The Possessive Villain Is Too Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 36.2

Xie Shuyu, who had only just calmed down, was caught off guard by the sudden callout. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts.

“Lately, I’ve told a few clients that I started my own company and landed some front-end outsourcing projects. Overall, things are going pretty well,” she explained to Ye Zhixia.

“My current team consists of colleagues from the tech department who were ‘optimized’ along with me last time. We work together quite seamlessly, and everyone is quite satisfied with the current compensation.”

Ye Zhixia nodded silently. She knew a thing or two about starting a business—as long as operations ran smoothly and good relationships were maintained with a few government departments, major issues were unlikely to arise.

So what concerned her most was actually something else.

“Has Qinbao tried to ask you to come back?” Ye Zhixia asked, feigning casualness.

Chu Ning’s pupils constricted slightly, fearing Ye Zhixia might be alluding to what happened in the park that day.

But Xie Shuyu, hearing the topic shift to her domain, immediately perked up: “Of course they have! First, HR came pestering relentlessly, and then the tech department came begging for help.”

Ye Zhixia hadn’t expected Xie Shuyu to be so straightforward, so she followed up: “How did they beg you?”

Xie Shuyu rolled her eyes upward, thinking for a few seconds as she recalled: “HR just recycled the same old tactics—soft pleas one moment, veiled threats the next. The tech team wasn’t asking me to come back, though. They just wanted me to help finish the half-done projects I’d left behind.”

Bai Xin’s eyebrows shot up, sensing trouble: “You helped them?”

Ye Zhixia and Chu Ning also fixed their gazes on Xie Shuyu, waiting for her answer.

Xie Shuyu, surprised by Bai Xin’s interjection, tilted her head slightly with an innocent expression: “Of course I did. We’d been colleagues for years—I couldn’t just leave them in a tough spot.”

Bai Xin pressed her lips into a thin line and exhaled sharply in dissatisfaction.

Though she had already guessed, given Xie Shuyu’s naive nature, that she’d likely helped her former colleagues resolve their work issues, hearing it confirmed still made her feel indignant on Xie Shuyu’s behalf.

Ye Zhixia, however, didn’t criticize her actions. Instead, she praised her: “Shuyu’s sense of loyalty is commendable. It wasn’t your tech colleagues who laid you off—there’s no need to burn bridges completely.”

Chu Ning, hearing Ye Zhixia’s praise, also approved of Xie Shuyu’s behavior. A person’s character is reflected in every little action.

There’s no such thing as “being ruthless to everyone except one person.”

How Xie Shuyu treated her former colleagues was a glimpse into how she would treat Zhulin in the future.

Bai Xin, though, wasn’t thinking about right or wrong—she just felt that Xie Shuyu, being so guileless, was bound to be taken advantage of.

After the meal, Bai Xin mentioned that she lived nearby and enthusiastically invited the three of them to her place.

Xie Shuyu politely declined: “That might not be appropriate. We wouldn’t want to make a mess.”

Bai Xin seemed particularly eager to host them and insisted: “My dog can do backflips! You’ve got to see it—it’s worth it!”

The other three burst into laughter, and Xie Shuyu teased her: “Xiao Bai, you really know your internet memes, huh?”

Seeing their disbelief, Bai Xin grew frantic: “No, really—my dog actually does backflips!”

Ye Zhixia chuckled and nodded: “Alright, alright, we’ll come over later.”

Her placating tone only made Bai Xin more convinced they didn’t believe her.

Determined to prove herself, Bai Xin quickened her pace as she led the way home.

The other three followed closely behind, soon arriving at a rather upscale neighborhood nearby.

Bai Xin lived on the first floor and had her own small garden, where three mixed-breed puppies were basking in the sun.

Xiao Mi, ever alert, immediately darted into a hiding spot.

“Fa Piao! I’m back!”

Bai Xin stood outside the tall fence with three others and called out directly.

The three puppies sprang up at once. Two of them—one black and one white—raced over, wagging their tails excitedly at the group. The remaining one, a long-legged little yellow dog, took a couple of steps before joyfully performing two backflips right on the spot.

Bai Xin turned back proudly. “See? I wasn’t lying—my dog really can do backflips!”

Once the four entered the house, the three dogs followed them inside from the garden.

The dogs seemed to sense that the other three were Bai Xin’s friends and greeted them with boundless enthusiasm.

“Fa Piao! Do another one for them!” Bai Xin commanded with a smug smile.

The little yellow dog immediately flipped again on the open floor, though its hind legs slipped slightly on the polished tiles.

The puppies seemed to take an instant liking to Xie Shuyu, circling around her and pawing at her legs, begging for pets.

The entire afternoon was spent happily playing with the dogs, chatting, and snacking at Bai Xin’s place.

On the way home, after Ye Zhixia dropped off Chu Ning, Chu Ning wore a knowing grin. “I think Sister Xie might have a thing for Bai Xin.”

Ye Zhixia couldn’t resist the gossip either. “And I think Bai Xin might like Shuyu too.”

After sharing a laugh, the atmosphere in the car turned slightly ambiguous.

“Ahem, don’t forget to mention that overseas company matter to your grandfather,” Ye Zhixia quickly changed the subject.

Chu Ning nodded. “Right, I’ll definitely tell Grandpa.”

But when she got home, Chu Ning received a call from her grandfather saying he had to leave for a business trip to another province for a few days. He told her to take care of herself and to consult Uncle Chen, who was overseeing things at the company headquarters, if anything came up.

Chu Ning figured her grandfather’s sudden trip must mean something urgent had come up, so she decided the overseas company matter could wait.

The next day, due to matters related to Zhulin, Chu Ning went to the company headquarters to meet with Li Xia again.

As she was about to leave, she unexpectedly ran into Chen Jianhua, who was heading out for business.

Ever since he reported his findings to Old Master Chu that day, Chen Jianhua had been quietly observing the old man’s actions. He knew Old Master Chu had already begun discreetly investigating past suspicious incidents.

This young woman before him had earned his respect—being involved in family affairs at just eighteen was no small feat.

Chu Ning figured Chen Jianhua must be well-versed in stock-related matters, so she decided to ask for his opinion.

“Uncle Chen, before you joined the company, Chu Corporation’s stocks experienced a period of decline,” Chu Ning said earnestly, looking up at him. “An overseas company took the opportunity to buy a significant amount of our shares. Is there any risk in that?”

Chen Jianhua raised his eyebrows, first giving her an approving smile before slipping his hands into his pockets and answering methodically:

“Stock market regulations require any entity holding 5% or more of a listed company’s shares to disclose their holdings. We’re aware they’ve exceeded that threshold. But the fact that you noticed this is already impressive.”

Chu Ning smiled in thanks. Chen Jianhua adjusted his signature gray suit and bid her a suave farewell.

After parting ways with Chen Jianhua, Chu Ning found a quiet corner and called Ye Zhixia.

“Sister Xiaxia, Uncle Chen said Grandpa knew about the overseas company,” Chu Ning said, her tone relaxed as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Ye Zhixia’s voice remained calm as she posed another question: “Did he mention what capital is behind that company?”

Chu Ning fell silent.

Ye Zhixia explained in a light tone, “Ningning, when dealing with matters, you must get to the root of it. Since we know the Feng family is behind that company, we need to confirm Grandpa knows it too.”

Chu Ning pondered carefully and finally realized where she had gone wrong.

“We have to make sure the message reaches Grandpa’s ears without missing a single detail,” she murmured into the phone.

Ye Zhixia responded excitedly on the other end, “Exactly! That’s the idea!”

After hanging up, Ye Zhixia returned to the dressing room from the corner of the film set.

Of course, she knew about the shareholding disclosure—Chu Corporation had already issued an announcement.

But knowing didn’t necessarily mean taking it seriously.

After secretly using a shell company to become a minor shareholder, Dasheng had gone silent, aiming to lull Chu Corporation into complacency.

Yet in the capital markets, no transaction is meaningless. Dasheng must have acted with the ambition of swallowing Chu Corporation whole.

In the original plot, Chu Xiao had seized control of Chu Corporation through family connections. Now that the covert schemes of Chu Xiao and Chu Tianheng had failed, the Feng family would surely make their move openly!

Sooner or later, Chu Corporation would face a major battle in the stock market. The best course for the Chu family now was to secure absolute control over the group as quickly as possible.

But based on Ye Zhixia’s observations, Old Master Chu hadn’t made any changes to the group’s equity structure—the hidden risks remained.

–

Over ten days later, Old Master Chu returned from his trip out of town. Chu Ning and her brother, Chu Hui, who was home for summer break, welcomed him together.

The siblings each prepared a simple dish before playfully roughhousing in the living room while waiting for their grandfather to arrive.

Ensuring her brother could focus on his studies without worrying about schemes from Chu Tianheng and his stepmother—Chu Ning considered this the first major accomplishment of her adulthood.

Old Master Chu arrived home precisely at six o’clock.

Stepping out of the elevator, he didn’t show the expected joy of a long-awaited reunion. Instead, he seemed somewhat troubled.

“Grandpa, why do you look upset?” Chu Hui asked as Old Master Chu took his seat at the dining table.

Looking at his grandson, who was home for a short summer break, Old Master Chu managed a smile. “Just a minor issue at the company.”

Dinner passed with laughter and cheerful conversation among the three.

After the meal, Chu Hui went upstairs to pack for the summer camp he was leaving for the next day.

Only then did Old Master Chu’s expression darken as he asked Chu Ning to join him in his study.

This was the first time Chu Ning had seen her grandfather so stern, and her heart pounded nervously, unsure of what had happened.

The two entered the study one after the other.

Old Master Chu seemed conflicted, sitting silently for a long while before finally speaking.

“Ningning, from now on, keep your distance when interacting with Xiaoye.”

Chu Ning didn’t understand and stared at him blankly.

After another moment of thought, Old Master Chu’s tone turned sharper. “If possible, avoid associating with her altogether.”

Though he phrased it tactfully, his words left Chu Ning deeply unsettled.

The office fell into silence. Chu Ning pondered back and forth but still couldn’t grasp Old Master Chu’s meaning. “Grandpa, is there something wrong with Sister Xiaxia?”

In just these two short months, the Chu family had seen more than one traitor emerge, so it was natural for Chu Ning’s thoughts to drift in that direction.

But Old Master Chu was being evasive at the moment.

“That movie Ye Zhixia is filming right now—I strongly dislike it. It’s highly irresponsible to society,” he said gravely.

Chu Ning recalled her grandfather’s earlier comments about Director Kong Sen and roughly understood his implication.

She attempted to explain, “That film is an artistic work, and it’s aimed at winning awards. It doesn’t represent universal values, nor does it reflect Sister Xiaxia’s personal values.”

Old Master Chu remained unmoved. “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Ye Zhixia, but I want you to mind your words and actions. You’re a child of the Chu family, and everything you do represents the Chu family’s image.”

Chu Ning didn’t want to clash with her grandfather, but she couldn’t agree to stop associating with Ye Zhixia either. Though her tone was soft, it was unusually firm: “Sister Xiaxia has no moral flaws—she’s a good mentor and friend. My relationship with her is beneficial, not harmful, to my image.”

Hearing this, Old Master Chu sensed a hint of rebellion in his usually obedient granddaughter and immediately hardened his stance.

“A girl should act like a girl! No matter how strong-willed you are, a woman’s ultimate duty is to marry and bear children! Ye Zhixia may be clever, but she lacks virtue. What good can you possibly learn from her?”

Chu Ning was stunned to hear her grandfather say such things. Was a woman’s value only in marriage and children?

She retorted, “Then why don’t you say the same about Grandpa Jiang, who has never married?”

“Or is it because Grandpa Jiang doesn’t need to marry to have descendants?”

Old Master Chu’s face darkened. “What do you know?”

Today, her grandfather had hurt her deeply, and Chu Ning couldn’t hold back the secret she had long suppressed.

“Wasn’t Uncle Chen clear enough? Why pretend ignorance, Grandfather? It was the Jiang family who arranged Chu Tianheng’s background and helped him enter the Chu family.”

“Chu Tianheng brought his illegitimate child into the family, used me as a test case for poisoning, and once successful, his next target would have been Chu Hui! Once the Chu bloodline was cut off, wouldn’t the Chu family fall right into their hands?”

Growing agitated, Chu Ning stood up, her chair toppling backward with a loud crash.

“Chu Tianheng and Mom had a strained relationship, yet you always blamed Mom! But the truth is, Chu Tianheng kept a mistress and illegitimate child outside, while my mother lies alone in the cemetery!”

Tears welled up in Chu Ning’s eyes as she mentioned her mother, falling onto the desk before her with soft patters.

“Your so-called ‘marriage and children’ was nothing but inviting a wolf into the house! If given the choice, I’d rather Mom had never married or given birth to me—at least she could have lived happily!”

Old Master Chu was thunderstruck.

When faced with a devastating blow, the first instinct is denial.

The reason Old Master Chu hadn’t dealt decisively with Chu Tianheng and had dragged his feet in investigating Secretary Jiang was his fear that if the full truth came to light, he would be exposed as an accomplice in his daughter’s death.

He preferred to believe Chu Tianheng was just an ordinary social climber—that if his daughter had been stronger, she could have lived happily, and her death was merely an accident.

But Chu Ning’s words shattered his delusion. Everything had been premeditated—they had intended to wipe out all the Chu descendants.

And they had already succeeded in sending away Chu Yunshu and nearly killed Chu Ning.

All of this had happened right under his nose, Chu Zhenhua’s, even with his unwitting assistance.

“Shut up! Get out!” Old Master Chu roared in agitation.

Seeing her grandfather refusing to face reality, Chu Ning couldn’t calm down either. In a fit of anger, she turned and ran out of the office, throwing herself onto her bed and bursting into loud sobs.

It was the first time in years she had voluntarily brought up her mother.

She hated Chu Tianheng—she had seen him slap Chu Yunshu and heard him hurl vulgar insults at her.

She remembered every word Chu Tianheng had said back then.

Chu Tianheng had called Chu Yunshu “morally degenerate,” accused her of being “inappropriately involved with Li Xia,” and sneered, “Who would’ve thought a woman like Li Xia could be such a freak?”

At the time, she was too young to understand the meaning behind those words. But as she grew older and wiser, her hatred for Chu Tianheng only deepened.

Yet she also felt a pang of guilt—afraid that her mother might truly be as despicable as Chu Tianheng had claimed.

Now, after all her efforts, she had finally proven that the real disgrace was Chu Tianheng himself. It was his own guilt that drove him to slander Chu Ning’s mother, all to cover up his own hypocrisy.

She took out her phone and dialed Ye Zhixia’s number.

When Ye Zhixia answered, all she heard was Chu Ning sobbing on the other end, not uttering a single word.

The longer the crying went on, the more it wrenched Ye Zhixia’s heart. But no matter how many questions she asked, the only response from the receiver was the sound of tears.

Quickly steadying herself, she made up her mind.

“Ningning, wait for me. I’m coming right away.”

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