Wen Nan stepped forward and grabbed Su Mosheng by the collar.
"Su Mosheng, what gives you the right to lecture me?"
"You've dirtied my collar."
"Dirtied it? Can you even see what color your collar is?"
"At least his collar is cleaner than your heart."
This wasn't the first time Xiao Die had spoken up for Su Mosheng. Compared to gossips like Auntie Li, Wen Nan's malice was more concealed—yet far more vicious.
He didn't press the matter any further. He returned to his own apartment and hurriedly opened the email Su Yue had sent him.
"Should I be happy for them, or sad for them?"
"Xiao Die is actually the sole heir of BR Group."
Wen Nan remembered the times Xiao Die had followed her father to haul goods. She dressed plainly, staying close to her father like an obedient little lamb. Back then, he and his parents had ridiculed their family.
"People who do such lowly work will never get rich in this lifetime."
"So what if Xiao Die gets good grades? Her father's just a lowly laborer."
Making money through one's own hands, through honest labor—there was nothing shameful about it.
Wen Nan couldn't accept that Su Mosheng was the president of BR Group. Even more, he couldn't accept that the Xiao Die he had looked down on had been a princess of the financial world since birth.
The reason he looked down on others was simply that he was used to standing above them.
He even began to suspect that his whole life had changed—that the tragedy of his parents—had all been caused by Xiao Die and Su Mosheng.
He tore that DNA test report to pieces. This was the price he had to pay for his habit of harming others for his own benefit. But his madness was far from over.
Today was the last day of the college entrance exam. Xiao Die was deeply grateful to Su Mosheng for giving her the warmth of family. But she also knew she had to keep some distance from him.
It wasn't only because Su Mosheng was the president of BR Group. It was because she understood that this secret crush could only stay buried deep in her heart. If she didn't get too close, she wouldn't be burned by his light—until one day in the future, she could shine with a light of her own.
"Which major should I choose?"
"I'm very confident in my exam results."
"But I really can't bear to leave Mosheng gege."
Holding her thick college application guide, Xiao Die let out sorrowful tears.
Mosheng gege, I can't protect you the way I used to anymore, because the paths of our lives are destined to diverge.
This is for my own good. Please let me be selfish just this once—even though I know it's a decision that will hurt you.
I understand your silence and your loneliness. Until the day we meet again, I hope you'll be smiling.
This summer was free and scorching. Xiao Die worked part-time at a bubble tea shop with her best friend Lu Na. The shop was run by Lu Na's uncle, a mild-mannered man who didn't make things hard for the two girls, since their work ethic was quite good.
The two girls were in the middle of making drinks when Lu Na's uncle suddenly called her over, saying he had something to discuss with her.
Lu Na got into her uncle's car. Her uncle pointed at the news on his phone and demanded, "How could your classmate be this kind of person?"
Lu Na opened the news. Even the headline alone made her feel sick: Eighteen-Year-Old High School Girl Kept by BR Group President Su Mosheng.
What disgusted Lu Na most was that someone had spread rumors about Xiao Die and attached her photo to the article.
"My best friend is not that kind of person! Besides, this president is quite young. If anything, they're just dating like normal people."
"I don't care about any of that. Find a way to get that classmate of yours to leave. I'll pay her for the time she's worked. If she stays, what's going to happen to our shop's business?"
"Uncle, I'll vouch for Xiao Die. She is absolutely not that kind of person! Just give me some time to look into this!"