Chapter 57 Will-o'-the-Wisp
Autumn in Shenjiang was brief. After three consecutive days of thunderstorms, winter arrived in full force.
Overnight, the temperature plummeted, and pedestrians bundled up in padded coats and scarves. Wen Bairan woke up with signs of a recurring rhinitis. She deliberately brewed herself a strong cup of ginger tea before heading out, but by afternoon, a relentless stream of sneezes had left her dizzy and lightheaded.
Qiao Yi, killing time, chatted in her office while waiting to leave work. Noticing Wen Bairan’s lethargic expression, she couldn’t help but remark, "This is what happens when you mess with the wrong person—look, the one who rejected the proposal is all worn out, while the rejected one is radiating confidence. Tsk tsk tsk."
Wen Bairan: "......"
Qiao Yi knew all about her and Song Xu.
She had been utterly startled by Song Xu’s sudden proposal that night. These past few days, seeing him constantly at the office, Wen Bairan couldn’t act as unaffected as he did. She always chose the corner seat in meetings, afraid that making eye contact would create an awkward atmosphere. Xiang Sun deliberately called her out several times, urging her to sit closer, but she excused herself by claiming she had a cold and didn’t want to cough and disturb them.
Song Xu knew she was making excuses but didn’t call her out. He would casually glance at her and say with meaning, "Get some rest."
Wen Bairan felt like a cat held upside down in his hands—unable to escape, and whether he stroked her with or against the grain, it was equally torturous. Her head felt like it was pounding, and nothing felt right.
After the meeting, Qiao Yi asked her what was going on, wondering why Song Xu’s tone toward her seemed so odd. Wen Bairan immediately grabbed her like a lifeline and dragged her back to the office, pouring out everything that had happened recently.
Once she finished, she collapsed into her chair, heaving a long sigh of relief. "What should I do?"
At first, Qiao Yi listened in shock, but gradually her expression turned thoughtful, and eventually she crossed her arms, tilted her chin, and scrutinized Wen Bairan’s troubled face, tapping her foot as she said, "You’re asking for trouble, Xiao Wen."
......Wen Bairan begged for her advice.
Seeing her sincerity, Qiao Yi cleared her throat magnanimously and began her lecture: "Since things have come to this, let’s skip the preamble and get straight to the point—did you say yes?"
Wen Bairan shook her head. That night had been too sudden, and she didn’t know how to respond. She secretly set an alarm in the bathroom, pretending Ms. Xie had suddenly come to Shenjiang for a surprise inspection, and slipped away like a bat out of hell.
Qiao Yi pursed her lips, showing a look of disdain that said, "I never thought you’d be like this, Wen Bairan. I’m disappointed."
Rubbing her temples, Wen Bairan pleaded, "Don’t scold me. I know I’m being cowardly, but it was the only way out."
So Qiao Yi asked her second question: "What are you thinking?"
"Song Xu, well, he’s a bit cold, a bit harsh, and sometimes downright inhuman—especially when he’s exploiting employees. He’s got all the ugly traits of a capitalist. But—"
Just as Wen Bairan thought she was making good points, Qiao Yi abruptly changed direction, leaving her struggling to keep up. She coughed twice, "Cough cough..."
—Qiao Yi continued on her own: "But you have to admit, as a man, he’s a prime specimen."
When Song Xu was first transferred in from headquarters, he immediately captured the admiration of every female in the office. His superior looks, refined air, outstanding intellect, and skills made him an office heartthrob to this day.
Xiang Sun had always wanted to compete for the top spot in the company. He bought Starbucks for everyone for two weeks straight but only managed to secure two votes. Even those two defected the next morning when Song Xu won them over with a simple "32nd floor, please" in the elevator, leaving Xiang Sun so furious he punched the wall in his office.
"The administrative office staff interacts with Song Xu the most, and they’re absolutely obsessed with him. They're dying to visit his office eight hundred times a day, even needing his signature to get a box of paperclips. I was wondering—before, Song Xu would’ve chewed them out for something so trivial. But now, it’s like he’s changed. He doesn’t scold them anymore, just says to take such matters to Xiang Sun in the future. Turns out you’ve been teaching him manners behind the scenes." Qiao Yi said with a smirk.
Wen Bairan didn’t understand. When had she taught him anything? She had no idea about these things. To avoid raising suspicions at the company, she’d been keeping her distance from Song Xu as much as possible.
Qiao Yi rolled her eyes at her. "What would you know? You and Song Xu are alike—both only familiar with spreadsheets and presentations at the office."
......Okay, that was somewhat true.
Wen Bairan shut up and asked her to continue.
Qiao Yi went on with her analysis: "Think about it—what’s the biggest fear about marriage? Isn’t it ending up with an irresponsible deadbeat—ugly, spending your money, lacking self-awareness, and fooling around outside? And whenever something needs doing at home, he turns into a useless superhero, either adding fuel to the fire or going invisible.—Damn, invisibility would be a blessing! What’s worse is when he not only doesn’t help but adds to your troubles, flaunting his macho pride everywhere. Ugh!"
She counted off the various downsides of ending up with a trashy man on her fingers, getting herself worked up as if she’d been married to one for a decade.
"......"
Wen Bairan meekly pulled a tissue to wipe the table.
"Sorry, got a bit carried away." Seeing Wen Bairan’s confused expression, Qiao Yi composed herself, smoothed her hair, and returned to the topic. "Song Xu doesn’t have any of those marriage warning signs!"
"He’s handsome, makes good money, has a great mind, is not only wealthy but also cultured. With so many women around him, have you seen him give any of them a second glance? Plus, good physical health is the foundation for a happy life later on. No need to say more—you’ve definitely already tested that." Qiao Yi narrowed her eyes suggestively. Wen Bairan blushed under her gaze, and Qiao Yi laughed heartily, "Hahaha! So, what I’m saying is, with so many good qualities, even if you don’t think about yourself, think about the next generation. Song Xu’s genes are so good; any child you two have would definitely be outstanding!"
......That was getting ahead of herself.
She hadn’t even figured out marriage yet, let alone children.
Wen Bairan stopped Qiao Yi from diverging further and said weakly, "But we have no emotional connection."
"No emotional connection, yet you’ve been sleeping with him for so long?"
With that one sentence, Wen Bairan froze, speechless.
Qiao Yi looked as if she’d heard a joke, pointing at her exaggeratedly: "Xiao Wen, you’re good in every way except being honest with yourself. I beg you to use that clever little brain of yours and think—if you didn’t have even a shred of liking for him, would you have chosen him as your bed partner in the first place?"
Of course, she liked Song Xu, but did liking someone mean you should marry them?
Qiao Yi added, "That’s where you’re naive."
"Marriage isn’t like dating. Love love—without love, how can there be romance? But marriage is different. The essence of marriage is choosing a partner. Would you turn down a hugely profitable deal just because you don’t love the counterparty?"
That statement hit Wen Bairan like a blow to the head, leaving her dizzy for days.
She had to admit that, in a way, Qiao Yi was right—very right.
So-called marriage and marriage laws are essentially about the contractual agreement.
From any angle, they don’t seem to have much to do with love.
But Wen Bairan always believed that a good marriage should be like Ms. Xie and Wen Qianming’s.
Affectionate and respectful, mutual acceptance and sweet.
They could treat each other with courtesy or live an ordinary life. Through decades of repetition, it was the foundation of love hidden beneath that carried them to where they are today.
Of course, society was growing more impatient, and the pace of life was speeding up. Their outdated model of marriage might seem idealized now. But having been influenced since childhood, Wen Bairan believed and hoped she could find a marriage like that.
Could Song Xu and she have that?
She wasn’t sure.
Although she didn’t agree with her traditional views, Qiao Yi still understood her perspective. So, she asked her third question on the same topic: "Do you think you can refuse Song Xu?"
He was someone who was vengeful and always got what he wanted. Just look at how he handled the Xinyi and Zhong Yu situation—to achieve his goals, he didn’t care what means he used. If he were just playing around with Wen Bairan, she might have an escape route. But he’d proposed marriage, clearly serious. If she wasn’t sure about marrying him, was she sure she could escape Song Xu’s chase?
Wen Bairan: "It can’t be that bad......"
Qiao Yi spread her hands. "Whether it is or not, you probably know better than me."
......Remembering the way he looked at her that night, Wen Bairan couldn’t help but shiver.
Qiao Yi’s phone rang. She glanced at it and immediately lit up with a sweet smile, standing up. "Gotta run. My Zhe is off work. I’ve got a date."
"......"
Wen Bairan was disgusted by her and said dryly, "Goodbye, traitor Qiao Yi, ditching your friends for a guy."
Qiao Yi wasn't fazed and tossed her bag over her shoulder. "I'm not your comrade anymore, but as a former comrade, I can tell you a secret."
"What?"
"Professor Guang Peiliang arrived in Shenjiang today."
"And?"
"And he brought someone with him."
Wen Bairan felt a tickle in her nose but couldn't sneeze. She rubbed her stuffy nose, her eyes turning red and watery as if she'd been crying. "Who?"
Qiao Yi swayed her hips and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Xu Lanjun, deputy editor of BioFrontiers magazine. Guang Peiliang's niece, and—" She paused deliberately, raising an eyebrow at Wen Bairan's confused expression, clearly enjoying the drama. "Song Xu's date tonight."
Ever since Guang Peiliang met Song Xu, he couldn't stop thinking about him and was eager to introduce him to Xu Lanjun.
//
They arranged to meet at Yuelan Mansion.
Song Xu was the host, but Xiang Sun was covering the bill.
"Hold up, Old Guang invited you to dinner—so why am I here? And why am I paying? You think I'm made of money or what?"
On the way, Xiang Sun sat in the car, completely baffled.
Song Xu sat beside him, eyes closed, pretending to sleep, ignoring all his complaints.
Xiang Sun sulked, turning away, but after barely two seconds of silence, he spun back excitedly. "Hey, do you think Wen Bairan turned you down because she's still hung up on her ex?"
The car instantly fell into a heavy silence.
Song Xu lifted his eyelids, his deep eyes sharp and icy, shooting him a cold glare.
"......"
A chill ran down Xiang Sun’s spine, and he quickly backtracked. "Heh heh, just joking, nonsense. What ex could ever compare to you? Right, President Song?"
He even mimed slapping himself twice on the mouth.
Song Xu said coldly, "That mouth of yours really needs fixing."
Last time, Xiang Sun had blabbed about Zhu Qiwei, and Song Xu hadn't retaliated yet.
Xiang Sun hurriedly explained it wasn't intentional—the mood had been right, and he had to say something. Besides, it helped bring them closer; otherwise, who knew when Song Xu would have proposed to Wen Bairan?
Song Xu snorted coldly, refusing to acknowledge the mixing of personal grudges with business.
Last month, Xirui imported two surgical robots from headquarters, and the training system was extremely expensive. Xiang Sun, operating on the principle that saving his father money would increase his future inheritance, asked Song Xu to apply for an internal discount. Song Xu did it. Surprised by how easily he agreed, Xiang Sun was about to properly thank him when he discovered Song Xu had withdrawn a large sum from his account for R&D funding—exactly the amount invested in Guang Peiliang.
Later, Guang Peiliang personally called to thank him, and Xiang Sun had to swallow his anger. When he confronted Song Xu for an explanation, all he got was: "You funnel company profits into your own pockets, and I’ve said nothing. Besides, this money was donated in your name as a goodwill gesture. What more do you want?"
Xiang Sun was left speechless at the time and even thought Song Xu made sense. But the more he reflected on it later, the more it bothered him—sure, he had selfish motives, but it wasn't like he was taking kickbacks on the spot. Song Xu moving his money without permission was like draining him dry! Damn it, the more he thought about this humiliation, the worse it felt. He’d been looking for a chance to get back at him, but Song Xu was always flawless, leaving no opening. He was so frustrated he couldn’t sleep, until he ran into Wen Bairan that day and suddenly hatched a plan.
According to Xiang Sun's plan, women always care about exes. If he could disgust Wen Bairan, she would naturally grow distant from Song Xu—a roundabout way to achieve his goal. At the time, after hearing about Zhu Qiwei, Wen Bairan did seem somewhat shaken. He secretly rejoiced, thinking his plan was half successful. But after waiting a long time, the two neither argued nor broke up, which was boring.
Just as he was despairing that he’d never outsmart Song Xu in this lifetime, he heard that his proposal had been rejected.
Xiang Sun was so thrilled he almost jumped up.
I told you—no man survives a conversation about exes unscathed.
Not even Song Xu.
Just thinking about Wen Bairan rejecting him made Xiang Sun laugh out loud.
Song Xu watched coldly as he rubbed his hands together excitedly and snickered into his palm, then calmly offered a piece of advice: "We'll see if you're still laughing later."
Yuelan Mansion.
/
Zhou Lin arrived early, but Wen Bairan hit traffic and was half an hour late.
He went to the entrance to meet her.
A white Audi slowly drove in along the cobblestone path.
The woman in the driver's seat rolled down the window. "A Lin."
Zhou Lin looked at her first—his dark eyes sparkled with a smile—but his second glance landed on the car she was driving, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Yuelan Mansion was a private kitchen with a tranquil setting. Parking was in the backyard, requiring a detour.
It was her first time here, so she didn’t know the layout. Zhou Lin hopped in to guide her, and the two walked in together along the path.
"Did you buy a car?"
Wen Bairan was a skilled driver, but the alley was narrow. She focused intently on the road and replied flatly, "It's a company car."
She answered quickly and naturally, with no hint of deception.
Zhou Lin studied her for a moment, wanting to speak but holding back.
He averted his gaze and pointed to the side. "Over there."
Wen Bairan signaled and turned right, her slightly damp palms leaving faint, almost imperceptible marks on the steering wheel. Fortunately, Zhou Lin didn’t notice.
His out-of-town project had concluded. Though the process was exhausting, he had learned a lot and could report confidently to both superiors and subordinates. Next, he planned to rest for a while before joining the family business.
Wen Bairan was surprised. He had always resisted aligning himself with the Zhou family before—what had changed?
Zhou Lin said construction wasn’t easy, and the recent real estate market wasn’t promising. The future was uncertain. Besides, he admitted he’d been immature, always believing that to succeed on his own, he couldn’t rely on his family. But even Li Yuan started from his family’s company. He didn’t aim to reach textbook-level greatness, but at least he could leverage his family’s platform to do meaningful work. That was enough.
Wen Bairan couldn’t help but see Zhou Lin in a new light. He had truly matured. Already a privileged golden boy, once he shed those childish, self-sabotaging thoughts, progress came naturally.
She said warmly, "It’s really great that you think this way. You’ve got this, A Lin!"
Nothing made Zhou Lin feel more fulfilled than her gentle smile and encouragement.
He smirked, still roguish, but the fire in his pitch-black eyes burned higher and steadier than before. "Actually, I have selfish reasons too. Though the construction site cured my obsession with cleanliness, eating dust under the sun every day is brutal. Haven’t you noticed I’ve gotten much darker?"
He was always good at capturing her attention.
Wen Bairan began studying him carefully.
It had been too late that night at home, and she hadn’t gotten a good look. Now she noticed he was indeed darker and thinner. His hair was shorter too. He seemed less refined, yet more spirited and sharp.
Her nose was terribly stuffy, and she only caught his usual high-end perfume when she leaned in closer. She couldn't help but chuckle teasingly, "Well, you look different, but your scent hasn't faded a bit."
Her stuffy-nosed voice sounded muffled, even softer, her laughter like cotton candy.
Zhou Lin's dark eyes narrowed slightly, his throat feeling a bit dry as he asked with concern how she had caught a cold.
Wen Bairan covered her face and sneezed, sniffling as she explained she got caught in the wind.
In just the short time they had been walking, her knuckles had already turned red from the cold.
Zhou Lin noticed, his heart clenched at the sight. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her, drawing her in by the shoulders as he urged, "Let’s hurry inside. I’ll order you some ginger coke to warm you up."
His actions and tone were so natural that Wen Bairan didn’t find anything unusual about it at first, just said okay.
Just before stepping onto the stairs, keeping pace with him, she seemed to sense something.
Almost without thinking, she glanced back over Zhou Lin’s shoulder.
In the alley beyond the low wall, a black Alphard was approaching.
It came to a slow stop in front of the courtyard gate, both doors sliding open smoothly.
Song Xu and Xiang Sun appeared in her line of sight at the same time.
Pop.
Right on time, the string lights on the wall flicked on.
Not far away, a man’s cold expression was even icier than the weather.
When their eyes met, the dangerous glint in his narrow eyes burned like will-o'-the-wisp in the air.
Wen Bairan’s vision went dark, and she almost passed out.
Her heart dropped. This is it.