Chapter 3: The Trap of Resentment.

The wealthy ladies’ whispers still lingered in my ears.

“Why would Mr. Lin take a liking to someone like her? I really don’t understand.”

Fu Ci froze for a split second, but he quickly regained his composure. The way he looked at Lin Xi now was no different from a drowning man spotting a life raft.

“Mr. Lin is absolutely right. I have to admit, I’m ashamed of myself. It’s rare to meet someone whose views align so well with mine. Would I be so bold as to invite you to sit down and chat for a while?”

Everything was going suspiciously smoothly.

I watched the two of them talking animatedly and reassured myself that I was probably overthinking things.

Lin Xi even seemed genuinely impressed by Fu Ci’s professional knowledge—the very material I’d stayed up several nights preparing for him.

But that admiration was nothing more than a facade.

Every time Fu Ci subtly brought up the possibility of working together, Lin Xi smoothly steered the conversation elsewhere.

Beads of sweat began to form on Fu Ci’s forehead.

In the end, he had no choice but to lay his cards on the table.

“Mr. Lin, do I have any chance of establishing a long-term partnership with Mowan?”

Lin Xi didn’t answer immediately.

He gave a faint smile, impossible to read, then leaned forward slightly.

His eyes locked directly onto me, like a leopard silently stalking its prey—quiet, but dangerous enough to send a chill down my spine.

“In our line of work, everyone has secrets,” Lin Xi said leisurely. “Take Mrs. Fang, for example. She has a particular distaste for women who become ‘canaries in golden cages.’”

Fu Ci frowned.

“And what about you, Mr. Lin?”

Lin Xi continued staring at me.

His eyes suddenly darkened, filled with unmistakable resentment.

And suddenly, everything became clear.

Why had Mrs. Fang’s attitude changed so abruptly?

It wasn’t because of Shen Shulei.

It was Lin Xi.

He hated me.

And because he hated me, he was determined to destroy anything I wanted.

Lin Xi gave a cold laugh, the smile never reaching his eyes.

“Mr. Fu may not know this, but the ‘Wan’ in Mowan is the same ‘Wan’ in Tạ Vãn.”

“Ask me to work with you so I can watch the woman I love stay by another man’s side every day?”

He paused, his gaze turning colder.

“I’m not that generous.”

Just a few words were enough to destroy everything.

He wasn’t merely trying to ruin the contract.

He was trying to destroy the relationship between Fu Ci and me.

Fu Ci’s expression changed instantly.

He looked at me as though he wanted to tear me apart.

For four years, I’d devoted myself to being his perfect yes-man, taking care of everything from his meals and clothes to his work.

Yet one provocative remark from Lin Xi was enough to make him turn around and take all his anger out on me.

I clenched my fingers until my knuckles turned white.

It hurt.

But I still had to stay in character.

I straightened my back, walked over to Lin Xi, slipped his suit jacket off my shoulders, and returned it to him with both hands.

“Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Lin. But the past is behind us. Right now, the only person in Tạ Vãn’s heart is Mr. Fu.”

[DING! Yes-Man Points +2]

For once, I felt no joy at all.

Something between Lin Xi and me had truly shattered.

Lin Xi didn’t take the jacket back.

He leaned against the sofa and took a sip of wine, his expression dripping with mockery.

“Mr. Fu probably doesn’t know this yet. In Hucheng, there isn’t a single company willing to work with businesses that Mrs. Fang and I have already decided against.”

The jacket he refused to take back was like the past he had no intention of forgiving.

The banquet ended in a suffocating atmosphere.

When we returned, Shen Shulei nestled against Fu Ci’s arm. Her voice was soft as cotton, but every word was sharp enough to cut.

“Wanwan, A-Ci gave you a few days off recently… You weren’t meeting Mr. Lin, were you?”

She smiled without really smiling.

Then she delivered another perfectly aimed jab.

“I just find it strange. Eight years without seeing each other, and the moment you meet again, things get this intense. Even romance novels wouldn’t dare write something like that.”

Seeing the smug look on Shen Shulei’s face, anger flared inside me.

But the quieter I became, the angrier Fu Ci seemed to get.

He suddenly shot to his feet, completely ignoring the fact that Shen Shulei was still leaning against his shoulder.

“Tạ Vãn, did you really go see him?”

Crash!

The wineglass shattered against the floor.

Red liquid spread across the tiles as shards of glass flew everywhere.

“You two teamed up to humiliate me, didn’t you?!”

I closed my eyes, my entire body trembling.

When I opened them again, tears were already streaming down my cheeks.

I lowered my voice and slipped perfectly into the pitiful tone of a professional yes-man.

“Mr. Fu… I only went to a class reunion. I happened to run into him… And I made myself perfectly clear today. You’re the only one in my heart.”

Shen Shulei propped her chin on her hand, watching me like she was enjoying a show.

Then she smiled innocently.

“Anyone can say that. Why don’t you prove it, Wanwan? If you really love A-Ci that much, why don’t you spend a few days with Mr. Lin and help him secure the contract?”

Fu Ci’s eyes flickered.

He was actually considering the humiliating suggestion.

I’d mentally prepared myself for it, but facing the reality of it still left me struggling to breathe.

Just as I was about to drag every last one of them straight down to hell with me, the System’s shrill voice rang out.

[Host, stay calm! You only need three more points! If you fail to break free from the plot, you and your mother will die one year from now. Lin Xi… will spend the rest of his life alone.]

What a devastatingly effective pep talk.

I burst into tears.

This time, there was no acting involved.

“Fu Ci… I don’t want to… Lin Xi holds a grudge forever. I’ve already offended him. I’m scared…”

Fu Ci softened slightly.

He sat down and took my hand.

“Wanwan, I’ll come get you in a few days. Okay?”

My tears fell like raindrops.

“Really? After I come back, will you still need me?”

[DING! Yes-Man Points +3. Total: 100.]

[Congratulations, Host — You have broken free from the plot’s control.]

Safe in Fu Ci’s arms, hidden away in a corner where no one could see, my shoulders trembled.

I was laughing.

Finally…

I was free!

Fu Ci suddenly seemed to get the urge to stay and comfort me all night.

All I could think was, Men really are ridiculously easy to pacify.

But Shen Shulei immediately cut in, pretending to be upset as she coaxed him away.

I took advantage of the opportunity and gently pushed him back.

“Go stay with Miss Shen… As long as the two of you are happy, I’ll do anything.”

Before he left, I even thoughtfully tugged at his sleeve.

“Fu Ci, I’ll make you some nourishing soup tonight, okay?”

At midnight, I personally carried the pot of “tonic” I’d prepared—with a little special seasoning added—to the room next door.

I watched Fu Ci finish every last drop of my heartfelt concoction before finally retreating with peace of mind.

Not long afterward, sounds that were best left undescribed began coming from the room.

I wished them both happiness.

And… may their kidneys enjoy a long and prosperous life.

I returned to my room and called my mother.

The moment I heard her sleepy voice on the other end, all the excitement I’d felt from completing my mission suddenly disappeared.

Only a deep ache remained.

“Mom…”

“Sweetheart… Did Fu Ci bully you?”

She hesitated when she heard the strange noises coming through the wall on my side.

I stayed silent for a long time.

Then I quietly said,

“Mom… Let’s go back to Hucheng. I’ve broken up with him. I… I miss Dad.”

On the other end, my mother burst into tears.

“Okay… I’ll start packing right now.”

I wiped away my tears and smiled with relief.

“No rush, Mom… Let me book our plane tickets first.”