Chapter 133

Night fell, and City B remained a city that never slept, glowing with neon and life.

Chai Yin's car tailed Guan Xiaoying at a careful distance. To seem unsuspicious, she sent Guan Xiaoying a couple of messages mid-route, claiming to be busy, and received normal replies. She set her phone down with a calm expression.

Guan Xiaoying's car continued until it reached the suburbs, where the streets gave way to stretches of apartments. Chai Yin hesitated about whether to follow further, but her assistant murmured, "Yinyin, she's getting out."

Chai Yin looked up. Guan Xiaoying was stepping out of her car in towering heels and walking into a café.

The area was quiet, with few vehicles and even fewer pedestrians, all moving with hurried steps. The café was nearly empty too. After a moment's thought, Chai Yin decided to follow, making a small change to her appearance.

Guan Xiaoying had taken a seat in the furthest corner, shielded by a partition. Chai Yin sat on the opposite side of that same partition, using the flower arrangement on her table to hide her face. When a server approached, she slid a note across the table with her coffee order.

The server smiled and withdrew quickly.

Chai Yin leaned against the table, feigning interest in the view outside, while her ears stayed trained on the voices coming from the other side of the partition.

"Xiaoying, he keeps pestering me. I had no choice..."

That was He Wei's voice.

Then Guan Xiaoying responded, "I see. Where is she?"

He Wei said, "Wait a moment, he's just outside."

Chai Yin frowned. She quickly raised her phone as if reading the news, letting her long hair fall to obscure her face. She stretched her legs out in an unladylike sprawl. A moment later, Wei Yan walked into the café.

He glanced at Chai Yin first; the sight of her awkward posture made him sneer with distaste and look away, as if every additional second was a stain on his eyes.

Chai Yin exhaled inwardly, sat properly, and continued listening.

"Miss Guan, long time no see."

"So busy you couldn't even answer a call—seems like Miss Guan has forgotten a thing or two."

Guan Xiaoying's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Mr. Wei, let's not dance around it. We both know why we're here. Speak plainly."

Wei Yan sat down beside He Wei, a cold laugh escaping him. "Fine."

"About three years ago..."

Guan Xiaoying cut him off. "State your terms."

Wei Yan's brows furrowed, displeased at being interrupted, but he knew his leverage now depended on Guan Xiaoying's goodwill. Swallowing his irritation, he said, "I want in at Xinhui."

"Impossible!"

Guan Xiaoying refused him without a second thought.

"Mr. Wei, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Given your current standing, Xinhui wouldn't take you even if we wanted—let alone with all the debts trailing behind you."

"As I recall, Jingyan paid a hefty sum to bring you over back then. What? You've got the penalty clause ready?"

Wei Yan chuckled, looking down. "Miss Guan has quite a sharp tongue. No, I don't have the penalty fee. But Xinhui does."

Guan Xiaoying's impatience was creeping onto her face. "Keep dreaming. I won't let you into Xinhui."

Wei Yan fixed his gaze on her, unrelenting. "Miss Guan, this industry runs on mutual benefit. Tearing each other apart is something we all try to avoid."

"You didn't talk like this when you came to us three years ago."

Guan Xiaoying sneered. "Wei Yan, I'll be straight with you. If you stay put in Jingyan, you might still have a way out. As for what happened three years ago—even if you talk, who's going to believe you? Will Wei back you? Or Jingyan? Ruining you is child's play for me. But toppling me? You think it's that easy?"

"Wei Yan, learn to read the room. Don't make things ugly for yourself."

Wei Yan seemed to have anticipated her response. He raised a black voice recorder in his hand. "Miss Guan speaks well—knowing when to back off is a virtue."

"Sure, I'm drowning in debt. But I'm confident that what I have here, CEO Chi of Jingyan would pay top dollar for."

"Care to hear what's on it?"

Guan Xiaoying furrowed her brow. "What?"

Wei Yan met her eyes without flinching, still intense. "Something the netizens are dying to know."

"Haven't you checked Weibo? They're all asking why He Wei and I targeted Kong Xiyan three years ago."

"This... is the reason."

Guan Xiaoying reached out to snatch it, her face stiff. "You think that scares me?"

Wei Yan placed the recorder on the table. "Miss Guan, no need to worry. You and I have always been on the same boat. I know what you're after."

"I was at the top of my game, and Chi Wanzhao pulled the rug out from under me. You think I'm happy about it? There's no way I'm actually going to her—unless I'm truly desperate, with even you refusing to help."

"Your goal is to force Kong Xiyan out of the industry. I know my wish to bring down Jingyan is a pipe dream, so I'll settle for aligning with you there. Once Kong Xiyan is gone, He Wei and I can crawl back into the game, right?"

"Isn't that a win-win?"

Guan Xiaoying listened and slowly calmed down. She looked at Wei Yan. "You have a plan?"

Wei Yan said, "Have you heard of Changning Village?"

Guan Xiaoying tilted her head. "Changning Village?"

Wei Yan smiled and nodded, offering nothing more.

The café staff walked back and forth, the only sound in the room. Chai Yin pressed close to the partition, straining to hear, but the words were lost.

She pressed her lips together.

Wei Yan leaned in and whispered something into Guan Xiaoying's ear. After a moment, Guan Xiaoying's brow relaxed. "You're sure?"

"Sure."

Guan Xiaoying gave him a long, hard look. Seeing the certainty in his eyes, she said thoughtfully, "I'll think about it."

Wei Yan glanced at He Wei.

He Wei immediately chimed in, "Xiaoying, Wei Yan does have a point. I also know Chai Yin's return and signing with Xinhui must have its reasons."

"Can't you just do us this one favor?"

"If we bring Kong Xiyan down, He Wei and I can slowly climb back. Then we can help Xinhui build its image. Besides, we're the ones closest to you—you wouldn't want to cultivate people like us within the company?"

Guan Xiaoying fell into deep thought at He Wei's words.

After a long pause, she finally said, "I'll get back to you tomorrow."

"I'm heading off."

She stood up and left. Chai Yin knew her little ruse might fool Wei Yan but not Guan Xiaoying, so she slipped out of the café before Guan Xiaoying emerged.

Guan Xiaoying stepped out, glanced around, then got into her car.

Chai Yin, seeing the engine start, instructed her assistant: "Keep following."

The assistant nodded and started the car.

Half an hour later.

Guan Xiaoying's car pulled up in front of a hotel. Chai Yin didn't get out; she watched as a man escorted Guan Xiaoying inside. From her angle, she could see the man's profile—it was Wei Haoran's assistant.

A cold smile curled at her lips. She told the assistant, "We wait."

The assistant acknowledged. The car remained parked a short distance away, dark inside while the hotel entrance blazed with light.

Chai Yin watched until Guan Xiaoying's figure vanished through the doors.

In the hotel suite, Guan Xiaoying sat on a chair, looking at Wei Haoran.

"Haoran, it's over. Don't dwell on it."

Wei Haoran took a sip of red wine, boiling at the humiliation he'd suffered. In a fit of rage, he hurled the glass at the doorframe. It shattered with a crash, scarlet wine spilling across the floor.

Guan Xiaoying's face darkened.

Wei Haoran said sourly, "Sister-in-law, did big brother send you to talk me down?"

Guan Xiaoying shook her head. "Your big brother doesn't know I'm here."

"When I gave you that resource back then, I didn't tell him. I wanted him to see you had your own merit."

"Nobody expected it to end up like this."

Wei Haoran's hands clenched tightly.

Guan Xiaoying walked over and patted his shoulder. "Haoran, your brother had no choice that day."

"No choice?"

"Sister-in-law, I know you're on his side, but there's a limit. What does Xinhui lack compared to Jingyan, huh? Cooperation?"

"For a deal, he made his own brother wear a dress in front of everyone? Do you know whose face I can't stand to see now?"

"It's not Chi Wanzhao from Jingyan, not Kong Xiyan—it's my brother's face! It makes me sick!"

Guan Xiaoying's tone turned sharper. "Haoran, you know exactly how your brother treats you. He's not just supporting you—he's cleaned up your messes more times than you can count. You ask why Xinhui can't compare to Jingyan?"

"Part of that is you! It's because of you!"

"All these years of your reckless behavior have torn Xinhui's image to shreds. Don't you realize that?"

"You think your brother enjoys dealing with Chi Wanzhao? Haoran, think about it—who wants to bow and scrape? You don't. Your brother doesn't either. You think he's happy seeing you like that? No, it kills him."

"It hurts him more than you!"

Guan Xiaoying's voice rose sharply. Wei Haoran stayed silent, absorbing her reprimand.

Neither spoke for a long while.

Finally, Guan Xiaoying picked up her bag. "Think it over for yourself."

Wei Haoran called out, "Sister-in-law..."

Guan Xiaoying paused. "Haoran, we're not asking you to stand with us right now. Just don't throw away the oars. That would only please our enemies and break our own hearts."

Wei Haoran's expression soured, but he said nothing.

As she reached the door, Guan Xiaoying paused, then added, "Want a chance to slap Jingyan in the face?"

Wei Haoran's eyes lit up. "How?"

Guan Xiaoying lowered her head to hide her smile. "Have your brother sign Wei Yan and He Wei."

Wei Haoran echoed, "Sign Wei Yan and He Wei?"

Guan Xiaoying offered no explanation and simply walked out of the room.

Wei Tiancheng now felt he owed Wei Haoran, so having Wei Haoran be the one to propose the signing would work far better than her doing it.

And if things with Wei Yan didn't pan out later, it wouldn't fall back on her.

Because it was Wei Haoran's choice.

Wei Haoran had done plenty of unreliable things; one more wouldn't matter.

Guan Xiaoying glanced back as she left the hotel, a slight smile tugging at her lips before she got into her car.

Chai Yin sighed from inside her vehicle.

She fumbled for her phone, found Chi Wanzhao's name, and after some thought, sent a message.

Guan Xiaoying is up to something. Changning Village.

The message lingered without a reply. Chai Yin set the phone down. "Let's head back."

The car traced a clean arc through the darkness and quickly merged into the night.