Chapter 54 [VIP]
Chapter Summary: "What? You had no idea? Why did your husband keep it from you?"
Ni Zhenzhen was delayed at work for half a day due to the divorce. When she returned to the company in the afternoon, she didn't get a moment's rest. She was busy with meetings, checking emails, and writing reports, so busy that she almost forgot the time.
Fortunately, Qian Lina reminded me, "Don't forget the party tonight."
Ni Zhenzhen replied: Okay, see you in a bit [Yay].
Ni Zhenzhen originally planned to take the subway by herself, but as soon as she stepped out of the company building, she saw Xu Tianzhou waiting by the roadside as usual.
Ni Zhenzhen paused for a moment, then changed direction and continued forward. However, Xu Tianzhou had already seen through her. He walked straight over, grabbed her wrist, and said in a deep, powerful voice, "Don't pretend you didn't see me."
Ni Zhenzhen had no choice but to let him put her into that car that she knew all too well.
The traffic was a bit congested, but the scenery was nice.
It's not the same old skyscrapers, but the sunset as beautiful as brocade.
People always need something special to aid their unreliable memories, such as extremely bad weather or a world-shaking event. At the time, Ni Zhenzhen didn't know that those clouds, tinged pink by the sunlight, would not only attract countless photographers on social media, but also provide a unique memory coordinate for this ordinary day.
Qian Lina had already arrived at the restaurant. Her boyfriend had to work late and would have to come a little later. "Let's eat first, no need to wait for him."
"good……"
Ni Zhenzhen finally understood what it meant to tell one lie and then have to cover it up with countless others.
She didn't tell Qian Lina that she was getting a divorce, and Xu Tianzhou seemed to have forgotten about it as well. From pulling out a chair for her before she sat down, to knowingly telling her what her favorite drink was, and then peeling shrimp for her, no one could tell that they were getting a divorce.
There were even moments when Ni Zhenzhen herself forgot about it, lost in his feigned tenderness, until Qian Lina asked if they had bought a house, which brought her back to reality.
“We…” Ni Zhenzhen didn’t know how to answer. She had bought it, but it also seemed like she hadn’t.
Fortunately, Xu Tianzhou picked up the conversation. With a smile on his lips, he said naturally, "We just bought a second-hand house and were about to move in, but some things delayed us."
Ni Zhenzhen was startled, and the chopsticks in her hand clinked against the rim of the bowl. She subconsciously looked at Xu Tianzhou, only to see that he looked perfectly normal, as if he didn't think there was anything wrong with what he had said.
What caused the delay? Xu Tianzhou didn't say.
Fortunately, Qian Lina didn't press the matter further, but instead inquired about the location of the house, asking, "Where did you buy it?"
Xu Tianzhou gave a general overview and then shared his experience of buying a house with Qian Lina, including how to choose a house, how to negotiate the price, and how to deal with real estate agents.
The two chatted enthusiastically, while Ni Zhenzhen silently chewed on her straw.
She didn't hear a word of what the two were talking about; at that moment, she had only one thought in her mind.
Did he lie to himself like this before?
Ni Zhenzhen was impressed by Xu Tianzhou's superb acting skills. Even though they were about to part ways, he could still act so nonchalantly, as if the divorce was just her imagination.
The restaurant quickly filled up, and a waiter brought a bottle of beer through the crowded aisle. Qian Lina was about to pour a beer for Ni Zhenzhen when Xu Tianzhou stopped her.
He said gently, "She doesn't drink."
Qian Lina paused for a moment, then smiled with narrowed eyes, "It can't be..."
The shop was a bit warm, and Ni Zhenzhen's face, which was already flushed, turned even redder, almost bleeding. She lowered her head and shook her head shyly, "No."
Qian Lina laughed, "I thought you... mainly because Xiaodan is about to give birth." She then sighed, "Time flies. In a few years, we can take our children out to play together."
Ni Zhenzhen pinched the straw between her fingers and smiled as she echoed, "Yes..."
The flickering candlelight casts a bright shadow on the crystal-clear glass, like a sprite dancing tirelessly.
Ni Zhenzhen couldn't help but think how wonderful it would have been if none of this had happened. They would have each started their own families, gotten pregnant and had children, then exchanged parenting experiences, and made plans to go to the amusement park and go camping in the wild.
pity……
Ni Zhenzhen noticed that Qian Lina had changed a lot.
Indeed, she stopped complaining and blaming others as she used to, and it probably all started after she met her boyfriend.
Qian Lina had countless fantasies about her other half: he must own a house, have a respectable job, have a high level of education, and be handsome. She already had too many disappointments and could not be outdone in terms of her other half.
She took Ni Zhenzhen as a cautionary tale, constantly reminding herself that "poverty-stricken couples face endless sorrows." She always remembered that her ex-boyfriend was still waiting to see her make a fool of herself.
Like a sponge, she absorbed the difficult and abusive customers during her workday. But after nightfall, freed from the constraints of her uniform, her pent-up anger was unconsciously released. She seemed to transform into a rabbit that would bite anyone she saw, no longer giving up her seat on the bus for the elderly and yelling at delivery drivers who were late.
When she said, "I'm going to file a complaint against you," she was surprised to find that she had become the very thing she hated most.
She hates everyone, hates the world, and hates herself the most.
Her boyfriend, however, didn't mind at all. As someone in the same industry, he knew she had suffered too much injustice.
"How about you change jobs?" her boyfriend asked.
Qian Lina had considered it, but she didn't dare. Could she find a better job?
"Of course you can." Her boyfriend encouraged her to take the civil service exam, saying that she was so outstanding that she would definitely pass.
To be honest, this guy didn't quite meet her criteria for a partner. He didn't own a house, didn't hold any official position, and wasn't exactly handsome. But he gave her boundless courage and was the source of her unwavering determination.
When deciding to marry her boyfriend, Qian Lina suddenly understood why Ni Zhenzhen chose Xu Tianzhou; it was probably because she met the right person at the right time.
Qian Lina's boyfriend finally arrived.
"Sorry I'm late." Without waiting for Qian Lina to introduce him, he stared straight at Xu Tianzhou, hesitating to speak, "Um... I heard from Lina that you work at Huijing Center."
"yes."
"A rice noodle shop on the basement level?"
"right."
How many rice noodle shops are there on the basement level?
"As far as I know, there is only one."
"Your surname is Xu?"
Xu Tianzhou nodded.
"Cough cough..." Qian Lina coughed violently. She glared at her boyfriend. Why did he have to bring this up out of the blue? She had been giving him signals from the beginning, and then nudged him with her elbow, but he didn't seem to notice.
Just as Qian Lina was about to smooth things over, her boyfriend stood up.
"Mr. Xu..." Qian Lina's boyfriend said, holding Xu Tianzhou's hands with both hands, feeling extremely apprehensive.
Qian Lina was dumbfounded, her eyes repeatedly asking what had happened.
My boyfriend whispered, "I'll send it to you in a bit."
“No need…” Qian Lina turned her gaze to her phone. Rong Xiaodan had sent her a message with a screenshot of the chat.
Rong Xiaodan: Is Ni Zhenzhen's husband named Xu Tianzhou?
Qian Lina: Yes.
Rong Xiaodan: I thought it was someone with the same name, but when I saw "manager of a rice noodle shop on the basement floor", I knew it could only be him.
Qian Lina: I'm treating them to dinner.
Rong Xiaodan: [Surprised]
Rong Xiaodan: What did you eat?
Qian Lina: Lobster.
Rong Xiaodan: Sure.
Qian Lina: Spicy crayfish.
Rong Xiaodan: You're really something.
Even without Rong Xiaodan saying anything, Qian Lina herself felt extremely uncomfortable. She put away her phone and forced an extremely awkward smile at the person sitting opposite her.
Good heavens, what kind of melodramatic plot is this? My colleague's husband is a tycoon?! This is even more dramatic than her boyfriend revealing he's an alien! Thinking back, she always looked down on Ni Zhenzhen's decision to marry down, but who would have thought…
Thankfully, she never said anything, otherwise...
Ni Zhenzhen also saw the screenshot, and many people showed it to her to verify its contents.
Is it true?
Why haven't you ever said that?
Ni Zhenzhen didn't reply to any of them because she couldn't answer the next question, "What? You have no idea? Why did your husband keep it from you?"
Ni Zhenzhen could roughly guess where the screenshot came from. It turned out that Zhang Wang had leaked the fact that Xu Tianzhou was the actual controller of Xinda Group to his classmates' small group. Of course, he didn't dare to say how he knew, but simply said that he had accidentally run into Xu Tianzhou when he was discussing business with Su Wenjin.
Zhang Wang: When Su Wenjin introduced him as the major shareholder and actual controller of Cinda Group, I was completely shocked.
The news immediately caused an uproar in the group chat. Everyone said it was impossible, and some even mocked Zhang Wang for being fooled, saying, "It's not the first time. Didn't you say before that he was some big shot's illegitimate son? Well, hahaha..."
"Yes, I remember..."
Everyone started talking at once, and Zhang Wang himself began to have some doubts.
What happened that day was indeed strange. He even asked his friend at Cinda afterward, who also said it was the first time he had heard about it. But as the CEO of Cinda Group, why would Su Wenjin need to play along with Xu Tianzhou's act?
Just then, someone else spoke up.
Alex from Dingli Capital: It's true, my uncle works at Cinda Group.
Cui Zihan: !!!
Cui Zihan: Let me elaborate.
Alex from Dingli Capital: Wait for me to have a sip of water.
Qingfeng doesn't understand: Do you want to get another data cable?
AAA Beauty: Might as well take a shower.
Green Rider: Take a shower? Where to?
AAA Family Beauty: [wiping sweat]
Alex from Dingli Capital: Don't rush, let me ask for more details.
Cui Zihan: ...
The gentle breeze doesn't understand: Let's call it a day. Let's go to AAA Family Beauty Salon for a facial.
Alex from Dingli Capital: Okay.
Alex from Dingli Capital: My uncle used to work at an aerospace research institute. Later, he switched jobs to Xinda to be in charge of the launch vehicle project. He said he was stunned on his first day at work. He was taken to a secret meeting room with several other people to wait for the company's big boss to arrive for a meeting. He thought the big boss was Su Wenjin, but it turned out to be someone else entirely—Xu Tianzhou. Apparently, Xu Tianzhou usually works as the manager of a rice noodle shop on the basement floor of Huijing Center, and he comes up there for meetings when necessary. Someone even warned my uncle that he absolutely mustn't tell anyone about this, and even if he sees Xu Tianzhou at the rice noodle shop, he must pretend not to know him, otherwise... [knife][knife][knife]
Cui Zihan: Surely not, you're writing a novel here.
Qingfeng Bujieyu: Noveles don't even write like this anymore.
Cui Zihan: Why did he do that?
Zhang Wang: Afraid of being assassinated [doge emoji].
AAA Family Beauty: So you were faking it when you were in school?
The gentle breeze cannot understand words: The music of the desolate plain.jpg
Everyone found it unbelievable because the incident was so bizarre. Not only did they complain about it in the group chat, but they also took screenshots and sent them to acquaintances to share the gossip.
As a result, the screenshot spread everywhere in a short period of time, and was even posted online by marketing accounts with the title "Don't underestimate the waiter next to you, because he may be the actual controller of a multi-billion dollar group".
This news not only propelled Xu Tianzhou to the top of the trending searches, but also unexpectedly boosted the popularity of the rice noodle shop, leading some to suspect that it was a marketing tactic devised by the rice noodle shop itself.
After the people in the group finished cursing, they turned the topic to Ni Zhenzhen. "I knew she was not simple a long time ago. Her family went bankrupt, but her parents still pretended to be rich and sent her to an international school. Wasn't it just to climb the social ladder? Needless to say, she must have known that Xu Tianzhou's identity was not simple. Now she's become a phoenix on a branch."
"Yeah, that's terrifying..." the man said to several male classmates in succession, "You guys better keep your eyes open and watch out for scammers."
Zhang Wang said, "I ran into Ni Zhenzhen that day, and she said they were getting a divorce."
"I told you so! We'll get a lot of money this time."
Others chimed in, and suddenly, an insider said, "As far as I know, Ni Zhenzhen didn't ask for a single penny."
The once lively group chat suddenly became quiet, and no one said a word until someone asked if anyone had the contact information for a Chanel saleswoman in Madrid, at which point it became lively again.
As for that statement clarifying things for Ni Zhenzhen, it has been completely forgotten due to the constant emergence of new information.
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