Chapter 31

“No Need for Transactions…”

“Ah, that.” Xia Mi La denied, “It’s not a date, just a transaction.”

“Transaction?” This time it was Zhao Taihe who laughed, “Suddenly realized your value again? Hey, don’t tell me Jin He thinks that by maintaining the nominally unmarried couple relationship, Han Lin can secure the cooperation project for Dragon Mountain International Business District?”

Xia Mi La blinked at him, looking somewhat innocent: “That’s none of my concern. Our agreement doesn’t extend to group resolutions.”

Zhao Taihe found her expression rather endearing.

He lowered his gaze, smiling at her with a curved lip: “What kind of agreement are you discussing with him? Why not negotiate with me? I might be able to offer you more.”

“Sure.” Xia Mi La nodded generously, “Next time I’ll definitely come to you first.”

“Next time for sure.” Zhao Taihe repeated her seemingly evasive words.

“Hey,” Xia Mi La laughed, “I keep my promises. I’m a person of integrity.”

Zhao Taihe nodded: “I don’t doubt that. After all, Jin He is useless. Negotiating with him is meaningless.”

After thoroughly mocking Jin He, Zhao Taihe left Vermilion Bird Hall satisfied.

After seeing him out, Xia Mi La turned back to find Jin Can was no longer reading.

He was leaning back in his chair with his head tilted up, the book covering his face as if he had fallen asleep.

Xia Mi La walked over to him and gently lifted the book from his face, only to meet his awake dark eyes.

“I thought you were asleep,” Xia Mi La explained, “This isn’t comfortable. I wanted to suggest you rest somewhere else.”

Jin Can looked at her: “You’re having dinner with Jin He tonight.”

“You overheard that.” Xia Mi La closed the book and placed it aside, leaning against the desk to look at him, “Yes, he called yesterday to make the arrangement.”

“What do you want.” Jin Can slowly sat up straight, “I can provide it too.” He paused, “No need for transactions.Xia Mi La stared at him for a moment, then curved her lips into a smile, unable to resist reaching out to ruffle his fluffy and soft hair.

“Alright,” she said softly, “I understand. I’ll tell you next time.”

*

Information that Zhao Taihe could easily obtain was naturally no secret.

By afternoon, rumors were circulating among students that Jin He had reserved Xia Mi La’s favorite restaurant to apologize and seek forgiveness.

Unlike Zhao Taihe, they couldn’t verify this directly with Xia Mi La, so they could only gossip and speculate in secret.

After all, the love triangle involving Jin He, Xia Mi La, and the sponsored student made for quite an interesting story.

Eventually, even Bai You Na heard about it. She didn’t like such news at all.

She disliked the idea of Jin He reconciling with Xia Mi La, and she equally disliked Jin He’s special affection for the sponsored student.

She’d prefer if Xia Mi La and the sponsored student turned against each other and fought intensely – that way she might be able to benefit from the situation.

With this thought, she stood up.

“Hey,” she walked over to Pei Duo Xing’s desk and tapped it with her toe, “I heard Jin He reserved Mira’s favorite Japanese restaurant for a dinner date tonight. Is it true?”

Pei Duo Xing frowned – initially because of Bai You Na’s action, but later because of her words.

She hadn’t known Jin He was having dinner with Xia Mi La tonight.

Jin He had told her he had something to do in the evening and that someone else would take her home today, but he didn’t specify what it was.

Why did he have to accompany Xia Mi La? This made Pei Duo Xing feel uneasy.

Bai You Na noticed the expression on her face and smiled. “So you didn’t know.” She hummed lightly, leisurely adding fuel to the fire. “As expected, A He was just playing with you. How could he really give up on Mira?”

Pei Duo Xing glanced at her before looking away, saying nothing. She knew Bai You Na didn’t have good intentions sharing this news with her was definitely not out of kindness. She didn’t want to be used by her, but she also couldn’t let Jin He actually go on a date with Xia Mi La.

So, after school, she smiled and bid Jin He farewell. The moment Jin He got into the car, Pei Duo Xing fainted.

Chaos and congestion erupted at the school gate. Many people witnessed Jin He rushing out of the car, dashing to Pei Duo Xing’s side, scooping her up from the ground, and carrying her all the way back to the car.

Including Xia Mi La.

Standing on the steps not too far away, behind the overlapping crowds, she quietly watched everything unfold.

“Wow…” an exaggerated sigh sounded beside her. “What a sincere and touching love story.”

The teasing, mocking tone, tinged with a hint of excitement, belonged to someone Xia Mi La didn’t even need to turn her head to identify.

“Yeah,” she echoed, a slight smile tugging at her lips, influenced by his tone.

Zhao Taihe hadn’t expected to witness such a dramatic scene after school. He watched with great interest, thoroughly amused.

Seeing Jin He act so foolishly was even more delightful than finding true love himself.

“What now?” He tilted his head to glance at Xia Mi La. “Looks like today’s arrangement isn’t happening.”

Xia Mi La let out a soft sigh. “Yeah.”

Zhao Taihe studied her profile. “Dinner’s off too.”

“Yeah.”

Zhao Taihe turned, his long legs carrying him to face Xia Mi La directly. “Let me treat you, then.”

Only then did Xia Mi La lift her gaze to look at him.

“Thanks,” she replied without much enthusiasm. “You should go ahead with your own plans.”

Zhao Taihe had found a new girlfriend this week news like that didn’t even require effort to learn; it spread effortlessly.

Hearing her response, Zhao Taihe curved his lips into a smile again.

“None of them are as important as you,” he said with a laugh. “If you’re not happy with it, just say the word…”

Xia Mi La couldn’t help but laugh at his shamelessness.

She turned her attention back to the front, where Jin He’s car had already driven away.

“If I had anything to say, it would only be words of blessing. May your new romance last long and prosper.”

As she spoke, she prepared to leave.

Zhao Taihe didn’t follow her this time. Watching her retreating figure, he paused for a moment before asking, “Are you sure you don’t want to have dinner together?”

He thought being stood up must be frustrating. Especially for Xia Mi La being ditched by Jin He and witnessing that scene probably hurt a little.

At that thought, his own amusement suddenly faded.

“No need,” Xia Mi La replied. “I have plans.”

Zhao Taihe took a step forward, pressing further. “What plans? Where are you going?”

Xia Mi La turned around, walking backward as she smiled and winked at him. “When you’ve been wronged, of course you go find Dad.”

When you’ve been wronged, you seek comfort and complain to Mom and Dad.

Having a mother would be best, but unfortunately she didn’t have one, so she had to settle for seeking out her father instead.

Anyway, when she felt wronged, she refused to bottle it up alone she had to let someone know.

Zhao Taihe saw the expression on her face and didn’t say anything more, just clicked his tongue with a smile.

Xia Mi La got into her car and closed the door, Jin Can’s face surfacing in her mind.

She thought of his calm, dark eyes, and the words he had said to her at noon.

She wondered where he was now, and whether he had witnessed the commotion at the school gate earlier.

Her gaze swept outside the car window the show was over, and everyone was gradually dispersing to head home.

Xia Mi La thought of the two main characters from earlier.

In the original comic, Jin He had stood up the female lead not just once or twice. But Xia Mi La hadn’t expected that even when discussing cooperation, Jin He would lack such basic integrity.

That evening, it wasn’t until after Xia Mi La had finished dinner with her father and was on her way home that she finally received a text from Jin He.

Apologizing, saying he couldn’t make it to the dinner that night.

So he had finally remembered her existence.

Xia Mi La turned off her phone without replying.

Xia Ying Cai returned home with a grim expression. After going to his room, Jiang Xiu Zhu approached to ask what was wrong, and he told her about Jin He having someone else and Mira wanting to call off the engagement.

Jiang Xiu Zhu wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear this.

“I’ve heard You Na mention a few things,” she said softly. “I just didn’t realize it was this serious… A He is still young, his self-control isn’t steady, it’s possible he’s been led astray by something. Mira likes him so much, shouldn’t we give him a chance to correct himself?”

“Correct himself, my foot,” Xia Ying Cai fumed, thinking of his daughter’s pitiful complaints earlier. “Is my daughter, Xia Ying Cai’s daughter, some cabbage to be picked over at will? If that brat doesn’t know what’s good for him, so be it Mira doesn’t have to have him!”

“There are other suitable matches besides A He, but Mira’s childhood bond with him isn’t something anyone else can compare to,” Jiang Xiu Zhu continued tentatively. “Are we really going to cancel the engagement over this one incident?”

She had heard from her daughter that the two might break off their engagement, but she hadn’t fully believed it.

She didn’t believe Xia Mi La could truly bring herself to give up Jin He.

But her questioning only made things worse Xia Ying Cai immediately redirected his anger toward her.

“Even if Mira likes Jin He, she knows this isn’t just some simple puppy love. The alliance between our two families can’t tolerate her swallowing her pride. She represents the face of Xia Hong!” He glared at Jiang Xiu Zhu. “Everyone knows Mira likes Jin He, but even in a situation like this, she knows how to make the right choice. But what about You Na? If Mira is drawing a line with Jin He, why doesn’t You Na know to help her sister? She’s still staying by Jin He’s side does she even remember who her real family is?”

Jiang Xiu Zhu was slightly stunned. “This… I didn’t know, You Na hasn’t mentioned it to me.”

Xia Ying Cai snorted coldly. “There are only two daughters in this family. One gets bullied at school, the other aids and abets the bully what kind of mother are you anyway?”

Jiang Xiu Zhu was berated out of the blue, and in this matter, she truly was wronged.

She knew about the cliques among the children at school, but she hadn’t known about Xia Mi La breaking away to stand on her own.

If she had known, she would never have allowed Bai You Na to remain in the Azure Dragon Hall.

No matter what she thought inwardly, she had to at least maintain a facade of loyalty outwardly, ensuring no one could find fault with her words.

At this moment, she was seething with anger silently cursing her biological daughter’s foolishness on one hand, while also condemning Xia Mi La’s slick cunning. That girl was becoming increasingly skilled at complaining and tattling!