Chapter 29: The Candid Photograph

The next day, Lin Yiwei woke up. Her fever had subsided, but her entire body felt achingly weak.

She leaned against the wall, stumbling out of the bedroom with soft, unsteady steps.

Bright sunlight flooded into the living room. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the bay glittered like golden fish scales, and the blue sky was devoid of clouds.

Xie Bo had already left. He had left a note on the island counter: "Come over tonight — Bo."

The handwriting was forceful, each stroke sharp and carved like a blade.

She picked up a pen and wrote a line of delicate script on the note: "Not necessarily coming, don't wait — Yi."

Feeling it wasn't quite enough, she drew a pig's head next to it.

Despite what she wrote, she would likely go. After the madness of last night, Lin Yiwei had recalibrated her strategy. She intended to utilize Xie Bo to the fullest extent in this relationship, minimizing the obstacles on her path so she could uncover the truth about the Chi family and Lin Xie as quickly as possible.

And if she had a little more selfish motive...

Xie Bo’s skill was, undeniably, excellent.

She found an ear of corn and some bagged siu mai in the refrigerator, heated them in the steam oven, and opened her social media feed. Scrolling down, she saw that Chi Xiyu had posted three or four sets of professionally edited birthday photos, timestamped at eight o'clock last night.

One photo, in particular, was not included in the grid; it had been posted separately.

It was a selfie taken while she was cruising in a supercar. Facing the sun, wearing sunglasses, her oval face looked incredibly charming with dimples dancing at the corners of her mouth—full of vitality.

She was brimming with youthful energy, like a little rose grown in well-nourished soil.

Unlike Lin Yiwei, whose character was always tinged with a certain darkness, heaviness, and stubborn tenacity. Even if some were charmed by her pretty face, few boys could tolerate her difficult temperament for long.

She was neither soft nor sweet.

Lin Yiwei had even wondered if she might have been a bit more lovable had Lin Xie stayed by her side.

Her brother had shone upon her like a little sun. After he left, the clouds blocked the light, and Lin Yiwei’s life withered away.

She felt that Xie Bo would soon grow tired of her. How long could a purely physiological attraction last? Ten days? A month? If it lasted a month, Lin Yiwei would be genuinely impressed.

Before he grew bored, she had to at least extract enough "convenience" from him to get closer to Chi Xiyu.

Otherwise, her path would be incredibly difficult to tread.

Lin Yiwei zoomed in on Chi Xiyu’s photo with her fingertip. The girl was quite skilled; she had captured the hands on the steering wheel... within the frame.

Those hands were powerful, with knuckles prominent and nails trimmed neatly along the nail bed. On the left wrist, a faint, serpentine tattoo was visible.

Xie Bo didn't like having his face in photos, so Chi Xiyu had let his hands "accidentally" enter the shot.

In the comments, her "well-trained" friends expressed their "envy" perfectly:

"So spoiled, so spoiled, so spoiled!"

"He gave you a car and even drove you out himself."

"Who is this trying to make jealous!"

"Oh my, I'm literally crying from the sweetness."

...

Lin Yiwei liked the post.

During the break that afternoon, Lin Yiwei approached Chi Xiyu’s desk and asked with concern, "Xiyu, that painting that got ruined in the basement the other day—you said it was for a competition, right?"

"Yeah, I worked on that painting for so long!" Mentioning it made Chi Xiyu angry. "It was ruined by you and Chi Xicheng, it’s just..."

"I’m sorry, Xiyu, I’m truly sorry."

Seeing the young girl apologizing with such trepidation, Chi Xiyu felt a bit of pity. After all, it was her beastly brother, Chi Xicheng, who had been acting like a jerk, trying to mess with her best friend, which had triggered the chain reaction.

"Forget it, it’s just a painting. I’ll just do another one, don’t take it to heart. By the way, don't tell anyone else about this. He's my brother, after all, and it wouldn't sound good if it got out."

"Mm, I haven't told anyone. But Xiyu, maybe... I could help you restore it."

She lowered her voice, testing the waters. "We could finish it together, at your house. No one would ever know, just like that assignment we did."

Chi Xiyu raised an eyebrow. "If you really feel that bad, you can help me with my regular assignments. But for that painting, I’m entering it in the Christmas art exhibition at the end of the year. Your level isn't quite there yet; I have to finish it independently."

"The Christmas art exhibition." Lin Yiwei realized, "No wonder there was a cross in it."

Chi Xiyu looked blank. "What cross?"

"The girl in the painting. She’s wearing a cross inside her collar. It wasn't very obvious, but I found it stunning when I saw it. What colors did you use to create that subtle, hidden effect?"

Chi Xiyu hesitated slightly. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you; our levels are far apart."

Lin Yiwei curled her lips into a smile. "That's true."

"Enough about the painting." Chi Xiyu immediately changed the subject. "Is Xie Bo still seeing Ye Anning?"

Lin Yiwei shook her head. "No."

"What about other girls?"

"There are still plenty of girls chasing him, but Xie Bo hasn't shown any particular interest in anyone." She paused. "Including me."

Chi Xiyu was very satisfied with this answer. "Xie Bo is like that. As long as he hasn't grown tired of you, keep watching him for me."

"Xiyu, I may be slow, but I will try my best to do what you ask."

Watching her clumsily express her loyalty, the group of girls around her, including Xu Qianxi, all thought it looked far too fake.

Though they despised it, they couldn't bring themselves to stoop so low as to fawn over Chi Xiyu.

Lin Yiwei, on the other hand, was thick-skinned enough to not even bother pretending.

Their relationship grew closer. Chi Xiyu took her arm and said, "Actually, I felt really bad about letting you leave my house soaking wet on my birthday."

"It was my fault for ruining your party."

"Next time, I'll definitely invite you over properly and treat you well."

"Mm, okay!"

During the group discussion class, Professor Mai assigned them a landscape painting project to be submitted the following week.

After class, the class monitor announced a weekend field trip for sketching. Participation was voluntary and at the students' own expense.

The wealthy students were keen on these group activities, setting the budget quite high, so those from more modest backgrounds didn't sign up.

Chi Xiyu, wanting to test out the supercar Xie Bo had given her, signed up immediately.

Lin Yiwei didn't hesitate to sign up as well.

...

That afternoon, Lin Yiwei met with Ye Anning.

At school, they acted like strangers, but privately they exchanged WeChat messages every day. Sometimes they shared their daily lives; sometimes Lin Yiwei would talk to her about clues regarding her brother, and Ye Anning was always willing to help her analyze the situation.

They had become inseparable confidantes.

Regarding Xie Bo, Ye Anning seemed to have found a sense of closure. She told Lin Yiwei that a friend who would stand by her through thick and thin was far better than a stinking man who would give away a gift she had carefully prepared to his buddies.

Before, it was as if she had been bewitched; the less she could have, the more she wanted, and she had inexplicably fallen deeper and deeper.

Thinking about it now, she felt really foolish.

Compared to men, they both felt that friends were much more important.

Only when with Ye Anning did Lin Yiwei feel like a normal girl, enjoying normal social interactions—shopping, drinking milk tea, and buying little trinkets.

Lin Yiwei had some small savings. Even though she had a "secret lover" who lived in the shadows and was more than willing to spend thousands to make her smile, Lin Yiwei insisted on working at the convenience store.

Sometimes, when Xie Bo remembered, he would send her some pocket money—a significant amount—so she wouldn't have to worry about expenses.

But that money went into a card that Lin Yiwei had never touched; she only received a text notification for every deposit.

She felt secure only when spending money she had earned herself. Any gift from fate, she knew, already had a price tag marked in the dark.

Lin Yiwei was clear on this. She covered her daily expenses with her own wages—it was tight, but it felt solid.

Ye Anning bought a Christmas-themed dress, and Lin Yiwei bought a brightly colored woolen coat.

"Weiwei, you look so good in pink!" Ye Anning took her hand and looked her over. "You should wear more light-colored or vibrant clothes; it makes you look so energetic. Don't always stick to black and white."

"Does it look good?" Lin Yiwei examined herself in the mirror.

"It looks great!!!"

She rarely wore such vivid colors. She always felt a sense of heaviness and a leaden mood, as if she weren't suited for such delicate shades.

But wearing it occasionally, she felt it wasn't so bad.

She took a photo in the mirror and, rarely, posted it on her social media.

Within two minutes, she saw that Xie Bo had liked it—

"thin": "Good girl."

In the past, Xie Bo would have called her tacky. Now, he was actually providing positive emotional reinforcement.

Lin Yiwei was terrified and hurriedly deleted the post.

They had more than a few mutual friends; if he commented on her post so blatantly, what would others think?

Fortunately... it hadn't even been a minute.

She chose to block Xie Bo and re-posted the photo. Before long, Chi Xiyu liked it.

She must not have seen the first one.

Lin Yiwei breathed a sigh of relief. However, Xie Bo soon discovered that Lin Yiwei had deleted the post and blocked him.

"thin": "?"

"Weifeng": "We have an agreement, have you forgotten?"

She couldn't do anything that would make Chi Xiyu suspicious; he was supposed to help her maintain her relationship with Chi Xiyu.

Xie Bo, however, wasn't having it.

"thin": "Unblock me, or I'll like every single post on your timeline."

Lin Yiwei hated being threatened. She unblocked him but ignored him.

"thin": "Angry?"

No reply.

"thin": "Are you shopping alone?"

No reply.

"thin": "Call me next time, I'll help you pick clothes."

Still no reply.

Following this, Lin Yiwei's phone began to vibrate incessantly.

"thin": "[Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet]."

"thin": "[Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet][Red Packet]..."

For a full ten minutes, Xie Bo’s red packets never stopped!

Even Ye Anning noticed her phone vibrating frantically.

"Weiwei, is someone looking for you?"

"Don't worry about it, a lunatic."

Xie Bo was indeed acting like a lunatic, sending her more red packets than she could count.

Lin Yiwei sat down in a milk tea shop and accepted every single one, her hand going numb from clicking.

Even after taking the money, she still didn't reply to Xie Bo with a single word.

In the shop, they were like any other pair of girlfriends out shopping, holding cute milk tea bottles and taking selfies with beauty filters.

No matter how she adjusted the filter, Ye Anning wasn't satisfied. "Ah, my face looks so big. No, no, people with big faces can't be in the front. I’ll stand behind you, you hold the phone."

"Okay." Lin Yiwei was unconditionally and limitlessly accommodating to her. She picked up the phone and let Ye Anning stand behind her to take the photo.

In the background of the reflection in the window, Lin Yiwei alertly noticed that a girl wearing a white cashmere beanie was also holding a phone and taking pictures of them!

It was Xu Qianxi!

She suddenly turned around, locking eyes with Xu Qianxi.

Realizing she had been discovered, Xu Qianxi turned and ran. Lin Yiwei couldn't let her get away and gave chase at full speed.

Xu Qianxi looked back while running, panicked to find Lin Yiwei relentlessly pursuing her.

She was wearing long boots with a few centimeters of heel; how could she outrun Lin Yiwei in sneakers? Before she could even round the block, she was caught. Lin Yiwei grabbed her clothes and demanded in a low voice, "You were stalking us."

Since she had been caught, Xu Qianxi stopped running. Though she was breathless, her arrogance remained. "Well, well, Lin Yiwei. One face to my face, another behind my back—you're something else! You’re out shopping with Ye Anning while lying to Xiyu. I’m going to tell her right now, so she can see what a two-faced person you are!"

With that, Xu Qianxi pulled out her phone to send the candid photos she had just taken to Chi Xiyu.

Lin Yiwei snatched the phone away. "You can't do this."

Xu Qianxi stepped forward to grab it back, but Lin Yiwei threw it to Ye Anning, who had just rushed over, using her body to block Xu Qianxi.

Ye Anning hurriedly opened the album, deleted the photos, and didn't forget to clear the "Recently Deleted" folder.

Xu Qianxi was driven mad by their seamless cooperation. "Lin Yiwei, I’ve long suspected you had ulterior motives for getting close to Xiyu. Otherwise, why would you lick her boots like a dog? It makes me sick!"

"Who are you talking about! Watch your mouth!" Ye Anning snapped. "You're the one who's Chi Xiyu's dog!"

"You two are really something special," Xu Qianxi sneered. "You think that just because you deleted the photos, I can't do anything to you? Unless you can delete the memory of what I just saw, I’m still going to tell her!"

"You... you aren't allowed to say anything!" Ye Anning said, anxious. "I won't let you!"

"Miss Ye, just because you say so doesn't make it so. Your princess attitude is really something." Xu Qianxi smirked. "I’m not buying it."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Ye Anning pulled on Lin Yiwei anxiously. "What do we do, Weiwei? We have to stop her from telling Chi Xiyu."

"How? Delete her memory? Unless we kidnap her."

"Maybe we can bribe her."

Lin Yiwei shook her head. She didn't have the means to bribe Xu Qianxi.

After laying out such a long game, was it really going to fall apart because of Xu Qianxi?

How could she be content with that!

Perhaps, there was one last chance.

Lin Yiwei took out her phone, opened her contacts, scrolled down to the 'X' section, and dialed the man’s number.

After a dozen rings, Xie Bo’s lazy, magnetic voice answered.

"You heartless, ungrateful thing."

He was still angry about her accepting the red packets without replying to his messages.

"Xie Bo, I need a favor. It’s an emergency."

"No." Xie Bo didn't even bother to ask what it was, flatly refusing. "You only call me when you need something, and when you don't, you don't reply to my messages and you block me. Am I that cheap in your eyes?"

"Xie Bo, I’m sorry." Lin Yiwei’s voice trembled, her tone softening. "Please, help me."

At the DS Racing Club, Xie Bo sat on a high stool, his long legs stretched out against the opposite frame, his eyes rolled almost to the ceiling. "Don't try to play the victim with me."

"Xie Bo, please help me." She took a breath, her voice choked with sobs. "Otherwise, I'm done for..."

The man toyed with a lighter. With a click, the flame burst to life, only to be extinguished by his fingertip. "Call me 'brother' and let me hear it."

Lin Yiwei hesitated for a few seconds, then changed her tone: "Brother Xie Bo."

He knew she was pulling an Academy Award-winning performance, but Xie Bo couldn't handle that "Brother Xie Bo"—his resolve softened, and his heart melted.

"Stop crying." He snapped the lighter shut and said impatiently:

"I’ll help, but from now on, you answer my messages the second you see them."