After Differentiating into an O, Pampered by an A - Chapter 30

Kong Zhen had met with Shen Yushu to discuss the film project she had mentioned last time. She had already ordered the food, but after Shen Yushu sat down, Sun Xi didn’t come in for a long while. When she finally did, she whispered something into Shen Yushu’s ear.

From that moment on, Shen Yushu was completely distracted. It felt like she hadn’t heard a single word Kong Zhen said. The meal ended hurriedly, and after seeing Ye Xing and Shang Qing downstairs, Kong Zhen understood.

So, all her thoughts are on her beautiful neighbor.

However, the beauty had failed to live up to Shen Yushu’s concern. After that remark about not being interested in Alphas, Kong Zhen hadn’t even dared to look at Shen Yushu’s face at the time.

The car window rolled down, and Kong Zhen leaned one hand on the frame. “Shen Yushu, don’t forget—Ruan-ruan and I are getting married early next month. As a busy CEO, you better make sure you remember to come.”

With that, Kong Zhen stepped on the gas and left first.

Sun Xi opened the rear door. Sensing the icy aura radiating from Shen Yushu, she kept her head down and whispered, “President Shen, I’ll take you back to Jiangting.”

Shen Yushu nodded.

The neon lights, like scattered stars, shone in and landed on Shen Yushu’s stunning, exquisite face. In the shifting flow of light and shadow, Shen Yushu hid her emotions beneath her long, curled lashes.

On the way, Sun Xi didn’t say a word. Tonight had essentially confirmed her previous suspicion: the relationship between Shen Yushu and Ye Xing was exactly what she thought. Then, she had a delayed realization.

Ye Xing was on Zhou Island; Shen Yushu went to Zhou Island and even brought Little Grape. Connecting the dots, Sun Xi felt that the owner of that cat was almost certainly Ye Xing. Otherwise, she couldn’t imagine anyone else who could make Shen Yushu agree to cat-sit. If that was the case, the woman Shen Yushu was looking for that night was likely…

Having tasted the “melon” (gossip), Sun Xi felt a bit dizzy. From Shang Qing’s words earlier, did it mean that their President Shen was being toyed with by Ye Xing?

Hiss~

Back at Jiangting, Shen Yushu placed her hand on her door lock, then glanced toward the tightly closed door next door. She shifted her steps.

Ding-dong—

Ye Xing, who had just finished showering at home, heard the doorbell. She tossed her towel onto the sofa, guessing it was Shen Yushu. She opened the door with a bright smile, only to find Shen Yushu’s face incredibly dark.

Uh, what’s wrong with this Sister now?

Too lazy to guess, she said softly, “Shen Yushu, you’re back. Um, let me change my clothes and I’ll go with you to get Little Grape?”

Shen Yushu’s gaze fixed unblinkingly on Ye Xing. The silk nightgown, smooth as water, had thin straps hanging over her delicate, sexy collarbones. The beauty mark on her chest was alluring and provocative.

She remembered that night when the girl had panted and said she liked the smell of her pheromones…

Heh, and now she doesn’t like them anymore?

Seeing Shen Yushu staring at her without a word, Ye Xing felt—though she wasn’t sure if it was her imagination—that the gaze was full of danger. She called out again: “Shen Yushu?”

Ye Xing’s voice snapped Shen Yushu back to reality. She composed herself, gave a low “Mm,” and said slowly, “There was something at the office this morning; I didn’t have time to bring Little Grape over.”

Taking it as an explanation, Ye Xing nodded. She turned to the sofa, grabbed a thin silk blanket, and draped it over her shoulders. She then retrieved Little Grape from Shen Yushu’s home.

“Ye Xing, do you like Alphas or Omegas?” A soft voice rang out behind her.

Ye Xing’s attention was entirely on her little darling. After a moment, she turned back blankly. “Huh? What Alphas and Omegas?”

Shen Yushu leaned against the doorframe. Seeing that Ye Xing hadn’t even heard her question, she shook her head. “Nothing.”

With a “Bang,” she shut the door.

Ye Xing pouted at Shen Yushu’s unprovoked temper. She turned to Little Grape and said with a bright smile, “This woman is too mean. Did she bully my Little Grape?”

After returning to Jiangcheng, the leader of the dried fish company from Zhou Island had been in constant contact with Ding Ling. Ultimately, Ye Xing insisted on accepting the endorsement, so she rushed over early this morning to shoot the commercial and posters.

Ye Xing had originally thought that by rejecting Shang Qing, the woman would surely make things difficult for her. She had even prepared herself psychologically. During a break in the shoot, she kept scrolling through Weibo, only to find that nothing had happened; it was all calm.

She set her phone down, ready to shoot the final set of posters, when Ning Youyou let out an exclamation of surprise beside her. “Sister Xing-xing! The hot search! Look at the hot search!”

Seeing as they were about to finish work, Ning Youyou’s shout instantly ruined Ye Xing’s professional focus. Did Shang Qing make a move against me?

“What kind of black material is it?” Ye Xing remained calm on the surface. She was holding up the skirt of her fishtail-cut dress; with her shimmering makeup, she looked exactly like a mermaid from the blue sea.

Ning Youyou shook her head and brought the phone over. “It’s not exactly black material. It’s about you and Lan Xinqiao.”

Lan Xinqiao? Is Shang Qing using gossip about me and Lan Xinqiao to get at me?

Ye Xing looked at the screen. Once she saw it clearly, her lashes, adorned with rhinestones, trembled slightly. Suppressing her emotions to finish the final bit of work, Ye Xing immediately prepared to call Ding Ling, but she found that her manager had already rushed over.

In the car, Ding Ling was so angry she couldn’t help but curse.

“I knew it! Last time at the airport, it was too much of a coincidence that Lan Xinqiao was on the same flight and left right after us. She’s up to her old tricks again. Seeing your popularity rising and you picking up endorsements, she’s immediately here to ride your coattails. How shameless!”

The hot search was a long post by a netizen. It compiled the timeline of Ye Xing and Lan Xinqiao from the variety show all the way back to Jiangcheng. It even absurdly included a seating chart of the two on the plane and photos of them leaving the airport one after another. Every point was connected and analyzed; the final conclusion was that the two were together.

Ding Ling had already performed initial PR, but what made her break down was a photo of Lan Xinqiao’s work attire. As she bent over, a necklace was visible around her neck, carrying a shimmering ring.

Years ago, during Ye Xing’s peak, she had taken a fancy to a ring designed by a creative director at a Boucheron luxury brand launch. Unexpectedly, as she was leaving, a representative found her and said that as a “Friend of the Brand,” the designer wanted to give her the ring. They mentioned it was originally part of a pair, but the other had been purchased by a mysterious buyer.

Owning an exclusive design by that brand’s designer, even if it was just one, was a dream for any celebrity. Now, that ring had appeared around Lan Xinqiao’s neck.

After hearing Ding Ling finish, Ye Xing remembered that on the day they went to Zhou Island, it seemed Lan Xinqiao had been wearing a ring on her hand.

Her beautiful brows knit together. “One ring doesn’t prove anything. There are probably countless rings with similar designs online. Netizens actually believe this?”

Ding Ling rested her tablet on her knees and covered her forehead with one hand. “My big star, you’ve forgotten—this ring is a one-of-a-kind design by a master. Others might want it, but can they get it? Everyone knew the brand gave you that ring back then, but who knew if you received a pair or just one? Now that the other one has appeared on Lan Xinqiao’s neck… dammit, she’s forcing a ‘fake couple’ narrative on you.”

Ye Xing raised her lazy eyes. “So she was the one who bought the other ring back then?”

Ding Ling huffed. “How is that possible? Lan Xinqiao has no background or family wealth. She was a total ‘no-name’ in the industry back then. Could she afford it?”

“Oh, so it’s a fake.” Ye Xing’s red lips parted slightly.

Ding Ling knew it wasn’t real, but do netizens care about the truth? Seeing that the PR team couldn’t suppress the heat, Ding Ling’s temper flared again. “Needless to say, this post was definitely sent by Lan Xinqiao’s team.”

She had been careless this time and fallen into Lan Xinqiao’s trap.

In just that short time, the public had already begun feasting on the gossip.

[Oh my god, I thought the previous marketing accounts were fake, but this pair of rings has me totally confused. Can a ‘shipping’ expert come out and explain?]

[My dead CP suddenly came back to life and attacked me…]

[So Ye Xing gave the other ring to Lan Xinqiao! It’s the master’s unique ‘Whispers of the Heart’ design; anyone saying it’s just a coincidence is getting slapped in the face.]

[Raise the ‘Double Star’ CP flag! I love their visuals—Beautiful A and Delicate O. Just do it already!]

Ye Xing scanned the increasing comments and set her phone aside. She raised her long lashes, a dismissive smile playing on her lips. “Sister Ling, please arrange a press conference for me. I feel it’s necessary to tear this ‘dog-skin plaster’ (unwanted nuisance) off once and for all.”

Ding Ling didn’t know what Ye Xing was thinking, but she agreed. Simple PR wouldn’t work; they had to come out personally to clarify.

At the golf course, Shen Yushu was dressed in an elegant white sports suit. Her dark hair was tied in a ponytail; she looked different from her usual steady and professional self, appearing more fresh and energetic. She leaned on her club, watching the woman beside her make a beautiful swing.

The small white ball flew in a perfect arc, then rolled across the green and slowly dropped into the hole. Seeing this, Shen Yushu took off her glove and clapped with a smile. “Miss Shang, long time no see. Your skills have improved.”

Beneath a wide sun hat, the woman revealed a delicate face. Her features were somewhat similar to Shang Qing’s, but her eyes were clean and clear, and her overall temperament was steady and poised. This was the eldest Miss of the Shang family—Shang Ran.

Shang Ran’s lips curved into a modest smile. “President Shen, you flatter me. If you spent every day on this course, your skills would surely skyrocket too. Another round?” She gestured for her to continue.

Shen Yushu glanced at Sun Xi, who was waiting behind her, and said in a low voice, “Miss Shang, I came here today to discuss the matter we spoke about on the phone.”

Hearing this, Shang Ran handed her club to a subordinate, took off her gloves, and signaled for Shen Yushu to go inside for a detailed talk.

In the café, Shen Yushu took a kraft paper envelope from Sun Xi and placed it before Shang Ran. Her red lips moved slowly. “Miss Shang, these are materials regarding some of the damages Shang Qing has caused to the Shang Group’s interests over the past two years. I believe you will find more use for them than I will.”

Shang Ran looked down at the envelope, thought for a moment, and picked up her coffee. “President Shen, I won’t hide the nature of my relationship with Shang Qing from you. But you should understand that even if I use these things to take back my position, it doesn’t mean my family will be on good terms with the Shen family from now on.”

Shen Yushu naturally understood. A shallow smile appeared on her face. “Miss Shang, competition between businesspeople is perfectly normal. I simply feel it’s a pity for the Shang family to leave the company in the hands of someone like Shang Qing.”

With that, Shen Yushu checked her watch and prepared to leave. Shang Ran set down her coffee, her fingers resting on the envelope. Watching Shen Yushu’s back, she asked softly, “President Shen, I’m curious. What stupid thing did Shang Qing do this time to make you send me such a massive gift?”

Shen Yushu hadn’t intended to answer, but thinking of the way Shang Qing had provoked her that night, she turned slightly and said coldly:

“Because she set her sights on something that doesn’t belong to her.”

Shang Ran raised an eyebrow, indicating she understood, and ordered her subordinates to see Shen Yushu out.

Having changed back into her usual suit, Shen Yushu sat in the car with her eyes lowered. Sun Xi watched her through the rearview mirror and asked, “President Shen, do you think Miss Shang Ran really has a way to deal with Shang Qing?”

Shen Yushu gave a faint “Mm.” The rivalry between the eldest Miss and the second Miss, Shang Qing, was well known. The old master of the Shang family had a “romantic debt” years ago; after his wife died, he brought a young, beautiful woman and a child into the family home. Although Shang Qing was an illegitimate daughter, her mother was skillful and kept the old master under her thumb, leading to Shang Ran being neglected and bullied by the arrogant Shang Qing.

But Shen Yushu knew that Shang Ran was not as simple as she appeared; she was meticulous and had been biding her time for years. Between the legitimate daughter and the illegitimate one, someone was destined to be ousted. Shen Yushu usually didn’t care about others’ family affairs, but since Shang Qing was seeking death, she had no choice.

With that business concluded, Shen Yushu checked the time and decided not to go to the office, letting Sun Xi drive her straight back to Jiangting. On the way, Shen Yushu was looking at work plans on her tablet when her phone suddenly vibrated.

She glanced sideways and saw it was a WeChat news push. She usually never looked at online gossip, but because of Ye Xing and the gossip-loving driver in front of her, she had downloaded the app, though she rarely used it. Just as she was about to look away, a familiar name appeared.

[Ye Xing and Lan Xinqiao: Ring Tokens of Love; Relationship Exposed.]

Shen Yushu quickly picked up her phone and clicked the news. Sun Xi didn’t know what she was looking at, but she felt that Shen Yushu’s “dagger-like” gaze was about to pierce through the phone.

When they reached the parking garage, Shen Yushu’s hand had just pressed the elevator button. Sun Xi picked up her phone to tell her partner she was off work and saw the push notification as well. She turned abruptly. “President Shen! Um, I think I saw a hot search about Ye Xing.”

She showed her screen to Shen Yushu in the elevator, looking confused as she pointed at the ring on Lan Xinqiao’s neck. “Isn’t this ring…?”

Shen Yushu didn’t respond, and the elevator doors slowly closed.

Going upstairs, Shen Yushu walked to Ye Xing’s door and, without hesitation, rang the bell. Ye Xing opened the door and was surprised to see her. “Shen Yushu? Is something wrong?”

Shen Yushu’s red lips were vivid, and her eyes were filled with a chill. She frowned and asked, “Is the relationship between you and Lan Xinqiao real? Do you like her?” After asking, she immediately added, “I’m asking for Shen Xiaoqian.”

Ye Xing hadn’t expected the first thing out of her mouth to be this. She bit her lip and said speechlessly, “Of course it’s fake. How could I possibly like that ‘dog-skin plaster’? I wouldn’t even date her in an AA relationship.”

“That’s good then.”

With that, Shen Yushu walked to her own door and went inside. Ye Xing stood there, slightly bewildered. That’s good then?

In a villa, Lan Xinqiao sat on the carpet with a glass of red wine. Facing her incessantly talking manager, she remained calm. She took a sip of the alluring red liquid and set the glass down. She raised her eyelids. “Sister, don’t get excited. I had someone post that. Although I didn’t consult you, you’ve seen the results—the entire hot search list is filled with my and Ye Xing’s names.”

Her manager, Lin Jie, found Lan Xinqiao’s actions incomprehensible. “Is that ring real? And what do you plan to do? Please tell me everything; it makes things very difficult for me to handle like this.”

Since Lan Xinqiao had established herself in the industry and found a benefactor, she often disregarded her manager. Right now, Lin Jie was very displeased.

Lan Xinqiao sensed her manager’s mood. “Sister, don’t worry. Don’t worry about whether the ring is real or not, and don’t bother handling anything. You just need to follow up on the endorsement I mentioned last time. You said there would be no problem before I went to Zhou Island, but I heard they’ve approached Ye Xing.”

Lin Jie took a deep breath. “Fine.”

Lan Xinqiao touched her delicate neck, holding the ring between her fingertips. She stroked it gently, a sharp light of shrewdness flashing in her eyes. Since returning to Jiangcheng, she had contacted Ye Xing more than once to express her feelings, but the other woman ignored her. Since they couldn’t rekindle their old flame, she would just borrow her recent popularity.

As for the ring, she had seen it on Ye Xing’s hand the first time they met. She thought it was beautiful but didn’t know its origin, so she immediately had a duplicate custom-made. Since Ye Xing refused her feelings and refused to hype a CP with her, she would do it herself.

Shen Yushu received a call from Shen Xiaoqian after her shower. Unsurprisingly, it was about Ye Xing’s news. On the other end, Shen Xiaoqian was on the verge of tears. “Auntie! So Ye Xing and Lan Xinqiao are really together? They can’t be! I hate that woman! Waaaah, I’m heartbroken!”

Shen Yushu sat on the sofa, rubbing her temples. She replied slowly, “Mm. Stop thinking about her. I only gave you the chance to stay in the country because you’ve been behaving lately. Be good.”

She ignored Shen Xiaoqian’s wailing, but hearing that heart-shattered, hopeless emotion through the phone actually made Shen Yushu’s lips curve; she was in a good mood. She gave a few faint words of comfort and hung up.

She then focused on her right hand. Her fair, jade-like fingertips held a shimmering ring, the light flowing over its surface. Then, unhurriedly, Shen Yushu opened Weibo. On her previously empty account, she posted her first piece of content.

“Whispers of the Heart.”

She paired the simple text with a picture. In the photo, under dim, amber lighting, a minimalist yet elegant ring sat on Shen Yushu’s slender finger. The white-gold ring made her hand look incredibly noble.

Once posted, comments immediately flooded in.

[Shen Yushu!!! Is this the Shen Yushu from the Shen Group?]

[This hand is too beautiful; I want to be touched by Sister’s hand. thirsty.jpg]

[Wait, this ring…]

10:00 PM.

Ye Xing sat on her bed with a face mask on, preparing for the press conference tomorrow morning. She was going to make sure she slapped that “Little Green Grass” dog-skin plaster’s face.

Suddenly, her phone rang. “Hello, Sister Ling.” Two seconds later, Ye Xing leaped from her bed. “What did you say??? The person who has the matching ‘Whispers of the Heart’ ring with me… is Shen Yushu?!”