In this social circle, it's common for unmarried men to frequently change girlfriends.
However, Xie Zhiyan has maintained a reputation for being "indifferent to women" over the years. As the only one among his peers who holds real power, his romantic life has naturally drawn significant attention.
When rumors first surfaced about Xie Zhiyan and Ning Yuxuan's relationship, the circle buzzed with discussions—some were shocked, while others burned with envy.
Xie Zhiyan is the only son of his family and now controls the entire Hengjiang Group. Over the years, countless families have tried to marry their daughters into the Xie household.
Previously, people assumed Xie Zhiyan was simply too young to consider settling down.
But now, someone had actually succeeded—and this person, Ning Yuxuan, didn’t even seem particularly exceptional. Many couldn’t help but lament:
"Our family fortunes far surpass the Nings', and our daughters are no less impressive than Ning Yuxuan. If only we’d tried harder, maybe our daughter would already be married into the Xie family by now."
Fortunately, Ning Yuxuan was merely Xie Zhiyan’s girlfriend—nothing was set in stone yet.
Many began scheming to replace her.
Late at night, a certain wealthy wives’ group chat in Beicheng suddenly lit up with activity.
Mrs. Wu: [@Mrs. Li, @Mrs. Liu, have you heard? Just as you predicted, CEO Xie was only toying with that Ning girl.]
Mrs. Liu: [What happened, Mrs. Wu? Do you have news? Spill it!]
Mrs. Wu: [A friend of a friend spotted Xie’s bronze Bentley on his way home from dinner at the mall today.]
Mrs. Liu: [And then?]
Mrs. Wu: [Out of curiosity, he followed the car for five minutes and saw it stop at a residential complex. A young girl got out!]
Mrs. Liu: [We all know Xie has a girlfriend. What’s so surprising about him driving her home?]
Mrs. Wu: [I wasn’t finished! Remember that photo? The Ning girl is tall with long hair, but this one looked like a student—short hair, petite, and the neighborhood was just an ordinary, aging residential area.]
Mrs. Liu: [So it wasn’t the Ning girl?]
Mrs. Wu: [Exactly! He’s moved on!]
Mrs. Wu: [All these years, we thought Xie didn’t date because his standards were too high. Turns out we misjudged his taste—he likes plain, young girls, the sweet and innocent type!]
Mrs. Li: [Sorry, I was getting a facial. Just caught up.]
Mrs. Wu: [Ah, Mrs. Li, finally! Read the chat.]
Mrs. Li: [I see. Just as I thought… By the way, Mrs. Liu, isn’t your youngest daughter just twenty and still in school? Maybe…]
Mrs. Liu: [Haha, Mrs. Li, you’re too kind. My girl only knows how to have fun—she’s clueless about these things. Your daughter is the smart and beautiful one!]
On the surface, Mrs. Li and Mrs. Liu exchanged polite compliments, but beneath the pleasantries, both were already plotting. They planned to maneuver their daughters into Xie Zhiyan’s path at upcoming dinners and galas.
Who knew? With a bit of luck, they might just secure a marriage alliance with the Xies.
Only Mrs. Wu privately lamented—she had two sons but no daughter. Otherwise, she’d have surely arranged an introduction.
——
Xie Zhiyan’s car pulled away from Tao You’s neighborhood and headed toward the villa district.
Ning Fei had texted Ning Yuxuan a few minutes earlier, saying she was going to bed but had left the lights on.
They were about ten minutes away.
Bored, Ning Yuxuan opened a tower defense game on her phone and played with the sound on. The blasts of virtual artillery filled the car with noise.
Xie Zhiyan didn’t speak to her, and she didn’t initiate conversation either.
Only when the car finally entered the villa gates, winding through the streets before stopping, did she break the silence.
"Thanks for the ride," Ning Yuxuan said, pushing the door open.
As she walked toward the house, a tall figure suddenly blocked her path.
She looked up. "What are you doing?"
Xie Zhiyan studied her, then spoke slowly. "Are you upset?"
Ning Yuxuan blinked. "What makes you think that?"
He silently observed her for a few seconds before lifting a hand to tap her forehead lightly.
"Your eyebrows. Your eyes." His voice was calm. "Everything about you gives it away."
Ning Yuxuan met his gaze, then took half a step back.
Xie Zhiyan didn’t press forward, only watched her with composed patience.
"Why are you upset?" he asked. "Because I asked your friend about your school days?"
Ning Yuxuan stayed silent.
Xie Zhiyan exhaled softly, his expression resigned. "I wasn’t part of your student life. I just wanted to know more."
Her eyes flickered.
Was he… explaining himself to her?
When she first agreed to marry Xie Zhiyan, Ning Yuxuan had imagined countless ways their relationship might unfold—but never this.
Truthfully, she wasn’t that angry, just a little unsettled.
Last time, she’d realized he knew far more about her than she did about him.
Tonight, Xie Zhiyan had questioned Tao You, uncovering every detail of her college dating history—while she remained completely in the dark about his romantic past.
She glanced at him and finally spoke. "It’s not about what you asked Tao You."
Under the dim light, Xie Zhiyan’s expression softened. "Then what is it?"
Ning Yuxuan hesitated. "I have a question for you."
"What is it?"
She pressed her lips together. "Before you proposed to me… how many girlfriends did you have?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Ning Yuxuan wanted to look away—to avoid letting him see through her.
But she held her ground, staring straight at him.
Even if she couldn’t read his eyes, she wouldn’t back down.
Xie Zhiyan seemed momentarily taken aback.
After a pause, he replied, "That text you sent me the other night—was this what you wanted to ask?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
She hadn’t expected him to connect it so quickly.
She fiddled with a loose strand of hair. "Answer my question first."
Xie Zhiyan watched the movement of her fingers, his own hand twitching slightly.
But in the end, he didn’t reach for her. His voice was steady.
"None. No girlfriends."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Really?" she asked.
Xie Zhiyan gave a quiet "Mm."
"Sorry," he said. "I thought you already knew about these things, so I didn’t specifically mention them."
Ning Yuxuan pouted. "How would I know if you don’t tell me?"
Xie Zhiyan replied gently, "That was my oversight."
Ning Yuxuan looked at him and pressed further, "So you’ve really never had a girlfriend before? Not even someone you were ambiguous with?"
Xie Zhiyan countered smoothly, "What do you mean by 'ambiguous'? Someone who attended classes with me or brought me breakfast?"
Ning Yuxuan shot him an annoyed glare.
He was teasing her again.
Xie Zhiyan chuckled before turning serious. "No, there’s never been anyone like that—ambiguous or otherwise."
"If you don’t believe me," he continued calmly, "you can ask anyone who knows me well. They’ll confirm it. Or…"
His gaze lingered on Ning Yuxuan’s eyes, his tone softening. "When we visit my mother tomorrow afternoon, you can ask her yourself."
Ning Yuxuan scoffed. "Who knows if you’ll secretly coach her before we go?"
But despite her words, she already believed him deep down.
Thinking back, she had never heard anyone mention Xie Zhiyan having a girlfriend all these years.
And he had no reason to lie to her.
Xie Zhiyan asked, "Still upset?"
Ning Yuxuan hesitated. "It’s not just about that. I just feel…"
She trailed off, unsure how to phrase it.
Xie Zhiyan didn’t rush her, waiting patiently for her to continue.
Ning Yuxuan steeled herself. Since they were about to meet each other’s families, it was better to be honest.
"I just think," she said, "you know so much about me, but I barely know anything about you…"
After a brief silence, Xie Zhiyan suddenly laughed.
Ning Yuxuan gave him a questioning look.
Xie Zhiyan remarked, "If anything, shouldn’t I be the one feeling slighted?"
Ning Yuxuan glared. "That’s because you never tell me anything!"
Xie Zhiyan abruptly changed the subject. "Are you tired today?"
Ning Yuxuan blinked. "Not really. Why?"
He gestured toward the roadside. "I remember passing a small pavilion earlier. Should we walk and talk?"
…
Under the streetlights, their shadows stretched long.
Xie Zhiyan’s low voice reached her ears. "You can ask me anything you want to know now."
Ning Yuxuan mumbled, "It’s not like I have that many questions. I just want to be prepared before meeting your mom tomorrow—like studying for an exam."
Xie Zhiyan teased, "Should I write it down for you?"
Ning Yuxuan huffed. "No need! My memory might not be as sharp as yours, but I did get into A University. I can handle it."
Xie Zhiyan smiled. "Alright."
Earlier, she had complained about knowing too little about him, but now that she had the chance to ask, she wasn’t sure where to start.
After some thought, Ning Yuxuan said, "I’ve already told you all my favorite foods and drinks. How about you? What do you like or dislike?"
Xie Zhiyan paused, considering.
Ning Yuxuan frowned. "See? You said I could ask anything, but now you’re hesitating."
Xie Zhiyan replied evenly, "It’s not that I don’t want to answer. I just don’t know where to begin."
Ning Yuxuan rolled her eyes. "That’s the same thing."
Before she could finish, Xie Zhiyan’s large hand enveloped hers.
Ning Yuxuan stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away, letting him hold it.
Walking like this, they truly felt like a couple on a date.
Despite his cool demeanor, Xie Zhiyan’s palm was warmer than hers.
The warmth radiating from his hand gave her an inexplicable sense of security.
His steady voice broke the silence. "Let me think. Aside from business dinners, I usually eat whatever my assistant prepares. I don’t have strong preferences when it comes to food."
Ning Yuxuan processed his words. "No preferences? Eating the same meals every day sounds so dull."
"A little," Xie Zhiyan admitted lightly. "That’s why heaven sent you to save me."
Even though she knew he was joking, Ning Yuxuan couldn’t help but laugh.
"Please," she retorted. "Auntie Zheng’s cooking is amazing. You’re just spoiled. I bet you ate so well growing up that now you don’t even care about food."
Xie Zhiyan chuckled. "She does complain that her skills are wasted on me. She misses you—says cooking for you was always the most rewarding."
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip. "I do miss her cooking. It’s been so long."
Xie Zhiyan offered, "What would you like to eat tomorrow? I’ll ask her to make it."
Ning Yuxuan blinked. "Isn’t that a bit much?"
As a child, she had no qualms about begging Auntie Zheng for her favorite dishes, but things were different now.
Xie Zhiyan reassured her, "I’ll say it’s for me, not you."
Ning Yuxuan eyed him skeptically. "Do you usually ask your mom to cook specific things when you visit?"
Xie Zhiyan admitted, "No."
Ning Yuxuan groaned. "Then if you suddenly request something tomorrow, she’ll know it’s because of me!"
Xie Zhiyan laughed. "Good point."
Ning Yuxuan huffed. "Your ideas are terrible."
They circled the small pavilion before heading back.
Ning Yuxuan realized Xie Zhiyan truly had no strong likes or dislikes—unlike her, who could list her favorites endlessly.
After over ten minutes of walking, she still hadn’t learned much.
By the time they returned to her doorstep, it was late.
Ning Yuxuan said, "I should go in."
Xie Zhiyan nodded, gently releasing her hand.
Only then did she realize he had been holding it the entire time.
As she opened the door, she turned back to look at him.
The porch light illuminated his face, and Ning Yuxuan absentmindedly flexed her fingers.
Noticing Xie Zhiyan step closer, she blurted out without thinking, "You always kiss my forehead. Should we try somewhere else this time?"
The moment the words left her mouth, his gaze darkened.
Flustered, she quickly tapped her cheek. "I meant here."
Xie Zhiyan stayed silent.
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip. "Forget it. I’m going—"
The next moment, a familiar yet unfamiliar cool scent enveloped her as his thin lips lightly brushed the back of her ear, leaving a kiss.
Ning Yuxuan’s mind went blank for an instant.
The man’s breath was scorching, and she instinctively sensed danger.
But before her body could react, Xie Zhiyan had already straightened up, slowly releasing the hand that had been resting against her back.
"Goodnight," Xie Zhiyan murmured hoarsely.
……
Only long after the door closed did Ning Yuxuan seem to remember something, raising a hand to touch the spot behind her ear.
Didn’t they agree on a kiss on the cheek?
Why did he have to kiss her there?
On Friday morning, as soon as Ning Yuxuan got out of bed, she dragged Ning Fei into the walk-in closet.
Ning Fei looked puzzled. "What’s wrong, Xuanxuan? Didn’t we agree to have lunch at home today? I even asked Auntie Xu to make your favorite stir-fried pork with peppers."
After attending meetings at Huayuan’s headquarters for several days in a row and finalizing the key matters, Ning Yuxuan had given herself the day off, planning to have lunch at home with Ning Fei.
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "We are eating at home."
Ning Fei grew even more confused. "Then why are you picking out clothes to wear outside?"
Ning Yuxuan cleared her throat. "I’m visiting Auntie Zheng in the evening. Mom, help me decide what to wear?"
Hearing this, Ning Fei studied her daughter for a long moment.
Ning Yuxuan frowned. "Mom, why are you looking at me like that?"
Ning Fei suddenly laughed, teasing, "My daughter has really grown up. You’ve been to Xinmei’s place with me so many times before, but I’ve never seen you put this much thought into your outfit, picking clothes hours in advance."
Ning Yuxuan whined, "Mom!"
Ning Fei shook her head. "Xinmei adores you. There’s no need to be nervous—just wear whatever you like."
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip. "But it’s been so long since I last visited Auntie. Since it’s my first time going back after all this time, I should make a good impression. Mom, what kind of style do you think Auntie Zheng would like?"
Ning Fei chuckled. "Why don’t you just ask Zhiyan directly?"
Ning Yuxuan replied, "He doesn’t even pay attention to what he eats every day—he probably wouldn’t notice these things. Besides…"
Besides, she didn’t want Xie Zhiyan to know she was putting so much effort into dressing up just to meet his mother.
"Mom!" Ning Yuxuan tugged at Ning Fei’s arm, shaking it gently. "Just help me pick one!"
Ning Fei could never resist her daughter’s pleading. "Alright, alright, let me think."
Rarely did her daughter ask for her help like this, so Ning Fei considered it carefully.
"Now that I think about it, Xinmei’s style is usually quite understated," Ning Fei mused. "Maybe a solid-colored dress?"
Ning Yuxuan rummaged through the racks before pulling out a pale purple maxi dress and a light green one.
Holding each against herself, she asked Ning Fei which one suited better.
After a few seconds of thought, Ning Fei said, "The lavender one. The cut is something Xinmei would prefer."
She often went shopping with her best friend and had a good sense of her taste.
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Okay, this one it is!"
Ning Fei suddenly let out a soft sigh.
Ning Yuxuan turned her head. "What’s wrong?"
With a smile in her eyes, Ning Fei murmured, "It suddenly feels like my daughter is about to get married."
She hadn’t felt it before, but watching her daughter carefully choose an outfit to meet her boyfriend’s mother gave her an indescribable sense of sentimentality.
Ning Yuxuan immediately protested, "Mom! Even if I do marry Xie Zhiyan, I’ll still stay at home with you."
Ning Fei laughed. "Silly girl, once you’re married, of course you and your husband should move out together. Who stays with their mom after getting married?"
Ning Yuxuan insisted, "What’s wrong with wanting to live with you?"
Ning Fei shook her head with a smile.
As much as she would miss her daughter, she knew that marriage meant starting a new life—one that didn’t involve living under the same roof as parents.
After a moment of thought, Ning Yuxuan said seriously, "If I really do move out, I’ll make sure it’s close to you. I’ll visit every day."
Hearing this, Ning Fei’s eyes grew slightly moist.
"Alright," Ning Fei nodded with a smile. "I know."
The next second, her daughter suddenly dropped the dress and threw herself into her arms.
Though clearly holding back her strength, Ning Fei still staggered half a step before being tightly embraced.
"Mom!" Ning Yuxuan buried her face in Ning Fei’s neck. "If you’re this reluctant to let me go, then don’t make me leave!"
Ning Fei’s nose tingled, but her eyes were full of warmth. "Fine, I won’t make you. Stay as long as you want."
……
After lunch, Ning Yuxuan skipped the office and stayed home to organize the notes from her recent meetings.
The renovations for the four stores were already underway, with supervisors overseeing the work, but she planned to visit the sites herself in a couple of days.
Xie Zhiyan had said he would pick her up at 4:30 p.m. to take her to the Xie family’s old estate.
The Xie ancestral home was quite far from the city center—about an hour’s drive.
By the time Ning Yuxuan finished sorting her documents, it was already a quarter past four.
She changed into her chosen dress in the walk-in closet and idly scrolled through her phone to pass the time.
Just then, a message from Tao You popped up.
Tao You: [I’ve been swamped with work all day, but I finally got around to editing yesterday’s photos! Xuanxuan, I touched up yours a little too—take a look!]
Attached were several pictures of the two of them together.
Tao You never missed a chance to take photos when they went out, and yesterday’s sushi dinner had been no exception—she had insisted on multiple shots.
Ning Yuxuan opened the images, examining her own face but finding nothing unusual.
She replied: [What did you edit? I don’t see any difference.]
Tao You: [I fixed your lipstick—some had rubbed off in the original! And there was a stray hair on your nose—I removed it! Otherwise, nothing much. You’re already so pretty, Xuanxuan—slimming or enlarging your eyes would just ruin it!]
Tao You: [So? If it looks good to you, I’ll post them!]
Ning Yuxuan: [Go ahead.]
Tao You: [Great!]
Tao You: [Oh, and Xuanxuan, you should post something too! It’s always just me sharing our pics. You used to love updating your feed—what happened?]
It was true that Ning Yuxuan hadn’t posted in a while.
Not intentionally—she just hadn’t felt like sharing anything lately.
After a brief hesitation, she replied: [Fine, I’ll post one too.]
Tao You: "Great! Then I'll send you all the other photos I took too!"
Ning Yuxuan browsed through the pictures Tao You had sent, selecting two selfies of the two of them, one candid shot taken by a passerby near a stuffed toy at a clothing store, and a photo of Japanese cuisine, arranging them into a four-panel collage before posting it.
The moment she posted it, Tao You instantly liked it.
Ning Yuxuan returned the favor by liking Tao You’s latest post and replying with a heart emoji.
Though she personally didn’t care much for such things, she completely understood Tao You’s habit of maintaining her social media presence.
Even the closest friendships require effort to nurture.
In the past, Ning Yuxuan hadn’t grasped this truth—she had neglected Tao You for Gu Yunhao’s sake. Fortunately, Tao You hadn’t held it against her.
This time, Ning Yuxuan didn’t want to repeat the same mistake.
As the clock neared 4:30, Xie Zhiyan sent a message saying he and the driver would arrive at her doorstep in five minutes.
Ning Yuxuan tucked her phone away, informed Ning Fei, and got ready to leave.
What she hadn’t anticipated was that a casual post on her social media would spark a storm.
After her relationship with Xie Zhiyan became public, many people had sent her friend requests.
At first, Ning Yuxuan hadn’t understood the situation and accepted a few, never bothering to delete them afterward.
The moment she posted that update, Mrs. Wu—one of those added contacts—saw it immediately.
Mrs. Wu had been a stay-at-home wife for years, her days filled only with occasional lunches with friends or accompanying her husband to social events, leaving her with plenty of free time.
When news of Xie Zhiyan and Ning Yuxuan’s relationship first broke, Mrs. Wu was among the first to know and one of the lucky few to successfully add Ning Yuxuan as a friend.
Eager to snoop, she had immediately checked Ning Yuxuan’s profile, only to find it set to "last six months visible"—completely empty. Disappointed, she had given up.
But now, Ning Yuxuan had finally posted something. Mrs. Wu spotted it the second it went up and began analyzing it at lightning speed.
She knew what Ning Yuxuan looked like—after all, the girl was a regular on variety shows and hot searches, with countless photos available online.
But in the pictures Ning Yuxuan had posted, there was a short-haired girl Mrs. Wu had never seen before.
Then she remembered: just yesterday, a friend of a friend had mentioned that the young woman Xie Zhiyan had escorted home had short hair.
Especially in that full-body photo, the short-haired girl appeared petite—exactly matching the description provided.
Mrs. Wu pondered, then reached a conclusion:
This was Ning Yuxuan’s way of addressing the rumors, making a public statement!
Not just clarifying, but declaring to the world: Xie Zhiyan wasn’t seeing anyone else—in fact, he was spoiling her rotten!
Everyone knew Xie Zhiyan was elusive, rarely appearing at ordinary social events no matter how prestigious.
Yet here he was, acting as Ning Yuxuan’s personal chauffeur—not only driving her around but even taking the time to escort her friend home.
If that wasn’t special treatment, what was?
Once she connected the dots, Mrs. Wu wasted no time sharing this exclusive scoop in the ladies’ group chat.
