Xu Minghua’s face flushed deep red, and he gritted his teeth. "You are shameless. Nuonuo and I still have our reputations to uphold. Nuonuo is kind-hearted; just because she refuses to speak up doesn't mean you can act so recklessly."
Xu Nuo was the daughter of a close family friend. Mother Xu would never allow any of the Xu Family sons to be with Xu Nuo, lest they give people reason to gossip. Yet, looking at Xu Minghua now, it was as if Xu Shiyan’s words had struck a nerve.
"Oh?" Xu Shiyan said, sounding indifferent. "If she says it has nothing to do with me, then let her see a doctor for her illness. Why come here to bother me?"
Too lazy to engage, Xu Shiyan shut the door firmly.
Xu Nuo always acted like this—hovering in that state of feigned hesitation, as if she had more to say but was holding back. Xu Shiyan didn't pay it any mind. If she liked to put on a show, she could. Xu Shiyan had far more important things to worry about, namely Bo Jinke and the dissolution of their engagement.
All night, Xu Shiyan spent her time researching medical conditions. Xu Nuo’s ailment, however, was quick to pass; after taking her medicine, her fever broke before long. Though Xu Minghua remained dissatisfied, he said nothing more.
The next day, Xu Shiyan woke up quite late. Following Mother Xu’s instructions, she accompanied Xu Mingxuan and Xu Nuo to the company. Because of Xu Shiyan’s previous incompetence—her "scribbling" and skipping work—Xu Mingxuan had very low expectations for her. He simply dumped her on Xu Nuo and headed back to his office.
In front of everyone in the office, Xu Nuo put on a pained expression. "Sister Shiyan, Big Brother really shouldn't have just left you here. I know that since you were sent to Qiongzhou Island for the past three years, you haven't learned anything. It just so happens that Manager Li is going out to discuss a project today; why don't you go with him and get familiar with the ropes?"
She did not keep her voice down. Soon, whispers and snickers rippled through the office.
"Is she a relative of the Xu Family? I thought she was just here for a visit yesterday. I didn't realize she’d be working with us."
"What kind of 'relative' is that? Don't you know she was sent away to Qiongzhou Island for three years? Do you have any idea what kind of place that is?"
"Nothing good ever comes out of Qiongzhou Island. It’s bad enough she doesn't know how to do anything; her character is probably just as questionable."
Xu Nuo’s lips curved slightly at the comments. She offered no explanation, merely looking at Xu Shiyan with a deliberate air of caution. "Sister Shiyan, Big Brother doesn't like it when the Xu Family uses their status for special treatment, so in this company, everyone is treated the same."
Xu Nuo was reminding her not to pull the "Ms. Xu" card.
Xu Shiyan’s expression held a hint of amusement. She lifted her eyes lazily, scanned the room, and finally turned her gaze to Xu Nuo with a smirk.
"Fine."
Xu Nuo caught her gaze and blinked, a shallow smile appearing on her face. It might be easy to come back from Qiongzhou Island, but how could the Xu Family or anyone else ever accept a woman who had returned from such a place? Even if Elder Sheng liked you, he surely couldn't accept a man who had been used by others.
...
Xu Nuo handed her over to Manager Li and left quickly. The pot-bellied man looked at Xu Shiyan with calculating eyes. The Xu Family had no such relative. Besides, President Wang didn't seem to care about this Xu Shiyan at all. At the end of the day, wasn't she just someone he could easily manipulate?
"It's 'Little Xu,' right?" Manager Li patted his protruding stomach and chuckled. "Since Ms. Xu has left you in my care, there’s a business dinner later. You should come along and see how things are done—start by learning how to deal with the clients."
Xu Shiyan raised her eyes, not missing the disdain and calculation in his gaze.
"Alright."
She paused, a playful smile touching her lips. The outside world knew far too little about Qiongzhou Island. They probably didn't realize that people from Qiongzhou Island were naturally allergic to malice.
An hour later, Xu Shiyan followed the manager into a private booth at the club. The room was filled with well-dressed men. The moment Xu Shiyan stepped inside, every eye turned to her, filled with greed and desire.
Xu Shiyan acted as if she noticed nothing.
After a few rounds of drinks, Manager Li, now quite tipsy, tossed a piece of clothing at her. "Little Xu, there's no point in coming to an event like this dressed like that. Go change into this and have a few drinks with President Wang."
Xu Shiyan lifted her eyes to the garment he had thrown. The fabric was skimpy and loose. The other men in the room watched her with smirking, knowing expressions. Clearly, this wasn't their first time.
Xu Shiyan didn't move an inch.
"I change?" She arched a brow, her expression mocking. "Is this what Manager Li calls a business dinner?"
"What else would it be?" The man sneered. "Little Xu, you don't really think that just because Ms. Xu is covering for you, you don't have to listen to me, do you?"
President Wang, sitting beside Manager Li, chimed in with a suggestive tone. "That's right, little girl. Your boss is right—if you want to talk business properly, just change your clothes, and we’ll all have a nice, long talk..."
"And if I don't?"
Xu Shiyan glanced at the group of men, her expression nonchalant, though a chill was rising slowly in the depths of her eyes.
Manager Li grew impatient. "It's not up to you whether you change or not. You're a woman from Qiongzhou Island—why act so pure? I heard that women up there can only survive by selling themselves..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Shiyan grabbed a wine bottle from the table and smashed it directly against his head.
As the bottle shattered, the room fell into stunned silence. Manager Li clutched the wound on his head, his face a mask of disbelief. "You bitch, are you crazy..."
Xu Shiyan flipped the table over without hesitation and hit him with another bottle. She squinted, scanning the room, the coldness in her dark eyes deepening as she let out a soft laugh.
"Manager Li, since you know so much about Qiongzhou Island, why don't you take a guess at what we're best at over there?"
Most of those on Qiongzhou Island were criminals who had served their time. What else would they be good at? Murder? Arson?
The faces of the executives turned pale.
"Pimping? A bunch of you ganging up to bully a girl?" Xu Shiyan scoffed, sounding utterly indifferent. "A group of people like you being sent to Qiongzhou Island would just soil the ground."
The men in the room began to recover, sneering, "You've got some backbone. Let's see how you walk out of this room."
Xu Shiyan wasn't afraid at all. On Qiongzhou Island, if you couldn't fight, you didn't survive. Within moments, she had knocked all the executives to the floor, each of them nursing fresh injuries.
Xu Shiyan brushed off her hands, walked calmly out of the room, and pulled out her phone to call the police.
"Hello, I'd like to report a crime." Xu Shiyan said coolly. "Room 2308. There is an illicit gathering taking place."
Just as she finished speaking, she caught sight of Bo Jinke not far away, lighting a cigarette, his expression cold as he dismissed a woman who had approached him to flirt. The woman was exquisitely made up, wearing a stylish Chanel-style suit, charming and beautiful. Yet, Bo Jinke’s refined, noble face remained entirely indifferent, making him seem all the more unattainable.
Xu Shiyan hung up the phone and paused. She suddenly recalled Liang Min saying he was difficult to handle.
So, what kind of woman did Bo Jinke actually like? Someone more obedient? Someone softer?
Xu Shiyan raised an eyebrow and walked toward Bo Jinke.