After finishing work in the evening, Ke Wenxue and Yin Xiang intercepted Xu Miyu on the way back to the dormitory.
They turned her towards the commercial street.
Ke Wenxue, with her arm around Xu Miyu, said, “Come on, Xu Jie, join us for a beauty treatment!”
Walking on her other side, Yin Xiang added, “Yes, pamper yourself and face the challenges with a refreshed spirit!”
Xu Miyu walked along, dazed and guided by them.
Conditions to bring down the team leader by exchanging with Ji Feng had almost collapsed, and she hadn’t thought of a new method yet. The constant nagging voice of her mother demanding money circled in her ears all day, making her contemplate disappearing from Star City. She had a dull day. Now, it seemed like the enthusiasm of these two young girls had infected her with a bit of vitality.
The beauty salon they brought Xu Miyu into was coincidentally one that she used to frequent near her home before her divorce. Back then, to keep herself fresh and radiant, she would often visit.
After the divorce, her life hit rock bottom, and she hadn’t visited a beauty salon since. Today, stepping into one again, she felt a sense of déjà vu.
She went to the front desk to report her mobile number linked to the membership card. Surprisingly, there were still a few unused beauty treatments left.
Her gloomy mood from the day suddenly lightened. Life wasn’t entirely hopeless; this small surprise was enough to console her after a whole day of misery.
She decided to treat herself and invited Ke Wenxue and Yin Xiang to join her for a beauty treatment.
Ke Wenxue and Yin Xiang were both delighted. Lying on the beauty bed, Ke Wenxue grinned, “Xu Jie, you see, originally it was Yin Xiang and me inviting you for a beauty treatment, but it turned out you are treating us. How embarrassing, hahaha!”
Yin Xiang chimed in, “Xu Jie, since you have a beauty card, why don’t you come for regular self-care?”
Xu Miyu thought, why not?
After the divorce, she didn’t cherish herself as much.
“I didn’t know who I should look beautiful for when I come for beauty treatments,” she replied somewhat melancholically.
“For yourself!” Ke Wenxue exclaimed, “Life is tough, you know! Since it’s so tough, all the good things should be for yourself first!”
Unable to resist, she turned to Yin Xiang and said, “You’re an expert in how to love yourself. Share some wisdom with Xu Jie.”
Yin Xiang waved her off, saying, “Xu Jie, in this society, it’s okay to be selfish. Don’t fear being selfless. If nobody loves you, it’s fine. You must love yourself first, especially in matters of the heart. Those scoundrels and freeloaders, kick them to the curb. You deserve the best!”
Unable to be too explicit, she subtly advised Xu Miyu to focus on loving herself rather than being heartbroken over unreliable men.
“They say I’m materialistic,” Yin Xiang continued, “Yes, I admit it. I want to treat myself well. I want the best things for myself. If I prioritize men over good things, eventually those lousy men will think I don’t need good things; they can give me junk. How can that be allowed? Even if I appear ordinary to others, I am a princess in my own eyes. I must love myself well!”
Ke Wenxue applauded while lying on the beauty bed.
“Xu Jie, listen, what a powerful declaration of self-love! In this challenging life, everything is for oneself first! Xu Jie, you really need to love yourself more!”
Lying on the beauty bed, Xu Miyu thought that, despite their quirks, these two were genuinely good girls. She sensed that they were trying to lift her spirits and make her forget everything for a while, encouraging her to learn to love herself.
In her life, the only person who cared for her in the first half was Nie Yucheng, but he was now someone else’s husband and father. Now, from these two young girls, she felt a sense of care.
Her heart, which had been cold all day, suddenly warmed. She felt that the goals and a bit of fighting spirit that she had finally obtained shouldn’t be so easily crushed.
Isn’t it just a case of thinking she was orchestrating things but ending up being used? Why was she getting so disheartened? She realized she hadn’t learned to love herself.
She thought what Ke Wenxue and Yin Xiang said was right. She decided to temporarily put aside all her worries and focus on learning how to love herself.
In the following days, using the remaining sessions on her beauty card, Xu Miyu came for beauty treatments after work every day. Although she could feel Zhang Cailu’s watchful eyes at work, she was careful and hadn’t given Zhang Cailu any handle to dismiss her.
Lying on the beauty bed, she thought, as long as Zhang Cailu didn’t dismiss her, she still had a chance, right?
After a few days of beauty treatments, there was a noticeable change in her overall energy and mood. It seemed like she was on the verge of returning to the state of a happy newlywed before her marriage hit rock bottom.
If she put aside other things for a while and loved herself first, she could easily become radiant.
After a few beauty treatments, Ke Wenxue circled around Xu Miyu, clapping her hands, “Oh, Xu Jie, after getting rid of that tired look on your face, you look so beautiful! Oh, oh, oh, Miss, I thought you were a middle-aged woman with a dull face, but actually, your skin is so fair and delicate. You don’t look like you’re in your thirties, at most twenty-five or twenty-six! No wonder Li Kunlun told me before that you don’t look like the typical middle-aged woman. You are beautiful. We teased him about his aesthetics; I’ll apologize to him later!”
Xu Miyu found herself involuntarily happy with the compliments.
However, this happiness was about to shatter with the relentless series of calls from Jiao Xiumei.
Jiao Xiumei urgently pressured her to give her money.
“Little extra, I’m asking you, do you still consider me your mother? Are you only happy if you see your mother suffer? It’s been several days; if you don’t bring out the money, do you want your brother to be unable to marry and let the Xu family end with him?”
Jiao Xiumei’s words, coupled with her sobbing, created a dramatic scene, “Third son, understand your mother’s plight. Your mother is already this age; how many more happy days does she have? Your mother just wants to see your brother marry. Now, it’s only missing these two hundred thousand. Can you help your brother, please?”
Listening to this tirade, Xu Miyu would have given the twenty thousand just to avoid Jiao Xiumei’s annoying complaints. But she genuinely didn’t have it.
“Mother, I really don’t have money. If you want, knock me out and sell my kidney.”
Upon hearing this, Jiao Xiumei immediately got furious, “Xu Miyou, did I not speak nicely to you? Fine, as your mother, I’ll give you a stern warning this time. You claimed to be penniless before, right? Okay, three days. I’ll give you three more days. If you don’t bring out the money for your brother to get married, either you die, or your mother dies in front of you. Remember!”
After a string of curses, Jiao Xiumei hung up the phone.
Xu Miyu felt a suffocating pressure in her chest.
After taking a moment to calm down, she finally eased her breath, planning to change into her clothes and leave after work.
At this moment, Zhang Cailu approached her, “Miss Xu, don’t leave just yet.” She glanced at Xu Miyu, couldn’t help but comment, “Tsk, Miss Xu, you look really good now. Did something good happen recently?”
Lacking the energy to engage with her, Xu Miyu asked directly, “Supervisor, is there something you need?”
Zhang Cailu said, “Oh,” paused, and then said, “Today, there’s a celebration event in the top VIP suite. It seems like some kind of party. You’re specifically requested to go up.” She paused again, looking at Xu Miyu, “Ah, Miss Xu, with your current complexion, you really look great. Did something good happen recently?”
Xu Mi Yu didn’t know how to respond to these words. She couldn’t even tell if it was straightforward or ironic.
All she knew was that being called up was probably another task from Duan Ao Xiang. Despite her reluctance, she had to go – even if it meant facing danger today, she had to provide service. Otherwise, Zhang Cai Lu might seize the opportunity to give her a third unsatisfactory service review.
In the anticipation of Zhang Cai Lu, she replied, “Alright, I’ll go up now.”
In her mind, she urged herself to stay calm and not panic. It had been a week; Duan Ao Xiang’s anger should have subsided by now.
She reassured herself: It’s okay, don’t be afraid. If she really couldn’t endure it, escaping was an option.
With these thoughts, she took the elevator to the top floor.
As the elevator reached the penthouse, the doors slowly opened with a soft ‘ding.’
Standing at the elevator entrance, Xu Mi Yu heard voices coming from Duan Ao Xiang’s luxurious suite. The sounds were filled with extravagance and the heavy scent of alcohol.
Recalling Zhang Cai Lu’s words before entering the elevator, mentioning that Duan Ao Xiang had recently concluded a multinational deal, today was a celebration with their partners.
Despite her mental preparations, Xu Mi Yu couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Duan Ao Xiang had suffered losses inside and out, yet he still had to reluctantly organize a celebration with Ji Feng and Pu La Yu. It was easy to imagine that the more joyful Ji Feng and Pu La Yu appeared at the celebration, the more Duan Ao Xiang would be unable to resist the urge to vent his frustrations on the person who had caused his losses – and that person was her.
Xu Mi Yu struggled to swallow, her legs feeling heavy and reluctant to move.
As the elevator doors were about to close again, Xu Mi Yu quickly blocked them. She sternly told herself, “It’s okay; it’s a legal society now. Even if Duan Ao Xiang is wealthy, he can’t really kill me.”
Giving herself another boost, she stepped out of the elevator.
Before reaching the suite’s door, she already heard Duan Ao Xiang’s voice. Approaching, she saw him standing at the entrance, talking to his assistant, A Ni. He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, one eye slightly squinted from the smoke.
Sensing a service staff member approaching from the elevator, he turned and, through a thin layer of smoke, lazily and arrogantly asked, “Where did you come from? Who let you up? Where’s that Xu Mi Yu?”
His words left Xu Mi Yu puzzled, not understanding his intentions.
Suddenly, Duan Ao Xiang lifted his hand, taking the cigarette out of his mouth, and the thin layer of smoke dissipated.
Leaning forward, he scrutinized Xu Mi Yu with a focused gaze.
Then he whistled and sighed, “It seems like you’ve been having a great time plotting against me, my dear. How did you become so radiant in just a few days?”
As he spoke, he playfully lifted his hand to touch Xu Mi Yu’s face. At the touch, he made another sound of approval.
The sensation was delicate, cool, and smooth, causing a ripple in his emotions.
She wasn’t really an aging woman. Where was the older sister from the first meeting? Now she looked like a lively woman in her twenties.
A target worth playing with – this woman was indeed a bit special, always capable of causing emotional fluctuations in men. From behind, she seemed like a young girl, then turned into an aging woman. Later, when she appeared to be an aging woman, she suddenly became lively again, like she had changed her strategy. It seemed like she was easy to bully, expecting a few tears after some teasing, yet she hadn’t shed a tear until now. Thinking she was clumsy and easy to manipulate, she unexpectedly had a unique skill that surfaced at crucial moments, disrupting his plans.
However, the moment he thought about the fact that his carefully arranged plans were ruined by this woman, he immediately felt resentment, losing the mood to continue teasing her.
Shocked by Duan Ao Xiang’s touch, Xu Mi Yu quickly stepped back, avoiding it.
“I’ll go to the bar to prepare your drinks,” she hastily found an excuse and slipped away from Duan Ao Xiang.
Duan Ao Xiang put the cigarette back in his mouth, squinting at Xu Mi Yu’s retreating figure. Xu Mi Yu went to the bar, carrying a tray of drinks to attend to the guests Duan Ao Xiang had invited.
Seeing Xu Mi Yu passing with the tray of drinks, she exchanged a glance with Ji Feng, who was sitting on the sofa.
Ji Feng gave her a cold look and then averted his gaze. Xu Mi Yu, after Ji Feng looked away, lowered her eyes. Then Xue Rui approached her and said something. She immediately looked up at Ji Feng with wide eyes, as if biting her lip. On the other side, someone snapped their fingers, signaling for a drink. Xu Mi Yu then walked away with the tray.
Watching everything that just happened, Duan Ao Xiang coldly chuckled.
On the night of the signing, even though Xu Mi Yu had completed everything she was supposed to do, whether it was exposing Duan Ao Xiang or cleaning the entire suite’s bathroom.
But Ji Feng couldn’t bring himself to have even a hint of favorable feelings towards her.
The more she completed, the more repulsed he felt towards her, the less he liked her.
Because, in his eyes, her exertion was just a means of exchange, an attempt to make him fulfill her dream of overthrowing the team leader.
He couldn’t develop a good impression of someone who had schemes, always seeking shortcuts in everything.
Nevertheless, he prepared himself for her to approach and demand he fulfill the conditions in the future.
But unexpectedly, she didn’t come up for many days.
He didn’t know if she was playing hard to get or if she no longer needed his help to realize her dream of toppling the team leader.
However, he knew he was in a bad mood. From her negotiating conditions to not fulfilling them, he seemed to be the passive one.
After waiting for a long time, he thought that since she hadn’t brought up the matter again for so many days, he would consider it expired. He didn’t want to let her succeed, letting her endlessly manipulate his emotions.
These days, he had instructed Xue Rui to transfer the acquisition funds to the Pla Yu side and take over Pla Yu’s local properties. Tonight, Duan Ao Xiang insisted on celebrating the successful completion of the deal.
Duan Ao Xiang seemed oblivious or acted like nothing had happened, inviting him with a cheerful smile, “Lao Ji, you must come to the celebration tonight. It’s rare that our first collaboration went so smoothly and successfully. What do you say? If you don’t come tonight, I’ll go to your room and roll around on your bed. I know you hate people getting close to your bed, so think about the consequences of not coming!”
After inviting him, Duan Ao Xiang turned to his assistant A Ni and said, “Tell the hotel to bring Xu Mi Yu up again tonight.”
He didn’t want to come. However, he couldn’t shake off the worry that Duan Ao Xiang might retaliate against the woman tonight, or perhaps he wanted to see if she was truly playing hard to get. In the end, he decided to walk over and take a seat.
As soon as he sat down, he looked up and saw Xu Mi Yu.
He glanced at her, wondering what had happened to her these days. She seemed like a different person. The Xu Mi Yu he knew before was worn out and aged, with a yellowish complexion. Although she had improved after cleaning up on the signing night, it was likely due to the effects of makeup. But today, she appeared with a cold and fair complexion.
It seemed she had been doing well these days and no longer needed to fulfill her dream of toppling the team leader. Yet, he was still waiting for her to come up and demand the fulfillment of his conditions.
He turned to instruct Xue Rui to say something to her.
Carrying a tray of drinks, Xu Mi Yu moved among the guests.
When she reached the vicinity of the sofa, she saw Ji Feng.
He sat on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, eyes down, manipulating something on a tablet. His cold and noble aura clashed with the noisy and colorful atmosphere around him.
Although many beautiful girls were invited by Duan Ao Xiang tonight to drink and chat with the guests, none of them could get close to Ji Feng’s sofa.
Glancing at his tablet accidentally, she was surprised to see him engrossed in what seemed like a farming game. She didn’t expect to find such a “contrast” on Ji Feng.
Suddenly, he looked up.
He saw her but gave only a cold glance before withdrawing his gaze.
Then his assistant, Xue Rui, approached her and greeted, “Ms. Xu, you see, since you haven’t contacted us for so many days, we assume you may no longer need to fulfill the previously mentioned condition.”
Upon hearing Xue Rui’s words, Xu Mi Yu was surprised and looked at Ji Feng again.
It turned out he didn’t just use her as a pawn; he genuinely intended to fulfill the condition of toppling the team leader for her.
Her thoughts fluctuated, and her eyes followed suit.
However, according to Xue Rui, since she hadn’t contacted them proactively for so many days, the deal was considered automatically terminated.
She bit her lip, feeling a mix of emotions, not knowing what to say.
Someone snapped their fingers, signaling her to deliver drinks. Holding the tray, she walked away absentmindedly.
Watching Xu Mi Yu walk away with the tray, Duan Ao Xiang laughed coldly.
“A Ni, look at them, so much eyebrow-raising drama. Quite amusing, those two pretending not to know each other.”
Three days after signing the contract, Duan Ao Xiang began to grasp the situation.
It was A Ni’s words that gave him a hint.
A Ni said, “Mr. Duan, don’t you find it strange? I heard that Mr. Ji is very strict and never allows housekeepers or servants to easily enter his suite. But how did he suddenly allow Xu Mi Yu in? Is he intentionally helping her escape from you? Moreover, he is a cold and calculating person. If it’s of no use to him, he never helps others. Why would he help Xu Mi Yu?”
This sentence made Duan Ao Xiang start to understand what was going on.
Though a bit of a playboy, he wasn’t foolish.
Careful consideration led him to find some clues.
Last time, it was he who brought Xu Mi Yu up on purpose. He found it amusing to torment and humiliate her, seeing her in a miserable state. But now, upon closer examination, the moment she came up and saw him, her face immediately showed surprise.
In her perception, if he wasn’t the one who called her up, then who did she think was the person calling her?
It should be someone who had contact with her before.
And what were they doing in private?
Probably informing that person about her ability to understand Thai and what Duan Ao Xiang had said during the first meeting.
So, during the signing, the scene where she exposed the transaction amount on the spot and the subsequent chaos, which ended up making him suffer a loss, was likely orchestrated. After swallowing that bitter pill, she even celebrated with others.
However, one thing puzzled him: why did she want to help Ji Feng? Was she interested in him? Then why hadn’t she taken an interest in himself?
What did Ji Feng have that was better than him?
They were similar in height, both had wealthy families, Ji Feng was handsome but so was he, and if one considered their temperaments, Ji Feng wasn’t easy to get along with.
So, what was she after?
Later, A Ni provided him with a reason.
“The first time she came up to clean the bathroom, you were a bit drunk and almost hit her. It was Mr. Ji who appeared in time to stop you. Maybe it’s because of this.”
Duan Ao Xiang thought, with this string of events, everything made sense.
“Heh, so amusing. Those two pretending not to know each other.” Duan Ao Xiang held a cigarette, looking at Ji Feng and Xu Mi Yu, his tone turning dark, “They really think I’m stupid and can’t figure it out? It’s also my fault for being too complacent, thinking I could finally make Ji Feng eat his words. Everything went too smoothly, and I got careless, only to be played by him and this cheap woman. After everything, he still pretends like nothing happened, thinking I can’t figure out that he and that woman were acting together to deceive me. Damn it, I wish Ji Feng and that woman would both meet a bad end!”
Duan Ao Xiang took out the last bit of the cigarette from his mouth, and A Ni immediately took out a pocket ashtray, opened it, and handed it over.
Duan Ao Xiang pressed the cigarette butt forcefully into the ashtray, as if pressing down on someone’s head.
They walked to the bar, and Duan Ao Xiang ordered a whiskey on the rocks. Leaning against the bar, he tilted his head back and drank.
The strong alcohol flowed down his throat. Whether it comforted the nerves or heightened the madness, he couldn’t tell.
Duan Ao Xiang put down the glass, turned to the bartender, and said, “You go to the back and wait. Don’t come out unless I call you.”
Once the person left, Duan Ao Xiang, through his glass, looked at Ji Feng and then shifted the glass to find Xu Mi Yu moving through the guests.
He smiled, telling A Ni, “Initially, I called Xu Mi Yu up to torture and embarrass her, to see her in a miserable state. But now, I have a new idea.”
Using the glass as a telescope, he looked at the distorted images of Ji Feng and Xu Mi Yu, a strange smile playing on his lips.
Leave a Reply