Chapter 24 p2
Perhaps because of the incident upstairs, Xu Jinnan felt unwell.
At the dinner table, Xu Tao asked about her recent investments. “You’ve been doing well. Who’s advising you?”
The food was tasteless.
“I came up with the ideas myself,” she replied.
Xu Tao clearly didn’t believe her. In all these years, she’d never shown any interest in business, only in causing trouble. It was that Shen woman who had a good business sense.
“Fine, whether it was your idea or that Shen woman’s, I don’t care. Just remember, no matter how much you dote on your wife, don’t lose your sense of propriety.” He continued, “And that acting nonsense? Put a stop to it.”
“I can’t do that,” Xu Jinnan said firmly.
Xu Tao frowned. “What did you say?”
“Shen Shu’s acting career isn’t harming anyone.”
“Not harming anyone?!” Xu Tao exploded, slamming his chopsticks down. “Her photos online are all over the news! Look at her image! She looks like a prostitute!”
Xu Jinnan put down her chopsticks, her eyes turning cold. “Watch your language.”
It was probably the first time Xu Jinnan had ever talked back to him. After a moment of stunned silence, his anger erupted.
“You’ve grown some nerve! How dare you speak to me like that!”
“You shouldn’t insult my wife.”
“Can we drop the loving wife act?” Xu Li said, taking a sip of milk. “Dad’s right. Her image is damaging the Xu family’s reputation.”
Xu Jinnan’s voice turned icy. “Your reputation isn’t exactly spotless either.”
“Not as bad as yours.”
“Enough!” Lu Yun snapped.
“There’s a solution… little sister can get a divorce,” Xu Li said with a smirk. “That should be easy for her, right?”
Xu Li was deliberately provoking her. She knew Xu Jinnan wouldn’t divorce Shen Shu, but she wanted to create conflict between her and their father.
Xu Jinnan narrowed her eyes. This woman was truly manipulative.
As if oblivious, Xu Li continued to fan the flames. “Why are you glaring at me? You’ve only been married for a few days. What’s with the sudden devotion?”
“You shut up!” Lu Yun gripped Xu Jinnan’s hand, afraid she would lose control. In her eyes, Xu Jinnan was mentally unstable and couldn’t handle stress.
“Xu Tao! Control your daughter!”
“You control her! She’s throwing away the Xu family’s reputation for a woman!”
“Reputation? Look at yourself! Do you even have one?”
At that moment, Xu Jinnan glanced at Xu Tao, seeing a flash of something dark and frightening in his eyes.
She couldn’t stay here another second. She gave Xu Li, who had effortlessly escalated the situation, a cold look, their eyes meeting briefly.
Then she turned and walked away.
The sound of her parents arguing followed her. At the door, Lu Yun caught up to her, her voice pleading. “Nannan!”
“I need some time alone,” Xu Jinnan said, pulling her hand away.
“Don’t send anyone to Qucheng again. Stop investigating,” Lu Yun said.
Xu Jinnan turned around sharply.
“You were the one who stopped him from seeing me?”
“Yes, I paid him to leave North City.”
“Please, Nannan, don’t investigate any further.”
A chill ran down Xu Jinnan’s spine.
If it weren’t for inheriting the original Xu Jinnan’s body, she wouldn’t have bothered investigating. But everything pointed to… danger.
The words on the photo.
The locked box.
Lu Yun’s desperation to stop her from investigating Qucheng.
Every time she thought about it, a sense of unease settled over her, like a lurking beast.
She couldn’t rest until she knew the truth.
Xu Jinnan rubbed her temples.
“Miss, you didn’t sleep well last night. Why don’t you go to Miss Shen’s and rest?” Zhou Pei suggested.
Xu Jinnan glanced at her. Zhou Pei knew they were living separately. Secrets couldn’t be kept forever; eventually, everyone would know their marriage was a sham.
And after today’s incident, it was clear the Xu family was a toxic environment.
Perhaps far worse than the Shen family. She wondered if a divorce might be the best thing for Shen Shu after all.
“Back to the hotel,” she said.
Instead of taking the private elevator, Xu Jinnan sat down in the hotel lobby, attributing her behavior to a rebellious impulse.
She didn’t understand what was happening to her.
Perhaps the events at the Xu family home had shaken her more than she’d realized.
“Miss, your luggage has been delivered to your room.”
It was the things Lu Yun had packed for her.
“You can go home now,” Xu Jinnan told Zhou Pei.
“You don’t look well. Should I call a doctor?”
“I’m fine. I’ll call if I need anything.” She’d been feeling unwell since leaving the Xu residence, waves of cold sweat washing over her, like a fever. But Professor Qin had said chills could also be an early symptom of differentiation complications.
“I’ll be up in a bit. You can go,” she repeated.
After Zhou Pei left, Xu Jinnan sat in the lobby, idly scrolling through Weibo. Shen Shu wasn’t trending anymore. A suggested follow appeared at the top of her feed: Newcomer Shen Shu.
She clicked on it. The profile picture was the same as her WeChat profile – a black X against a white background. There were no posts.
Xu Jinnan followed her, the account automatically added to her entertainment list.
A WeChat notification popped up.
It was a group message.
Han Fu: [@Xu Jinnan Coming?]
A location tag and a photo followed.
She’d intended to change her number, but dealing with the original Xu Jinnan’s messy contacts seemed more trouble than it was worth. She’d deleted all the random contacts and group chats.
They’d just added her back.
Xu Jinnan opened the photo. A large round table, filled with people. Shen Shu was in the bottom right corner, wearing a simple beige T-shirt, but Xu Jinnan spotted her instantly.
A short-haired woman with a beautiful, gentle face sat beside her.
Another dinner?
Did this film crew ever actually film anything?
Xu Jinnan scrolled through the chat history.
Han Fu: [Chen Bo had the waiter take this photo. If you don’t come, he’s going to make a move.]
Han Fu: [You know he’s obsessed with Shen Shu, can’t resist a top-tier Omega.]
Chen Bo: [Fuck off, I’m not! And what about Song Ronghui offering her a drink?]
Xu Jinnan frowned.
Song Ronghui: [@Xu Jinnan Don’t worry, it was just a drink, nothing inappropriate.]
Chen Bo: [I can vouch for that. Don’t hit anyone, Nan-jie.]
Song Ronghui: [@Chen Bo We’re still in the same room! Can you be a little more discreet? Your Omega’s moans are a bit loud.]
Chen Bo: [Come join us.]
Han Fu: [There he goes again.]
…
Xu Jinnan didn’t bother reading the rest.
Even though Yin Xue had been the one using Chen Bo’s phone last time, none of these people were decent. They had no boundaries when they were together.
Song Ronghui: [Coming?]
Xu Jinnan stood up.
If she didn’t go, Chen Bo and the others would assume she’d lost interest in Shen Shu and would act even more recklessly.
She couldn’t risk them targeting Shen Shu again.
At the restaurant, she saw a familiar face at the entrance.
Song Ronghui.
After their encounter at the cafe, Xu Jinnan had checked Song Ronghui’s Moments to be sure she would recognize her. She seemed the most normal of the bunch, her posts relatively tame.
Unlike Chen Bo and Han Fu, whose Moments were filled with explicit content.
The level of debauchery would be considered criminal in her original world.
“I wondered if you would come,” Song Ronghui said. “Didn’t think you actually would.”
Xu Jinnan glanced around. “Where are the others?”
Song Ronghui offered her a cigarette. Xu Jinnan didn’t take it, so she lit it herself. “Still at it. Room 301. You can still join them.”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
She felt a wave of disgust, especially being in a restaurant.
“Aren’t you afraid of catching something?”
“Afraid of what?” Song Ronghui exhaled a plume of smoke. “Didn’t you say, if we get sick, we’ll die together, and if we don’t, we’ll play together?”
“…”
They were all insane.
Xu Jinnan didn’t waste any more time with her. Perhaps sensing her impatience, Song Ronghui said, “Your little wife is in 309. You’re welcome.”
Xu Jinnan brushed past her.
“Nannan, do you really not miss Yin Xue anymore?” Song Ronghui asked casually, as if it had just occurred to her.
Xu Jinnan’s attention was elsewhere. She saw two figures walking down the corridor. Shen Shu stumbled slightly on the carpet, and the woman walking behind her immediately put her arm around her shoulder.
Xu Jinnan felt a strange surge of… possessiveness.
Song Ronghui walked over and put her arm around Xu Jinnan’s shoulder. “Why don’t you dye your hair green?”
“…”
Song Ronghui chuckled.
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