Speaking of Wang Tiansheng, like Ji Xiaoxiao, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. However, unlike Ji Xiaoxiao, Wang Tiansheng had to work hard to obtain the resources, happiness, and attention from elders that Ji Xiaoxiao could never match.
Ji Xiaoxiao is a girl, and her parents are loving and caring parents who can't bear to see her suffer.
You can't know the taste of something if you're not in that position.
Having grown up carefree, Ji Xiaoxiao had no idea how much expectation Wang Tiansheng was given by his elders in the family, and how heavy that expectation was enough to crush a strong adult.
Every day was filled with studying this and that. If he did well, his elders would simply say it was expected, overshadowing all of Wang Tiansheng's efforts. If he didn't do well, they'd say, "Look at Lin Hengfeng next door." With each scolding, Wang Tiansheng's hatred for Lin Hengfeng deepened as he grew older. However, over time, Wang Tiansheng's ability to disguise his true feelings became unparalleled; no one knew, or perhaps he was simply misunderstood.
After reaching adulthood, Wang Tiansheng relentlessly clashed with Lin Hengfeng in every aspect of life and industry. If Lin Hengfeng opened a company one day, Wang Tiansheng would immediately establish a new one next door, developing the exact same business.
No one understood the deeper meaning behind Wang Tiansheng's actions; everyone assumed that Wang Tiansheng and Lin Hengfeng were brothers. Phrases like "Meng Bu Li Jiao Yi Li" (meaning inseparable like brothers), "Brothers united can move mountains," and "Representative of the younger generation in City A" were used to praise him, one after another, without repeating themselves.
Lin Hengfeng and Wang Tiansheng were praised as a pair, and their success wasn't solely due to one person's achievement; it was seen as a matter of status and worth. As usual, Lin Hengfeng firmly outshone Wang Tiansheng. Unaware and ignorant people kept saying that without Lin Hengfeng, Wang Tiansheng was nothing but a blade of grass, insignificant. They claimed that Wang Tiansheng's current achievements were inseparable from Lin Hengfeng's encouragement and generous assistance…
Outsiders might not care, but Wang Tiansheng's family thought so too. One year, two years, ten years, twenty years—the name "Lin Hengfeng," like a demon, was everywhere, inescapable, and constantly on his lips. With each passing year, the damage intensified, turning into sharp steel needles, viciously piercing Wang Tiansheng's heart. Add to that the slight push from the girl he secretly loved confessing her feelings to his greatest enemy, and Wang Tiansheng, whose background was neither entirely upright nor entirely righteous, was completely corrupted.
The covert competition could no longer satisfy Wang Tiansheng's desires and destructive heart. Wang Tiansheng slowly gathered his power and moved to develop quietly in the shadows, planning a future counterattack.
Either erupt in silence or die in silence. Wang Tiansheng decides to take a life-or-death gamble. It's either you die or I live. Only one of Lin Hengfeng and Wang Tiansheng can survive.
Without Wang Tiansheng's interference, Lin Hengfeng's company flourished. However, misfortunes never come singly, and Lin Hengfeng's anxiety and restlessness never lessened; on the contrary, they intensified.
Ji Xiaoxiao, Lin Hengfeng's childhood sweetheart, confessed her feelings to him. Lin Hengfeng felt no joy whatsoever; instead, he felt utterly disgusted. It wasn't wrong for Lin Hengfeng to like Ji Xiaoxiao, but this liking remained limited to that of a younger sister. He didn't possess the heart of a demon, and therefore couldn't do anything wicked.
Lin Hengfeng had a woman he liked long ago.
Ai Zixin was Lin Hengfeng's first love, and the woman he vowed to love and cherish for life. However, because Ai Zixin came from a humble background and was not well-educated, she was not valued by the wealthy family. Lin Hengfeng never dared to speak out, fearing that his heartless family would destroy the woman he cherished.
After much deliberation and repetition, Lin Hengfeng, burdened by guilt towards his girlfriend Ai Zixin, reluctantly accepted Ji Xiaoxiao's confession and quickly went public with their relationship. While the Lin family's coercion and enticement played a part, the most important reason was that Lin Hengfeng wanted to find a scapegoat for his beloved. Being the girlfriend of A City's top eligible bachelor wasn't something anyone could easily do.
When Ji Xiaoxiao successfully went from childhood sweetheart to Lin Hengfeng's girlfriend, she was overjoyed and became completely obedient to him. She would never go against his wishes, and she would agree without hesitation whether he was right or wrong.
Ji Xiaoxiao is young and naive, but not stupid. Through her interactions with Lin Hengfeng and the gossip among his colleagues, Ji Xiaoxiao gradually learns that Lin Hengfeng has a first love who is being kept hidden away. Because she deeply loves Lin Hengfeng, Ji Xiaoxiao never mentions this matter, but instead devotes all her efforts to helping Lin Hengfeng reach new heights in his career.
To win a man's heart, you must first win his stomach. Similarly, businessman Lin Hengfeng cannot do without Ji Xiaoxiao, which is why he has made his move in the business world.
Whether it was fate or Ji Xiaoxiao's patience had reached its limit, she arrived at Lin Hengfeng's office as usual, and without knocking, she boldly pushed open the door. Seeing a man and a woman passionately kissing, she became completely absorbed in the moment, then left alone, heartbroken.
Ji Xiaoxiao was indeed deeply in love with Lin Hengfeng, but as the eldest daughter of a wealthy family, her proud head would never allow her to be subservient. The pride of her family could not be given up by a lowly love.
Ji Xiaoxiao, who quickly chose to break up, was deeply mired in heartbreak. At this time, the angel Wang Tiansheng took advantage of her vulnerability, successfully captured the heart of his heartbroken childhood sweetheart, and dragged Ji Xiaoxiao into the abyss of revenge.
In order to get revenge on Lin Hengfeng, Ji Xiaoxiao persuaded her parents to transfer the management of the Ji family's various businesses to Wang Tiansheng, hoping that Wang Tiansheng could help her get revenge.
At the very beginning, Lin Hengfeng's business did indeed suffer an unparalleled blow. If it weren't for the Lin family's help, Lin Hengfeng would have been a penniless beggar, despised by everyone.
Ji Xiaoxiao tasted the pleasure of taking revenge on her ex-boyfriend, and her innocent nature slowly transformed into a vicious female supporting character. She appeared in front of Lin Hengfeng time and time again in full dress, mocking, ridiculing, and cursing Lin Hengfeng for mistaking a fish eye for a pearl back then.
However, with Lin Hengfeng's repeated sincere apologies and pleas for Ji Xiaoxiao's forgiveness for his unintentional mistake, his true intentions were clear to everyone: bankrupt her company was no problem, as long as Ji Xiaoxiao forgave him, he would endure any beatings or scolding. Not enough leverage? He was even willing to send his first love away, far, far away, ensuring she would never appear before Ji Xiaoxiao and offend her eyes.
Inexperienced and kind-hearted, Ji Xiaoxiao hesitated repeatedly. Her nature was difficult to change, and under Lin Hengfeng's forceful advances, she reluctantly forgave his deception.
A friendship built over a decade or two cannot be erased overnight.
Forgiving Lin Hengfeng doesn't mean Ji Xiaoxiao will accept him again. Ji Xiaoxiao decisively rejected Lin Hengfeng's renewed advances, leaving no room for hesitation. Having chosen Wang Tiansheng, Ji Xiaoxiao would never be fickle; she would never be greedy and covetous.
With no grudges against her, Ji Xiaoxiao felt carefree and dutifully did laundry and cooked for Wang Tiansheng, being a virtuous wife and loving mother. Life was ordinary and seemingly uninteresting, but Ji Xiaoxiao felt a happiness she had never experienced with Lin Hengfeng. A year later, Ji Xiaoxiao secretly married Wang Tiansheng, without telling her parents.
---Aside---
Happy Lunar New Year, Year of the Monkey!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
