Xie Cen beat his chest and stamped his feet: “This isn’t the first time. She was caught by the school once before, but it wasn’t made into a big deal that time. This time in her programming course, she believed some foreign friend’s nonsense and had them write the code for her. As a result, the code was caught by the plagiarism check… All our years of hard work, we sank a million yuan into this, it’s all gone down the drain.”

Xie Cen hugged Wen Lan Sheng and cried, both pained and resentful, resenting his daughter for being useless, pained that all his years of hard work had come to nothing.

Fan Xia sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her long hair falling from her shoulders, hiding her expression. Listening to Xie Cen’s helpless crying, she imperceptibly hooked the corner of her mouth.

Because of the sudden accident, the whole family was immersed in a low pressure atmosphere.

Wen Ming Yue’s face looked even more unpleasant. She was a person who cared about face. When she first sent Wen Jing abroad, she didn’t know how much face she had gained. Now with her slinking back home, if those old colleagues at the factory found out, who knows how they would laugh at her.

Wen Lan Sheng’s movements were cautious even when making breakfast, placing milk and toast with fried eggs on the dining table.

Wen Ming Yue slammed the table and said angrily: “What’s the point of eating! It’s truly embarrassing!”

Wen Lan Sheng quietly pushed the milk in front of Fan Xia and said in a low voice: “Don’t mind Mom, you eat well.”

Fan Xia nodded, biting into a piece of fried egg. The ordinary fried egg that tasted the same as usual today tasted especially sweet.

“Fan Xia,” Xie Cen twisted his fingers, tentatively asking: “About Jing Jing’s matter, do you think there’s any hope of salvaging the situation?”

Fan Xia took a sip of milk and said: “Didn’t Jing Jing say the school’s punishment has already been decided? I don’t think there’s much hope.”

“Don’t you work in a big company? Do you have any connections that could talk to her school?”

Fan Xia showed a helpless smile: “Uncle, although I work at the Shanhai Group, my social circle is all domestic. I really am at a loss when it comes to abroad.”

“Ah—” Xie Cen sighed powerlessly.

“By the way, did Jing Jing say when she’s coming back to the country?” Fan Xia asked.

“She said she booked a flight back next week, but coming back from abroad, the airfare is about ten to twenty thousand. Jing Jing has no money on her side,” Xie Cen said.

Wen Lan Sheng said: “Didn’t Xia Xia just send her thirty thousand yesterday? How could she have no money?”

“……” Xie Cen didn’t speak.

“I get it, she spent it all on wild living, right? That’s why she even thought of cheating on the exam and got expelled from school.” Wen Lan Sheng said irritably.

“Lan Sheng, don’t talk about your sister like that. She didn’t want to be expelled from school either, but now that it’s happened, we need to get her back,” Xie Cen said.

Xie Cen had already extended his conversation opener, looking expectantly at Fan Xia. Fan Xia pretended not to hear, wiped the corner of her mouth, kissed Wen Lan Sheng on the cheek and said: “I’m full, I’m leaving first.”

Wen Lan Sheng got up to see her off: “I’m sorry, I didn’t prepare lunch for you today because of Jing Jing’s situation.”

“It’s alright.” Fan Xia fondly ruffled his short hair and whispered in his ear: “I’ve got my eye on a large flat. Shall we go take a look this weekend?”

“Okay.” Wen Lan Sheng’s heart leaped with joy. It seemed his father was right, Fan Xia still cared about him in her heart.

“What did Fan Xia just say to you?” Xie Cen asked.

Wen Lan Sheng pursed his lips: “Nothing, just that we’re going to look at a house together this weekend.”

Xie Cen’s tone was displeased: “I just mentioned that Jing Jing doesn’t have money for a return ticket and she immediately found an excuse to leave. She’s not even willing to spend ten or twenty thousand. She’s really stingy.”

“If Xia Xia was really stingy, she wouldn’t have sent Jing Jing thirty thousand without a second thought yesterday. Besides, we’re planning to buy a new house, we don’t have extra money,” Wen Lan Sheng frowned, very averse to how Xie Cen was always trying to scheme money from Fan Xia.

“She can buy a house worth several million, but can’t spare ten or twenty thousand for an airplane ticket?”

Wen Lan Sheng’s fine brows knotted: “Dad, didn’t you just tell me last night that Mom made fifty thousand from stocks? Buying Jing Jing an airplane ticket is expensive, but come to think of it, that money was earned because of Xia Xia.”

“You……” Xie Cen was choked by Wen Lan Sheng’s retort.

At Shanhai Group, Zhuang Nian had been staring at Fan Xia all morning and sneakily ran over: “Assistant Fan, did you win the lottery today? You look so happy!”

Fan Xia looked up in surprise: “No, no.”

Zhuang Nian squinted his eyes: “Don’t try to fool me, I’ve been observing you all morning. From the moment you stepped into the office, your mouth hasn’t closed. Although you usually always seem to be smiling, it’s more like a habitual smile. Only today, you’re truly happy from the bottom of your heart. Tell me, did the CEO secretly give you a raise behind my back!”

Fan Xia shook her head with a smile: “How is that possible.”

“Then did your husband give birth?”

Fan Xia coughed: “Secretary Zhuang, stop joking.”

“Zhuang Nian, stop teasing her.” From inside the office came Rong Xiu’s cold and distant voice. Zhuang Nian shuddered and obediently returned to his position.

Rong Xiu closed the file and looked at Fan Xia who was buried in her work, his gaze deep.

Indeed, as Zhuang Nian said, today’s Fan Xia was different from usual. That joy from the bottom of her heart diluted the faint sense of detachment about her.

Rong Xiu adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold, thin light. His narrow eyes were full of inquiry, crazily desiring to know exactly what had made her so happy.

Was it Wen Lan Sheng? A layer of cold light surged in Rong Xiu’s eyes.

Originally, he had planned to find an excuse to have lunch together at noon, and take the opportunity to explore the real reason for her happiness. But as soon as it turned twelve o’clock, Fan Xia left the company hurriedly without a moment’s delay.

Rong Xiu watched her departing figure, his gloomy eyes narrowing slightly.

“Assistant Fan is so unusual today. She didn’t win the lottery, didn’t get a raise, and her husband didn’t give birth. What else could make a woman so happy?” Zhuang Nian, who was keen on office gossip, muttered while eating grass. Suddenly his eyes lit up as he realized the truth: “Could it be that she has a lover outside?”

Rong Xiu looked up, coldly sweeping his gaze towards Zhuang Nian.

Zhuang Nian swallowed a mouthful of grass and quietly walked out hugging his salad.

Fan Xia first drove to an ATM machine to withdraw 5000 yuan, then parked her car in a hidden corner shaded by trees at the north gate of the Capital Sports University.

Not long after she stopped, a tall boy wearing a basketball uniform opened the passenger door and sat down.

“I’m sorry, Sister Fan, I was delayed by training. I didn’t mean to be late.” Gu Jin Yi was breathing heavily, the hair on his forehead dampened with sweat, his chest heaving violently, the muscles in his arms solid, his fair skin showing a faint pink due to the intense exercise and humid weather.

“It’s alright.” Fan Xia took out a pack of wet wipes for him.

“Thank you, sister.” Gu Jin Yi smiled happily, opened the packaging, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His strong and powerful arm muscles swayed before her eyes, his handsome and sunny features showing vibrant vitality under the scorching sun.

Fan Xia looked away and took out an envelope: “This is for you.”

Gu Jin Yi opened the envelope and said in surprise: “So much? I don’t want it, this is too much.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ve found a job with a very generous salary. Take it.” Fan Xia pushed the envelope into his arms.