22: Chapter 22 The Insignificant Character in a Pampered Novel 22

He would have liked to pester Professor Cheng a bit more, but unfortunately, Zhao Zhao also had to report back to Qing University in H City.

This worked out perfectly; the two of them could go back together.

The National Defense Science and Technology Institute was in the north of the capital, H City, while Qing University was located closer to the center. The two places weren't far apart; taking the subway was the most convenient option, and it was only about a half-hour ride.

Therefore, by the time the Parents of the Xu Family rushed back to the country in a panic, finished dealing with the relationship between Xu Corporation and Li Yan, and wanted to come and brainwash Xu Zhao, Xu Zhao and Gu Yunjing had already flown to H City. They had arrived to find nothing.

As for Li Yan, it was only after he actually entered the Xu Corporation shareholders' meeting that he realized the company had long been riddled with holes by the two brothers of the Xu Family.

Four years ago, before the Xu Family's scandal broke, Xu Corporation was running just fine. Ever since Father Xu was given a suspended sentence, the Parents of the Xu Family had been condemned by public opinion wherever they went. Later, when Xu Zhao was admitted to Qing University as the top scorer in A City, the Xu Family was dragged out and mocked by the masses all over again.

The Parents of the Xu Family couldn't show their faces, and they couldn't survive in the high-society circle anymore. Everywhere they went, they were mocked for being blind, for being able to be so heartless and ruthless toward their own biological daughter.

The two of them, feeling disgraced, simply washed their hands of the company entirely, handing it over to their eldest son, Xu Congtao, and second son, Xu Congxuan, to manage. The elderly couple only concerned themselves with traveling, shopping, and occasionally flying abroad to visit the old man and their youngest son. In any case, they never attended another shareholders' meeting.

Previously, although Xu Corporation was headed by Xu Congtao, Father Xu could at least frequently keep him in check and offer guidance. Xu Congtao had to act according to Father Xu's mood and still had some reservations. But after Father Xu completely let go, Xu Congtao suddenly held all the power, and his ambition, which did not match his ability, was exposed.

One day, he heard that investing in pharmaceuticals was profitable, so a large amount of capital was poured into developing new drugs. But not long after, he discovered that R&D was both money-burning and time-consuming, and it couldn't achieve rapid profit growth.

At this time, the second son of the Xu Family, Xu Congxuan, suggested that he had a good brother whose family was in real estate and had made a fortune over the past two years. He asked if Xu Corporation was interested in taking a stake; they could all make money together. If it weren't for the sake of their friendship, the man wouldn't even have wanted to let them buy in.

The two brothers of the Xu Family got hot-headed and thought it was feasible. At worst, they would just develop this one real estate project, make a quick decision, and once it was sold and the money was made, they would stop.

Unexpectedly, the money was invested, but after the building was one-third finished, it became an unfinished project. Xu Congxuan's "good brother's" company filed for bankruptcy; it turned out he had simply used Xu Corporation's money to plug the holes in his own finances.

The Xu Family had suffered one Waterloo after another and was no longer what it once was. When the two brothers of the Xu Family wanted to return to their roots and continue with Xu Corporation's old business—small household appliances—they discovered that, at some point, many companies of the same category had sprung up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

They had good performance, cheap prices, and were smart, innovative, and practical. While Xu Corporation was still stuck on LCD control interfaces, others had already popularized voice control and mobile phone connectivity.

Li Yan had finally managed to scrape together the money and invested it in Xu Corporation, only to discover that the current state of Xu Corporation was much worse than he had imagined. He couldn't help but secretly complain about Li Shaoheng. They were both from the Li Family, yet he had just watched him fall into a trap.

If he had clearly explained the current situation of Xu Corporation to him, why would he have spent several times the amount of money to buy shares in a company on the verge of bankruptcy? By speaking vaguely, he had made him think that Li Shaoheng was jealous of him picking up a bargain.

The key point was that after spending so much money, he still wasn't the largest shareholder and didn't have the final say, which was very infuriating.

The Xu Family didn't look at Li Yan as warmly as they used to. Just imagine, who would have any good feelings toward a prospective son-in-law who wanted to seize their family property?

But fortunately, Li Yan was very good at coaxing people. First, he coaxed Xu Jiao into being happy, and then Xu Jiao coaxed the Xu Family into being happy. After a slight explanation, it turned out that the 25% equity was to be given to Xu Jiao as a bride price, and he implied that he, Li Yan, wouldn't want this equity.

Now the Xu Family was satisfied. Their calculations were very good: give it to Xu Jiao. Jiao Jiao was so well-behaved and obedient, and when Jiao Jiao married over, she would keep the shares.

Ever since investing in Xu Corporation, Li Yan had become the most miserable one. The brothers of the Xu Family were incompetent, so he had to step up. After all, he had invested so much money; if the company went bankrupt before he could even squeeze out any remaining value, wouldn't that be a loss?

Therefore, for many days in a row, he was working overtime, attending meetings, and researching projects.

Once he got busy, he naturally neglected Xu Jiao.

Xu Jiao's petty daughter mentality acted up, and she was anxious and worried all day long. She felt that Li Yan probably didn't know how to cherish her now that he had obtained her, and he wasn't as attentive to her as before, which left her feeling lost for a long time.

She had handpicked Li Yan after careful selection, but now she remembered Miao Jie's good points again, and even thought of Fan Zhiang. Dr. Fan was the gentlest toward her; even if she frowned, Dr. Fan would feel heartache for a long time.

If only Dr. Fan hadn't been framed by Xu Zhao and Gu Yunjing and sent to prison. After all, Dr. Fan's family background was a bit weak, and he couldn't compare with Li Yan and Brother Jie.

Brother Jie didn't have a very good temper and wasn't as attentive to her as Li Yan, but Brother Jie treated money like dirt. Even though the Miao Family was clearly not as rich as the Li Family, he would throw handfuls of jewelry at her, buying her seven or eight bags worth hundreds of thousands to give to her. On this point, Li Yan simply couldn't compare.

Wasn't there a saying online? "The extent to which a man spends money on you is the measure of his attitude toward loving you." Xu Jiao was a firm believer in these kinds of sayings.

Little did she know, for a rich man, money is just a number. Spending money can achieve his goals, so why not do it? But for a man who truly loves you, he would indeed be willing to spend money for the other person, but it is definitely not as simple as just spending money.

One day, Xu Jiao asked Li Yan to dinner, and when she learned that he had no time again, she finally couldn't help but get angry.

She took out her phone and posted a WeChat Moments update visible only to Miao Jie, full of self-pity and ambiguity. Sure enough, not long after, she received a call from Miao Jie.

The two met at a bar to drink. Xu Jiao was angry at Li Yan, angry that he wouldn't accompany her. Could it be that she wouldn't have anyone else to accompany her?

Xu Jiao complained a lot to Miao Jie. On one hand, she poured out her love for Li Yan, and on the other, she complained about how Li Yan had changed. As she drank and spoke, it eventually turned into murmuring, and she fell asleep.

When she woke up rubbing her aching head, looking at the unfamiliar environment before her, the underwear thrown messily on the floor, and the disheveled sheets, she was completely stunned.

At this moment, Miao Jie came out of the bathroom, leaning in with a wicked grin, wanting to kiss her, but was pushed away by Xu Jiao.

The expression on Xu Jiao's face was like she had seen a ghost.

"I didn't expect you to still be a virgin. Alright, I'm not angry anymore. As long as you come back to me, I can overlook that little business between you and Li Yan." At this moment, Miao Jie had just had his fill and was in a great mood. He didn't mind Xu Jiao's reaction, taking it as the coquettish behavior of a young couple.

"Me, us? I trusted you so much! You actually raped me!" Xu Jiao was furious, her voice hysterical. She scrambled to pull the quilt, but unfortunately, the quilt couldn't cover the mottled red marks on her body, which showed how intense the battle was last night.

Miao Jie was stunned on the spot by her accusations. After a long while, the smile on his face faded, and his voice became incomparably ruthless.

"You say I raped you? I don't know who it was that took the initiative to ask me out for a drink, and after getting drunk, clung to me and wouldn't let go, wanting me to kiss you and love you." The mockery on Miao Jie's face was undisguised.

"That's impossible! The only person I love is Li Yan!" Xu Jiao had lost her usual gentleness and submissiveness, screaming incoherently, "Who do you think you are? How could I possibly fancy you!"

"Impossible?" Miao Jie took out his phone and opened a video. In the video, Xu Jiao was seen with bleary, drunken eyes, tugging at his shirt collar and continuously shrinking into his arms. After he laid her down in the quilt, she pulled open her own collar, revealing half of her body and snow-white skin, while murmuring in her mouth, "Kiss me, I love you... A-Yan... I love you..."

The skin in the lens was blindingly white, completely different from the pure and innocent Xu Jiao of ordinary days; she was as bewitching as a little enchantress.

Miao Jie was no gentleman; when something is delivered to his doorstep, how could he push it away? He was afraid that she would regret it when she woke up, so he had even recorded a video at the time. Unexpectedly, before he had even put his pants on, she was already refusing to acknowledge what happened.

"You are too much, you took advantage of me! I was drunk at the time; it was you who deliberately got me drunk!" Xu Jiao cried bitterly.

"I didn't pour you any alcohol. It was you who were heartbroken for that coward Li Yan. You poured cup after cup, wanting to get yourself drunk."

As her consciousness returned, Xu Jiao remembered that before she had passed out drunk, she had asked Miao Jie to call Li Yan. "I even asked you to call A-Yan for me, why didn't you do it?"

"Heh..." Miao Jie was truly amused by her, and began to wonder why he had liked such a stupid woman in the past. Throwing herself into the arms of her admirer, and then asking the admirer to call and notify her rival in love.

What? Did he look like someone who was that magnanimous? If she had the ability, she shouldn't have provoked him. If she provoked him and still wanted to retreat unscathed, using him as a stepping stone for her and Li Yan's relationship? She had to see if he was willing.

The arguing and the fussing were over. Xu Jiao sat on the bed and sobbed softly, crying until Miao Jie, who was on the side, felt annoyed and chaotic: "Stop crying, I will take responsibility for you."

"Who wants you to take responsibility! You bastard!" Xu Jiao picked up a pillow and smashed it at Miao Jie.

Miao Jie's expression became even gloomier. Didn't he know Xu Jiao was drunk last night? He knew. He was very clear in his heart that the person she was talking about loving and kissing wasn't him, but the person he loved was right in front of him, in such a seductive posture. How could the young master Miao, who often lingered among ten thousand flowers, resist?

The matter had already happened. He hadn't expected Jiao Jiao to be a first-timer. Was that man, Li Yan, impotent? Thinking of this, Miao Jie felt a burst of triumph in his heart.

Women, had he not met enough of them before? No matter how stubborn a woman was, in the end, didn't she obediently please him?

It seemed he had been too accommodating to her. He should give her the cold shoulder. Anyway, he had already obtained her.

Thinking of this, Miao Jie didn't waste any words. He put on his clothes, reached out, and patted her pretty, tear-stained face, saying, "I still have things to do. Be good. Whatever you want to buy these two days, go buy it yourself. But there is only one condition: you are already my person, so break it off with Li Yan as soon as possible." After saying that, Miao Jie put down a black card on the bedside table and left, humming a little tune.

Xu Jiao looked at the dried blood on the bed. She had saved it with such difficulty, wanting to give it to Li Yan on their wedding day, and also to leave a good impression on Li Yan—that she was a girl who valued her dignity and self-respect. She hadn't expected it to be so easily taken away by a scumbag. She couldn't help but cry bitterly. What should she do? What if Li Yan found out... What should she do? She only knew that she couldn't lose Li Yan! She couldn't let him know about this.