The Heiress's Game

The year Nan Zhenquan went to Dahai City, his daughter Nan Nian was just beginning her junior year of school.

He said he would leave in six months at most, and that he would bring his wife and daughter over once the business there was settled.

Zhao Minzhi is not the clingy type. She has been married to Nan Zhenquan for ten years and has long been used to his busy work schedule, which keeps him away from home.

But six months have passed, and he says to wait a little longer;

A year has passed, and he still says to wait a little longer.

Every time they video-called, Zhao Minzhi would look at the background behind her husband on the other side of the screen, the brightly lit French windows, and the coastline faintly visible in the distance, and she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

She had been to Dahai City.

The neon lights all over the streets can bewitch people, and there are young and beautiful girls everywhere.

Nan Zhenquan is also the head of Xingyao Media, managing several popular artists and hit variety shows. How could he not be surrounded by beautiful women at social events?

Zhao Minzhi had her doubts; one night after hanging up the phone, she even went over that possibility several times in her mind.

But Nan Zhenquan is clumsy with words.

Every time she subtly inquired, he would only dryly reply, "Don't overthink it."

He can't even make up a nice sentence. Zhao Minzhi sometimes gets so angry she wants to laugh, thinking that with his low emotional intelligence, if he really had any tricks up his sleeve, he'd probably be the first one to be exposed.

Just when she had mentally prepared herself for a long-term separation, Nan Zhenquan suddenly called.

"Minzhi, pack Niannian's things and come over next month."

Zhao Minzhi was stunned: "Come here? Where to?"

"Yunjing City".

There was something uncontrollable in Nan Zhenquan's voice, "It's all settled this time. I've already found a house, and I've also arranged for Niannian's school. You just need to pack your things and don't need to worry about anything else."

Zhao Minzhi's first reaction was—what trouble had he gotten into in Dahai City?

Why the sudden rush? But Nan Zhen didn't give her a chance to ask any further questions and hung up the phone very quickly.

Immediately afterwards, her phone started ringing incessantly with booking information from the airline.

She received floor plans from a real estate agent in Yunjing City, as well as an admission brochure from an international school she had never heard of before.

Everything happened so fast, it was like pressing the accelerator button.

It wasn't until she actually stood in that 180-square-meter apartment in Yunjing City that Zhao Minzhi finally realized...

Her husband has been away for the past year or two, and he's probably been involved in some big projects.

The house is tastefully decorated and fully furnished with all the necessary appliances; even the pots and pans in the kitchen are brand new.

Niannian's room was decorated with a princess theme, with pink wallpaper featuring her favorite unicorn.

Zhao Minzhi searched the house but found nothing—she had hoped to find some clues.

For example, a woman's hair, an unfamiliar perfume scent, or anything that could prove her dark suspicions.

There was nothing there.

Nan Zhenquan stood in the center of the living room, watching Zhao Minzhi wander around inside and out, without stopping her.

But as she walked out of the master bedroom for the third time, she suddenly said, "I didn't do anything wrong to you."

Zhao Minzhi paused for a moment.

"So what have you been busy with for the past year or two?" she asked.

Nan Zhenquan opened his mouth, "It's work-related, even busier than when I was in Snow City."

Life settled down like that. Nan Zhenquan was indeed busier than before, often leaving early and returning late, but he would always come home no matter how late it was.

Zhao Minzhi didn't find any suspicious traces, so she gradually felt relieved.

Who cares what he's busy with, as long as the people and money come back.

That day, Nan Zhenquan unusually left work on time, saying that a major project had finally come to an end and he would take his wife and daughter out for a nice meal that evening.

Zhao Minzhi changed into a dress; she had been looking forward to this rare weekend time with her family for quite some time.

Nan Zhenquan held the car keys in one hand and Niannian's hand in the other, about to leave, when his cell phone rang in his pocket.

Zhao Minzhi saw his expression change drastically in just a few seconds—from relaxed to serious.

He released Niannian's hand, walked to the side to answer the phone, and Zhao Minzhi could only vaguely hear a few words.

"When did this happen?", "Is the source reliable?", "Don't move, wait for me to come over."

After hanging up the phone, Nan Zhenquan started frantically scrolling through his phone.

Zhao Minzhi didn't know what he was looking at. "What's wrong?" she walked over and asked softly.

"Randy has been accused of soliciting prostitution, but the truth of the matter is still unknown."

Although Zhao Minzhi never interferes in her husband's work, she knows that "Heartbeat Countdown" is one of Star Media's important projects at present.

Randy is now the mainstay of the show, and if something really happens to him, the show is over.

Nan Zhenquan had already put his phone away and was changing his shoes at the door, moving so fast it was like he was in the middle of a battle.

"Zhenquan—"

"You guys go eat first, don't wait for me."

"Then you need to eat something too." Zhao Minzhi turned around and rushed into the kitchen, frantically rummaging through the refrigerator for a box of sandwiches and a can of coffee, which she had just bought that morning, intending to have for breakfast tomorrow.

When she caught up with the things and reached the entrance, Nan Zhenquan had already opened the door halfway.

"Take this, eat it on the way." She stuffed the sandwich into his hand.

"It's alright." Nan Zhenquan took the things.

"President Gu has already notified us of a meeting at Xingyao. We'll find out if it's true or not when we get there."

Zhao Minzhi nodded and said nothing more.