a pot of boiling congee bubbling noisily. Only their little corner remained quiet, as if in another world altogether.

The shifting lights resembled a shattered jar of colored crystals, casting fragmented, multicolored shapes across people’s faces.

In the distance, Huo Wanfeng must have said something amusing, because Shu Ruan finally smiled, like a blooming rose, breathtakingly beautiful under the lights. Huo Wanfeng was laughing too, though with a hint of foolishness, clearly mesmerized by the sight.

Xu Qingli found herself staring at them as well.

Wen Xiangxiang suddenly turned to her, leaning in to ask, “Pear Blossom, why aren’t you singing? I remember you have a lovely voice.”

This was obviously an attempt to divert attention, and proved that her focus hadn’t been on this side at all.

Xu Qingli withdrew her gaze and sighed inwardly again.

But she wasn’t good at comforting others, and Wen Xiangxiang’s attitude made it clear she didn’t want her feelings to be noticed. Xu Qingli genuinely didn’t know what to say. After a moment’s thought, she countered with a question of her own, “Xiangxiang, do you like painting?”

The question seemed completely random, but in that instant, Xu Qingli truly felt the urge to paint a portrait of Wen Xiangxiang.

Wen Xiangxiang blinked in surprise but answered honestly, “I do. I even took lessons for a while when I was younger.”

“Then why didn’t you continue?” Xu Qingli found it odd. Given Wen Xiangxiang’s family background, financial constraints couldn’t have been the issue.

“I have an older brother who also learned painting from a young age. His teachers all said he had remarkable talent for it. My mother always believed he would become an outstanding artist.” Wen Xiangxiang’s expression turned peculiar. “Later, he died in an accident… My mother was devastated. She couldn’t bear to see anyone paint after that, so I naturally gave it up.”

Xu Qingli hadn’t expected such a reason and immediately panicked, apologizing hastily. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know—”

“It’s fine.” Wen Xiangxiang shook her head. “It was many years ago. My mother has moved on now, and we even visit art exhibitions together sometimes… Why? Do you paint too?”

“A little.” Xu Qingli took her wrist and stood up. “Come with me.”

“Where to?” Wen Xiangxiang asked as she followed her out of the private room.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

This was the Wen family’s private estate, so although there wasn’t a front desk selling supplies, there was still a butler that managed everything.

Xu Qingli happened to run into the butler in the lobby and politely asked if they could spare a pen and paper.

“Of course. Ladies, please follow me.” The butler personally led them to the study, explaining that all kinds of paper and pens were available there for them to choose from.

“Here we are.” The butler stopped at the study door, pushing it open. “Make yourselves at home.”

He remained at the doorway, neither entering nor even glancing inside, before turning away to attend to his duties, showing not the slightest suspicion toward them.

Xu Qingli guessed it was because Wen Xiangxiang was with her. The estate didn’t usually see many visitors, and the butler must have been busy today, so she didn’t press further. After thanking him, she stepped into the study.

At that moment, a figure emerged from behind the front row of bookshelves in the study. It was Wen Qiaozhou!

He had changed into some casual loungewear, sporting a light coffee-colored thin pullover sweater with the sleeves slightly rolled up, revealing the prominent bones of his wrists. He held a heavy old book in his hand, and faint blue veins were visible on the back of his hand due to his grip.

Hearing the sound, he lifted his gaze, and the two of them locked eyes.

The little chibi girl on her head stared blankly in his direction, clearly not expecting to run into him.

Wen Qiaozhou found it amusing to see her frozen in place without even blinking, as if someone had cast a paralysis spell on her. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed a speech bubble slowly appearing above the chibi’s head: [Your little cutie has gone offline. Please reconnect.]

Wen Qiaozhou nearly laughed out loud. How could this girl be so adorable?

At a time like this, she still had such vivid inner details—was she really offline or not?

Ever since he first saw the chibi version of Xu Qingli above her head, Wen Qiaozhou had wanted countless times to reach out and touch it.

But he had restrained himself before. This time, however, he couldn’t resist the urge. He extended a finger and lightly tapped the chibi on her head.

Of course, the chibi had no physical form. His finger passed through it and landed directly on Xu Qingli’s head. Her hair was soft and smooth, brushing against his skin with a faint tickle.

Medically speaking, fingertips are rich in capillaries, with thin skin and are highly sensitive to the touch, and it really did seem to be the case.

Medicine also says that the fingers are connected to the heart, so the slight itch he felt in his chest just now must also be perfectly normal.

Caught off guard by his sudden move, Xu Qingli jerked her head up and stared at him with wide eyes.

What are you doing?!

Wen Qiaozhou snapped back to reality, cleared his throat, and withdrew his hand, placing it behind his back. He subtly rubbed his fingertips together, his expression calm as he smiled and asked, “Reconnected yet?”

Xu Qingli looked away in disbelief: !!!

What is he talking about?

Could he really know what she’s thinking just by looking at her?!

Author’s Note:

Wen Qiaozhou: You guessed right, baby. So clever.

The little chibi frantically shakes its head: Definitely impossible. I must be wrong.

---

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Wen Qiaozhou personally opened the car door for her?

Xu Qingli was so stunned she froze. It wasn’t until Shui Miao gave her a push from behind that she snapped out of it, scrambling into the car and quickly scooting over to the other side.

Wen Qiaozhou withdrew his hand and turned to look at Shui Miao.

“You go ahead,” Shui Miao said quickly, catching on immediately. “I still have some things to take care of here.”

Wen Qiaozhou nodded politely. “There’s another company car behind.”

After seeing Shui Miao nod in acknowledgement, he turned and got into the car, settling in before closing both the door and window, completely ignoring Xu Linhe the entire time.

“Let’s go,” Wen Qiaozhou said to the driver. “Take Miss Xu home first.”

Only then did Xu Qingli fully register the situation—she was actually sitting alone in a car with Wen Qiaozhou!

Even though the luxury vehicle had plenty of space, she suddenly didn’t know what to do with her hands or feet.

Wen Qiaozhou remained silent for a moment, but Xu Qingli could feel his gaze on her. His gaze was always overwhelming, making her even more nervous. Clutching the seatbelt, she hastily grasped for a topic to break the silence. “Th-Thank you for earlier, President Wen.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it immediately. Why did she have to bring that topic up?

If Wen Qiaozhou asked about it, how was she supposed to answer?

Sure enough, Wen Qiaozhou took the bait and followed up, asking, “What happened between you and Xu Linhe?”

Xu Qingli: “…”

Before she could figure out how to respond, Wen Qiaozhou called her name again. “Xu Qingli, look at me.”

Perhaps it was the authority ingrained from years of leadership, but every word and action of his carried an undeniable weight, compelling obedience almost instinctively.

Xu Qingli was no exception. She instinctively raised her eyes to meet his.

Wen Qiaozhou noticed that the chibi version of her atop her head had changed its styles—no longer cute and adorable, but now drawn with realism. The tiny figure was dressed elegantly, teetering on stiletto heels as she walked across a patch of gravel. The precarious wobble of those thin heels was nerve-wracking to watch.

His concern wasn’t unfounded. In the next moment, the ground beneath the tiny figure suddenly gave way, forming a small pit. One heel twisted and got stuck, throwing her completely off balance as she lurched forward in a clumsy stumble.

A pair of arms reached out just in time to steady her.

The tiny figure looked up in panic, and following her gaze, Wen Qiaozhou saw the owner of those arms—it was Xu Linhe.

But this time, in Xu Qingli’s inner world, or rather, in her memory, he wasn’t the monstrous figure with a gaping maw. Instead, he appeared in the same realistic style, seemingly a miniature version of the real Xu Linhe.

Their eyes met, sparks seeming to fly between them, and Xu Linhe’s hands, which had been supporting Xu Qingli’s arms, slid down to her waist.

Wen Qiaozhou frowned. Just then, Xu Qingli lowered her head, and the scene abruptly ended.

“He helped me once before,” Xu Qingli said. “Now it’s just… a misunderstanding.”

Wen Qiaozhou gave a faint hum and said nothing more.

Since she really didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t press her.

He had never been this patient with anyone before.

Moreover, after seeing that scene, Wen Qiaozhou was also puzzled—even though both versions seemed to be Xu Qingli’s own self-portraits, for some reason, they felt like two entirely different people to him.

Was it just because of the difference in art style?

It seemed so, yet that also didn’t seem to quite be the case.

There was something off about it, but Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

This feeling wasn’t pleasant—he had almost forgotten the feeling since he hadn’t experienced it in a long time.

In the past, he was able to easily see through people’s true feelings due to his supernatural abilities. Yet now, ironically, that same ability also plunged him into confusion, unable to see through one particular person.

In a way, was this some form of retribution for him?

Wen Qiaozhou let out a self-deprecating scoff.

The car was too quiet, and despite how soft his voice was, Xu Qingli could still hear him clearly.

Was he laughing at her?

Xu Qingli silently shifted closer to the window, not daring to let her gaze wander, keeping it fixed downward. Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Wen Qiaozhou resting his hand on the center armrest.

The soft interior lighting, like a filter, made his hand look even more like a work of art.

Xu Qingli had only glimpsed it briefly earlier and hadn’t taken a good look. But now, with such a perfect opportunity in front of her, she couldn’t help but stare a little longer.

She didn’t know if other creators were also like this, but once Xu Qingli entered her creative zone, she would often lose herself in her emotions, forgetting where she was and ignoring everything around her.

This was also one of the reasons for her social anxiety. Inspiration often struck her unexpectedly. She might be in the middle of a group conversation when suddenly she’d zone out, which was considered both impolite and made her seem antisocial. After it happened too many times, she stopped going out altogether.

Today was no different. As she stared, Xu Qingli unwittingly slipped into her own world, completely forgetting Wen Qiaozhou was beside her.

At one point, she even thought, If only I had a ruler, then I could measure how long his fingers really are… 

Then she felt the car jolt slightly as it came to a stop.

Confused, she looked up and realized they had already arrived at her apartment complex.

Wen Qiaozhou’s driver was very polite, not uttering a single word as he waited quietly.

Snapping back to reality, Xu Qingli flushed crimson, pressing herself hard against the seatback before bouncing up again. Fumbling with the seatbelt, she yanked open the door and muttered, “Thank you, President Wen,” without looking up.

Wen Qiaozhou watched the bright red tips of her ears, then withdrew his hand that had now stiffened slightly, flexing it gently.

Just as she was about to close the door, he suddenly called out, “Xu Qingli.”

“Huh?” She glanced at him quickly before lowering her head again.

Above her head, there was only a grave, with a speech bubble floating above it: [Got something to say? Burn some paper offerings¹.]

The tombstone read: Here lies Xu Qingli.

The epitaph contained just one sentence: This person was definitely not a pervert.

The scene was in black and white, with a chilly breeze howling in the background, making it both tragic and hilarious.

“Be careful on your way back,” Wen Qiaozhou said, his voice tinged with an uncontrollable hint of amusement.

“Thank you.” Xu Qingli shut the door, hunched her shoulders, and scurried toward the elevator like an ostrich.

Wen Qiaozhou’s lips curved slightly. He didn’t look away until she had entered the building, then glanced down at his hand.

There was a thin callus on the knuckle of his middle finger; he wondered if that would affect its aesthetic appeal?

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

By the time Xu Qingli got home, her cheeks were still burning. She rushed to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.

Finally calming down, she received a call from Shui Miao, who asked if anything had happened while she was in Wen Qiaozhou’s car.

Naturally, Xu Qingli was too embarrassed to recount her own embarrassing moment, so she just said they had remained silent the whole ride.

Shui Miao sounded a little disappointed, saying she should have taken the chance to ask Wen Qiaozhou why he seemed so interested in her.

Xu Qingli had been so focused on how to draw his hands earlier that she had completely forgotten about everything else, so she had nothing to say upon hearing this and fell silent.

Shui Miao, thinking she might be upset, quickly added that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future and urged her to rest well tonight since filming would continue the next day.

But Xu Qingli couldn’t sleep at all. Out of habit, she wanted to calm her mind by drawing, but when she opened the drawer, she saw her unfinished sketch of Wen Qiaozhou. The missing details in the drawing included the hands… and so she couldn’t bring herself to continue.

That night, Xu Qingli tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep. In her dream, she vaguely seemed to grasp someone’s hand. It was exceptionally beautiful, like a jade carving, and she couldn’t resist running her fingers over it repeatedly. It felt slightly broader than she had imagined, warm and dry, with a strong, powerful presence.

She even took a ruler to measure the length of the fingers in her dream. By the time she woke up, she couldn’t recall the exact numbers, but she did remember startling herself in the dream.

Then she really did startle herself—was she really this far gone? To the point where she was even dreaming about it!

She had always been a bit of a fangirl, but never to this extent.

Xu Qingli was exasperated with herself. She ended up on edge when she went to film the promotional video, afraid of running into Wen Qiaozhou.

Fortunately, Wen Qiaozhou wasn’t that free and didn’t appear during the subsequent shoots.

Instead, on the last day of filming, Huo Wanfeng came to visit the set. He sat on the sidelines for a long time, watching, and even offered a few suggestions, all of which were favorable to Xu Qingli.

Those working in the entertainment industry were all shrewd people, and they treated Xu Qingli with even more courtesy afterward.

Shui Miao wasn’t entirely sure about Huo Wanfeng’s intentions and grew a little concerned. She discreetly pulled Xu Qingli aside and asked, “Is there something between you and Second Young Master Huo? Is he here for you, or is he just looking out for you on behalf of President Wen?”

“Neither,” Xu Qingli shook her head. “He’s here for Shu Ruan.”

“I heard he went to check on the other sets a couple of days ago,” Shui Miao said, half-convinced. “But he only took a quick look before leaving. He didn’t stay this long or offer any suggestions. We thought those earlier visits were just groundwork for today.”

“It’s probably because Shu Ruan doesn’t want anything to do with him, right?” Xu Qingli saw through their relationship with perfect clarity. “I’ll go ask him. He definitely has something in mind.”

Huo Wanfeng was sitting under a sunshade, sipping coffee. When he saw Xu Qingli approaching, he quickly straightened up. “You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s my job,” Xu Qingli replied, sitting across from him. Noticing that Shui Miao had ushered the other staff away, she cut straight to the point. “Young Master Huo, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”

Huo Wanfeng seemed caught off guard by her straightforwardness. He rubbed his head, suddenly a little embarrassed. “I came on behalf of Seventh Master Wen, but… I do actually have something to ask you. There’s an endorsement opportunity for a makeup brand. I wonder if you’d be interested?”

He mentioned the brand name—a high-end one that had been referenced in the book. The current head of the brand was close friends with Huo Wanfeng. In the original novel, this endorsement had gone directly to Shu Ruan.

Xu Qingli immediately saw through his intentions.

Huo Wanfeng wasn’t trying to offer her the endorsement; his real goal was to get it to Shu Ruan.

Perhaps he had already approached Shu Ruan and been rejected, or maybe he sensed her resistance and hadn’t dared to ask her directly yet.

Since Xu Qingli had been the one to recommend Shu Ruan for the promotional video’s lead role, he was trying to replicate that path—first offering it to Xu Qingli, then having her pass it on to Shu Ruan. If she didn’t make the introduction, they’d likely propose a dual-endorsement deal during negotiations, still pushing her to bring Shu Ruan in.

The book described Huo Wanfeng as someone who appeared frivolous but was actually quite simple-minded. Still, Xu Qingli hadn’t expected him to be quite this naive.

Under normal circumstances, she and Shu Ruan were about the same age and from the same company, which meant they were in direct competition with each other. So how could she possibly introduce every resource she got to Shu Ruan?

If this were any other artist genuinely trying to make it in the entertainment industry, Huo Wanfeng’s approach would have probably offended both sides.

Fortunately, he ran into someone like her, who wanted nothing more than to leave the industry. If not for the fact that there was no rule allowing contract termination by passing the civil service exam in this world, she would have already gritted her teeth and taken it. Why would she care about resources? She’d be happier with none at all.

However, given Xu Qingli’s personality, even if she understood the situation, she wouldn’t say it outright. After some thought, she replied, “I remember this brand leans toward a sexy image, which suits Shu Ruan better. Why don’t you ask her?”

Huo Wanfeng probably wanted her to say exactly that, and since she had no interest in taking on new work anyway, she was happy to oblige and save them both time.

Sure enough, Huo Wanfeng visibly relaxed upon hearing her words and then said, “They’re trying a new style this time, though they won’t abandon their original aesthetic… So, both of you could endorse it together.”

Xu Qingli naturally wasn’t keen on the idea and felt a bit frustrated. Though she didn’t want to meddle in their relationship, she couldn’t help but comment, “Young Master Huo, this isn’t how you should pursue a woman.”

“Huh?” Huo Wanfeng was taken aback. “What do you mean…?”

Although Xu Qingli had never been in a relationship, she drew comics and read novels, so she considered herself well-versed in the theory of romance. However, she rarely discussed such topics with people she wasn’t close to.

Seeing Huo Wanfeng fumble around like this made her anxious. After all, in the novel, he and Shu Ruan were quite sweet together, and Shu Ruan was genuinely happy. She worried that disrupting the plot might trigger a chain of negative consequences. So, for once, she overcame her social anxiety and started giving advice about love to a man: “Everyone likes to feel special, especially those who are in love. Being nice to everyone, in a way, means being nice to no one…”

Before she could finish, Huo Wanfeng suddenly spoke to someone behind her, “Go away, don’t eavesdrop.”

Was someone there?

Xu Qingli turned around in confusion and locked eyes with Wen Qiaozhou, who was watching her thoughtfully.

Xu Qingli: !!!

When did he get here?

She quickly turned back, but Wen Qiaozhou had already seen it. The little girl above her head clutched its head with its hands, its exposed skin burning red, steam puffing out from both ears as if she were about to combust.

The corner of Wen Qiaozhou’s lips curled. What was there to be so shy about?

“Weren’t you on a business trip?” Huo Wanfeng, who had only heard the beginning of Xu Qingli’s advice, was annoyed at the interruption and snapped at Wen Qiaozhou, “Why are you back?”

“Do I need your permission to return?” Wen Qiaozhou shot back before taking a seat beside Xu Qingli. He turned to her and asked, “Finished shooting?”

Huo Wanfeng’s eyes lit up, and he cut in, “Yeah, it’s just about time to clock out. Let’s grab dinner with Shu Ruan and Xiangxiang.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…Can’t you invite them yourself?”

“Fine, I’ll treat everyone, okay?” Huo Wanfeng clearly missed the point. “Including you.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…Blockhead.”

What a waste of her teaching.

---

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

1. “有事烧纸” refers to the folk practice of burning joss paper for the dead, humorously implying she’s “dead to the world.” ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Xu Qingli inexplicably felt the atmosphere at the dinner table was somewhat oppressive, as if someone was staring at her with an intense, almost scorching gaze.

Not wanting to dwell on whose gaze it was, Xu Qingli quickly found an excuse to slip away to the restroom for some peace.

But just as she finished washing her hands, someone followed her in. Looking up, she saw it was Shu Ruan.

The two exchanged a glance, and Shu Ruan sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Qingli found herself more inclined to be friendly with beauties and, for once, took the initiative to ask someone a question.

Shu Ruan turned on the faucet to wash her hands and said, “Same as you.”

Xu Qingli was momentarily confused, staring at her blankly.

Same as her?

“Didn’t you come out here to avoid Xu Linhe?” Shu Ruan paused, then asked uncertainly, “Even though the two of you seem close, you don’t seem very interested in engaging with him. Or did I misread that?”

“Oh, right.” Xu Qingli finally understood what she meant and was also quite surprised. “Are you avoiding Huo Wanfeng?”

Tonight, the only one who had been actively pursuing Shu Ruan was Huo Wanfeng.

In the original novel, the female lead adored the male lead. Despite harbouring many misunderstandings about him during the early stage of their relationship due to rumours, although she never admitted her feelings for him aloud, she always held a soft spot for him in her heart and had never avoided him before. That was why Xu Qingli hadn’t made the connection earlier.

“Yeah.” Shu Ruan curled her lips. “A good-for-nothing playboy who falls in love with every woman he meets…”

She stopped short of saying anything harsher, but the meaning was clear. She had no fondness for Huo Wanfeng whatsoever and even found him annoying.

Xu Qingli was taken aback at first but quickly realized why. In the novel, Shu Ruan’s first meeting with Huo Wanfeng happened when he had saved her and helped her out of a tight spot. In her heart, his heroic first impression had already taken root, so no matter what others said, she would find excuses to defend him or at least remain skeptical.

But now, the reality was that on the night Shu Ruan had been in danger, Huo Wanfeng, for some reason, had never shown up. In the end, it was Xu Qingli who had saved her.

The same principle of first impressions applied, but this time, Shu Ruan’s initial impression of Huo Wanfeng came from others’ descriptions—a spoiled, womanizing playboy. So when he immediately started fawning over her, it naturally didn’t earn him any favor. Instead, it only made her disdain him more.

Xu Qingli suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.

Would Huo Wanfeng still be able to win back his wife? Did she bear some responsibility for this?

Just as Xu Qingli was about to say something, a haughty voice suddenly came from behind them, “If you’re unhappy, why not say it to his face? What’s the point of gossiping behind someone’s back?”

The two turned to see Wen Xiangxiang had also come in.

“Not everyone has the privilege of a good family background, allowing them to say whatever they want,” Shu Ruan retorted with a mocking smile. “Little princess.”

“If you’re spineless, just admit it. Don’t drag family background into it. It’s pathetic to enjoy someone’s attention while badmouthing them behind their back.” Wen Xiangxiang clearly didn’t like the nickname “little princess” and bristled in response, “If you rejected him outright in public, with Seventh Brother around, who would dare pressure you? You didn’t even refuse him, yet you assume he’d definitely pester you. Are you that full of yourself, or are you just so insecure that you’re afraid he’ll actually ignore you and then have nothing to brag about?”

“Is President Wen available 24 hours a day?” Shu Ruan was so angry that her face turned red, but thinking of Wen Xiangxiang’s status, she held back and decided not to engage with her anymore. She grabbed Xu Qingli’s hand and said, “Pear Blossom, let’s go.”

However, Wen Xiangxiang immediately grabbed on to Xu Qingli’s other hand, “Pear Blossom, don’t you think I’m right?”

Xu Qingli: “…”

Just a moment ago, when Shu Ruan said she held no favourability for Huo Wanfeng, Xu Qingli was still pondering, thinking that since the plot now seemed to be diverging from the original novel, could she also avoid her own predetermined ending?

Now, however, it seems things weren’t that simple.

Some settings seemed to remain unchanged regardless of the story’s direction, such as the conflict between the female lead and the female supporting character.

In the novel, the conflict between Wen Xiangxiang and Shu Ruan arose from the casting for a promotional video.

This time, despite both of them having become the female leads for the promotional video, they still somehow couldn’t help but clash over a casual remark.

At first, Xu Qingli was confused about their conflict, but after Wen Xiangxiang’s long speech, she finally understood—although Wen Xiangxiang was just from a collateral branch of the Wen family, she had many opportunities to play with the Wen family’s children since childhood, and since Huo Wanfeng often visited the Wen family, the two of them were quite familiar with each other.

Others might think Huo Wanfeng wasn’t serious about his work, but she had genuinely seen many of his strengths and had eventually developed feelings for him. However, she knew her fate was only to enter into a marriage alliance, so she never tried to pursue anything with him.

But she couldn’t stand it when someone spoke ill of Huo Wanfeng behind his back, tarnishing his sincerity.

In the novel, the conflict between Wen Xiangxiang and Shu Ruan was only in small part due to the casting. In fact, the main reason stemmed more from Huo Wanfeng.

Currently, Shu Ruan has no emotional foundation with Huo Wanfeng, and her attitude toward him is even worse than in the novel. This conflict would likely be very difficult to resolve.

Xu Qingli didn’t consider herself cut out for mediating, nor did she want to do so.

She just wanted to come out and for some peace and quiet, so how exactly had she been caught up in this bizarre tug-of-war?

It was truly headache inducing. What should she do?

“Um…” Xu Qingli looked left and right, feeling awkward, when her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a tall and elegant figure walking by outside the door. In a moment of impulse, she shouted, “President Wen!”

Wen Qiaozhou turned around and, at first glance, spotted the little figure above Xu Qingli’s head, being pulled by Wen Xiangxiang and Shu Ruan on either side. Although she looked a bit embarrassed being sandwiched in between them, there also seemed to be something somewhat beautiful about it?

He understood now. Xu Qingli’s inner soul was probably, possibly… a bit of a lovesick fool.

Wen Qiaozhou paused for a moment before speaking, “What’s going on here?”

“President Wen.”

“Seventh Brother.”

The moment Wen Qiaozhou turned around, Wen Xiangxiang and Shu Ruan both let go of her hands and quickly slipped away, “We’re heading back now.”

In the blink of an eye, only Xu Qingli and Wen Qiaozhou were left at the scene.

Xu Qingli moved her fingers, feeling a bit of warmth still lingering in her palms, but the two who had just pulled her in both directions had already run off.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Shu Ruan could be excused, but why did Wen Xiangxiang, who had just mocked Shu Ruan for being timid, run away herself?

“I’m going back too,” Xu Qingli finally reacted and also wanted to slip away.

“Xu Qingli.” However, Wen Qiaozhou called out to her.

Xu Qingli had no choice but to halt and turn to look at him.

The little figure above her head had once again taken on a bound state.

Wen Qiaozhou frowned slightly, weighing his words for a moment before saying, “Our Wen family is a legitimate company.”

“Mm.” Xu Qingli looked at him blankly.

The little figure was still tied up, but now there was an extra ring of question marks above its head. Its big eyes were wide open, filled with nothing but pure confusion.

Wen Qiaozhou really wanted to pluck a couple of those question marks off her head. Was what he said really that hard to understand?

His fingers twitched slightly as he slipped his hands into his pockets, deciding to be more straightforward. “If anyone gives you trouble, you can report it to the company management.”

For example, she could come straight to him for help.

“Okay,” Xu Qingli nodded, but the question marks above her head didn’t decrease. Instead, another ring of them seemed to appear.

Wen Qiaozhou felt like his trypophobia was about to start acting up. He took a moment to steady himself before continuing, “If you encounter problems outside the company, you can also seek help from the company. Since we’ve signed a contract, we’re in a partnership. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask.”

“Thank you, President Wen.” Xu Qingli couldn’t understand why he was suddenly saying all this. Maybe he was trying to show concern as a leader for his employees? She wasn’t good at dealing with superiors, but she had heard about how to before. Seeing that Wen Qiaozhou seemed dissatisfied with her response, she racked her brain for a compliment. “President Wen, you’re truly the most conscientious capita—boss I’ve ever met!”

After saying this, she quickly lowered her head.

Oh my god! So awkward!

Cringing so hard I could dig a hole with my toes!

After a long silence without any response from Wen Qiaozhou, Xu Qingli cautiously looked up at him.

At that very moment, Wen Qiaozhou saw the little figure above her head suddenly tumble headfirst into a huge pit.

He was so startled that he instinctively reached out to help it.

But just as he extended his hand, he saw the little figure climb back up and shake its toes.

Somehow, its shoes had disappeared, and its round little toes were now covered in dirt.

Wen Qiaozhou usually didn’t engage with internet slang, but in that instant, it clicked for him—Xu Qingli was so embarrassed that she had “dug a hole with her toes¹,” then accidentally fell into the very pit she had dug.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

He realized that most people simply couldn’t keep up with this girl’s train of thought. Deciding it was pointless to continue, he turned and walked away.

Xu Qingli had no idea that her toe-digging had been witnessed. She just sighed in relief and lingered outside a little longer before returning to the private room.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The rest of the dinner went smoothly, and it didn’t take long for the gathering to end.

Xu Qingli made an excuse about her manager needing her and quickly slipped away.

“How did it go?” Shui Miao, who had indeed been waiting for her at the entrance, asked in a hushed voice the moment she saw her. “Nothing happened, right?”

“Nothing,” Xu Qingli replied.

“That’s good,” Shui Miao said, relieved.

“But let’s get out of here quickly,” Xu Qingli urged, eager to escape this troublesome place.

The two hurried to the parking garage, but just as they found their car, Xu Linhe suddenly appeared from the side. “Pear Blossom.”

Xu Qingli froze.

Why had he followed them out?

“Teacher Xu,” Shui Miao reacted quickly, greeting him with a smile. “We have something urgent to attend to, so we’ll be leaving first. Let’s catch up another time.”

“What’s the rush?” Xu Linhe didn’t step aside. Instead, he moved closer to Xu Qingli, smirking. “Pear Blossom, why does it seem like you’re avoiding me?”

Xu Qingli frowned slightly, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. He had been perfectly fine during dinner. Still, she tried to stay calm. “No, why would I avoid you?”

“Isn’t that something only you would know?” Xu Linhe said teasingly. “Maybe you’re afraid I’ll get in the way of you catching a wealthy husband?”

“Teacher Xu, you’ve misunderstood,” Shui Miao quickly interjected. “Who’s spreading these rumors anyway? It must be because they have ulterior motives. Teacher Xu, you mustn’t fall for it.”

As she spoke, she cast a puzzled glance at Xu Qingli, who was equally baffled by his sudden change in attitude.

“So seeing it with my own eyes is a misunderstanding too?” Xu Linhe sneered. “After eating the food I served you, you immediately ran off to meet someone in secret… Xu Qingli, do you think you can use me and then discard me so easily? Well, think again!”

Xu Qingli suddenly realized that Xu Linhe must have seen her talking with Wen Qiaozhou outside the restroom.

…

Did everyone end up going to the restroom during this meal?!

“First of all, you’re mistaken. There was no secret meeting,” Xu Qingli retorted, her patience wearing thin. She steeled herself and added bluntly, “Secondly, even if I were involved with someone else, it’s none of your business, is it? After all, we aren’t involved in any way.”

If she offended him, so be it. If he wanted to blacklist her, all the better then.

If this really led to the same ending as in the novel, then so be it. Better for her to die early and be reborn sooner.

“Having someone powerful backing you sure makes a difference. Look how bold you’ve become,” Xu Linhe said sarcastically. “Xu Qingli, have you forgotten? The first time we met, you were the one who threw yourself at me, trying to seduce me.”

The original owner had first met Xu Linhe on a film set. Back then, she was new to the industry, inexperienced in every way. Eager to make an impression on her first day, she had dressed beautifully, pairing her outfit with a stylish pair of stiletto heels.

But she had forgotten—the film was titled Battlefield for a reason. It was a war drama, and the set was rough, full of dust, rocks, and uneven terrain.

The original owner had accidentally stepped into a pit and was about to fall when Xu Linhe, who happened to be nearby, caught her as she instinctively reached out to him.

At the time, the original owner hadn’t yet mastered the art of “keeping fish on the hook.” She genuinely hadn’t intended for anything to happen with Xu Linhe, considering his status too high for her to approach.

But after catching her, Xu Linhe himself had behaved ambiguously first, leading the original owner to develop further ideas later.

Regardless of how it started, it was true that the original owner had indeed been stringing him along. Xu Qingli didn’t want to drag this out any longer and cut straight to the point, “You know better than I do what happened back then. Still, I’ve always been grateful to you for saving me. If that led to any misunderstandings, I apologize, I truly am sorry. But I swear, I’ve never had any feelings for you beyond those of a regular colleague. If I’m lying, may I flop immediately and leave the entertainment industry forever.”

The truth was, Xu Linhe didn’t actually care for Xu Qingli that much either. If he had, he wouldn’t have merely played with her affections for the past two years without any intention of commitment. That was also why he had let their ambiguous relationship continue for so long.

When he saw Wen Qiaozhou and Xu Qingli “meeting in secret,” today, he had been furious—partly because he did have some feelings for her, hence the flirtation, but most of it had been out of anger. Anger that they had already gotten together, yet watched him fawn over her at dinner, perhaps now even mocking him behind his back. Worse still, maybe inviting him to this dinner had been a setup from the start.

But Xu Linhe didn’t dare confront Wen Qiaozhou directly. Instead, he came to Xu Qingli, demanding an explanation.

In truth, he hadn’t even figured out what kind of explanation he truly wanted. It was entirely possible that if Xu Qingli had actually suggested they be together, he might have backed off instead. But one thing was certain: no matter what, he absolutely did not want this kind of apology from Xu Qingli.

The more sincere she sounded, the more insulted Xu Linhe felt.

Someone so desperate for fame would actually swear such a vicious oath just to distance herself from him, as if he had been the one deluding himself all along.

Xu Linhe’s fury erupted in an instant. He reached out to grab Xu Qingli’s wrist. “I’ve already given you enough face², but you’re still pushing your luck?!”

Xu Qingli was startled, but her reflexes were quick enough to dodge.

“Teacher Xu.” Shui Miao hurried forward, shielding Xu Qingli. “Calm down.”

“Calm down my ass,” Xu Linhe snapped. “This isn’t your place to speak. Get lost!”

Xu Qingli took a deep breath and was about to pull Shui Miao aside when a deep, slightly cold male voice suddenly came from behind her, “Xu Qingli.”

“President Wen!” Never had that voice sounded so welcoming to her before. She whipped her head around.

An inconspicuous black SUV pulled up beside them, its rear window rolled down. Wen Qiaozhou lounged lazily in his seat, sweeping a detached gaze over the group before finally settling on Xu Qingli.

The chibi version of her in his vision wasn’t tied up this time. Instead, her eyes were shooting out a stream of little stars that went biubiubiu in his direction, accompanied by several floating thought bubbles: [My savior!] [Such a good person!] [May you be blessed with a fortune as vast as the Eastern Sea and a lifespan as long as the Southern Mountains!]

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

He cleared his throat lightly and said to Xu Qingli, “Didn’t I tell you before? If someone bullies you, report it to the company’s management. Why didn’t you listen?”

Xu Qingli blinked. “I haven’t gone back to the company yet—”

“Am I not part of the company’s management?” Wen Qiaozhou interrupted.

Xu Qingli froze, still trying to figure out how to respond, but the little girl in her head had already started waving its tiny arms and spinning in circles, overjoyed like a little fool.

“President Wen.” Xu Linhe finally snapped out of it and attempted to explain. “Don’t misunderstand, I was just—”

“Xu Qingli.” Wen Qiaozhou acted as if he hadn’t heard or even glanced at Xu Linhe. “Would you mind lending your car to the company for a bit?”

The abrupt change in topic left Xu Qingli bewildered, but she nodded quickly. “Of course.”

Her car was company-provided anyway, so how could she refuse?

“Then why aren’t you getting in?” Wen Qiaozhou added.

Xu Qingli: “Huh?”

Wasn’t her car being lent out? So whose car was she supposed to get into?

“Since I’m borrowing your car, of course I’ll be responsible for sending you home.” Wen Qiaozhou pushed the car door open, even fastening his suit jacket with one hand before holding the door in a gentlemanly gesture. “Miss Xu, after you.”

Xu Qingli: !!!

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any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
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1. When your toes curl up from embarrassment, the more they curl up into the ground and “dig”, the more embarrassing the situation. E.g. I was so embarrassed the other day, I almost dug a three storey mansion out with my toes QAQ ↩︎
2. 我给你脸了是吧 literally “I’ve given you face,” meaning: “I’ve been treating you with respect / letting things slide”, with the implication: “Don’t push your luck” / “Know your place”Don’t push your luck ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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After a long day’s work, Xu Qingli was already exhausted and just wanted to go home and lie down.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished changing her clothes, she received notice of the fact that Wen Qiaozhou was treating everyone to dinner that evening.

Most of the staff were quite happy. After all, Huo’an Hotel wasn’t a place you could dine at just by having enough money. Moreover, Wen Qiaozhou would apparently even join them personally. Just having the chance to see him was worth it.

Xu Qingli let out a deep sigh and quietly asked Shui Miao, “Sis, do you think I can skip it?”

“What do you think?” Shui Miao countered. “Can’t you tell who President Wen is doing this for?”

“Then I’d rather not go…” Xu Qingli muttered.

Though she hated to admit it, judging from the incident with the documents, Wen Qiaozhou did seem to treat her somewhat differently.

But unlike Shui Miao’s optimism, Xu Qingli still believed that Wen Qiaozhou’s attention toward her might not be so well-intentioned.

After all, this was the biggest villain in the entire novel—stamped with the label of “pervert” by the author herself. So even if he had discovered some sort of evidence linking her to the Wen family, it was unlikely he wanted to help her just so she could “return to her roots.”

The novel explicitly stated that Wen Qiaozhou had a strained relationship with his family, including his parents. If he didn’t even care about the family he’d grown up with, why would he care about some long-lost “relative”?

Shui Miao, however, misunderstood her words, “You’re not avoiding this because you like Wen Qiaozhou and don’t want to be his sister, are you?”

Otherwise, why did she seem so resistant to the idea?

“Huh?” Xu Qingli was momentarily unsure whether to confirm or deny this wild assumption.

Either way, both seemed too troublesome.

Before she could decide, Shui Miao continued, “You’re right. The situation isn’t clear yet, so you shouldn’t dive in recklessly. Otherwise, if it turns into some clichéd ‘sister falls for brother’ drama, that’d be way too melodramatic. Better to figure things out first.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

In any case, there was no escaping tonight’s dinner.

Xu Qingli was good at comforting herself. On second thought, though socializing was exhausting, since Wen Qiaozhou was footing the bill, she could at least eat her fill. That wasn’t entirely without its perks.

As an introvert, she dreaded arriving too early and having to make small talk, but also feared arriving too late and drawing everyone’s attention… So she dawdled, arriving at the hotel at a deliberately neutral time to avoid standing out.

However, fate never seemed to want to go her way.

The moment she reached the hotel entrance, someone approached and escorted her to a private dining room.

When she pushed the door open, seven or eight people were already seated inside.

At first glance, Wen Qiaozhou was the first to catch her eye, followed immediately by Xu Linhe sitting beside him.

The two people she least wanted to meet were sitting together.

A curse nearly escaped her lips, but she swallowed it just in time. It wasn’t just verbally; she even steeled herself mentally, afraid Wen Qiaozhou might notice something amiss. She immediately reminded herself not to think about anything.

Hearing the door open, Wen Qiaozhou quickly looked up and saw that the chibi figure above Xu Qingli’s head was, once again, tied up.

Her gaze met his for only a split second before shifting to Xu Linhe beside him, then she promptly lowered her head.

Wen Qiaozhou remained expressionless but glanced subtly to the side at Xu Linhe.

[Fuck! What is she doing here?]

[Perfect. Let’s see where she can run to today.]

So it really was him.

Wen Qiaozhou narrowed his eyes and was about to speak when Huo Wanfeng beside him waved eagerly at Xu Qingli. “Pear Blossom, come in quickly.”

Only then did Xu Qingli notice Huo Wanfeng—a young, handsome man dressed impeccably. He was seated next to Wen Qiaozhou, clearly indicating his status was no small matter.

In the original novel, Huo Wanfeng had been an idle playboy until he fell in love with the female lead, Shu Ruan, at first sight. That was when he turned over a new leaf, transforming into a devoted and hardworking man. The original owner had only met Huo Wanfeng through Shu Ruan. In the novel, Shu Ruan first encountered Huo Wanfeng on the evening of the promotional film’s female lead selection, but in reality, their meeting happened much later. Thus, the original owner had never met Huo Wanfeng before.

Xu Qingli combed through the original owner’s memories but found no trace of this man. His enthusiastic attitude made her suspicious—could he also be another “fish” in the original owner’s pond?

Help!!!

But no one could save Xu Qingli now. Shui Miao even gave her a little push. “Everyone here has their reputation to consider, so they won’t say anything inappropriate in public. Just keep a low profile and adapt as needed.”

Aside from Wen Qiaozhou, Xu Linhe, and Huo Wanfeng, the rest of the room was filled with the promotional film’s director and female leads. As a manager, it wasn’t appropriate for her to join them, so she had to head to the adjacent private room instead.

Though Xu Qingli had now supposedly “turned over a new leaf,” she had once been skilled enough to simultaneously maintain so many “fish.” Thus, Shui Miao believed she could handle this situation.

Xu Qingli had no way to voice her grievances. With everyone watching, she couldn’t delay any longer and dragged her weak legs into the private room.

Huo Wanfeng and Xu Linhe both stood up.

Wen Qiaozhou leaned back slightly in his chair, his calm gaze fixed on her, yet it felt almost tangible.

What kind of shura field was this?!

Xu Qingli broke out in a cold sweat.

After a brief hesitation, she still chose to walk toward Xu Linhe.

Not only was his side closer to the door, allowing her to take fewer steps, but more importantly, she had no idea what Huo Wanfeng’s relationship was with the original owner, and sitting next to him might very well expose her.

Xu Linhe was clearly pleased with her choice and considerately pulled out the chair beside him for her.

Once she sat down, he even picked up a glass and personally poured her some water. “You must be exhausted today. Have some water.”

“Thank you.” Xu Qingli accepted the glass but held it without drinking.

Xu Linhe glanced up at Huo Wanfeng across the table, who was staring at them and seemingly puzzled by Xu Qingli’s choice.

Xu Linhe smirked inwardly and deliberately leaned slightly toward Xu Qingli, lowering his voice to ask, “The Battlefield crew is having a gathering in Xing City at the end of the month. Are you going?”

Before Xu Qingli arrived, Shu Ruan had arrived first. Xu Linhe had been struck by her beauty at first glance, but Huo Wanfeng had clearly taken a liking to her too, immediately jumping up to offer his seat.

Xu Linhe figured maintaining good relations with them was more important—after all, there were plenty of women out there, so he didn’t compete with him.

But truthfully, he still felt a little sour about it.

Fortunately, Shu Ruan was reserved and sat a seat apart from Huo Wanfeng, making Xu Linhe feel somewhat better.

Xu Linhe hadn’t known Xu Qingli would come earlier, but now he was delighted. It wasn’t like he was without options either.

He had already conceded once out of respect for the Huo family and Wen Qiaozhou. He wouldn’t yield a second time. Moreover, he deliberately acted ambiguously with Xu Qingli to show Huo Wanfeng that he, too, had his own charm.

“I have something to do at the end of the month, so I probably can’t make it.” Xu Qingli refused without hesitation.

“What have you been busy with lately?” Xu Linhe moved closer. “Everyone says they can’t get a hold of you… By the way, why did you block all of us?”

“My phone broke,” Xu Qingli said softly.

“Haven’t you bought a new one?” Xu Linhe asked, puzzled. “I remember it’s been a while.”

“I did,” Xu Qingli replied helplessly. “There was an issue with my old number, so I couldn’t log in anymore.”

“You changed your number?” Xu Linhe didn’t seem suspicious, just took out his phone. “Then let’s add each other again.”

Xu Qingli didn’t want to add him but couldn’t outright refuse to either. In a moment of quick thinking, she pretended to reach for her phone while asking, “How come you’re here too? I heard tonight’s dinner was for Wen Corporation employees.”

“Earlier, Second Master Huo and I were passing by and ran into President Wen. He invited us along,” Xu Linhe explained.

Xu Qingli froze. “Second Master Huo?”

If she wasn’t mistaken, in this world, the only one referred to as “Huo” was the male lead, Huo Wanfeng.

So, the guy across from her was actually Huo Wanfeng?!

Xu Qingli couldn’t help but glance up and noticed the handsome man had a small brown mole at the corner of his eye. That was the male lead’s signature trait! Moreover, while he appeared to be talking to Wen Qiaozhou, his gaze kept drifting toward Shu Ruan, clearly paying attention to her.

Looking at the empty seat between them, Xu Qingli suddenly understood—he wasn’t one of the original owner’s “fish.” The reason he’d been so eager to give her that seat was because he wanted to sit next to Shu Ruan himself.

Xu Qingli immediately regretted her choice.

Why hadn’t she chosen the seat next to Huo Wanfeng? Seeing everyone as one of her “fish.” It was all because of her guilty conscience, wasn’t it?

“Just a spoiled brat from the Huo family, not very well-regarded,” Xu Linhe said in a hushed tone, trying to downplay it when he noticed her odd expression.

Truthfully, he wasn’t particularly fond of Xu Qingli either. He just didn’t want to be overshadowed in this setting and hoped she’d focus solely on him.

Their voices were low, making it seem like they were sharing an intimate conversation.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Just as Xu Linhe was about to ask Xu Qingli to add him again, Wen Qiaozhou’s voice suddenly cut in. “Have the two of you worked together before?”

Xu Qingli instinctively looked up at him, though her gaze settled slightly lower, avoiding direct eye contact with him. She only saw him raise a hand to adjust his glasses.

Truly the most handsome man in this world. Not only were his features flawless, but even his hands were unfairly beautiful.

As he raised his hand, the movement caused his sleeve to slide back slightly, revealing the sharp contours of his wrist. Despite the smooth curve, the thin skin accentuated a striking, almost angular, bone structure.

His fingers were long, clean, and well-defined, with nails neatly trimmed to follow the natural curve of his fingertips. Under the light, they looked like carved jade, the metal frame of his glasses reflecting a cool, pale gleam as he touched them.

Xu Qingli committed the detail to memory, planning to refine the fingers in her drawing later.

She’d already forgotten Wen Qiaozhou’s question, but Xu Linhe answered with a smile, “Yes, we worked together on Battlefield. Pear Blossom played my first love. Though it was just a few scenes, they left a lasting impression.”

“I remember that character,” the director sitting next to Xu Qingli chimed in. “Wasn’t she the one dressed in white gauze, dancing under the pear blossoms?”

Battlefield, as the name suggests, is a war film with a generally rugged style. The original owner acted as the male lead’s white moonlight who died young. In one scene, she wore a white dress and danced barefoot under a pear blossom tree in the moonlight. It had been one of the few soft and aesthetically beautiful moments in the film.

To this day, this scene still holds a place in rankings of classical beauties, white moonlight moments, and iconic shots. It was also the starting point of the original owner’s rise to fame. Netizens often say that the scene was pure yet seductive to the extreme, truly a masterpiece.

“Yes, that one.” Xu Linhe nodded. “Pear Blossom really does dance beautifully. No wonder she studied dance.”

Xu Qingli was so embarrassed she could have dug a hole in the ground with her toes. She clutched her glass of water, sipping slowly to pretend she was busy.

Meanwhile, the director, who had clearly watched and genuinely loved the film, chatted enthusiastically with Xu Linhe right across from her.

Huo Wanfeng glanced at Wen Qiaozhou, whose expression seemed calm, yet his gaze remained dark, and raised his voice to interrupt them. “Since everyone’s here, let’s serve the dishes. We can talk while we eat.”

Only then was the topic diverted.

Xu Qingli let out a long sigh of relief.

The dishes had already been prepared and were quickly brought out.

Given the standards of Huo’an Hotel, combined with the fact that both Wen Qiaozhou and Huo Wanfeng were present, every dish tonight was bound to be exquisite.

Ever since transmigrating, Xu Qingli had been strictly controlled by Shui Miao and had long been craving good food.

Today, with no one to restrain her and after a tiring day, her appetite was already raging uncontrollably. She couldn’t care less about anything else and buried herself in eating.

Still, her social anxiety lingered. She basically only picked at the dishes right in front of her, reluctantly giving up on the ones farther away no matter how much she wanted to try them.

Just as she was happily eating, a piece of fish suddenly landed in her bowl.

Xu Qingli froze, then looked up.

Xu Linhe smiled at her. “I noticed you seem to like fish. This sturgeon is quite good, why don’t you give it a try?”

The sturgeon had been placed near Huo Wanfeng’s side. Xu Qingli had indeed glanced at it a couple of times but gave up on trying it because it was too far.

She never expected Xu Linhe would serve her some.

Even though he had used the serving chopsticks, Xu Qingli instantly felt uncomfortable all over, as if everyone at the table was staring at her.

Her appetite instantly waned.

In the novel, Xu Linhe was one of the original owner’s “fish”, but unlike the others, he wasn’t completely devoted to her, making him the hardest to control.

So why was he being so proactive today?

Afraid that Xu Linhe might serve her more food, and mindful that she still had filming the next day (which meant she shouldn’t overeat anyway), Xu Qingli stopped reaching for other dishes. However, she didn’t put down her chopsticks either since she didn’t want to engage in conversation.

But to Wen Qiaozhou, her actions made it seem like she was savoring the fish Xu Linhe had given her, eating it slowly to prolong the enjoyment.

Was that fish really that good?

Wen Qiaozhou pressed his lips together, then reached out with his chopsticks to take a piece of sturgeon.

Huo Wanfeng, who had been stealing glances at Shu Ruan while eating, paid no attention to the dishes in front of him. He randomly picked something near him and accidentally bumped chopsticks with Wen Qiaozhou.

He paused, then suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Wen Qiaozhou.

Wen Qiaozhou had already taken a piece of fish, elegantly separating a small bite with his chopsticks and putting it in his mouth.

Huo Wanfeng stared at him for several seconds before finally leaning in to whisper, “You never eat fish. What’s going on today?”

“Hm.” Wen Qiaozhou disdainfully set down his chopsticks and said flatly, “It really does taste terrible.”

Author’s Note:

President Wen: You might not believe me when I say this, but the fish meat really does taste a bit sour, it’s disgusting.

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