Investing was naturally out of the question. Lin Donghan had always been wary of Xu Qingqing, intent on rescuing Bai Youlan and making her famous—how could he possibly give Xu Qingqing another chance to hurt the woman he loved? So he cautiously found an excuse and turned her down.
But it didn’t matter. Xu Qingqing didn’t care at all. After being rejected by Lin Donghan, she immediately turned to Xie Lianqing instead.
In the past, she would’ve trusted her aunt the most. But Xie Lianqing had recently helped her teach Bai Youlan a lesson, and her aunt was currently busy cleaning up Xu Changshan’s messes, so she probably wouldn’t have time to deal with such trivial matters. Thus, Xu Qingqing wisely sought out Xie Lianqing.
Wasn’t this what boyfriends were for?
Besides, Xie Lianqing was the one who refused to break up with her. If he found her troublesome and wanted to end things, Xu Qingqing would be more than happy to oblige.
After her conversation with Lin Donghan, Xu Qingqing called for her family’s driver and headed straight to Xie Lianqing’s company. Ever since her aunt’s car accident, she hadn’t dared to drive herself.
According to the assistant who had been with her aunt that day, the out-of-control truck had suddenly swerved toward them without warning, terrifying everyone in the car. Fortunately, the driver’s quick reflexes and skill had saved them from disaster.
Xu Qingqing paled at the memory. She had only recently gotten her driver’s license—if she had been behind the wheel in a similar situation, she probably wouldn’t have survived. So she decided it was best to stick to being chauffeured.
The car stopped at the headquarters of Xie Corporation. Xu Qingqing stepped inside wearing sunglasses, a slender red dress, and the latest designer handbag. Her high heels clicked against the polished marble floor as she strode through the lobby without a single obstacle.
Xu Qingqing was already stunning, but today’s outfit amplified her presence. People throughout the lobby couldn’t help but sneak glances at her.
At the front desk, someone whispered, "Who is that? She’s got such an aura!"
"Is she a celebrity?"
"Why doesn’t she need an appointment?" Murmurs rose from every corner.
The employees of Xie Corporation, however, remained unfazed. Nearly all of them knew Xu Qingqing. After all, the first time she had visited, Xie Lianqing had personally escorted her. Having witnessed their CEO’s tender and doting demeanor, everyone understood that she was the future "princess consort." No one dared to stop her now.
Xu Qingqing paid no attention to the gossip behind her. She was beautiful and came from a wealthy family—of course people would talk.
As for the whispers, she gladly accepted the compliments and ignored the snide remarks. She loved how some people couldn’t stand her but had no choice but to seethe in silence.
Xu Qingqing took the executive elevator reserved for top management. Under the gazes of several suited elites, her slender finger pressed the button for the 32nd floor.
In the company hierarchy, the higher the floor, the greater the status. The 32nd floor belonged to Xie Lianqing, while the floor above was reserved for the chairman.
When Xu Qingqing entered Xie Lianqing’s office, he was listening to a report from Secretary Zhang. She pushed the door open and casually settled onto the sofa.
A few minutes later, the secretary discreetly excused himself.
Xu Qingqing got straight to the point. "I want to invest in the variety show Bai Youlan is currently participating in. Help me arrange it."
She planned to pour ten million into the production with one condition—every single shot of Bai Youlan had to be cut. Not a single frame could remain.
Originally, Xu Qingqing had wanted the show to maliciously edit Bai Youlan, but unsure of the power of Bai Youlan’s mysterious "system," she decided it was safer to erase her entirely.
After all, even negative publicity was still publicity. To be safe, it was best to make Bai Youlan disappear completely.
She didn’t know why Bai Youlan wanted to debut, but whatever her goal was, Xu Qingqing would ensure she failed.
When making these demands to Xie Lianqing, Xu Qingqing didn’t bother hiding her intentions—she fully embraced the role of the ruthless villainess.
Xie Lianqing raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright." Without asking for details, he summoned his assistant back to draft a contract for Xu Qingqing and contact the production team.
Then he checked his watch and stood. "Have you eaten? Let’s have lunch together."
Xu Qingqing thought Xie Lianqing looked especially handsome at that moment.
She had dated other men before, including wealthy heirs, but compared to Xie Lianqing—who was already in control of his empire—they all fell short.
She remembered one ex-boyfriend who had bragged on social media after buying a ten-million-dollar luxury car. Xu Qingqing had found it embarrassing and dumped him immediately.
The guy had even chased after her, demanding an explanation, but she hadn’t bothered responding.
Zhou Chenyu owned several cars of that caliber, while Xie Lianqing had an entire underground garage full of them—not to mention private jets, yachts, and multiple private islands.
Xu Qingqing was wealthy in her own right, with annual dividends in the tens of millions and a net worth in the billions. And that was before her grandparents transferred all their shares to her.
But compared to Xie Lianqing and his circle, she was still far behind. She couldn’t casually splurge on yachts, luxury cars, or jets—not because she couldn’t afford them, but because the maintenance costs were astronomical. Private islands were completely out of reach. At most, she could invest in small companies or film productions.
The thought made her a little wistful. After learning about the novel’s plot, she knew she had to break up with Xie Lianqing eventually. She wondered who would end up with him after their split.
Whoever it was, it absolutely couldn’t be Bai Youlan or her mother.
With that in mind, Xu Qingqing grabbed Xie Lianqing’s sleeve and added, "Oh, and I want to sell my shares in Lin Donghan’s company. Preferably in a way that makes him lose even more money." Technically, she was still a minor shareholder in his business.
Out of nostalgia for her mother, she had always been fond of her maternal relatives. When her cousin Lin Donghan started his company, she had invested to show her support.
Yet for Bai Youlan’s sake, he had stabbed her in the back without hesitation.
In the past, Xu Qingqing had let it slide. But now, she was taking back what was hers. With her interference, Lin Donghan and Bai Youlan wouldn’t get away with anything—that failing company of his had no future anyway.
Xie Lianqing studied her and arched a brow. "Lin Donghan? Isn’t he your cousin?" If he recalled correctly, Xu Qingqing and Lin Donghan had been on good terms.
Xu Qingqing pouted and declared, "We’re enemies now! From today onward, he’s my sworn rival!"
Xie Lianqing, ever the attentive boyfriend, narrowed his eyes. "What did he do?" In his eyes, if Xu Qingqing was this furious, Lin Donghan must have crossed a serious line.
Xu Qingqing immediately accused, "He’s in love with Bai Youlan!" And in the novel, he had helped Bai Youlan orchestrate her death.
With the precedent of her aunt's accident, Xu Qingqing naturally couldn't tell Xie Lianqing the real reason. However, she felt the first excuse she came up with was already convincing enough.
Xie Lianqing was somewhat surprised, yet found it oddly reasonable.
For someone like Xu Qingqing, who acted like a grade-schooler, this was indeed a serious matter.
After all, the childish logic of "If you're my friend, you have to hate whoever I hate" worked flawlessly with her.
If anyone else had made such a ridiculous demand, Xie Lianqing probably wouldn’t have bothered.
But since it was Xu Qingqing, he agreed without hesitation. "Alright, I’ll have Secretary Zhang help you handle it."
Still fuming over the original novel’s plot, Xu Qingqing couldn’t resist asking, "Can you bankrupt his company while you’re at it?"
Her business knowledge was practically nonexistent, but she tried her best to sound savvy. "You know, like in the movies—stock market crashes, hostile takeovers, that kind of thing."
Xie Lianqing was stunned. "Just because he has a crush on Bai Youlan?" Even with his thousand-layered bias for Xu Qingqing, he was at a loss this time.
Thinking he couldn’t do it, Xu Qingqing sighed in disappointment. "Ugh, you’re no good."
In novels and movies, domineering CEOs crushed rivals as easily as stirring a pot of bean paste. She’d assumed it was that simple.
As everyone knows, a man can’t afford to be "no good."
Xie Lianqing hesitated before patiently explaining, "It’s possible, but it’ll take time. And if Lin Donghan goes bankrupt, have you thought about how to explain it to the Lin family?"
As far as he knew, Lin Donghan was one of the contenders to inherit the Lin family fortune. The entertainment company he ran was just a side project to prove his capabilities.
Xie Lianqing gave Xu Qingqing a lengthy lecture on business procedures, but she only understood the last sentence.
Ever imaginative, she proposed, "Can’t we do it without my grandma finding out? Like some shadowy mastermind pulling strings behind the scenes."
Her grandmother had been decent to her—not as doting as she was with Lin Donghan, but still kind. Something like this would probably devastate her.
Besides, Xu Qingqing knew their family currently had joint projects with the Lins. Since Lin Donghan was a potential heir, openly declaring war on him might jeopardize their collaboration.
Xie Lianqing took a deep breath and ignored her, smoothly changing the subject. "What do you want for lunch?"
After a busy morning, Xu Qingqing was starving. As for Lin Donghan, if even Xie Lianqing said it wasn’t feasible, she’d just have to wait for another chance. In the original novel, Lin Donghan was just a minor antagonist, not even the second male lead—hardly worth worrying about.
The two prepared to head out for lunch.
Xie Lianqing had already stood up when an oblivious subordinate chose that moment to deliver a report. Resigned, he set his coat aside and signed off on one last document.
Xu Qingqing waited nearby.
Normally, she would’ve stormed off in a huff. But since Xie Lianqing had just promised to introduce her to investors, even the usually high-maintenance Xu Qingqing was in a surprisingly patient mood.
Her uncharacteristic obedience made Xie Lianqing glance at her several times while working.
The drama queen is being oddly well-behaved today. She hasn’t thrown a tantrum yet?
But Miss Xu’s patience lasted all of three seconds.
Five minutes later, Xie Lianqing was still discussing plans with his assistant. Xu Qingqing crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, drawing looks from both men.
The assistant nervously glanced between her and the CEO. When Xie Lianqing remained silent, they resumed their conversation.
A while later, Xu Qingqing paced around the room, sighing dramatically or zoning out.
The assistant trembled under the pressure, while Xie Lianqing remained unflappable.
A few more minutes passed before Xu Qingqing pulled out her phone and started gaming. By the time she finished a round, Xie Lianqing was still talking.
She checked the time and snapped, "Are you done yet? This is so annoying! Do you even want to eat?" She was starving.
The new assistant nearly jumped out of his skin, terrified the CEO and his fiancée would argue and he’d be caught in the crossfire.
Now he regretted not listening when the secretaries advised him to deliver the file in the afternoon. He’d just wanted to show off his diligence—now he was paying the price.
Xie Lianqing, however, was used to this. He calmly wrapped up the discussion before turning to his girlfriend with a gentle, "All done."
Xu Qingqing huffed and stomped off in her heels, too furious to wait for him.
If I’d known he’d take this long, I would’ve gone to eat by myself!
Shaking his head, Xie Lianqing strode after her.
The assistant gaped at the scene. Back in the secretarial office, he exchanged bewildered looks with his colleagues, unsure what to say.
"So… that’s our future madam? She seems…" Not someone to mess with.
He swallowed the last part.
What shocked him most was how mild-mannered the CEO was. The same man who tore into them during meetings turned into a completely different person around his girlfriend.
The others just gave him sympathetic looks. "You’ll get used to it."
Having worked with Xie Lianqing longer, they’d all witnessed Xu Qingqing’s antics. With the CEO gone early, they eagerly swapped stories about her most outrageous moments.
At lunch, the new assistant couldn’t help venting to a friend. "The CEO’s girlfriend is pretty, sure, but a woman should be gentle and virtuous. Marry for character—I’d never dare marry someone that high-maintenance."
His colleague gave him a strange look before tactfully explaining, "Miss Xu is the treasured daughter of the Xu Group. Rumor has it both Chairman Xu and the current CEO intend to pass the company to her."
Another coworker laughed outright. "Dream on. Even if you dared, Miss Xu wouldn’t spare you a glance."
The guy had some nerve, talking like that.
The first speaker flushed crimson. New to the company, he’d assumed Xu Qingqing was just another gold-digging starlet or ordinary girl clinging to a wealthy boyfriend.
He never imagined she was the Xu Group’s heiress, set to inherit the empire.
Still baffled, he muttered, "But she’s a woman."
Does the Xu family have no male heirs? Why hand everything to a granddaughter? Once she marries, won’t the family fortune just go to her husband’s family? Are the Xus out of their minds?
It made no sense to him.
Hearing his question, the other secretaries exchanged meaningful glances but remained silent.
Some people strut around in tailored suits at Fortune 500 companies—faces honest and earnest, the very picture of white-collar professionalism. Yet beneath that polished exterior, their minds are still tangled in antiquated notions, utterly impossible to reason with.
