The Mysterious Night of Beijing

On what grounds?

By what right do they have the right to trample on other people's lives and dignity?

She denies it.

Even if she can't go to Peking University, she can still apply to other schools. There are always places where the Jiang family can't reach.

She was about to turn on her computer to check the admission information of other schools when her phone suddenly vibrated.

It's a new email.

Lin Chuxiu's heart skipped a beat, and she clicked on the app with trembling hands.

The sender was the Admissions Office of the Department of Chemistry at Yenching University.

Lin Chuxiu:

Hello.

Your application materials have passed the initial review by our department's admissions committee and have been forwarded to the interview review panel. Please check your email for further interview arrangements.

Best wishes.

Lin Chuxiu looked at those few lines of text, over and over again.

She thought she was seeing things.

How could that be?

It was rejected yesterday, but it was approved today?

She even suspected it might be a scam email.

The immense confusion and bewilderment left her completely stunned.

Who exactly is helping her?

Lin Chuxiu sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the email for a full ten minutes.

My mind is a complete mess.

She considered all the possible people.

Lin?

Impossible. They'd rather she never amount to anything, so she could be a stepping stone for Lin Lengyan for life.

Jiang Xian'an?

It's even more impossible; he was the one who started it all.

Jiang Chiye?

He might feign goodwill, but he would never truly help her in this kind of situation.

Then...who could it be?

A name popped into her mind uncontrollably.

Meng Huizhou.

The moment that thought crossed her mind, she ruthlessly extinguished it.

Why?

Why did he help her?

Their relationship was a transaction with a price tag. He provided shelter, and she played the role of Mrs. Meng.

Everything he did was driven by a clear purpose.

He defended her at the banquet to save face for himself.

Arranging a lawyer for her was to resolve the trouble and ensure that her partner could fulfill the agreement smoothly.

But this time is different.

He did it quietly, without claiming credit, offering explanations, or even revealing a trace.

This is not in line with his usual style of doing things.

A hint of anticipation, which she dared not delve into, rose in Lin Chuxiu's heart, along with a deeper fear.

She feared this was yet another form of charity, a more sophisticated form of control.

She was afraid that she would misplace that ridiculous gratitude and then be shattered to pieces again.

She shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off those unrealistic fantasies.

"It was to make the identity of Mrs. Meng more respectable," she told herself.

"A top student from Yenching University's Chemistry Department is more worthy of him than a scandal-ridden woman who was expelled from the school."

Only by thinking this way could she feel at ease.

It was still a transaction; she didn't owe him anything.

At dinner, Lin Chuxiu sat at the table, somewhat absent-minded.

Meng Huizhou came home early today and was helping Hao Hao assemble a complex Lego model in the living room.

"Teacher, look, this is the docking module of the space station!" Hao Hao excitedly ran over to show her a half-finished product.

"Very impressive." Lin Chuxiu forced a smile.

Meng Huizhou also came over. He took off his suit jacket and was only wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of his well-defined forearm.

It has lost some of the sharpness of the business world and gained more of the warmth of home.

"Let's eat." His voice was very calm.

At the dinner table, Lin Chuxiu tried to speak several times, but swallowed her words back.

How should she ask?

Just ask me directly, "Did you help me?"

If he admits it, what should she say? Thank you? And then?

If he doesn't admit it, wouldn't she be just being presumptuous and making herself look ridiculous?

She hesitated for a long time, but finally spoke in a calm tone, as if she were stating something insignificant.

"My application to Yenching University passed the initial review."

After she finished speaking, she raised her head and seemingly casually observed Meng Huizhou's expression.

However, Meng Huizhou's face remained completely expressionless.

He simply picked up a piece of green vegetable and put it in Hao Hao's bowl before looking up at her, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about the weather.

"yes."

"Congratulations."

And then, that was the end of it.

He continued eating, as if what she said was just a trivial matter like "the weather is nice today."

Lin Chuxiu's heart sank little by little.

She's overthinking it.

He didn't care at all. Perhaps, he really didn't do it; it was just a coincidence.

Or perhaps, he did it too easily, and it's not worth mentioning at all.

Either possibility left her feeling powerless and frustrated.

In his presence, she was like a transparent person; all her tests and emotions were laid bare and insignificant.

……

Jiang family.

Jiang Xian'an was in an important video conference when he received the call.

"Young Master Jiang, we've found it."

The person on the other end of the phone sounded nervous. "Someone from Yenching University made a call yesterday and blocked Miss Lin's application."

"Hmm," Jiang Xian'an responded, gesturing for him to continue.

"But this morning, the director of the school's logistics department was taken away by the disciplinary committee. I heard it was on suspicion of corruption, and someone filed a formal complaint against him with solid evidence."

Jiang Xian'an frowned.

"What about Lin Chuxiu's application?"

"The newly appointed director approved all the backlog of applications immediately, including Miss Lin's..."

"Who did this?" Jiang Xian'an's voice turned cold.

"We can't find them." The voice on the other end of the phone was even lower. "The other party is too high-ranking; our people simply can't reach them."

"All I know is that the order came directly from the capital, and even the president of Yenching University personally intervened."

Beijing?

Jiang Xian'an's expression turned ugly for the first time.

In Shanghai, the Jiang family could be said to have absolute power.

But once they arrived in the capital, there were many people with more power and influence than the Jiang family.

Who is it?

The first person he thought of was Meng Huizhou.

But he immediately rejected the idea.

Although Meng Huizhou is a member of the Meng family, his roots have always been abroad and in Shanghai. He shouldn't have such great influence in the Beijing education system that he could get the president of Yenching University to personally intervene.

Who could be helping Lin Chuxiu behind the scenes?

Could it be that besides Meng Huizhou, she has hooked up with someone else?

This realization inexplicably stirred up a sense of irritation and anger in Jiang Xian'an's heart.

He always thought that Lin Chuxiu was his possession, and even if he didn't want her anymore, it was up to him to decide whether she stayed or left.

Now, this thing seems to have its own ideas and has even found a new owner, breaking free from his control.

This feeling is very unpleasant.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Jiang Chiye pushed the door open and saw his brother's gloomy face, his heart skipped a beat.

Jiang Xian'an briefly explained the situation.

Jiang Chiye was also stunned.

"Damn, what kind of luck does that woman have? How did she manage to turn things around like that?"