Perplexed and Smitten (78)
Perplexed and Smitten (78)
"Yeah. Take good care of yourself and the baby. I'll come and visit you another day."
"Alright, drive safely."
An Xiaoning nodded before leaving Lin Mingxi's bedroom.
As she was in her car on the way back to Wei Ni Estate, she was pondering whether Wen Lele was looking for her because of the ancient graveyard in V Nation or because of He Yi. Other than these reasons, there was no other matter that came to her mind.
After she entered her estate, she spotted from a distance away a figure standing by her front gate. Upon seeing this, An Xiaoning realized she really did not like Wen Lele at all.
When An Xiaoning's car pulled into her house, Wen Lele followed after it and entered as well.
When An Xiaoning parked her car inside and got down from it, she turned to the direction of the sun from where Wen Lele was approaching her. "What is it that you're looking for me for?"
"I called you so many times and you didn't pick up. I can't believe you're someone like this."
Her words instantly got on An Xiaoning's nerves. "I've never been close to you. You can just tell me what the matter is, didn't you say it was critically urgent? Now that I'm looking at you, it doesn't seem that urgent of a matter."
Wen Lele pursed her lips and replied, "Did you know that I went to V Nation with He Yi?"
"Nobody told me, how would I have known?"
"Quit pretending, you knew about it for sure." She went on bluntly, "When we went into the grave, someone had already been there. Moreover, while we were traveling there, the plane got delayed, and after He Yi got someone to ask around, we found out that the plane could have taken off on time that day but orders had suddenly been given to delay it. Wasn't it you who did that?"
With a faint smile on her face, An Xiaoning responded, "The critically-urgent matter you were talking about is this? Wen Lele, did you know that if you don't have concrete evidence to support your words, it's considered slander? You've already lived past the age of thirty, why don't you know how to use your brain when you speak? Did you or He Yi tell me the address of the ancient graveyard? V Nation is such a huge place, even if it's only as big as this house, I couldn't have found it in such a short period of time, right?"
"It was just a suspicion…" Wen Lele added in embarrassment, "Also, I didn't come to talk about this matter."
She waited for An Xiaoning to ask her what the matter was, but she didn't and only placed her focus on the word "suspicion."
"A suspicion?" An Xiaoning looked at her with a grin. "I suspect that you're a murderer, but did you actually kill someone? You've said so many things and still haven't mentioned your critically-urgent matter. It seems like it really isn't that urgent of a matter. Since it's not urgent, why don't we go to the living room to keep cool and drink a cup of iced beverage?"
"It's urgent, it really is," Wen Lele replied. "My position in the archeological team has been taken by a new university student. You know our captain, can you help me persuade him? It's no big deal for you."
An Xiaoning never thought that she would meet someone like this.
"Right after seeing me, you said things that made me upset. Now, you're requesting me to do something for you, with an additional line thrown in saying that it's no big deal for me?" She darted a glance at Wen Lele. "It's no big deal for me, but it's a matter of your job for you, right? You've been in the archeological team for so many years, how can your position be replaced by a university student? Have you tried finding out the reason for yourself? Other than your age, what other skills have you gained? I think this is the main reason the archeological team dismissed you. Am I right?"
At An Xiaoning hitting the nail on the head, Wen Lele's expression turned sullen. "I'd only wanted you to help speak up for me. Don't change the topic. Just tell me, are you willing to help me out?"
"I'm sorry, I never lend a helping hand to people who are arrogant even while they're asking for a favor." An Xiaoning went on bluntly, "Wen Lele, it may be easy for you to pretend like you're close to people when you're not, but it's not the same for me. I have no ties with you at all yet you've called me multiple times to ask me to help with your problems. Do you see me as your mother? As someone to help you clean up all your mess?"
"I was only asking you for a favor. Do you have to take advantage of me like that?"
"I'm sorry, I have no intention of taking advantage of you. After all, having such a dim-witted daughter like you isn't a good thing at all. You should just go back wherever you came from."
Wen Lele had yet to catch her breath, yet she felt that she'd been thoroughly humiliated by her.
Thinking back, she found that the way she spoke earlier had indeed not been appropriate. Softening her tone, she tried to persuade her again, "Just help me this time, on account that I was once Jin Qingyan's table mate."
While she had thought that by saying that, An Xiaoning would definitely help her, who would have expected that she'd remain completely unmoved and would not change her stance?
"So what if you were his table mate? If not for the classmate gathering, I wouldn't even have known you existed. I'm sure Wang Jinsheng has his reasons for dismissing you. I'm unwilling to use my honor to intervene for someone who's not even related to me. Moreover, didn't He Yi already propose to you? Isn't it even better to become a full-time wife after you get married to him? You won't lack money anyway."
Seeing that she had already spoken like this, Wen Lele did not say anything further as well.
"The richer and more powerful one is, the more petty she is. If you don't want to help me, then forget it," she replied indignantly before turning to leave.
Seeing the air Wen Lele put on when she left, An Xiaoning curled the corner of her lips in a snigger and took out her phone, immediately deleting her and He Yi's contacts.
....
In the evening, Fan Shixin brought her good news.
At a psychological research institution that treated rare diseases in M Nation, he was able to contact a female doctor who specialized in research on schizophrenia.
The information showed that this doctor obtained her doctorate degree from a renowned medical school in M Nation and once taught for five years in the medical school, obtaining a position as a professor.
Thereafter, she left the medical school and came to this psychological research institution.
As schizophrenia is a rare disease globally, that research institution was renowned while her fame paled in comparison.
However, that did not mean that she was not capable.
An Xiaoning carefully read the information Fan Shixin had brought.
There was a small one-inch-wide framed photo of the woman, showing her with her hair parted to the side. Her long black hair was pinned up behind her, and she looked extremely capable. Her facial features were not exactly considered refined, but she looked pleasant even after a few glances. She was not smiling at all and looked rather aloof. "Yu Yiwei? Thirty-three years old?"
"Yes. Right, just to add, she's the biological sister of the famous actress Yu Caiwei. I found this when I was doing a background search on her. Her residential address is still based in S Nation."
"Who's Yu Caiwei?" Although she had some business in the entertainment industry, she seldom kept up-to-date with news about the entertainment industry, which changed rapidly.
"That female actress who always films bad shows and uses her face and all sorts of methods to keep her fame in the industry."
"I see. Have you given a call to that side?"
"I have, I requested for her to come over. After all, Young Sir can't possibly go overseas so frequently. If she's really capable, I also told her we would be willing to hire her at a high price."
"What did she say?"