Chapter 15

Song Wan’s gossip was easy to find—the top headline in the entertainment section was about her. Qiao Jiu clicked in. Well, look at that, fresh off the press. Those paparazzi really had some uncanny skills; they’d managed to track down where Song Wan lived and had patiently staked out the place all night long.

The news reported that Song Wan had rushed back to her apartment in Yun City after leaving the set in a hurry. Then, in the middle of the night, her benefactor arrived. Song Wan herself went downstairs to greet him, linked arms with him, and the two returned home together. No one left the house all night.

The gossip article included pictures, apparently taken in an underground parking lot. The lighting was poor, the distance somewhat far, and the photos were terribly blurry. Qiao Jiu zoomed in as much as she could—looked like the two figures were embracing.

She clicked her tongue twice, switched off her phone, and set it face-down on the table.

At the table next to hers, two girls were still discussing Song Wan, digging into her background. They said she was from a small town, her family was nothing special, she wasn’t smart, barely managed to get into a no-name college, and by all logic should have lived an ordinary, unremarkable life. Yet, somehow, luck had smiled on her—she caught the eye of a wealthy patron, got a full makeover, and transformed overnight into a phoenix perched high above.

Though their tone was thick with disdain, they couldn’t help but admit their envy. After all, they’d started from roughly the same place, yet Song Wan had managed to find a glorious path forward.

Qiao Jiu poured herself a cup of tea, took a sip, and felt a pang in her chest—not for Lu Fengzhou, but for all the money she’d thrown away.

The food arrived quickly. Qiao Jiu didn’t want to listen to the conversation at the next table anymore, so she hurried through her meal. She hadn’t slept well last night and wasn’t very hungry, so she ate only half and asked the waiter to pack up the rest.

As she was paying, the girls at the next table were joking, “Well, maybe the patron really likes her. Didn’t you see the news? The man has a spotless past, keeps himself clean, and only splurges so lavishly on her. Who’s to say it isn’t true love?”

Qiao Jiu’s hand paused mid-motion. She slapped the money on the table, grabbed her boxed leftovers, and walked out.

Retracing her steps, she hadn’t gone far when a car that had already driven past suddenly backed up. The window rolled down slowly, revealing a smiling face. “Well, if it isn’t Miss Qiao herself!”

Qiao Jiu’s expression froze. Great, another one here to make her day worse.

This was Miss Huo, the youngest daughter of the Huo family. The two of them had almost clawed each other’s eyes out over Lu Fengzhou once.

The Huo and Qiao families had business ties. Huo Ting had once seen Lu Fengzhou at her father’s side and had been instantly smitten. But in the end, it was Qiao Jiu who, being close at hand, managed to win that rare prize.

Qiao Jiu shot her a glance. If it had been before, even if she was down and out, she’d never let herself lose face in moments like this. But today her mood was foul; she had no interest in verbal sparring.

She said nothing and kept walking. Huo Ting obviously wasn’t ready to let her off so easily—the car crawled along beside her. Spotting the package in Qiao Jiu’s hand, Huo Ting’s tone turned theatrically surprised, “Don’t tell me you’re taking leftovers home after eating out? Qiao Jiu, things really must be tough for you now.”

She chuckled. “Oh, silly me, I forgot—you got dumped by Lu Fengzhou, left with nothing but the clothes on your back. Of course life’s hard.”

Then, with a dramatic sigh, “Just like that, a whole company gone. You’ll be paying for this the rest of your life. Must feel awful, doesn’t it?”

She was clearly gloating. Qiao Jiu knew it too. Her own tone was cool and detached. “Lu Fengzhou, with that face? I had him in my bed for two years and got a company out of it. Sure, I took a loss, but compared to those who keep circling with longing and never even get a glance, I’d say I got my money’s worth.”

She laughed. “Live in the moment, right? No matter what, at least I got to taste him.”