Chapter 30: Everything Was Guessed Correctly by Her…

After finishing her conversation with Jin He, Lin Cheng Hui went to the study.

Jin Wan Yi was in front of the computer reading a document.

“Did you talk it through?” He asked his wife while staring at the computer screen.

“It’s settled,” Lin Cheng Hui replied. “A He will go apologize to Mira.” She sounded somewhat dissatisfied as she continued, “So, since you clearly knew A He has feelings for that child, why did you send her to Tanmyung High School?”

“If he can’t even withstand such a test, if he can’t protect what he ought to protect, then he isn’t qualified to inherit Han Lin.” He released the mouse and looked at his wife. “If Acan performs better, then let Acan take over.”

Yes, there was Jin Can now. So they could confidently temper Jin He.

If he could see through it and understand what he should truly be doing, then it would still be him. But if he became confused, forgetting his identity and responsibilities, then there was still his younger brother.

Lin Cheng Hui understood his meaning. She sighed. “But you didn’t need to be so heavy-handed, did you?Her son, raised as an only child since childhood, was naturally someone she cherished and felt pain for.

Jin Wan Yi snorted coldly. “It’s precisely because you spoil him too much. Look at what he’s been doing lately. The more he feels threatened by his younger brother, the more he should maintain his relationships with those around him. But what does he do? He treats Acan coldly like a stranger, pushes Mira away, and only knows how to play the hero in front of a Sponsored student. He’s utterly useless!”

Jin He, who had hidden and concealed things, not daring to speak earlier, had actually been seen through by his parents long ago. His recent actions, even his thoughts, were all within his parents’ understanding and grasp.

Lin Cheng Hui was momentarily speechless.

When they only had Jin He before, they felt it was enough if he just didn’t pick up any bad habits. Now, with a comparison, their demands had actually become higher.

“A He has never really suffered hardship, after all. In some aspects, he really can’t compare to Acan.” Jin Wan Yi said as he stood up. “The areas where Acan is lacking can be made up for through learning.”

He picked up the coat hanging on the rack and put it on again.

“What,” Lin Cheng Hui asked, “are you going out again?”

“Mm. The newly opened club. I promised Chairman Cui and the others I’d go have a few drinks.”

“Really.” Lin Cheng Hui didn’t like him going out to drink, but she didn’t say much more. She just walked over and straightened his clothes for him.

“Don’t worry.” Jin Wan Yi laughed. “I’ll drink less.”

“Mm.”

Meanwhile, Xia Mi La was having dinner with Xu Lian Yi.

Halfway through the meal, she received a phone call from Jin He.

When the call connected, he abruptly said without context: “Have dinner together tomorrow night.”

Xia Mi La reacted quickly. “No.”

Jin He clearly hadn’t expected her to refuse so bluntly. He paused for two seconds. “Why not?”

“Why should I?” Xia Mi La retorted. “It’s better if we keep some distance between us. Getting too close easily leads to misunderstandings.”

“Misunderstandings?” Jin He sneered. His cheek still hurt badly, and he was feeling extremely irritated inside. “Isn’t this what you wanted? Didn’t you just…”

Xia Mi La also sneered, then hung up the phone.

“Who was that?” Xu Lian Yi asked. “Was it Jin He?”

“Mm.” Xia Mi La responded absently.

Xu Lian Yi was a bit speechless. “How is he still so bossy and unclear about the situation?”

Previously, Jin He had merely relied on Xia Mi La’s affection for him.

But now, anyone with eyes could see that Xia Mi La was keeping her distance from Jin He; she didn’t care about him that much anymore.

Only Jin He, that narcissist, still thought everything was as before, still wanting to presume on past favor.

Jin He, who had been hung up on, understood the situation a little better.

Although he was furious, he still remembered the reminder Xia Mi La had once given him.

That day in the gymnasium, she had mockingly, sarcastically asked him: Is this your attitude when asking for a favor?

So just now, was she also disliking his poor attitude?

With a dark expression, he dialed the number again.

This time, Xia Mi La took a while to answer. Her tone when she picked up was lazy: “Hello?”

She only said that one word.

Jin He suppressed the anger in his heart and asked her: “What exactly do you want?”

“You’re being forced by your parents to repair your relationship with me, but you don’t genuinely want to repair it. You just need me to make an appearance and act out a play with you to muddle through this period for now…”

Jin He was startled. “How did you know?”

Everything had been guessed correctly by her.

Xia Mi La chuckled lightly. “You have a tricky problem you need to solve, not me. Why should I act in this play with you and do such a thankless task?”

Jin He fell silent. He somewhat understood the subtext of her words. He asked: “Then what will make you willing to act? What do you want?”

Xia Mi La laughed again, this time the laughter sounded much more pleased. “What can you offer?”

Jin He fell silent again.

Using an exchange of benefits to reach cooperation – this kind of thing was absolutely not unfamiliar to him. He just hadn’t expected that one day, his relationship with Xia Mi La would also become like this.

He calmed down a lot and thought seriously. “I can provide Azure Dragon Hall’s VIP access privileges to Vermilion Bird Hall. You act with me until the Dragon Mountain International Business District cooperation project is signed.”

Clear, pleasant laughter came from the other end of the phone. But this time, Jin He couldn’t quite decipher the meaning in her laughter.

Fortunately, Xia Mi La quickly agreed.

“Alright then.” She was still so crisp and decisive.

Jin He heaved a heavy sigh of relief. “Then, tomorrow, I’ll pick the place. I’ll message you the details later.”

“Okay.” Xia Mi La still replied with a laugh.

“Alright then, that’s it for now.”

“Mm.”

Jin He hung up the phone, still feeling very uncomfortable inside.

This unfamiliar way of interacting with Xia Mi La made him somewhat uneasy.

He sat there with a gloomy face for a long time, then still picked up his phone again and, with practiced ease, arranged for someone to reserve Xia Mi La’s favorite seat at her most loved restaurant.

Xia Mi La hadn’t finished her meal yet. After hanging up the phone, she picked up her knife and fork again.

After hearing the content of their conversation, Xu Lian Yi was a bit worried. “Jin He simply doesn’t want news of the cancelled engagement to spread before the Dragon Mountain International Business District deal is finalized. If you act along with him…”

Xia Mi La laughed. “Do you really think an engagement between the two of us can influence such a major cooperation?”

“Ah?”

Xia Mi La shook her head. “There is a game, but what decides the final outcome definitely isn’t that piece of engagement paper.””

“Then Jin He’s parents…”

“They must know it too.” Xia Mi La curled her lips. “They probably want to give Jin He a bit of a trial.”

Xu Lian Yi nodded. She processed this information very quickly. After all, in this circle, many things had precedents.

“So,” Xia Mi La shared a piece of the beef she had cut from her plate with Xu Lian Yi, “since it won’t affect the overall situation, and we can gain some benefits for Vermilion Bird Hall, why wouldn’t I do it?”

Xu Lian Yi nodded again, set her mind at ease, and praised sincerely: “Mira, you’re really amazing now.”

Since the summer vacation began, since she said she wanted to become her support too, she had grown incredibly fast.

“Of course.” Xia Mi La laughed. “Going to grandmother’s on weekends, reading so many documents during the day and learning from the secretaries, being constantly influenced, one has to become smarter, right?”

There was a lot of free time during lunch breaks at school. Li Xiu Zhi would send her some past, less critical company documents, so that even while at school, she could understand the company better.

Xia Mi La read them all very carefully. Inferring the big picture from small details – even if it was just an insignificant lower-level staff transfer, she would read it through meticulously.

“Don’t rush.” She said to Xu Lian Yi. “We’ll definitely let you get involved in these things in the future too.”

Xu Lian Yi nodded. She wasn’t someone who aimed too high without substance; she wouldn’t feel resentful just because she couldn’t keep up with Xia Mi La’s progress.

She smoothly adjusted the dynamics of her relationship with Xia Mi La.

Before, when Mira showed weakness, she stood in front of Mira as her shield. Now that Mira was gradually becoming stronger, she stood by her side as her best support.

“Leave matters of Vermilion Bird Hall to me.” She said to Xia Mi La. “Leave the miscellaneous chores to me. You just focus on your studies.”

She had a very clear sense of priority in her mind.

“Mm.” Xia Mi La raised her glass. “Our cooperation is matchless in the world.”

Xu Lian Yi’s cheeks flushed pink. She showed a shy smile because of Xia Mi La’s affirmation.

Then she also raised her hand, and the two of them laughed as they clinked glasses.

*

The next day at Tanmyung High School, everything was as usual.

It proved that everyone’s ability to adapt was quite strong.

It hadn’t even been a few days, and everyone seemed accustomed to Xia Mi La keeping her distance from Jin He, and the person getting out of Jin He’s car being Pei Duo Xing.

During the lunch break, Zhao Taihe visited the Vermilion Bird Hall lounge.

When he arrived, he was carrying a box of exquisite handmade chocolates.

Xia Mi La took it while unable to hold back a laugh. “You’re quite the considerate one.”

“Of course.” Zhao Taihe said. “I’m not like that brute Jin He.”

True rivals, always ready to take a jab at each other anytime, anywhere.

Zhao Taihe’s gaze boldly swept across the lounge, landing on Jin Can, who was sitting by the bookshelf reading.

Jin Can hadn’t gone to play ball today. He had randomly picked a book to kill time in the lounge.

Zhao Taihe twitched his lips and praised: “Decorated quite nicely. Has more taste than Azure Dragon Hall.”

Xia Mi La was amused by him again. “I really don’t know if you’re complimenting me or insulting me.”

As everyone knew, the decoration of Azure Dragon Hall had also been arranged by Xia Mi La.

“Of course it’s a compliment.”

Zhao Taihe was a guest who didn’t consider himself an outsider at all. As he spoke, he began strolling around the lounge, carefully examining every nook and cranny.

Xia Mi La let him be, chatting idly while slowly accompanying him on his tour of the entire room.

“The same pit,” he finally asked her, “you wouldn’t fall into it twice in a row, would you?”

Xia Mi La didn’t understand immediately. “What?”

“Ah,” Zhao Taihe put his hands in his pockets, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, “I heard Jin He reserved a seat today, wanting to have a date with you.”