The media had been eagerly awaiting the wedding date of Xing Zheng and Jiang Chu Bi. Now that he had announced the exact date, all sorts of media outlets scrambled to report on it. The date was set for mid-June. It was now late March, with over two months to go. The wedding news was personally announced by Xing Zheng during an interview.
Besides announcing the date, he also didn't forget to show off his affection in front of the media. When talking about wedding preparations, he said, "Everything is being prepared according to her wishes."
The media praised him as a new kind of good man, and many netizens jokingly called him "husband" after this interview.
Lin Mei watched the interview with mixed feelings. It was inevitable that she felt lost and dejected. That night, she had asked him to choose between her and Jiang Chu Bi. He had left after taking Jiang Chu Bi's call, and now he had announced their wedding news to the public, his stance so firm.
But Lin Mei was also puzzled. Even she could think that Jiang Chu Bi might have leaked the news to Zhao Jiang He. Would someone as shrewd as Xing Zheng not know? He wasn't someone who would lose his mind over so-called feelings. Announcing the wedding news at such a critical juncture seemed more like he was planning something.
Three days after Xing Zheng announced the wedding news, Lin Mei concluded the first phase of her studies in Kyoto. She flew back to Nan Jiang and invited Lan Lan and Feng Feng out for the weekend.
The three hadn't seen each other for a long time. Upon seeing Lin Mei, Lan Lan said, "Why have you lost weight again? Is the food in Kyoto not to your taste?"
Not only had she lost weight, but she also looked much more haggard. Was she too tired from the training? Lin Mei hesitated, remaining silent for a long time. After drinking a glass of red wine, she finally mustered the courage to tell them about living with Xing Zheng in Kyoto.
Lan Lan and Feng Feng listened with serious expressions. Although Lin Mei hadn't confessed her feelings for Xing Zheng earlier, the two had already understood the unspoken implications. They had noticed something amiss even earlier. Lin Mei had the simplest romantic history among the three. It wasn't realistic for her to resist someone as sophisticated as Xing Zheng.
Lan Lan and Feng Feng didn't rush to "scold" Lin Mei or call her "unreasonable." Instead, they asked her, "What are your plans after he gets married?"
This hit the nail on the head. Lin Mei immediately asked, "Do you know that Rong Shi's artificial intelligence investment was snatched away last week?"
"We know." Lan Lan and Feng Feng answered in unison. The incident had caused a huge stir. For a large company like Rong Shi to make such a blunder, almost everyone in the industry was analyzing the reasons. Lan Lan shared the gossip she had heard with Lin Mei. "I heard there was a traitor around Xing Zheng. It's really strange, how could such a shrewd person not notice that someone around him was wrong? I wonder if they've dealt with it yet."
"I suspect it's Jiang Chu Bi," Lin Mei revealed her guess. "Among those around him who could see the plans and have the motive to give them to Zhao Jiang He, she's the only one I can think of."
Lan Lan frowned, not entirely agreeing with Lin Mei's view. "If it were her, wouldn't Xing Zheng have noticed? He's not dealing with Jiang Chu Bi and is even getting engaged to her. Doesn't that sound like he's being taken advantage of? It's not like him."
Lin Mei added, "He knew long ago that Jiang Chu Bi and Zhao Jiang He's relationship was not simple. I suspect he has other intentions..."
Lin Mei didn't specify what those intentions were, but Feng Feng guessed the general idea. "You suspect he's colluding with Jiang Chu Bi to deal with Zhao Jiang He?"
Lin Mei nodded. Indeed, her thoughts couldn't escape Feng Feng's eyes. "Do you think it's likely?"
Since they were not involved parties, they could only guess. The truth behind it was probably known only to Xing Zheng and those around him. Feng Feng pondered for a long time and then asked Lin Mei, "Does Xing Zheng have any grievances with Zhao Jiang He?"
Lin Mei shook her head. She had always been curious about the relationship between the two. "I only know that Zhao Jiang He and Xing Yan were good friends. When Xing Yan was around, Xing Zheng seemed to often hang out with them."
"Oh, his mother treated Zhao Jiang He very well. Could it be out of jealousy?" Apart from the difference in Xie Qin Jia's attitude, Lin Mei couldn't think of any other reason.
Feng Feng, however, countered, "Now that he has Shuang Mu and Rong Shi, why would he be jealous of Zhao Jiang He? Even if his mother treated Zhao Jiang He well, it couldn't shake his position. If, as you say, he and Jiang Chu Bi are working together to deal with Zhao Jiang He, then there must be deeper connections between them, otherwise, he wouldn't have to spend so much energy dealing with Zhao Jiang He."
Feng Feng's analysis opened up new avenues of thought for Lin Mei. It was indeed logical. Zhao Jiang He was inferior to him in every aspect, and he seemed to have no reason to be jealous. Even Xie Qin Jia couldn't help Zhao Jiang He anymore...
"Does he have a feud with Zhao Jiang He?" Lan Lan speculated wildly. "What deep hatred would make him treat someone like this? I really haven't heard any gossip about that."
"Ms. Feng, have you been in touch with Shen Su recently?" Lin Mei inquired about Feng Feng's personal affairs. Feng Feng immediately guessed her intention. "He's coming to my place this weekend. I'll ask for you, but he's very tight-lipped, so it's unlikely I'll get anything out of him."
Lin Mei understood very well. The last time Shen Su spoke to her about Xing Zheng, he had only hinted at things. When she tried to probe deeper, he refused to say more. He was quick-witted and highly guarded, so it was difficult for most people to get any information out of him.
"I'll try Liang Yu Feng too," Lan Lan also offered to help Lin Mei. "That dog recently has been very close to Xing Zheng. Maybe he's involved too."
Lin Mei: "Okay, thank you both."
"Don't be so polite with us. What are sisters for? If you want to go after Xing Zheng, go ahead. Feng and I will be your strong backup!" Lan Lan raised her wine glass and clinked it with Lin Mei's. Even though she said that.
But Lin Mei knew very well that if Xing Zheng lost interest in her, even if she made a move, she might not even get an extra glance from him. He had always been cold and heartless towards women he wasn't interested in.
Lin Mei sipped her red wine with disappointment. Lan Lan, sensing her thoughts, comforted her, "Don't back down yet. What's the big deal about a man? With your looks, why worry about not getting him? Hasn't he been watching you for years? Maybe this time there's something he doesn't want to involve you in."
Lan Lan, when being realistic, was extremely pragmatic, but when being romantic, she was imaginative. "Damn, what's his company called? Shuang Mu. Have you noticed anything strange?"
Lin Mei and Feng Feng both shook their heads. "What's strange about Shuang Mu? Isn't it a translation?"
"Shuang Mu, that's Lin!" Lan Lan analyzed seriously. "Didn't you meet when you were kids? I reasonably suspect he's been watching you since then."
Lin Mei found it a bit far-fetched. "We didn't talk when we were kids." In fact, they had met very few times.
"You used to play with his brother every day back then, so he must have noticed you," Lan Lan said. "He's been secretly in love with you for so many years, and he saved you again in college... If that's the case, he's quite a romantic."
"How is that possible," Lin Mei denied. "Shuang Mu is a translation of 'forest'." How could she dare to overestimate herself and think like that? She wasn't that important to him.