Slap in the Face

"You weren't late for school today, were you?" He started the conversation.

"I got to class just in time," Shen Baili replied as she cut the matcha cake.

"Big Brother, want to try some? Matcha isn't too sweet."

Xie Zhiyu didn't refuse. "Sure."

Shen Baili put the rest of the cake in the fridge, then sat down with Xie Zhiyu at the dining table to eat dessert. She hadn't forgotten her plan for today.

"Big Brother, did you... read the book I gave you yesterday?" she asked, pretending it was a casual question.

Xie Zhiyu's hand paused with the fork. "I read nearly half," he said, his tone unchanged.

Shen Baili was surprised. "That fast?"

He had read almost half in just one day. Xie Zhiyu must really like the book.

"What chapter are you on?" She took a bite of cake.

"Chapter thirty-two, where the heroine is betrayed by her fiancé." Xie Zhiyu put a bite of cake in his mouth. The flavor was just about tolerable.

"!!!" Shen Baili hadn't expected her plan to go so smoothly. She hurriedly said, "I think the heroine trusted her fiancé too much. Of course, being betrayed wasn't her fault. That scumbag was just too greedy."

"Mm. The heroine considered her fiancé family, didn't she? Family should trust each other," Xie Zhiyu said.

"You can never be too careful," Shen Baili said earnestly.

Xie Zhiyu didn't answer. She couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"What are you two talking about so happily?" Shen Wan had come home and looked in surprise at the sight of the step-siblings chatting so comfortably.

"A book we've been reading," Shen Baili replied. "Mom, try the matcha cake Big Brother brought home. It's really good."

Shen Wan came over to Shen Baili and was promptly fed a bite of dessert. "Mm, it is good. That was thoughtful of you, Zhiyu."

Xie Zhiyu smiled. "I happened to pass by the shop."

He glanced at his vibrating phone. The private investigator had sent him a message.

Xie Zhiyu stood up. "Sorry, I need to return a call."

He went upstairs to his bedroom, turned on his personal computer, and called the private investigator.

"President Gu, is this a good time to talk? I've sent you a file. You can open it first."

"Yes." Xie Zhiyu worked at his computer and extracted the file the investigator had sent.

"President Xie, your fiancée and the president of Gu Technology are very close..." The private investigator's voice was slightly distorted.

Xie Zhiyu opened the photos in the file. Every shot showed an intimate moment. Their relationship was plain to see.

His gaze settled on Sang Ya's beaming face. Gu Yeliang leaned down to kiss her cheek, and they had eyes only for each other.

"Mm. I understand."

"Name your price. I'll buy every photo and video outright."

Slap in the Face ### Xie Zhiyu put down his phone and looked at the intimate photos of his fiancée with another man. More than anger or heartbreak, he felt disappointment and confusion.

His childhood engagement to Sang Ya had begun with a verbal promise between Elder Xie and Elder Sang. Elder Xie wanted to repay Elder Sang for saving his life, and the two old men were good friends.

After the Sang Family's eldest son and daughter-in-law died in a car accident, Elder Sang was left to bury his own child. The accident, coupled with deliberate meddling, sent the Sang Family's stock plunging. As the family teetered on the brink, Elder Xie extended a helping hand.

Elder Sang had seen how cold the Sang Family could be. Wanting to secure support for his granddaughter, he brought up the children's engagement again.

And so Xie Zhiyu and Sang Ya were promised to each other. He hadn't understood such things as a child, but he understood that Sang Ya was family from then on.

Xie Zhiyu was several years older than Sang Ya and looked after her like a little sister. He bought her toys and candy with his allowance and stood up for her.

Sang Ya received at least as much care from Xie Zhiyu as Xie Tingsi did.

Sang Ya had adored her big brother figure, but after starting high school, she gradually grew distant from him and the Xie Family. Xie Zhiyu had thought it was just adolescence and paid it little mind.

Looking back, the signs had been there all along.

Xie Zhiyu had no objection to the engagement. His attention was on his career, but he would never force Sang Ya to marry him.

If she had fallen for someone else, he would have wished her well.

According to the private investigator's findings, Sang Ya and Gu Yeliang had been secretly dating for at least two years.

Over those two years, Sang Ya had had plenty of chances to tell him the truth. She never had.

Xie Zhiyu was deeply disappointed. Having his sincerity betrayed hurt.

Half of what Shen Baili had thought had now been confirmed. The other half, her prediction that Sang Ya would steal trade secrets, had yet to happen.

But given Sang Ya's unusual behavior these past few days, Xie Zhiyu already had his answer.

As for his ability to hear Shen Baili's thoughts, Xie Zhiyu had made a special trip to the hospital to ask about his stepsister's physical and mental health. She was healthy in every respect.

That eased his mind a little.

Xie Zhiyu had read fantasy novels and watched fantasy films when he was younger. From what he had observed so far, he couldn't hear her thoughts every time. He stayed alone in the study for a long while, until a call from Sang Ya interrupted his train of thought.

Xie Zhiyu stared at his vibrating phone in silence. Just before the call would have ended, he answered.

"Sang Ya."

Sang Ya nervously picked at her fingers, trying to sound relaxed. "Zhiyu, what are you doing?"

"Do you have a moment?"

Xie Zhiyu's voice was a little cold. "Yes. Go ahead."

Sang Ya didn't notice. She asked tentatively, "Are you free tomorrow? I've run into a small problem at work."

Whenever she faced a problem she couldn't solve, she asked Xie Zhiyu for help.

She knew he would agree. This time would be no different.

Sang Ya's challenge was finding a way to look around Xie Zhiyu's office without raising suspicion.

Things went more smoothly than she had imagined. Xie Zhiyu gave her the opportunity. "Come to the company tomorrow. Call Assistant Liu when you arrive, and he'll bring you upstairs."

Sang Ya could barely contain her delight. "Zhiyu, you're the best!"

Ranking List

|

Transmigration into a Book

Wish-Fulfillment Fiction

Wealthy CEO

Female Supporting Character

Transmigration and Rebirth Romance

Pumpkin Vine

Mind Reading

Everyone's Darling