"Xing Yan, his younger brother is Xing Zheng," Xiao Yue provided the answer Lin Mei had been eagerly awaiting. Hearing these names confirmed all of Lin Mei's suspicions; the deductions she, Lan Lan, and Feng Feng had made might very well be true!
Xing Yan, Xing Zheng…
Unaware of Lin Mei's thoughts, Xiao Yue continued, "While tidying up the house yesterday, I found the candy jar Ming Zhe gave you. It's filled with small items. Should I keep the jar for you?"
Lin Mei replied, "Mail it to me. Use SF Express."
Xiao Yue said, "Okay, I'll mail it to you tomorrow."
After finishing the call with Xiao Yue, Lin Mei sat down at her desk, her mind buzzing with excitement, her heart pounding erratically.
She was suddenly reminded of the time Xing Zheng, injured and drunk, had been calling out a name repeatedly.
He had called out "A-yan." At the time, she had assumed he was referring to some past love or a confidante. Now, she realized it was highly likely he was calling for Xing Yan. What else had he said then? "I should be the one dead." Was it guilt over a wrongdoing?
With this evidence, Lin Mei was now certain that Xing Zheng was inextricably linked to Xing Yan's accident back then. Otherwise, why would his mother have disowned him?
But what kind of jealousy could drive him to such a fratricidal act?
Tonight marked the grand opening of the 1870 Club, and the venue was bustling with activity. As the largest shareholder of 1870, Zhao Jianghe commanded considerable influence, drawing in the city's dignitaries and influential figures for the opening.
Xing Zheng was undoubtedly the most dazzling among them. In just a few months since returning to the country, Shuang Mu had rapidly conquered the domestic market, and its investments in several corporations had soared like rockets. Everyone wanted to establish a connection with him.
Jiang Chu Bi, dressed in a black evening gown, linked arms with Xing Zheng as they entered the throng. The moment they appeared, someone stepped forward to compliment them as a "talented man and beautiful woman."
Jiang Chu Bi smiled gracefully, tightening her grip on Xing Zheng's arm. Xing Zheng met her gaze with a smile, their interaction appearing exceptionally harmonious. Zhao Jianghe approached, his eyes glancing at their clasped arms. "A-Zheng, Chu Bi."
Xing Zheng acknowledged him with an "Mm," adding, "Congratulations on the opening. The flower basket is at the reception."
"That's thoughtful of you," Zhao Jianghe expressed his gratitude.
Xing Zheng curved his lips and put his arm around Jiang Chu Bi's shoulders, saying, "She prepared it."
With Xing Zheng's words, Zhao Jianghe turned his attention to Jiang Chu Bi. He smiled warmly and said to her, "Chu Bi, that's very thoughtful of you. You're still so considerate after all this time."
Jiang Chu Bi responded smoothly, as if speaking to a dear elder brother she hadn't seen in ages, "Mr. Zhao, you're too kind. You are Big Brother's good friend, and you are also A-Zheng and my Big Brother."
As the host, Zhao Jianghe was constantly approached by others. Even with close acquaintances, he couldn't linger to entertain Xing Zheng and Jiang Chu Bi indefinitely. After a few minutes of pleasantries, Zhao Jianghe excused himself.
Xing Zheng subsequently released his arm from around Jiang Chu Bi's shoulders. Jiang Chu Bi let out a soft, mocking laugh and leaned closer to his ear, whispering, "You always use and discard me. So heartless."
Xing Zheng paid no mind to Jiang Chu Bi's playful reproach. He turned his attention to Zhao Jianghe, who was currently conversing with several other executives. Zhao Jianghe had been ambitious in the last year or two, with Zhao Corporation constantly expanding, and the Zhao family's status within the circles had steadily risen. This was not without the assistance of Xie Qin Jia.
The reason was simple: Xie Qin Jia loved him as she loved others. Because Zhao Jianghe was Xing Yan's good friend, she had asked Xing Sha to provide Zhao Jianghe with more support in the business world. Zhao Jianghe's crucial connections in previous years had all been introduced by Xing Sha.
While Zhao Jianghe was steadily ascending and achieving success in Nanjiang with Xing Sha's connections and help, Xing Zheng was spending sleepless nights on Wall Street, creating investment plans for clients…
Feng Feng arrived with Shen Su that evening. Shortly after they entered, they spotted Xing Zheng and Jiang Chu Bi intimately embracing. Fortunately, Feng Feng was naturally composed; she didn't comment on the scene. Had it been Lan Lan, she would likely have uttered a sarcastic remark.
Shen Su also had his share of social engagements. Feng Feng sat alone, having a few drinks. Feeling unwell, she went to the restroom. As she emerged from the restroom, she heard activity from the washbasin outside.
In such settings, there were never a shortage of people seeking thrills. Feng Feng didn't find it unusual, but she vaguely felt the woman's voice sounded familiar.
"Mm, I know. Don't bite my neck; he'll see it."
Feng Feng listened carefully. Whose voice could it be if not Jiang Chu Bi's?
She had heard rumors that Jiang Chu Bi and Xing Zheng had an open relationship, but she hadn't expected Jiang Chu Bi to be so brazen, engaging in infidelity with another man while attending an event with Xing Zheng…
Feng Feng couldn't quite make out the man's voice, only judging that he was around thirty years old. Jiang Chu Bi kept calling him "Ge Ge" (older brother), which Feng Feng found quite amusing. She chuckled.
With the two of them engaged in their passionate tryst outside, she realized she wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon. Feng Feng decided to stand aside and shared the gossip with Lin Mei and Lan Lan via WeChat.
Lin Mei saw Lan Lan's message and was also taken aback. Jiang Chu Bi had acted so competitively in front of her earlier, making Lin Mei believe that Jiang Chu Bi at least had some feelings for Xing Zheng. Her current actions were indeed perplexing.
Xing Zheng, to Lin Mei, was an enigma in every aspect, an enigma she would never be able to solve.
At ten o'clock, the doorbell rang. Lin Mei put down her laptop and went to open the door. As the door opened, Xing Zheng forcefully entered.
Before Lin Mei could step back, he had already pulled her by the arm into his embrace. One of his arms held her waist, while the other lifted her hair to examine the wound on her forehead.
Lin Mei stopped and met his gaze. The man's well-defined fingers gently tapped the bandage. "How did you get hurt here?"
"What do you think?" Lin Mei adopted a petulant tone, refusing to explain the incident and instead blaming him, "It's all thanks to you."
Xing Zheng cupped her chin. "Don't be passive-aggressive. Speak clearly." Lin Mei replied, "Why don't you ask Miss Ruan?"
"What about her?" Xing Zheng's tone sounded as if he were defending Ruan Yu Fei. Lin Mei sneered. As expected, she was the one who held the highest position in his heart. "She's fine. It's my fault; I deserve to be hit by your precious son."
Lin Mei became increasingly sarcastic, adopting a rather unreasonable demeanor, a side she rarely showed. She had thought the man would be most annoyed by such an attitude, but to her surprise, Xing Zheng chuckled after her words, as if something had greatly pleased him.
If he hadn't smelled of alcohol, Lin Mei would have suspected his mind was clouded from drinking!
Lin Mei pushed him away, annoyed. "I can't bear the accusation of being a mistress. I'm lucky I wasn't killed by your son this time. Who knows what will happen next? I can't deal with them, the mother and son. Don't come looking for me anymore."