After Breaking Off the Engagement, The Young Lady Deeply Regretted It - Chapter 35

In the past few days, Jing Xiao occasionally brought back some snacks. The apartment was fully equipped, and Fan Qingyu had been making do for a few days. Although it wasn’t as comfortable as being at home, the distance between her and Jing Xiao had noticeably shortened.

Jing Xiao wasn’t exactly free these days. She was preparing to return to her first project at the Jing family while also gathering intel on the company’s current hotspots.

Nearly four days had passed, and Jing Xiao was invited to attend a nearby tech exhibition. At dawn, she finished her morning routine, dressed neatly, and applied light makeup—soft brows, pink lips, and winged eyeliner. She looked elegant and radiant in the mirror, wearing a beige sleeveless top over her shoulders.

As she was about to leave, Fan Qingyu was still lying in bed, half asleep. Jing Xiao gently pushed her shoulder. “Wake up, I’ll see you off.”

“I don’t want to go,” Fan Qingyu mumbled, her sleepy eyes brightening when she saw Jing Xiao. “Xiao Xiao, you look so good today.”

Seeing her awake, Jing Xiao didn’t linger and gave her appearance one last adjustment in the mirror. “I have to attend the business exhibition hosted by Hongfa. I’ll drop you home first.”

“Can’t I come with you?” Fan Qingyu blinked, casually trying to tug her arm. “I won’t get in your way.”

Jing Xiao stepped back a few paces, avoiding her overly intimate gesture. After a moment’s thought, she made a concession. “You can come, but it won’t be convenient for us to go together.”

Fan Qingyu understood her concern and asked cautiously, “Is it very strict?”

“Not really,” Jing Xiao replied honestly. “If you really want to come, there are seats for ordinary spectators.”

Fan Qingyu had never sat in ordinary spectator seats in her life. Her lips pressed together, the corners of her mouth slightly downturned, and she softly said, “Ordinary seats are fine. I’ll take a taxi.”

Jing Xiao couldn’t bear to see her look so disappointed and comforted her. “I’m sorry for making you compromise.”

Fan Qingyu got out of bed and washed up. “I’m not upset. I just want to watch you.”

Even in the ordinary seats, she didn’t want to stand out. She wore a casual hoodie and flared pants, giving her a petite frame and a natural, relaxed look.

Jing Xiao looked at her thin shoulders and recalled that Fan Qingyu had barely eaten proper meals in the past few days. She said instinctively, “After it’s over, come find me through the back door. I’ll take you to eat.”

Fan Qingyu’s previously downcast eyes lit up with hope, and she was eager to go out. “Okay, thank you, Xiao Xiao.”

“Wait.” Jing Xiao stopped her from pushing down the door handle and awkwardly pointed outside.

Fan Qingyu smacked her forehead. “Almost forgot.”

She opened the window and climbed down step by step along the thick branches of the elm tree, agile and swift. Jing Xiao watched anxiously until she landed safely and then nodded toward the road, signaling her to leave first.

Jing Xiao got into the Jing family car and looked out the window awkwardly, just in time to see Fan Qingyu’s taxi passing by. Fan Qingyu waved with a smile.

Jing Xiao noticed Fan Qingyu seemed a little different from before. She had let go of some burdens and seemed much more cheerful.

Hongfa had booked the entire exhibition hall. Aside from the general tech displays, the inner hall gathered tech elites from various fields.

Jing Xiao carried a matching leather bag and walked slowly through the exhibition hall. She looked around and noticed Fan Qingyu hadn’t arrived yet, probably stuck in traffic. She then withdrew her gaze and pulled out the invitation to enter the inner hall.

“Speak of the devil.” Just as she entered, Jing Lan’s slightly sarcastic voice came from nearby, chatting with peers. “It seems my sister didn’t achieve nothing in those years outside. Today, you’ll definitely see something fresh.”

The group exchanged sneering glances, whispering about the seemingly clueless former heir.

Jing Xiao remained calm and walked up to her side. “You still know your limits. If you know I’m skilled, learn more instead of just talking all day.”

Jing Lan glared with malice, forcing a smile. “I’ll wait and see.”

The internal networking time was brief, mainly for informal conversations, filling gaps, and establishing better cooperation. Few present looked down on Jing Xiao; she moved among people, occasionally chatting with some familiar faces.

She didn’t care and felt more relaxed than before.

During the tea break, Jing Xiao returned to the exhibition hall and immediately spotted Fan Qingyu waiting near the entrance. She wore a mask, only her eyes visible, looking different from usual. Outsiders wouldn’t have recognized her.

She smiled at Jing Xiao, and they walked to the safety corridor together. Fan Qingyu stretched lazily. “I’ve been standing all morning. So tired.”

Jing Xiao didn’t feel the passage of time inside. “Let’s stretch and get some food.”

“I don’t want to eat. I need a good spot,” Fan Qingyu’s voice grew softer. “I want to see you clearly.”

Jing Xiao didn’t insist. She glanced at her watch. “Alright, I’ll go first. Take care of yourself.”

Fan Qingyu hadn’t eaten lunch either and chose the fourth row, center of the audience, with an excellent view without standing out.

In the afternoon, the exhibition started early, and the hall quickly filled with people. With the host’s introduction and warming-up, the public release officially began.

Besides showcasing tech developments, it was a platform for project promotion. The first two rows were mainly business elites related to tech. Fan Qingyu focused intently on the stage, but she hadn’t seen Jing Xiao yet.

The order of appearance reflected prominence. The first few were rising stars. As the lineup progressed, familiar faces appeared, and Fan Qingyu felt a pang of unease.

Jing Xiao was being set up.

Fan Qingyu furrowed her brows, concerned, tightly clenching her fists and hoping for Jing Xiao’s success.

Professional journalists asked questions based on their expertise.

Jing Xiao knew she was the final act.

After years outside, others assumed she had no grasp of contemporary tech trends or market preferences. Placing her last seemed designed to make her fail. Jing Xiao knew who was behind it.

Jing Lan, ahead of her, patted her shoulder. “Good luck, my dear sister.”

Jing Xiao remained composed. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn a lot.”

Jing Lan sneered. “We’ll see.”

Flashing lights shone brutally as Jing Xiao stepped onto the stage. She didn’t rush to showcase her product, instead introducing herself confidently: “Hello, everyone. I’m Jing Xiao.”

The flash frequency was unprecedented, and whispers arose. Fan Qingyu bit her lip, knowing the stage shouldn’t be filled with gossip.

Their gazes met, and Jing Xiao gave a reassuring smile.

She couldn’t bring an assistant today, so she opened the PPT herself. Her pleasant voice explained:

“VR glasses combine display, sensor, and computer imaging technology to create a virtual 3D space. With increasing life pressure, obesity rates are rising.”

Her product idea broke traditional VR limitations. It could collaborate with game scenes, allowing users to complete game-related tasks and burn calories for weight loss.

She addressed potential flaws: weight loss requires not only calorie burn but also controlling intake. Her next idea solved this:

Integrate real-world food flavors into VR experiences, satisfying appetite virtually and reducing actual food consumption.

Her concept was bold and forward-looking, challenging to implement. The audience, previously whispering, now listened intently. Some praised her, others doubted, but Fan Qingyu ignored everything else.

Her product required advanced development, and her ideas were practical, considering diverse user needs.

Under the bright lights, her hair shone, and she supplemented her points with examples to address questions.

Fan Qingyu watched intently. Usually in the shadows, now Jing Xiao was in the spotlight, dazzling beyond words.

Fan Qingyu smiled, eyes full of admiration and love. Her Xiao Xiao shone brightly.

She didn’t need extra gestures; Jing Xiao’s intellect and capability spoke for themselves.

Though not in this field, Fan Qingyu understood the difficulty of real product development. Compared to worrying about Jing Xiao having no time for her, she cared more about her health.

Jing Xiao finished her presentation, and the audience erupted in applause. She bowed gracefully and began to leave the stage.

Suddenly, a sharp journalist interjected: “Before you leave, may I ask a question?”

Jing Xiao wore a professional smile. “Of course.”

“Everyone has personal desires. Jing Xiao, your past was turbulent. What made you return to the business world?”

The room went silent. This seemed like a trap; one wrong answer could offend the Fan family or her own.

Yet Jing Xiao smiled calmly. Rather than avoiding, she openly praised: “Miss Fan is young and accomplished. She deserves someone outstanding.”

Fan Qingyu felt a warmth in her chest, her heartbeat quickening.

Jing Xiao continued: “However, that person shouldn’t be a stagnant me but someone full of honor, reputation, and grace.”

The journalist pressed on.

“It’s not about that,” Jing Xiao shook her head, perfectly diffusing the potential deadlock.

“Do you mean—”

“I don’t know which media outlet you’re from, but repeatedly asking unrelated questions at a tech launch shows poor professionalism,” Jing Xiao interrupted, straightforward and clever.

She left the stage, and the host quickly concluded the event.

Fan Qingyu’s masked smile never faded.

She alone understood: her Xiao Xiao had turned the waiting into a victorious moment.

Support After Breaking Off the Engagement, The Young Lady Deeply Regretted It