After her brother knocked, Xu Miao immediately pressed him for details about his conversation with Lu Xiaojun.
Xu Zhigang scratched his head, admitting he hadn’t gotten anything useful.
Even the circumstances of how they met, or when, were vague.
All he could say was that they “seemed to have known each other for a short time,” and Lu Weidong had said something like “I’ll take responsibility.”
Those few ambiguous words—“known each other for a short time” and “take responsibility”—instantly set Xu Miao’s sensitive nerves on edge.
Her mind jumped to the scenario she most dreaded, yet seemed most plausible.
This woman must have used some dishonorable means, forcing Lu Weidong to “take responsibility”!
Something had happened between them that shouldn’t have, and Lu Weidong had been coerced!
The thought pierced her like a needle, snapping her out of self-pitying despair.
She stopped crying, stopped staring blankly, and rose with burning anger and defiance.
A sudden sense of mission surged within her—she would help Lu Weidong, and make this woman stay far away!
Quickly, she tidied herself, even preparing a rehearsed set of words.
If Lu Weidong genuinely loved her, she would step aside.
But if he had been coerced or manipulated…
She couldn’t stand idly by while he jumped into a fire!
With this “rescuer” mindset, Xu Miao headed straight to the Lu family building.
Halfway there, she ran into Lu Weidong and Ye Wenxi leaving together.
“Xu Miao, what’s wrong?” Lu Weidong frowned, noticing her pale, unsteady face.
Xu Miao’s voice trembled with suppression, yet her eyes locked onto Ye Wenxi.
“Brother Weidong… are you really marrying her willingly?”
The question was blunt and rude, and Lu Weidong’s expression immediately darkened.
His first instinct was to glance at Ye Wenxi.
Sure enough, her smile had vanished, eyebrows furrowed, her expression icy.
“Xu Miao, I don’t understand what you’re implying,” Lu Weidong said coldly. “We have business—let’s go.”
He gestured for Ye Wenxi to keep moving forward.
“You were forced, weren’t you?!” Xu Miao suddenly raised her voice, nearly shouting.
“Did she use some trick to make you?!”
Lu Weidong stopped abruptly, turning around, his face devoid of warmth.
“Who told you these things?! This has nothing to do with you.”
He took a couple steps, then paused again, staring at Xu Miao with a chilling intensity.
Every word was clear and ice-cold:
“Xu Miao, from now on, please do not interfere in my life again.”
The words stabbed straight into Xu Miao’s heart like a knife.
She felt her blood run cold, consumed instantly by excruciating pain and overwhelming shame.
No! This isn’t how it’s supposed to be! She came to save him!
Seeing Lu Weidong and the woman about to leave, Xu Miao acted impulsively.
She lunged forward two steps, reaching for Ye Wenxi’s arm.
Unexpectedly, Ye Wenxi seemed to anticipate her move.
The moment Xu Miao’s fingers almost touched her sleeve, Ye Wenxi lifted her arm and briskly swatted it away.
“What are you doing?”
Ye Wenxi turned, her gaze sharp and unflinching, her voice cold and commanding.
“Tell me! What underhanded method did you use on him?!”
Xu Miao lost control, screaming at Ye Wenxi.
Lu Weidong’s eyes sharpened instantly. He stepped forward, placing Ye Wenxi firmly behind him.
His broad shoulders and strong arms formed a barrier.
He shielded Ye Wenxi completely, standing squarely between her and Xu Miao.
His voice was low, tinged with both anger and warning:
“Xu Miao! Enough!”
He didn’t look back at the stunned, pale Xu Miao.
Wrapping Ye Wenxi’s shoulder, he turned and strode away decisively.
Xu Miao froze, watching the two rapidly retreating, closely entwined figures. Her strength seemed to drain from her body.
Tears surged unexpectedly, spilling down uncontrollably.
After walking a short distance from the compound, Lu Weidong released his hold on Ye Wenxi’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, his tone full of remorse.
Ye Wenxi didn’t respond immediately.
Her mind was still on something else, not the drama of this “female rivalry.”
Xu Miao’s outburst—this part wasn’t in the original story.
It was a chain reaction caused by her “variable” presence.
The story seemed to be diverging from its original path.
Could the plot truly be altered?
If it could, maybe she could escape the narrative trap.
But with the information so far, she couldn’t be sure.
Lu Weidong noticed Ye Wenxi’s furrowed brows and pensive expression.
Thinking she was upset by the earlier conflict, guilt gnawed at him, and he solemnly repeated:
“Wenxi, I’m sorry.”
“Ah?”
Only then did Ye Wenxi register his unabashed apology and concern.
“It’s okay,” she shook her head, then asked, “How did she know?”
Lu Weidong paused briefly: “Probably Xiaojun said something unintentionally. He and Xu Miao’s brother are friends.”
“Oh…” Ye Wenxi realized.
In the original story, there was no mention of Lu Xiaojun and Xu Miao’s brother’s connection, so she hadn’t known.
Now she had a rough idea.
Knowing this family, Liu Xiuyun and Li Shufen were not the type to gossip recklessly.
The most likely explanation was that Lu Xiaojun, that half-grown boy, accidentally let something slip to a friend, which someone then seized upon.
Ye Wenxi paused, then casually asked: “She’s close to you?”
Lu Weidong didn’t even frown: “Not really. Her father is an old acquaintance of my elder brother; we’ve met a few times.”
He paused, then added:
“If she ever comes looking for you again, ignore her and tell me directly.”
Ye Wenxi raised an eyebrow, amused: “Tell you what? To go argue with her?”
Lu Weidong was momentarily at a loss.
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me. Besides, we’ll leave in a few days,” Ye Wenxi said with a smile.
Seeing her smile, Lu Weidong felt a little of his gloom lift.
…
An old billiards hall, thick with smoke, a few thugs shouting around the tables.
Xu Miao pushed the door open, her appearance completely out of place.
Her face was ghostly pale, attracting several curious glances.
She ignored them, scanning the room, finally spotting a man at the far table in a worn jacket, smoking.
“Zhang Lei!” she called, her voice dry.
A few of the guys glanced at her; someone whistled.
Zhang Lei looked up, dropped his cue, and walked to the door, pulling her aside.
“What are you doing here?”
Xu Miao lifted her swollen eyes, her gaze sharp: “Zhang Lei, I need a favor.”