Chapter 8: The Swindler

Xu Yancheng’s Weibo was easy to find; it was among her special contacts. She clicked in, only to discover he had deleted all his posts. Only one remained from three months ago. Just two words: “Liar.”

Everyone in the entertainment circle knew what deleting one’s Weibo meant—it was a clear sign. Lost love, breakup, divorce. So it wasn’t difficult to understand why Xu Yancheng had wiped his account; it was because he had broken up with Su Yi. As for that “liar,” it surely had something to do with Su Yi as well. You only get angry when you can’t let go.

Lin Lu felt rather defeated. The man she had chased after so desperately during their school days, the one she never managed to win over, had fallen for Su Yi instead—it was truly ironic. Why did it have to be Su Yi, of all people? If there was anyone Lin Lu could never be friends with in this lifetime, it was Su Yi.

Clicking her mouse, Lin Lu suddenly found herself wanting to know why Xu Yancheng and Su Yi had broken up. But that was a secret only the people involved would know.

Lin Lu collected her thoughts and clicked into Tianyun’s official Weibo. It was filled with Su Yi’s promotional materials and performance videos. Su Yi’s looks were of a dignified, elegant type—beautiful and refined, making her particularly suited for ballet. Lin Lu, on the other hand, was more coquettish, with a strong versatility; she could be gentle or wild. The two were not the same kind of person.

Pinned at the top was an introduction to Tianyun’s leadership. The first was Wen Caiqing, the chief mentor of Tianyun Dance Troupe—and Su Yi’s mother. Tianyun was a troupe invested by the Su family. Rumor had it that Su Jinyuan had founded it especially for his beloved wife, a testament to their deep affection. Wen Caiqing was highly accomplished in the dance world; the only person who could rival her was Huang Han. Their relationship had been notoriously poor, once bordering on irreconcilable, though it had eased somewhat in the past two years. Of course, this was only a surface reconciliation; behind the scenes, they still clashed fiercely.

Looking at the troupe and its mentors, Lin Lu felt that her relationship with Su Yi was destined to be antagonistic.

Lanting Manor lay on the outskirts of North City, its gardens adorned with pavilions and waterside terraces, exclusively serving high-end clients. The Xu family had arranged their banquet there.

Within a suite rich with Chinese décor, Old Master Xu sat at the head of the table. On either side were the parents of Xu Mingchuan and Xu Yancheng’s father; further down sat Xu Mingchuan and Xu Yancheng.

“How is your mother these days?” Xu Shanyi looked at Xu Yancheng and asked.

“She’s well,” Xu Yancheng replied.

His parents had divorced early on. His mother’s family was also prestigious, highly respected in North City. Thus, Xu Shanyi would inquire after her as a sign of respect.

“You’ve been back for a while now. Once you’ve adjusted, you should take a position at the Xu Corporation. The company’s short on staff lately—you can help Mingchuan,” Xu Shanyi said.

“Yes, Grandfather.” Xu Yancheng lowered his gaze, unusually docile.

Chen Yuning glanced at Xu Jialang, her worry plain to see. Xu Yancheng entering the Xu Corporation was certainly not good news for them. In recent years, Xu Jialang and Xu Mingchuan had gained considerable power in the company, always overshadowing Xu Jiaheng. Now that Xu Yancheng had returned, their share of power would inevitably be diminished.

Xu Shanyi nodded in satisfaction and asked again, “I heard you’ve separated from Su Yi?”

“Who told you that?” Xu Yancheng asked with a smile.

“Oh, last time Grandfather asked me why Su Yi wasn’t returning to the country with you, I mentioned it,” Xu Mingchuan said, awkwardly touching his nose.

Xu Yancheng looked at him. “Big brother, I didn’t expect you to be so gossipy.”