Captivating Beauty 33p3

Chapter 33 p3

It was dinner time on set.

The food wasn’t very appetizing, and with the hot weather, Shen Shu usually brought her own lunch or fruit.

She was surprised to receive a message from Cai Ying, saying she was waiting outside the studio.

Xu Jinnan, who usually drove a gray Maybach, was in a white Bentley, which stood out against the drab backdrop of the studio.

As Shen Shu opened the back door, Cai Ying said, “The food is in the front.”

As Shen Shu got into the passenger seat, Cai Ying winked at Xu Jinnan, as if saying, See? I’m being helpful. You should be too.

Xu Jinnan chuckled. If Cai Ying knew their marriage was just a sham, she wondered what her reaction would be.

“What are you two doing here?” Shen Shu asked.

Xu Jinnan handed her a thermal food container. “Sweet and sour pork ribs. You said you wanted some.”

“…I didn’t,” Shen Shu replied.

Xu Jinnan paused, and they exchanged a look, then both turned to Cai Ying in the back seat, who quickly opened the car door. “I’ll be back in a bit,” she said, getting out.

With the door closed, the noise of the studio faded away.

The sweet and sour pork ribs, with their rich sauce, weren’t ideal before filming, and Shen Shu had intended to save them for later, but Xu Jinnan had already opened the container.

The aroma filled the car.

Shen Shu hesitated, then took the container.

“How was filming today?” Xu Jinnan asked casually.

“Fine,” Shen Shu replied, picking up her chopsticks. “Did you two have a fight?”

Xu Jinnan: “…I’m not a child. Why would I fight with her?”

Shen Shu nodded, not saying anything more.

She was wearing a black and white qipao with lace trim, her movements elegant as she ate, her lipstick a rare bright red.

Xu Jinnan looked away, letting her eat in peace.

Outside, unable to enter the studio, Cai Ying decided to give them some space and wandered over to the side entrance, which was less crowded.

Dressed in a long, flowing dress, the mixed-race Omega easily attracted attention.

Feeling the heat, she turned around and bumped into someone.

“Careful,” a voice said.

Cai Ying looked up. The woman was half a head taller than her, with alluring fox-like eyes and a striking beauty. She stammered, “Sorry… miss… ma’am.”

Han Wenling smiled. “It’s fine.”

Cai Ying blushed under her direct gaze, instinctively touching her hair. “Goodbye,” she mumbled, turning to leave.

“Miss Han, what are you looking at?” Xia Chun’s assistant asked, approaching from the side entrance.

Han Wenling looked away from Cai Ying’s retreating figure, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “An interesting young lady,” she replied.

She soon found Xia Chun backstage, her mood somber.

Han Wenling took the cigarette Xia Chun offered her, glancing at the cigarette butts in the ashtray. “Wow, you seem down. Did I come at a bad time?”

“Don’t tease me, Ms. Han,” Xia Chun replied.

Her relationship with Han Wenling wasn’t complicated. They had met during Xia Chun’s overseas studies.

They had been in a murder mystery game together, Han Wenling the defendant, and Xia Chun the murderer. Xia Chun had won.

After that, Han Wenling had often sought her out, and they had become acquainted, but they weren’t friends.

Neither of them considered the other a friend, sometimes even acting like strangers in public, but perhaps that was why they were able to speak so freely.

Han Wenling had once said they were the same kind of person – selfish, self-centered, and only caring about themselves.

Xia Chun hadn’t agreed at the time, but now, she felt it was true.

“So, how’s the filming? Having fun?” Han Wenling asked.

“It’s not what I expected. Everything has changed,” Xia Chun replied.

“Just another woman. It’s just feelings. You’ll forget her once you find someone new,” Han Wenling said casually.

Xia Chun smiled faintly. “She was there for me during my most difficult time, but I left her when she needed me most.”

“Ah, guilt.”

Xia Chun shook her head. “No, I never stopped loving her. If she was happy, I could let go. But it’s Xu Jinnan.”

Han Wenling extinguished her cigarette. “You’re becoming sentimental. Women are just playthings. It’s no fun when you get attached.”

“Ms. Han,” Xia Chun said, “be careful what you wish for. Karma’s a bitch.”

Han Wenling shrugged.

“I’d like to see that happen.”

Shen Shu’s filming ended at 6 p.m. Xu Jinnan and Cai Ying left first, and on the way, Xu Jinnan received a call from Lu Yun.

She knew tomorrow was Lu Yun’s birthday.

She agreed to whatever Lu Yun wanted.

Emotionally, she didn’t want to return to that house.

It always made her feel uneasy.

Shen Shu arrived home at 8 p.m. Cai Ying was in her room, attending her online class, and Xu Jinnan was sitting on the sofa, working on her laptop.

As Shen Shu changed her shoes at the entrance, she heard Cai Ying ask, “Xu Jinnan, what does MTD mean?”

“Multimodal Transport Document,” Xu Jinnan replied casually.

“Impressive.”

“You don’t even know basic trade terms, and you’re taking an exam?”

“…Shu Shu, your wife is bullying me!”

Xu Jinnan: “…”

She closed her laptop and looked at Shen Shu. “Are you hungry?”

Shen Shu shook her head. “I’m tired. I’m going to take a shower.”

Xu Jinnan nodded, then went to the bedroom and sat on the armchair.

After Shen Shu’s shower, she heard Xu Jinnan say on the phone, “Begin.”

Shen Shu checked the time. 8:30 p.m. in North City. The US stock market was about to open.

Xu Jinnan was making her move against the Song family.

At the Song family villa, a glass shattered on the floor. “What the hell is going on?! It’s been an hour, and we still don’t know who’s targeting us?!” the elderly Mr. Song roared.

“Dad, calm down. They’re investigating,” his eldest daughter, Song Weiwei, said, her own face pale.

They had already lost millions in the past hour, and they still didn’t know who was behind it.

“We found them! It’s someone from the Xu family, or rather, someone connected to them, a former financial manager.”

Mr. Song sat back down. “The Xu family? That’s impossible. I just had lunch with Xu Tao today.” He quickly regained his composure.

“Should I call and ask?” Song Weiwei suggested.

“No,” Mr. Song said firmly. “If he’s not involved, we’ll offend him for no reason.” He paused, then asked, “Where’s Song Ronghui?”

Song Ronghui lay with her eyes closed, her head resting on Yin Xue’s lap. “I really can’t come tomorrow.”

“Fine.”

Song Ronghui knew that tone; Yin Xue was angry. She sat up and caressed Yin Xue’s face. “This isn’t my house. I can’t just come and go as I please. And the Special Ward is under strict surveillance. We have to be careful.”

“I know. Any news from Xu Jinnan?”

“Nothing. She can’t trace it back to me. What could happen?”

“When are you going to investigate again? You didn’t find anything last time,” Yin Xue asked.

Song Ronghui frowned slightly. “The banquet incident just happened. Don’t you care about my safety? Is Xu Jinnan all you think about?”

Yin Xue paused, her lips curving downwards. “Why are you so upset?”

Song Ronghui sat on the edge of the bed, her heel bumping against the metal frame, worsening her mood.

Every time she came here, all Yin Xue talked about was Xu Jinnan.

“I’m just a tool to you!” she exclaimed, lighting a cigarette.

Yin Xue, seeing her mood, didn’t argue, falling silent.

Just then, Song Ronghui’s phone rang.

Yin Xue watched as her expression changed, then she abruptly stood up. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

“What is it?”

“I have to go.”

Yin Xue walked her to the door, wanting to hug her, but Song Ronghui didn’t respond, her mind elsewhere.

Her family hadn’t explained the reason for her sudden departure, but she had a bad feeling.

On the way back, Song Weiwei explained the situation. Hearing that the Xu family was behind it, Song Ronghui’s unease intensified.

Had Xu Jinnan found out something?

Had Xu Li betrayed her? Impossible. She had leverage against Xu Li; she wouldn’t risk exposure for this.

Confused, she opened her phone and saw Xu Jinnan’s message in the group chat.

Chen Bo and Han Fu were exchanging vulgar messages.

Xu Jinnan: [I’m a decent person.]

Chen Bo: [Hahaha, good one. vomits]

Han Fu: [Hahaha, good one. vomits]

Song Ronghui took a deep breath, carefully choosing her words, and sent Xu Jinnan a private message: [Nan, when are we having dinner?]

She waited, but received no reply.

Xu Jinnan had sent a sticker in the group chat, but her private message was like a stone thrown into a deep well, disappearing without a trace.

Xu Jinnan turned off her phone, closed her laptop, rubbed her eyes, and said, “That’s enough for today.”

Shen Shu turned a page in her book, her voice calm. “She’ll definitely contact you tomorrow.”

“Whether she contacts me or not is her business. Whether I meet her or not is mine.”

Song Ronghui would have a difficult night, but this was just the beginning.

Shen Shu looked at the book in her hand, lost in thought. Xu Jinnan’s remote manipulation of the stock market had been impressive, and she was reminded of Song Ronghui’s words by the fire exit, about testing Xu Jinnan.

Perhaps it wasn’t just a test of her identity, but also a test of the differences between the past and present Xu Jinnan.

The current Xu Jinnan was undeniably impressive.

A truly remarkable person.

Then, her thoughts returned to Yin Xue. Yin Xue knew Xu Jinnan was an Omega, yet she still wanted to test her. What had aroused her suspicion?

The scent? Or, like Shen Shu, a gut feeling?

“What are you reading?” Xu Jinnan asked.

Shen Shu hesitated. “City of Thorns,” she replied.

“Never heard of it. What’s it about?”

Xu Jinnan lay down on the floor, turning on her side. The blanket was half a meter away from the bed, so she could see Shen Shu’s face.

Shen Shu, as if anticipating the question, calmly recounted the plot. “…In a bleak and desolate life, a stranger enters the parched heart of Maud. His name is Rivers. But no one knows his true identity. He’s a… thief.” She paused after the last word, the silence deliberate.

Xu Jinnan looked at her, puzzled. “?”

Although she wasn’t sure why, she felt like she was being subtly insulted.