Divorced from the Cold CEO Who Lived by the Rules - Chapter 18

Xu Tingyuan was puzzled, but Jiang Ruan stared at her thoughtfully for a moment.

Xu Zhen pressed her fingers to her temples, choosing not to dwell too much on Tang Yehe’s petty schemes.

As experienced individuals, Qin Liaoxing and Lan Boyue saw things more clearly. However, they tactfully refrained from commenting and instead focused on comforting Xu Zhen.

They had brought back many fine gifts this time. Lan Boyue walked over, linked arms with Xu Zhen, and led her to the adjacent room.

“See if there’s anything you like,” she said, introducing the gifts one by one. “If anything catches your eye, Zhen Zhen, feel free to take it.”

Lan Boyue had a warm personality, and because she, like Xu Zhen, was a Beta, she always took great care of her in every way. Marrying into a wealthy family inevitably came with some hardships, even though Pu Shuangquan was relatively reasonable as an elder.

Yet, the intricate web of relationships in affluent families made it difficult to avoid malice from others, even if Pu Shuangquan tried to shield them.

Having endured her own share of suffering, Lan Boyue didn’t want Xu Zhen to follow the same path.

Her daughter was already as dense as a block of wood when it came to romance. If she, as a mother, didn’t show enough consideration, Xu Zhen might bolt within a few months.

“After you’ve picked what you want, I’ll distribute the rest.”

Xu Zhennodded and carefully selected two items based on her preferences. Lan Boyue smiled. “Perfect. The remaining half will go to your mother and sister, and the other half to the Xing family.”

With her keen insight, Lan Boyue proactively explained the purpose of the Xing couple’s visit. “We’re all aware of the situation between Ruan and Xing Yan. Now that we’ve obtained concrete evidence, we’ve already instructed our lawyers to sue Jiahua.”

“I believe it won’t be long before Jiahua issues a formal apology.”

“As for your contract termination with Jiahua…” Lan Boyue weighed her words carefully. “We’ll handle that for you as well.”

Resolving Xu Zhen’s issues with Jiahua wasn’t difficult. As Jiang Ruan’s legitimate wife, Jiahua wouldn’t dare openly mistreat Xu Zhen. Instead, they lurked like venomous snakes, constantly scheming to break her psychological defenses.

The more desperate Jiahua grew, the more vicious their tactics became.

Though Xu Zhen was an unremarkable Beta, she possessed beauty, intelligence, and acting talent. These three qualities alone were enough for her to carve out a solid place in the entertainment industry and amass a loyal fanbase.

Moreover, after years of hard work, Xu Zhen had already become one of the top idols among Betas.

Many Betas regarded her as a lifelong role model. Even if they weren’t as dedicated as fandom fans in generating data for her, they would always rally in unison to defend her reputation whenever she faced slander or rumors.

Xu Zhen enjoyed exceptional public goodwill—a trait envied by all other celebrities, including Xue Long.

“Thank you for your concern, Mother,” Xu Zhen said. She wasn’t worried about her contract termination. In just over ten days, she would be completely free, able to choose only the scripts she liked.

Being bound by a company’s contract had always been inconvenient.

Lan Boyue understood this principle well, so she spoke directly, “If you want to establish your own personal studio, I have several suitable candidates in mind. We can go take a look together whenever you’re free.”

“Thank you, Mother.” The fact that Lan Boyue could say this now proved she had been considering and planning for Xu Zhen at least half a month in advance.

Then there was Jiang Ruan…

Xu Zhen couldn’t help but glance at her.

Noticing this subtle movement, Lan Boyue quickly defended her daughter, “Jiang Ruan is a bit slow on the uptake. You can smile at her when you’re happy and vent your frustrations on her when you’re not.”

“Marriage isn’t just about love. In all things, you should prioritize your own feelings.”

Most marriages among the wealthy are tangled with interests, but Qin Liaoxing and Lan Boyue, as well as Jiang Ruan and Xu Zhen, were exceptions. Both Qin Liaoxing and Jiang Ruan had ultimately chosen love without hesitation, forsaking any other prospects.

Xu Zhen knew in her heart that if she wanted this marriage to last longer, she needed to convince herself to let go of certain unrealistic expectations.

Like Jiang Ruan’s undivided attention or devoted companionship.

If she had insisted on flawless, pure love, she shouldn’t have chosen Jiang Ruan in the first place, but an ordinary woman instead.

Lan Boyue spoke from the heart, and Xu Qin appreciated her kindness. “I understand.”

Xu Zhen was sharp, so Lan Boyue didn’t belabor the point. She shared her arrangements for Xu Tingyuan and asked for Xu Zhen’s opinion.

The plan was well thought out, and Xu Zhen had no objections.

Fortunately, tomorrow was the weekend, so Xu Tingyuan didn’t have to wake up early for school—otherwise, Xu Zhen would have had to drive her there herself.

After chatting with Lan Boyue for a while, Xu Zhen approached Jiang Ruan.

Jiang Ruan had just finished a work call. Sensing Xu Zhen’s approach, she looked up, her eyes faintly hopeful. Xu Zhen pretended not to notice and took Xu Tingyuan’s hand, heading toward the room Lan Boyue had arranged. “Don’t wander off later.”

It wasn’t that she was worried about Xu Tingyuan’s safetythe security at the old estate was excellent, and there was no real danger.

What concerned her was Tang Yehe foolishly provoking Xu Tingyuan again, only to end up beaten to tears, crying one stream after another.

Tang Yehe was, after all, a young lady from a prominent family. If she kept getting bullied by Xu Tingyuan, things could escalate and become difficult to handle.

Xu Tingyuan obediently agreed, and Xu Zhen took the opportunity to ask about her situation with the delinquent boyfriend. “Have you broken up with that troublemaker yet?”

“I’ve already told him,” Xu Tingyuan replied awkwardly.

At that impulsive age, she had been easily swayed by sweet words from someone older, rushing headlong into the relationship without expecting anything in return. Since it was an online romance with no real-life interactions, Xu Tingyuan felt no psychological burden.

She had freely enjoyed the hormone-driven affair, believing she had complete control over it.

But then Xu Susu secretly reported the matter to Xu Zhen, and suddenly, the nature of the situation changed.

Like any other kid, Xu Tingyuan felt embarrassed and ashamed facing Xu Zhen, a parent who carried an aura of authority. Perhaps it was because, deep down, she knew the guy wasn’t a good or suitable partner.

All the reasons Xu Susu had opposed the relationship were, in fact, genuine flaws the delinquent possessed.

Xu Tingyuan silently reflected that straight women were far too casual when it came to love, unlike Xu Zhen’s circle. They scrutinized everything—education, height, looks, personality traits, hometown, family background, even finger length and accents.

Having acknowledged her mistake, Xu Tingyuan corrected herself, and Xu Zhen had nothing more to hold against her. “Just don’t let it happen again.”

“I don’t oppose you dating, but at the very least.” Xu Zhen looked at her seriously, “you should find someone like your sister-in-law, someone who excels in at least one aspect, right?”

Jiang Ruan might be a bit dull, but in every other way, she was beyond reproach.

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