Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Xu Wan came knocking, I had just finished a business meeting and was resting in the lounge with my young secretary, Qi Zhou.

Qi Zhou was highly perceptive, and not just when it came to work. For instance, right now, he only needed to catch a glimpse of my expression after Xu Wan entered to have the sense to excuse himself and go buy me a coffee.

This brief window of time was enough for me to have a talk with Xu Wan.

I looked at Xu Wan sitting across from me. Her skin was smooth and delicate, her outfit was clean and sharp, and her lustrous black hair was tied up in a high ponytail.

Purely based on appearance, she was the niche type of “White Moonlight” that had become popular in recent years.

Xu Wan had been like this since high school, using a unique brand of rebellion to catch Xie Yan’s eye among a sea of delicate, “white flower” types.

Xie Yan said he had never seen a soul as free as Xu Wan’s, so he followed her without hesitation, beginning his downward spiral into a self-destructive kind of freedom.

At the thought of this, I couldn’t help but smile. I relaxed my posture, leaning back casually against the sofa, and raised my hand in a “please, go ahead” gesture.

In contrast to my ease, Xu Wan was tense and guarded, her entire body on high alert.

She was quick to summon her emotions; she hadn’t been sitting for long before her eyes welled up with tears. She looked up and gave me a strained smile. “I heard that Miss Song and Ah Yan are getting engaged. He’s been very concerned because of the things happening between him and me lately, and Ah Yan feels very guilty. He…”

Hearing her open with such low-level provocation and testing, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. I pinched the bridge of my nose and interrupted her.

“Miss Xu, what do you think of him?” I said, pointing toward the door. Xu Wan followed my gaze and saw Qi Zhou standing guard outside.

He had a tall, slender build, and even in a cheap suit, he carried himself with a distinct, refined elegance.

He was carefully holding the drink he had brought for me, and from the moment he returned, his eyes hadn’t left me for a second.

Seeing me look at him, Qi Zhou offered a faint smile through the glass door. He had the intensity just right-expressing devotion without being greasy.

Of course, this wasn’t some innate talent of Qi Zhou’s. It was the result of him carefully studying my preferences and practicing repeatedly until he could stand before me as he did now.

I knew all of this, but I didn’t care what kind of person Qi Zhou was at his core. As long as he performed well enough to keep me comfortable, he could stay by my side.

This was the difference between Xie Yan and me. He spent all his energy chasing an idealized soul he’d constructed in his mind, yet he couldn’t even see through a person’s basic facade. In the end, he was played like a fiddle by someone of a lower social standing.

Perhaps sensing what I was about to say next, Xu Wan’s face turned quite pale. However, she had no leverage to lash out in front of me, so she could only force a smile and follow my lead. “That gentleman looks very talented and seems very loyal to you, Miss Song. He is a rare…”

“Is he rare?” I scoffed, interrupting her again. Xu Wan’s expression began to crumble, but I didn’t care. I simply smiled at her. “As long as I still like this type, I can have as many people like him as I want.”

Xu Wan understood my implication and began to look restless.

“Someone who appears kind, simple, unique, and devoted only to me might seem one-of-a-kind to Xie Yan, but that is not what I pursue. I don’t pin my ideals on any single person.” With every word I spoke, Xu Wan’s face grew uglier, and her grip on her handbag tightened.

“So, Miss Xu, you’re directing your efforts toward the wrong target.” Finally, I leaned back against the sofa and gave a slight wave of my hand. Someone outside immediately understood and entered the room. They reached out toward Xu Wan, and she was forced to pull a recording pen out of her bag.

Throughout the entire process, Qi Zhou stood by my side, leaning down to hand me the still-warm coffee. From start to finish, his eyes were only on me, as if everyone else in the room was irrelevant.

In response, I simply reached out and patted his head with satisfaction.

Xu Wan couldn’t sit still any longer. She grabbed the new bag Xie Yan had bought her and fled in a panic.

“Miss, she likely has other recording devices hidden on her,” the assistant standing nearby said respectfully.

“It doesn’t matter. She’s figured it out,” I said dismissively, picking up a financial report from the table and beginning to read.

Yes, I had known from the start.

Xu Wan was an ambitious person. She knew what she wanted and exactly which steps to take to get there.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have left so readily when Xie Yan’s mother approached her on the eve of graduation.

She took enough money to go abroad and enjoy the elite education she otherwise would never have accessed, then waited for time and memory to settle, turning her into the eternal ‘White Moonlight’ in Xie Yan’s heart.

Xu Wan had always been clear-headed enough.

Today’s little test made her realize that I wouldn’t be her rival.

We weren’t even on the same playing field. What I pursued was entirely different from what she or Xie Yan wanted.

If I didn’t take the initiative to move against her, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to create a troublesome enemy for herself.

Besides, I’ve always appreciated ambitious women. I can admire the ruthlessness they use to achieve their goals-as long as they don’t get in my way.