Lu Lin: “You can’t say that. Men are just built that way. Their minds just aren’t as delicate as us girls’.”
Xing Luo: “Then he should go get his build fixed, instead of making us accommodate them.”
…
Lu Lin followed closely behind Xing Luo. “Sister Xing, from the way you’re talking, it sounds like you don’t really like your boyfriend that much.”
Xing Luo carried her bag and walked straight toward the office.
She had once put in real effort, but had never received so much as a shred in return.
“Not that into him.”
“Why not?”
“Ugly face, short stature, bad temper, quick finish.”
Lu Lin stared at Xing Luo in disbelief. “That’s like hitting the jackpot of all deal-breakers. Sister Xing, then what are you in it for?”
Xing Luo smiled faintly. “He’s rich.”
Jiang Yichen was indeed generous with her—everything he gave her was carefully chosen.
Lu Lin still didn’t understand. “Even if he’s rich, that doesn’t cut it. Sister Xing, you’re so beautiful. You can’t just let a pig trample over you for nothing.”
“Ugh, a guy like that—I’d find him dirty just looking at him in bed. Sister Xing, how do you even bring yourself to go through with it?”
Xing Luo found Lu Lin’s reaction adorable. Young girls were just too easily fooled.
“Remember this for the future: don’t believe everything people tell you. You need to have your own judgment.” Xing Luo patted her head like an elder.
Only then did Lu Lin realize she’d been tricked.
“Forget it, I can’t out-argue you.”
Xing Luo was the most eloquent person at the radio station. Sometimes even the station director would be left speechless by her comebacks.
Nothing to be done about it—Xing Luo’s show was the one advertisers loved to sponsor. She brought in most of the station’s revenue, so the director just had to put up with it.
Xing Luo changed her shoes and walked into the broadcast booth, starting to prepare for the 10 a.m. show.
Lu Lin followed her in.
“Stick with Sister Xing, and you’ll never go hungry.” Lu Lin said with a smile.
She hadn’t been at the station long, so she needed a veteran to show her the ropes.
Xing Luo was the best choice—highly skilled at her job and patient to boot.
Xing Luo pointed at the control console. “Do you know how to use all of these now?”
Lu Lin nodded. “Yes, I do. I promise I won’t make the same mistake as last time.”
Last time, her microphone hadn’t been muted, and she’d sneezed directly into it.
Not only that, she’d also let out a curse word.
Xing Luo: “Alright, I trust you.”
Lu Lin: “You’ve got to trust me.”
The show started on time and ended flawlessly.
Xing Luo patted Lu Lin on the shoulder. “Not bad. Improvement.”
Lu Lin said happily, “Thanks for the praise, Sister Xing.”
“Keep it up.”
“Will do.”
After the show ended, Xing Luo hailed a cab to head to the dinner party.
Lu Lin saw her into the car. “Take care.”
“Mm, you take care getting back too.”
When Xing Luo reached the private room door, Jiang Yichen was already inside.
She rested her hand on the doorknob but didn’t push it open right away.
“Yichen, where’s your girlfriend?” The speaker was Jiang Yichen’s good friend Sheng Huai.
“Don’t tell me you two broke up. I knew you wouldn’t last. Xing Luo’s pretty, sure, but she has no family background or connections. How could she compare to Ji Yan as a match for you?”
“Your mom likes Ji Yan too—she’s known her since she was a kid. She treats Ji Yan like her own daughter.”
As Sheng Huai’s words trailed off, Jiang Yichen slowly picked up his water glass, his fingers tapping against its rim. “Save those words for after she gets here.”
Sheng Huai stared at Jiang Yichen in disbelief. “What do you mean? Don’t tell me you’re actually serious—you’re really going to marry her?”
Back then, no one in their circle thought they’d work out. Xing Luo had pursued Jiang Yichen actively, but plenty of women had thrown themselves at him. Everyone had bet their relationship wouldn’t last three months. Yet somehow, they’d held on for nearly a year.
Jiang Yichen glanced at Sheng Huai. “You’re getting ahead of yourself.”
Sheng Huai: “You’ve been together for almost a year now. How am I getting ahead of myself?”
Jiang Yichen took a small sip of water, his tone languid. “Just playing around.”
When Xing Luo had first pursued him, she’d said she liked him and wanted nothing else—just to be by his side.
She didn’t make a fuss, didn’t throw tantrums. She was beautiful, wasn’t greedy, didn’t cling, didn’t push for marriage, and didn’t fight for anything.
The ideal girlfriend, really.
Someone this well-behaved—might as well play along with her.
Xing Luo listened from the doorway, her heart completely still. She could almost picture the expression on Jiang Yichen’s face as he said those words—languid, indifferent.
In his eyes, she was probably nothing more than a source of “added amusement.”
Beside him, Xu Che chimed in as well. “When has our Young Master Jiang ever been sincere? The fact that he’s willing to play around with Xing Luo at all means she still has some value to him.”
Jiang Yichen neither confirmed nor denied it.
Sheng Huai asked again, “Aren’t you afraid Xing Luo will push for marriage? You’re both getting up there in age.”
Jiang Yichen smiled faintly, emphasizing, “She won’t. She’s very well-behaved.”
In the past year, she’d never once brought up such a request. She simply stayed quietly by his side like a beautiful caged bird.
Sheng Huai chuckled softly. He wondered what Xing Luo’s reaction would be if she heard Jiang Yichen say that.
Back then, Xing Luo had pursued Jiang Yichen relentlessly, forcing her way into a circle that didn’t belong to her.
Everyone advised her to give up, but unexpectedly, this young girl managed to win Jiang Yichen over.
Over the past year, she had been so well-behaved and obedient that it made him want to find a canary just like her.
“Since it’s just for fun, when are you going to get tired of her?” Sheng Huai looked at Jiang Yichen and asked.
Tired of her? Not yet, for now.
Although Xing Luo occasionally threw tantrums, a little coaxing was all it took to smooth things over.
Life was too dull right now—having Xing Luo around added a splash of color to his days.
“We’ll see.” Jiang Yichen’s voice was lazy as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair.
He had never thought about going the distance with Xing Luo, but who knew what the future held?
If his family started pressuring him to settle down, he might consider adding Xing Luo to the list of potential marriage candidates.
But for now, that was out of the question.
“Someone’s going to be heartbroken.” Xu Che shook his head.
“There’s nothing we can do about that.” Sheng Huai added, “We already told Xing Luo from the start that she and Yichen would never last, and besides, Yichen has Ji Yan by his side. She didn’t listen and insisted on forcing her way in. If she ends up hurt, she brought it on herself.”
“She really has stuck around for a long time.” Xu Che looked at Jiang Yichen. “Hasn’t she, Yichen?”
Just as Xu Che finished speaking, the door to the private room swung open, and everyone turned to look.
Xing Luo stood there in a cream-white knee-length dress, the soft fabric gently hugging her figure and accentuating her slender waist.
Her long hair, slightly wavy, draped loosely over her shoulders. She looked as if she were bathed in moonlight—gentle and soft.
The three men couldn’t help but let their gazes linger on her a moment longer. There was no denying it—Xing Luo was truly beautiful. No wonder Jiang Yichen had kept her by his side for so long.
“Baby, you’re here!” Jiang Yichen smiled and patted the seat beside him. “Come sit.”
The gesture was like calling over a little puppy.
Xing Luo smiled and took the seat next to Jiang Yichen.
Jiang Yichen placed his right hand on her waist and asked softly, “When did you arrive?”