Jiang Li was not aware. But the glamorous woman had become acquainted with his ex-fiancee due to her curiosity towards the woman he married in the past life.
It was sparked by the news that Jiang Li had suddenly canceled their engagement.
It was a piece of news that only circulated within the upper ranks since the two families involved didn't want it to spread to the common populace. Xia Xinyue also didn't know.
When Zhu Li talked one time with the woman born from a family of scholars in a high politician's birth party, they clicked with each other and immediately became friends.
Months had gone by since then.
"Xia Xinyue, you've taken quite a while so I just came to pick you up. What happened though? I thought you would just be getting your phone's power bank?"
The pearl white skin and beautiful smile captivated the people around.
Zhu Li exuded the grace and poise of a real socialite hence eyes couldn't help but get drawn to her. It was just hard to not turn their heads to her direction due to her radiant beauty.
Jiang Li who was watching from the distance laughed because he saw Bai Qing also stopping to stare at the woman in red, yet when she recovered and realized that people's adoration shifted away from her, her face crumpled from hostility.
He could hear them too, of course, thanks to the hacker who kind-heartedly taught him how to fiddle with people's devices and his earphones.
'Look at this girl.' He narrowed his eyes, amused. 'Too much of an attention seeker.'
"Good day. I'm Bai Qing. We just have a bit of talk. My apologies for holding back Miss Xia."
The man next to the white lotus girl protectively interjected,
"Wait. Why are you saying sorry? You're not at fault. It's Miss Xia who kept denying her wrongdoings."
The latter's current distressed expression was purposely made to take back everyone's gaze to her.
And the foolish admirer just did a great job following up. As expected of the female lead's halo.
Zhu Li maintained her polite smile in front of Bai Qing's apologetic gaze.
Zhu Li saw a bit of what happened earlier so she had a hunch of what kind of person the harmless and pure-looking girl before her.
As someone already mingling with the real world, how could Bai Qing's little mischievousness escape her notice?
"Xia Xinyue?" She chose to face her friend, reminding the younger girl of her question.
Quietness reigned upon the place. Zhu Li looked like a queen having an audience with her subjects. People didn't dare to chime in since they were not the ones asked.
Xia Xinyue gave the Zhu Corporation's Princess a grateful glance.
This was what she badly needed, an opportunity to explain herself. And this was given to her by the woman.
"I'm sorry, Miss Zhu. There might be some misunderstanding here between me and Miss Bai. Last time, I simply asked if she's now together with a senior of mine. And she mistook it as if I will be asking her to break relations with him. Which I never did. She had just now apologized, saying since I liked someone I actually don't...."
Xia Xinyue threw the man an indifferent glance.
She didn't lie because she no longer does.
Who would continue to idolize a douchebag that doesn't listen to reason?
So she continued,
"She said since I liked someone I actually really don't, she'll stay away from him. I became a bit incensed at her for saying this in public where so many people could see us. I was simply afraid of misunderstanding, for my own reputation."
The girl showed a bitter smile, which returned rationales to some people bewitched by the female lead's aura.
But that Senior Feng gave Xia Xinyue a disbelieving glance. Must be the ego of a man who she emphasized she didn't like.
"I think what I fear has somehow come true. People seem to be thinking I bullied her."
Everyone was waiting for the response of the woman with endless charisma and powerful presence, therefore, no one commented, even though many of them started sporting awkward faces and apparently wanted to speak up.
Zhu Li nodded and said.
"Miss Bai has seemingly implied earlier that the talk is now over. Does it mean you're already done telling her about this?"
Bai Qing's face burned in shame.
Actually, those around them who jumped into conclusion against Xia Xinyue also felt embarrassed since, like the beautiful campus belle, they also didn't hear out the other girl before judging her.
Now, they knew the part of the one they thought was villainous. The stares they directed to Bai Qing turned quite weird.
The world's female lead noticed that hence she tried to justify,
"I repeatedly told everyone that she didn't bully me... I, I didn't know things will escalate this way..."
Her face appeared pitiful and innocent.
Her facade irritated Zhu Li's eyes so much.
This was why when she noticed people subconsciously nodding and falling for Bai Qing's performance, she frankly and smilingly said,
"I think it's because Miss Bai didn't clarify from the start. Or maybe you just didn't let my friend here explain her side. You also seemed to have put her in an uncomfortable situation under the public's scrutiny. But thankfully, everything is clear now. If it's alright, let bygones be bygones. Let this just be a lesson to each of us."
Zhu Li walked forward in her pink killer high heels and pulled Xia Xinyue's hand to lead her away.
When she passed by Bai Qing, she whispered in a voice so emotionless and completely opposite of what she let the others heard just a minute ago, accompanied by a momentarily but freezing glare,
"So fake and distasteful..."
"Simply an eyesore."
Bai Qing froze and stayed to where she was for some time, even when her Senior Feng called out her name thrice.
At the fourth call, the campus belle finally regained her senses.
Then when she recalled what just happened, utter humiliation and hate washed over her.
She was the rich, beautiful, and well-loved Bai Qing.
The other was just in a more elegant dress.
How dare that woman looked down on her?
'That woman! I can't let this slide! I must show her I'm the real queen of this university!'
Apparently, the girl thought Zhu Li was just another student on the campus.
As someone from the second generation and a sophomore girl, the female lead had little knowledge yet of the current business world.
If she knew who Zhu Li was, she would have chased after the woman to apologize and fawn over her instead of chasing her for the sake of arguing about her innocence.
Unfortunately, right now, Bai Qing didn't know. And thus no wonder she did the latter.
The great bystander slash eavesdropper Jiang Li had a good laugh as he watched this female lead's series of actions.
Hao Gang who sat across him gave him a suspicious glance.
The other man was not aware that Jiang Li was laughing at Bai Qing's foolishness and naivety while wondering if right from the start, he had been really given the wrong script for this scenario.
A few seconds later, the man put away his earphones, eyes twinkling in excitement and craziness.
'It's been a good trip. I saw so many boring things. But there's also some that are funny. Damn. This female lead seems easy to finish off. I hope she annoys me so I can justifiably begin to remove her from this world!'
And then the system hidden mutely inside his brain just suddenly shuddered at the hair-raising laughter he let out.
...