Fate Trading System – Chapter 301

Plan A

Running with the Ball 5

He Qin had ten thousand MMPs¹ she wanted to say, but she forcibly swallowed them down and started making awkward small talk².

Speaking with Su Xin wouldn’t make a person feel uncomfortable, unless Su Xin was deliberately trying to make her uncomfortable.

Su Xin immediately proceeded to demonstrate the sharpness of her tongue, saying whatever was most tactless, each word a stab to the heart.

He Qin finally couldn’t maintain the expression on her face. She clutched her handbag, her fingertips turning white from the force.

He Qin wasn’t stupid; she clearly knew something was off.

How could Jiang Xiao, such a shrewd person in the workplace, be so incapable of speaking properly?

He Qin’s attitude was also a problem. If this were truly a visit from a stranger, enduring one sharp retort would be one thing, but to maintain her expression after being continuously rebuffed by Su Xin was very strange.

“You know something, don’t you?”

“Know what?”

Su Xin was half-lying on the bed, her ten fingers interlaced over her lower abdomen, wearing a composed and unhurried expression.

He Qin looked at Su Xin suspiciously. If this person knew, how could she not be angry? Yet, she clearly didn’t look like someone who was completely ignorant, either.

Alarm bells rang in He Qin’s heart. She had originally thought she understood Jiang Xiao and could predict her reaction, but she never expected Jiang Xiao’s response to be so completely different from what she’d anticipated.

Putting on an air of having seen through everything, yet saying nothing—it made her too unfathomable.

Initially, she hadn’t planned on coming out, but after waiting two days and seeing no movement from this side, she grew anxious. Jiang Xiao had clearly heard the phone call that day and had gotten into a car accident on the road. According to Jiang Xiao’s personality, how could she possibly not cause a scene or demand an explanation?

Jiang Xiao must be brewing something in her heart. He Qin stood up.

“I won’t disturb you any longer today. We’ll meet again next time.”

“I look forward to our next meeting.”

Su Xin smiled. She looked to be in high spirits, her complexion rosy.

What did He Qin come here for? Besides wanting to see her reaction, wasn’t it to see what a miserable state she was in?

Did she think she’d be haggard, with a bloodied head, on the verge of a breakdown?

Not a chance.

The little three³ just wanted to see her suffer, didn’t she? Well, she would be damned if she gave her the satisfaction.

He Qin closed the door and left. Her movements were light as she departed; she didn’t commit a brain-dead act like slamming the door.

Su Xin was in a great mood and continued to handle the matters at hand.

She had just received He Qin’s background information. A known enemy was nothing to worry about.

He Qin’s mother was also a little three—a little three who had successfully ascended⁴, no less—and was now living a happy and blissful life.

Su Xin figured that He Qin’s brain-dead behavior was probably influenced by her mother.

She could have had a normal relationship, but no, she had to throw herself at⁵ a married man to be the third wheel.

He Qin felt not a shred of guilt toward Jiang Xiao. On the contrary, she felt it was perfectly justified and was even moved by her own forbearance.

Whatever pot has its lid⁶, I suppose. Tsk.

Not long after, there was another knock on the hospital room door.

“Come in.”

It wasn’t Feng Linhan, anyway. He didn’t need to knock.

“CEO Bai.”

“It’s strange for you to call me that, as if you’re my employee or we’re still negotiating a business deal. How are you today? Is your body feeling much better?”

Bai Jianglan sat down, her eyes falling on the flowers and fruit basket on the table.

The flowers were still blooming vibrantly, with some crystalline dewdrops on them.

“In that case… Miss Bai, you really don’t have to come visit me every day. You’re so busy, aren’t you?”

“Did your friend come see you today?”

“Friend… hmm… Could you help me throw the flowers in the trash? Ah, on second thought, never mind. Just leave them there.”

Su Xin had originally felt disgusted by them, but then she remembered that Feng Linhan would be coming in the evening and decided to keep them on display.

The two of them sat opposite each other. If they didn’t speak, it was exceedingly awkward.

So Bai Jianglan spoke first, and Su Xin answered her.

As they chatted, Su Xin discovered that they actually seemed to get along quite well.

Not getting along with Jiang Xiao, but with her, Su Xin.

“Really? I like that too.”

For a moment, the atmosphere became quite harmonious.

After chatting for half an hour, Su Xin took a sip of water.

“Miss Bai, why don’t we open the door and see the mountain?⁷ Why do you keep coming to see me? I hardly think I’m important enough to be so unforgettable to you.”

“You really are direct.”

“We’re not discussing business right now, after all, are we?”

“Actually, it’s not for any particular reason.”

“Uh-huh?”

“It’s just that one day, after a meeting, I suddenly received a call for help. A pregnant woman covered in blood said something strange to me. Then, I saw that same pregnant woman acting all lovey-dovey with her husband, looking like their relationship was great, but the moment her husband left, her face turned cold. Then I came to visit that pregnant woman again, and she asked me to throw away the flowers her ‘friend’ gave her, but then changed her mind for some reason…”

Bai Jianglan articulated the above phenomena with perfect clarity. She looked into Su Xin’s eyes and continued.

“That pregnant woman’s attitude was not right at all. She was too calm, unnaturally so. When she found out her baby was fine, she didn’t show any expression of relief, excitement, or tears. Her social circle should be quite good, yet no one came to visit her. The person today probably doesn’t count as a friend. I deduce that something must have happened to her. So, I’m very curious.”

“Miss Jiang, do you understand my intentions now?”

“Understood. I didn’t realize your curiosity was so strong, Miss Bai. I thought…”

Su Xin nodded. That seemed like a reasonable explanation.

“You thought what?”

“I thought you were trying to dig at the foot of a wall⁸ and get me to switch companies.”

That was indeed Su Xin’s only guess. For the CEO of another company to suddenly act like this toward her, wasn’t it either to start something romantic or to poach her?

“That’s actually not a bad suggestion.”

“Once I’m discharged from the hospital, I hope Miss Bai won’t be too stingy to grant me some face and let me thank you properly by treating you to a meal.”

For Chinese people, the best way to show gratitude is to treat someone to a meal.

There’s nothing that can’t be solved with one meal. If there is, then make it two.

“Of course, no problem.”

The air fell silent for a moment. Su Xin opened her laptop, typed a few words, and then took a deep breath.

“Actually, there’s nothing worth being curious about. It’s just that this pregnant woman had just found out she was pregnant when she overheard a live broadcast of her dreg man⁹ husband and his little three. In a fit of anger, she lost control and got into a car accident. The pregnant woman and her husband were in love for nine years and married for five, while the little three had inserted a foot¹⁰ for three years. And just now, the little three, afraid the pregnant woman wouldn’t be angered to death, even came over for a ‘visit’.”

Bai Jianglan had actually guessed some of it, but she hadn’t expected it to be quite like this.

This… Bai Jianglan thought of the gentle, bespectacled man she had seen that day. You really couldn’t tell he was a scumbag.

“Why not get a divorce?”

To still have to pretend to be a gentle, loving couple… that scene was truly bizarre.

“How could I let them get off so easily?”

“Shhh,” Su Xin smiled, placing a finger on her lips. “This is a secret, you know.”

Bai Jianglan froze for a second, not because she was scared, but because for a split second, she was captivated.

The woman wore no makeup, but her complexion was excellent, and she looked very beautiful. She was clearly recounting something hateful and despicable, yet her tone was so light and nonchalant. The words were laced with such deep malice, yet it made one unable to resist a shiver of shared excitement.

Her fingers were beautiful, and her lips seemed very soft. The way she smiled mischievously while saying the word ‘secret’ had a somewhat seductive quality.

Seeing Bai Jianglan freeze, Su Xin thought she had scared her.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything illegal,” Su Xin added.

“Hiring someone to beat them up probably doesn’t count as illegal, right?” Bai Jianglan asked with a smile.

My thoughts just now were too absurd, she thought. How could I suddenly…

“Whoa, it seems Miss Bai… you had quite a rebellious adolescence.”

“Call me Jianglan. We should be about the same age; I think I’m a year older than you. Since we now share a secret, why don’t we develop a real friendship?”

“I would seek it but be unable to obtain it¹¹.”

Su Xin extended her hand. Bai Jianglan shook it, and the soft feeling sent a jolt through her heart, like a sudden electric current.

“What are you eating tonight?”

“He’ll bring me food.”

“I see.”

“Do you want to eat takeout with me?”

“That sounds pretty good.”

“Pfft, I didn’t expect a big boss like you to be so down-to-earth.”

“Do I look that fierce?”

“I just think you’re very impressive, that’s all.”

“I gladly accept your compliment.”

Su Xin picked up the phone beside her and sent a text to Feng Linhan, telling him a friend was taking care of her tonight, so he didn’t need to come. He should take care of his students and himself.

Jiang Xiao had always been independent. Even when she was sick at home, she wouldn’t tell Feng Linhan to come home and take care of her. Feng Linhan was used to Jiang Xiao’s independence, so he didn’t find anything amiss.

He didn’t even realize that his wife, who had nearly had a miscarriage, hadn’t given him a single hug after being rescued.

“Alright, then I’ll have to trouble you to eat takeout with me, Jianglan.”

“No problem.”

Although Bai Jianglan was a Bai-Fu-Mei¹², a fourth-generation heiress, she didn’t live the life of a rich young lady who just played and shopped. She was a workaholic. Her parents had already given up on worrying about her marriage; they just hoped she wouldn’t die from overwork.

Eating takeout was just eating takeout; she wouldn’t think it was dirty or anything of the sort.

“Those flowers… he’ll probably only get to see them tomorrow.”

Su Xin looked at the flowers. She hadn’t touched the fruit in the basket, either.

The fruit was innocent, but the moment Su Xin thought about who sent it, she lost all desire to eat it.

Before Su Xin could finish her congee, it was time for her IV drip again.

Her left hand had too many needle marks, so they had to use her right hand.

“You finish eating first, then I’ll set it up.”

“I’m not very hungry anymore. Go ahead.”

Su Xin held out her hand.

Su Xin watched the needle pierce her skin and glanced up at the IV bag.

“Remember to press the call button when it’s done.”

“Okay.”

Bai Jianglan finished her own food, wiped her mouth, and looked at the congee Su Xin had left, which was still nearly half full.

Her appetite is too small…

“Are you going to eat more?”

“I don’t think so.”

Su Xin didn’t have much of an appetite to begin with. Congee was fine, but anything else made her feel a bit nauseous.

“But you ate too little. you’ll get hungry at night. How about I feed you?”

“Huh?”

Whoa, boss, aren’t you getting a little too familiar, a little too fast¹³?

---

---