Cheng Yuan opened the door himself.
A group walked in.
They were all women, each with that indistinct, cookie-cutter influencer face. They stopped and said in unison, "President Cheng."
Cheng Yuan frowned at the first sight of them, then said, "Greet her."
The women turned sideways and greeted Jiang Xiao, "Madam Cheng."
Jiang Xiao waved her hand. "I'm not. Please call me Miss Jiang."
The women smiled. "Miss Jiang."
Jiang Xiao asked Cheng Yuan, "What are you doing?"
Cheng Yuan said, "Do you remember them?"
Jiang Xiao looked at each one. The first few she didn't recognize, but the last one she did. If memory served, she was the one with whom Cheng Yuan had the longest-running scandal.
Two or three months? They were on the hot search together several times.
Jiang Xiao had been upset about those searches for a long time. On her birthday, she even cried her eyes out.
Because that day, Cheng Yuan didn't come home. He went to that woman.
Jiang Xiao said, "Vaguely."
Cheng Yuan explained, "These are all the women I was rumored with. I brought them here to explain everything to you face to face."
"Explain what?" Jiang Xiao reminded him, "Don't forget, I caught you in bed."
Cheng Yuan gestured for one of them to speak. The woman said, "It was all fake. A setup. We were fully dressed, just covered by the blanket, so no one knew."
Seeing Jiang Xiao's disbelief, she continued, "At that time, Cheng Group was negotiating a huge project. Many companies were eager for it. They sent us to seduce President Cheng. But he saw through it. If we failed, we'd be in big trouble, so he played along to fool the other side."
"I still have the chat records from then. You can check them one by one."
Jiang Xiao: "Not necessary."
"Does that mean you believe me?" the woman asked.
"Whether I believe or not doesn't matter." Jiang Xiao said. "It's in the past."
Her and Cheng Yuan were also in the past.
Cheng Yuan couldn't stand her indifference. His heart felt like it was being squeezed, pain spreading through his entire body. "Can you try to trust me?"
He begged humbly, in a tone he'd never used before, "Just this once."
Jiang Xiao freed herself from his grip. "Cheng Yuan, I don't want to bring up the past anymore. I hope you won't either."
"Fine. Let's not talk about the past. Let's talk about now." Cheng Yuan seemed to see a glimmer of hope. "Give me another chance to take care of you, okay?"
*
That night, Jiang Xiao suddenly got a call and left first. As for Cheng Yuan's chance, she didn't agree.
The next day, Cheng Yuan went to her studio. He was turned away at the door. Assistant Xiao Zhou said, "Our boss is on a business trip."
Cheng Yuan asked how long she'd be away.
Xiao Zhou: "Not sure. Maybe a day or two, maybe a week, maybe half a month. Depends."
"Did she go alone?"
"No, with President Zhao."
Cheng Yuan had someone look into it and found out that President Zhao was Zhao Kai.
He asked Jiang Yu, "What's their relationship? Traveling together?"
Jiang Yu explained, "President Zhao introduced some clients to the missus—big clients. I heard this trip to City B is to meet clients."
"Zhao Kai introduced clients to Xiao Xiao? I can do that too." Cheng Yuan said darkly. "Use connections to get her the best clients."
Jiang Yu hesitated. "President Cheng... we don't have resources in that area."
Cheng Group started with real estate and now had hotels, resorts, automobiles, artificial intelligence, etc., but nothing related to design.
"Then acquire them," Cheng Yuan said. "I want to see them today."
Jiang Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Fine, I'll handle it right away."
By the end of the workday, Jiang Yu had acquired two design companies. They weren't big, but compared to Jiang Xiao's studio, they were larger.
"President Cheng, should all these be transferred to the missus?"
"Yes."
"Fine, I'll arrange it."
Jiang Xiao didn't know she now owned two companies. She was out to dinner with Zhao Kai. Thanks to him, the business trip had gone smoothly.
Zhao Kai took the opportunity to ask for a reward.
Jiang Xiao smiled. "What reward do you want?"
"You." Zhao Kai gazed at her tenderly. "I want you."
Jiang Xiao withdrew her hand. "Zhao Kai, I told you. I don't want to date anytime soon."
"I want to get in line first." Zhao Kai said. "When you're ready to date, will you consider me first?"
If talk about devotion, Zhao Kai seemed more so. Jiang Xiao couldn't refuse easily. She nodded. "Fine. If I ever want to, I'll consider you first."
Zhao Kai took another step forward, in high spirits. "Xiao Xiao, let's take a photo together."
It wasn't an excessive request. Jiang Xiao agreed.
Zhao Kai rarely posted on his Moments, but this time he posted two posts, both related to Jiang Xiao.
One was a back view with the caption: "My beloved girl."
The other was a group photo with the caption: "Wishing for every day and night."
Cheng Yuan had many friends. Somehow, someone sent him the photos.
"Damn, this is the missus, right? I didn't mistake her, did I?"
Cheng Yuan zoomed in on the photo and confirmed it was her.
He called the person back. "Where did you see this photo?"
"A friend sent it to me."
"Where did your friend see it?"
"Scrolled past it on someone named Zhao Kai's Moments."
Cheng Yuan's heart first chilled, then anger surged, uncontrollable.
He grabbed a glass and squeezed it hard, growling, "Who else saw the photo?"
"That... I don't know." The man was more curious about Cheng Yuan and Jiang Xiao's current relationship. "How are you and the missus? Have you won her back? Not to criticize, but if you like her, chase her fast. If someone else gets her first, you'll have no place to cry."
"Women like the missus—good looks, capability—are most sought after now."
"Bro, stop playing hard to get. Go for it."
That night, Cheng Yuan took his private jet to City B.
Jiang Xiao had just taken a shower when she heard the doorbell. She opened the door suspiciously, then froze. "What are you doing here?"
Cheng Yuan had been anxious the whole way, but seeing her finally set him at ease. Ignoring her question, he pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her neck, trembling.
"Xiao Xiao, just kill me."