Having left both girls fuming, Wen Yao sauntered back to Fu Jinzhi’s office.
In the end, she never even learned their names.
Seeing that Fu Jinzhi was still busy, Wen Yao didn’t go over to disturb him. Instead, she sat down on the sofa and started scrolling through Fu Jinzhi’s Moments, hoping to find even a shred of information about the White Moonlight.
According to the outline 8848 had given her, the White Moonlight was the most ordinary sort of young lady from a good family—gentle, dignified, and kind, having grown up with Fu Jinzhi as childhood sweethearts.
But with the precedent of the female lead having two faces, Wen Yao didn’t quite trust that vague outline.
Fu Jinzhi’s Moments had very little content—couldn’t even be called monthly updates—and yielded no useful information at all.
She’d barely scrolled a few times when Wen Yao received a WeChat message.
Zhao Xinting: Image.jpg
Zhao Xinting: See this? You can never take Ruoruo’s place.
Who’s this? Confusion was written on every one of Wen Yao’s eyelashes. She tapped open the image Zhao Xinting had sent.
It was a photo of Fu Jinzhi and a girl together, seemingly on a cruise ship, the atmosphere between them intimate.
The girl wore a pale yellow dress with a cream-colored shawl draped over her shoulders. Her figure was slender, her features delicate and pretty, with a faint smile at the corners of her eyes and brows.
Fu Jinzhi in the photo was clearly much younger—not that he was old now, but back then he carried a sharp, youthful vigor, radiating confidence. A bold smile hung on his handsome face, hands in his pockets, leaning back against the railing.
Wen Yao unconsciously muttered, “That year I had my hands in my pockets, I didn’t know what it meant to have a rival.”
Hearing Wen Yao mumble something, Fu Jinzhi looked up at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Keep working.”
Fu Jinzhi returned to his work. He was processing documents unusually quickly today, all so he could leave on time to take Wen Yao to see Fu Yan.
Wen Yao studied Fu Jinzhi. He was dressed in a black suit, his posture tall and straight with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His expression was blank while he focused on work, which lent him an extra touch of restraint and allure.
“Ah, men are better when they’re young.” Wen Yao looked back at the screen, admiring the young Fu Jinzhi—how vibrant he was!
But this time her voice was louder, and Fu Jinzhi heard her clearly. He set his pen aside, his peach-blossom eyes devoid of amusement, his voice cool. “So you’re saying I’m old…”
He was 26 this year, four years older than Wen Yao. He’d never thought much of it, but hearing Wen Yao’s heartfelt sigh just now stirred some strange emotion in his chest.
“How could that be? Being older has its advantages!” Wen Yao’s eyelid twitched, and she scrambled to make amends.
“Oh? What advantages?” He’d only meant to tease her, but hearing her actually call him old made Fu Jinzhi furrow his brow slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips.
“Well… instead of watching a boy grow up, better to share your heart with an old man.”
“Old men are good—old men get government subsidies, and when the old man dies, you can find another.”
“Shut up!” Fu Jinzhi was genuinely caught between anger and laughter. He picked up his pen and continued reviewing documents. “Say one more word, and when this old man leaves, I’m taking you with me.”
Wen Yao fell silent as a mouse.
[Host, if I could, I’d trade three years of my salary to buy you a new mouth.]
“No, it wouldn’t help.” Wen Yao feigned melancholy. “Even if you sewed my mouth shut, my words would still leak out through my eyes. You understand—the eyes are the window to the soul.”
“Some birds just can’t be caged.”
[…]
“So you just have to be this cheap, huh?” 8848 genuinely wondered if it had encountered a weirdo right off the bat, or if it simply hadn’t seen enough of humanity.
[I still suggest you communicate with the male lead more gently. Otherwise, how are you supposed to win his affection?] 8848 said earnestly.
“Why would I want Fu Jinzhi’s affection?” Wen Yao was puzzled—what did that have to do with her mission? “My mission is just to stop him from breaking the law and change my own fate of starving to death!”
[Winning over the male lead is a shortcut. On one hand, it changes the plot; on the other, as his lover, you’d be in a better position to intervene in his actions.]
“No way. I’m here to work, not to sell myself.” Wen Yao said with righteous indignation.
“Winning over Fu Jinzhi? That’s a separate fee!”
8848 felt exhausted. Why was this Host so impervious to reason?
Ignoring 8848’s fatigue, Wen Yao continued looking at her phone.
Perhaps sensing her lack of response, that Zhao Xinting thought she’d hit a nerve and sent a few more WeChat messages.
Zhao Xinting: Fu Jinzhi and Ruoruo were childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven.
Zhao Xinting: Even if she’s no longer here, she’ll live forever in Fu Jinzhi’s heart.
Wen Yao tapped into Zhao Xinting’s Moments. A minute ago, she’d posted a nine-grid photo layout with the caption: Still missing you, forever remembering you.
In the center was the same group photo she’d just sent.
Wen Yao scrolled further down and confirmed from a few selfies that Zhao Xinting was the short-haired woman from earlier.
So she was a close friend of the White Moonlight, An Ruoruo. No wonder she was targeting her like that.
Wen Yao found it a bit odd—why did she have Zhao Xinting’s WeChat but not Fu Jinzhi’s or Fu Yan’s contact info? Their relationship clearly wasn’t good either!
Were fellow Cannon Fodders supposed to stick together?
Just as she was wondering, Zhao Xinting sent another message, like a parrot showing off.
Zhao Xinting: You know it yourself, right? Fu Jinzhi only married you because of the child in your belly.
Zhao Xinting: But with our family backgrounds, what’s a child? Plenty of women would be willing to have his baby.
Zhao Xinting: If you don’t want things to get ugly in the end, have some self-awareness and get a divorce quickly.
Wen Yao smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. She’d been bored anyway—teasing this person could be a bit of entertainment.
Wen Yao walked over to Fu Jinzhi with her phone, circling around to adjust the angle for a group photo.
“What are you doing?” Fu Jinzhi’s brows showed a hint of helplessness.
Wen Yao pointed at her phone screen, signaling Fu Jinzhi to cooperate for the photo.
Fu Jinzhi actually turned around and draped his arm over her shoulder. A seemingly intimate photo was born.
Wen Yao got what she wanted and made a tiny heart with her thumb and index finger to thank Fu Jinzhi.
“Cat got your tongue? Why aren’t you saying anything?” Fu Jinzhi found it amusing.
Wen Yao still remembered his earlier words: “Say one more word, and I’ll take you with me when the old man goes.”
She shook her head obediently. “I’m afraid you’ll take me away.”
Fu Jinzhi felt like he’d used up a whole year’s worth of anger in one go, and now he only found it funny. He lightly tapped Wen Yao’s head and went back to his work.
Wen Yao started stirring up trouble, messing with Zhao Xinting’s head.
Cures All Kinds of Defiance: image.jpg
Cures All Kinds of Defiance: Who said she could never be replaced? Look at me, I’ve already taken her place—and I’m even closer now~
Curing All Kinds of Defiance: An Ruoruo will forever live in Fu Jinzhi’s heart? Okay, whatever—Fu Jinzhi is currently living in my bed.
Curing All Kinds of Defiance: How strange, An Ruoruo herself hasn’t said anything, yet you, her best friend, are so anxious to rush me into a divorce?
Curing All Kinds of Defiance: Ah, don’t tell me you’re also eyeing your best friend’s man?
Upon receiving these messages, Zhao Xinting was burning with rage, a vicious expression twisting across her face as she hurled her phone to the ground.
“Bitch!!”
The curly-haired woman beside her leaned in with concern, “Cousin, what’s wrong?”
Zhao Xinting gnashed her teeth and spat out fiercely, “Xi’er, Wen Yao and Fu Jinzhi are starting to develop feelings for each other. She said she’s already replaced Ruoruo.”
“She also said that I went to see her because I have designs on Fu Jinzhi! How is that possible? I would never steal my best friend’s man!”
She didn’t notice that upon hearing her last sentence, the curly-haired girl beside her, Zhao Xi’er, had a flicker in her eyes.