Tang Qing's car peeled away from the Xia estate, leaving behind the bitter taste of his defeat. Xia Yingying watched it go, her expression unreadable. 'He'll never understand', she thought, the weight of her knowledge a solitary burden. 'This life is mine to rewrite.' She pulled out her phone, dialing swiftly. "Surveillance should be on Hu Mingyou and Tang Qing. Full coverage. Report any movement, especially medical appointments."
The pregnancy revelation unsettled her. In her past life, she had carried Lu Quinzue's child, lost to Hu Mingyou's cruelty. Now, the timelines had warped. "Rebirth isn't just a second chance; it's a reshuffled deck." She would adapt. She would watch. She'd strike when the moment was right.
A sleek Range Rover materialized at the curb, its tinted windows like obsidian shields. Even before the door opened, she felt the intensity of his gaze – a predator's awareness that prickled her skin. She slid into the back seat without invitation.
"Morning," she offered, buckling her seatbelt.
Lu Quinzue didn't glance up from his laptop, his focus absolute, fingers flying across the keyboard. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, pressing in on Xia Yingying despite her usual comfort with quiet.
"Honestly," she sighed, breaking the tension with deliberate irreverence, "you're more boring than my grandfather's tax ledger. And he's literally eighty."
The typing ceased abruptly. Lu Quinzue's head snapped up, his sharp gaze locking onto her reflection in the rearview mirror. The driver coughed, hastily masking a chuckle. 'Did she just call me… old?' Lu Quinzue thought.
"I meant you act old," Xia Yingying clarified, a mischievous glint in her eye, emphasizing the words. "Not that you look it. Though the stoic CEO schtick does add… to it."
A flicker of something – surprise? Amusement? – crossed his impassive features. "Hmm," he acknowledged, a low rumble. "Noted. I shall endeavor to be… livelier." The unexpected concession startled her. The untouchable Lu Quinzue wasn't quite the ice sculpture rumors painted.
The car glided to a stop at the Civil Affairs Bureau. A queue snaked out the door – hopeful couples, nervous faces. Xia Yingying scanned them, a wry twist to her lips. "How many are bound by genuine love, and how many by contracts like ours?" She thought.
Lu Quinzue had presented the agreement earlier: concise, ruthless. Rule One glared back at her: **1. No clinging.** A stark reminder of their transaction. She bristled internally – control was not her forte – but power demanded compliance. For now.
As they waited, a question surfaced. "Your 'ex-girlfriend'... the one with the brooch. Anything I should know? Potential ghosts haunting our… arrangement?"
Lu Quinzue closed his laptop, turning fully towards her. It was a rare gesture, offering explanation. "There was no romance," he stated, his voice devoid of sentiment. "Her mother saved my life when I was a child. The brooch was entrusted to me to give to her daughter. I located her years later, fulfilled the obligation. The public perceived a relationship; it was mutually beneficial PR for her nascent acting career. Nothing more."
"Ah," Xia Yingying breathed, piecing it together. "So the brooch… it was the only trace found in the wreckage?"
A ghost of approval touched his eyes. "Perceptive."
"Always," she retorted, flipping her hair with mock haughtiness. A genuine chuckle escaped him, low and unexpected. 'Interesting indeed' he thought as he watched her.
He produced a garment bag. Inside lay a wedding dress – deceptively simple, breathtakingly exquisite. Delicate daisies embroidered on the skirt, a daringly low back secured by a single, intricate strap. Xia Yingying changed, the silk cool against her skin. Turning her back to him, she gathered her hair, exposing the smooth plane of her spine. "A little help?"
Lu Quinzue's breath hitched. His fingers, usually so precise, felt clumsy against the delicate clasp as he fastened it. The brush of his skin against hers sent electric jolts through both of them. A charged silence hung heavy in the small space, seconds stretching into an eternity.
"Okay, lovebirds!" A vibrant voice shattered the moment. Lu Lei, the photographer, lowered her camera, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Smile! This isn't a mugshot! You look like you're facing a firing squad, not pledging eternal… well, contractual union." She waved a hand impatiently. "Affection! Look at each other with affection!"
They complied, turning towards one another. Xia Yingying met Lu Quinzue's gaze, pouring every ounce of her formidable acting skill into a look of adoration. He mirrored it, his usual icy demeanor thawing into something surprisingly convincing. They looked… perfect. Stunning.
As Lu Lei snapped away, Xia Yingying studied the photographer – the sharp line of her jaw, the intense dark eyes, the confident posture. A startling realization dawned. "President Lu," she whispered, leaning close, "doesn't she look remarkably like you?"
He chuckled, a low, warm sound. "What do you think?"
"No!" Xia Yingying gasped, eyes wide. Another shutter click captured her astonishment.
Lu Lei bounded over, throwing her arms around Lu Quinzue. "Big brother! Look at our adorable sister-in-law's face! Priceless!" She beamed at Xia Yingying, extending a hand. "Hi! Lu Lei. The older, wiser, and infinitely more charming sister."
"Xia Yingying," she replied, shaking the offered hand, instantly charmed by Lu Lei's infectious energy.
"Lei insisted on documenting this historic moment," Lu Quinzue explained, a rare softness in his eyes as he looked at his sister. "Photography is her passion. She's been threatening to capture my wedding photos since we were teenagers."
Lu Lei looped her arm through Xia Yingying's, pulling her aside to review the shots. As they scrolled, Lei's voice dropped, sincere and protective. "He hasn't let anyone close in years, Yingying. Not like this. Just me and Mom. He guards his heart fiercely, but once you're in... he'd move mountains." She met Xia Yingying's gaze squarely. "Please. Don't break it. However this started… just don't hurt him." The raw plea in her eyes struck Xia Yingying. Where was this fiercely loyal sister in her past life? The mystery deepened.
***********************
"Mom, Dad, I'm heading to school!" Xia Yingying called out, grabbing her lunchbox.
"Drive safely, sweetheart," Wen Ming replied, her calm demeanor a comforting constant. Her mother's composure was legendary, a deep well of strength Xia Yingying deeply admired. She sensed profound secrets beneath that tranquility, hinted at when she'd revealed her own business empire. Her father's loving glance and murmured, "She's just like you back then," followed by her mother's fleeting sadness and his reassurance, spoke volumes of a complex past her parents shielded her from.
"Actually…" Xia Yingying paused, nerves tightening her throat. "There's something I need to tell you."
Xia Ligue's brows furrowed. "Go ahead, Yingying."
Wen Ming smiled encouragingly. "What is it, baby?"
She blurted it out. "I married Lu Quinzue. Yesterday."
Silence. Then, a perfectly synchronized, "What?"
"President Lu?" Xia Ligue clarified, shock giving way to a dawning, almost comical delight.
"Yingying!" Wen Ming's voice held gentle reproach. "Married? Without telling us? Without a celebration?"
"Mom, I'm sorry," Xia Yingying whispered, tears welling – genuine tears of guilt mixed with the relief of unburdening. Her mother's embrace was her emotional anchor. "I had reasons… I knew you might try to stop me, make me reconsider…"
Xia Ligue clapped his hands together, beaming. "Well! When do we meet this illustrious son-in-law?"
Wen Ming rolled her eyes fondly. Her husband's long-standing admiration for Lu Quinzue was no secret. His dream match had materialized, albeit unconventionally. "Call him, then. Invite him for dinner tonight. I have a feast to prepare." Her calm acceptance was tinged with a mother's quiet concern.
Xia Yingying dialed.
"Hello?"
"Lu Quinzue." The deep, authoritative voice filled the room. Xia Ligue visibly puffed his chest, pride warring with awe. "How did our girl land this one?"
"Mom and Dad would like you to join us for dinner tonight," Xia Yingying relayed.
A brief pause. "I will be there." The line disconnected.
"He's coming!" Xia Yingying announced.
Wen Ming was already heading towards the kitchen, a picture of efficient calm. "Then I had best get started."
Xia Yingying offered a final wave. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!"
She slid into the driver's seat of her BMW – a deliberate choice, a statement of independence paid for by her own ventures. As she pulled up to the prestigious Hai City University, the car immediately drew attention.
"Is that the new M8? Whoa!"
"My allowance for a year wouldn't cover the down payment!"
"Tu Zen? She's got Lu backing..."
Speculation buzzed until Xia Yingying emerged. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
"Who is that?"
"She's unreal..."
"Exaggerate much?" sneered a familiar voice – Yu Miyo, leaning against a pillar with her trademark cool disdain.
"That's Xia Yingying! Ku Zining! CEO of Tekwen Group!" someone shouted.
The sneer vanished from Yu Miyo's face, replaced by wide-eyed awe. "The Xia Yingying?"
Xia Yingying offered a casual wave, meeting Yu Miyo's gaze directly. 'My friend. My failure.' The memory of Yu Miyo's "suicide" in her past life – a fall from the Lu Group building – was a fresh wound. The official story, complete with a forged diary about despair, had always rung false. Yu Miyo was proud, resilient, not suicidal. Murder. And Xia Yingying had been too consumed by her own tragedy to see it then. Now, protection was a vow.
"Yingying!" Yu Miyo's usual icy reserve melted into a warm, dimpled smile that transformed her face. The contrast was startling.
"Walk with me?" Xia Yingying invited.
"Absolutely." Yu Miyo fell into step beside her, linking arms. The campus watched, mesmerized by the duo – Xia Yingying's ethereal cool beauty and Yu Miyo's radiate , confidence , now softened by genuine affection. Yu Miyo chattered animatedly, a surprising stream of consciousness, effortlessly deflecting admirers trying to approach Xia Yingying.
The classroom buzz died as Tu Zen made her entrance. The actress's smile was razor-sharp. "Well, well. If it isn't the mighty Ku Zining herself. Slumming it with us mere students today?" Her tone was light, but her eyes held venom.
Xia Yingying didn't dignify her with a glance, focusing on unpacking her bag.
"Who does she think she is?" hissed one of Tu Zen's sycophants.
Yu Miyo raised a perfectly arched brow. "Someone operating on a level Tu Zen can only dream of."
"Truth! In looks and talent," another student chimed in. A lively debate erupted about acting prowess.
Xia Yingying finally looked up, her voice cutting through the noise, cool and clear. "Tu Zen doesn't just act on screen. She performs her entire existence." The implication – fake lifestyle – landed perfectly. Tu Zen's face blanched.
"I… We're here to learn," Tu Zen stammered, hastily retreating to her seat, her facade cracking. Yu Miyo watched her go, a thoughtful frown replacing her smile. "Something's off with that one."
Professor Luomen's surprise advanced calculus test silenced the room. Later, he held up a single paper, his voice trembling with excitement. "Xia Yingying?"
She raised her hand.
"Extraordinary! This…" He gestured to the complex proofs, solved with elegant efficiency, including problems he found challenging. "This is genius-level work. Self-taught?"
"Essentially," Xia Yingying confirmed, guarding her true mentor's anonymity.
The test paper circulated. Gasps filled the room.
"Alexander, math whiz – do you gett his?"
Alexander, the popular, low-key scholarship student, stared at the paper, stunned. "I've been wrestling with these concepts for months… She solved them in an hour? What is her mind made of?" Admiration warred with disbelief.
Tu Zen, usually near the top, scanned the paper, her jaw tight. "Impressive," she conceded thinly.
Yu Miyo, ranked second, beamed. "Study group? We could all learn from the master." She gestured towards Xia Yingying.
Xia Yingying nodded agreement, her mind racing. 'Protect Miyo'. The parallels were chilling: both of their death termed as 'suicides,'both tied to the Lu Group building. Miyo's death predated her own. Had Miyo discovered something dangerous? Who was her shadowy boyfriend? Rebirth was unlikely; Miyo seemed unaware. Sabotage. Framing.The thought ignited cold fury. She'd unravel this web.
"Hey, Yingying? You okay?" Yu Miyo's voice pulled her back.
"Fine," Xia Yingying replied, forcing a warm smile. "Actually, Miyo… come to dinner at my place tonight? My parents would love to meet my brilliant friend."
Yu Miyo's eyes lit up, then dimmed. "Oh! I'd love to, but… I have plans. My first real date with my boyfriend." A shy blush crept up her cheeks.
Xia Yingying's protective instincts flared. 'First date after knowing him how long?'.
"Bring him!" she suggested brightly, masking her concern. "I'd love to meet the guy who captured Miyo's heart."
Yu Miyo hesitated. "It's… kind of a special night for us…"
"Please?" Xia Yingying deployed her most persuasive look – wide, earnest eyes. "Mom's cooking is legendary. And you can have a million dates. Just spare me one dinner?" The unspoken plea: *Let me see him. Let me protect you.*
Yu Miyo chewed her lip, then sighed, a genuine smile returning. "Okay, you win. Dinner with the Xias it is. He'll understand." Relief washed over Xia Yingying. Step one: assess the threat. Step two: shield her friend. Whatever game was afoot, Xia Yingying was now a player. But she wondered why Miyo didn't want to show her this boyfriend .