Running Away

Zhao Tong clenched her teeth. "That must be it, she must have forced her way into this collaboration. Perhaps Mr. Vincent really hates the idea of performing with her. So what in the world is she so smug about?"

Just as she said this, Zhuang Yan walked by hurriedly. In his haste, he didn't even say hello to Xu Lu as they brushed shoulders. Through the revolving doors, Xu Lu saw Zhuang Yan trying to catch up to Wen Qiao.

Her expression grew even darker.

She had always felt that she had no need to be jealous of Wen Qiao.

She, too, was pretty and smart. On top of that, she was popular and had a good personality. Not only that, Wen Qiao's biological father doted on her more than he did on Wen Qiao. Since she was young, she had lived the pampered life of a rich young Miss and was the object of everyone's envy.

What was there to be envious of? She really had no need to be jealous of Wen Qiao.

But when she saw Zhuang Yan chasing after Wen Qiao as though he could see no one else, all those masks and facades smashed to smithereens in that instant. The jealousy buried in the depths of her heart exploded there and then.

Why did it have to be Wen Qiao? She didn't like Wen Qiao. Wen Qiao ought to be content to stay in her poverty-riddled world, and not come to destroy the harmonious balance between them!

Just like dominoes, the transformation in Wen Qiao would lead to the destruction of her entire world.

She hated such an incident.

She could never let it happen.

Madam Zhuang walked over with a handbag over her arm and greeted Zhao Tong, then politely smiled at Xu Lu.

Recalling how this madam had despised her behind her back, Xu Lu felt both indignant and furious. Nonetheless, there was nothing she could do but wear a demure smile on her face as the trio entered the cruise ship together.

Xu Lu was the first to speak up. "Thank goodness I made it in time. I was nearly late today."

Zhao Tong asked, "Ah… What? Why?"

"Oh… Wen Qiao's younger brother's mental illness acted up, so I went over to visit and make sure everything was okay."

The ever-sensitive Madam Zhuang caught a few keywords. "Mental illness?"

"Mm, she has two younger brothers. One has autism while the other has recessive manic syndrome. It's a little scary when they act up. I heard it's hereditary and there's nothing that can be done about it."

Madam Zhuang's expression was quite fascinating. "I didn't know."

"You actually went to visit them? Aren't you being too kind? Wen Qiao doesn't even treat you as family!" Zhao Tong was so livid she almost exploded.

Xu Lu tugged at her hand in appeasement. "Don't say that, Uncle Wen treats me very well. They're Uncle Wen's children after all, so I want to try and help them to the best of my ability."

Madam Zhuang cast an approving look at her. "You're truly a kind and good-natured child."

Xu Lu responded with a small smile.

As Wen Qiao entered the central atrium with Lu Youyou, she sighed with emotion at the grandeur and resplendence of the cruise ship. It didn't at all feel like they were on a ship. The crystal chandelier's shadows slided across the floor of the central atrium as though they were injected with swirling light.

The two of them entered the elevator. Just as the door was about to close, a hand reached inside to stop the door from closing—

"Wait a minute."

The hand belonged to Zhuang Yan.

Leaning against the transparent elevator, the expressionless Wen Qiao swept an indifferent glance over him.

As it was still early, there were only five to six people in the elevator, so there was plenty of space. With no one saying a word, the atmosphere felt rather awkward.

"You…" Zhuang Yan had just spoken, when the elevator arrived at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on the fourth floor. Wen Qiao and Lu Youyou walked out nonchalantly, and it was obvious neither had any intention of talking to him.

Wen Qiao had changed. She was no longer that girl whose gaze trailed after him and him alone.

Once Wen Qiao walked out of the elevator, she was startled by a man walking past her. She instinctively turned around, wanting to go back into the elevator.

When suddenly, her wrist gripped by the man's hand—

"Wen Qiao, why are you running away from me?" Barely restrained rage could be detected in the man's voice.

It was Fu Nanli.

It seemed like he had come up in the adjacent elevator with her.

Why was Wen Qiao running away from him?

This was now the thirteenth day of the experiment. It had been thirteen days since she had last seen him. What if her body was going to show some abnormality from not seeing Fu Nanli for thirteen days? It would all be in vain!