Golden Temptation – A Yuri Story - Chapter 44
Huatian International Headquarters – Chairman’s Office
Huang Zhixiong slammed the remote control heavily onto his desk and switched off the TV.
“What the hell is this guy doing?! He actually leaked the news to the media and now the company’s stock price is plummeting!”
“Chairman! Something’s wrong!”
Miss Wu, his secretary, burst into the office in a panic, forgetting to knock.
“What’s going on? Why are you so flustered?”
“Chairman, it’s bad—look at this!”
She handed him the morning paper. The bold headline stung his eyes:
“Huatian’s Adopted Heir, Jing Xuan, Abandons Wife and Child—Stock Hits Record Low!”
“What now, Chairman?”
“You go back to work first. Leave this to me.”
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President’s Office, Huatian International
“Say it straight—what exactly do you want?” Jing Cheng sank into the sofa, arms folded.
“It’s simple. Jing Xuan just needs to take a paternity test. If the child is his, let the two kids marry—it’ll be a perfect match and restore your company’s image. If he’s not the father, then the truth comes out, and the company’s name is cleared. Either way, Mr. Huang, you win. It’s a good deal.”
Huang Zhixiong hesitated. What Jing Cheng said made sense—it was tempting.
“…I can’t give you an answer right away. I need to talk to Jing Xuan first. But rest assured, I’ll give you a satisfactory response. I won’t let that young lady’s reputation be harmed.”
“Three days. That’s the most we’ll wait. We hope you’ll keep your word, Mr. Huang. Let’s go.”
“Miss Wu, please see Mr. Jing out.”
Jing Cheng swaggered out of the building with the woman at his side. Huang Zhixiong leaned against his desk, worn out. To stir up such a storm so quickly… this Jing Cheng wasn’t just anybody.
“Chairman!”
“Go to City C immediately and bring the young master back.”
“Yes, sir!”
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News Flash Across the Globe
Within moments, the headline “Huatian Heir Jing Xuan Abandons Wife and Child—Stock Hits Record Low!” spread like wildfire across the globe.
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Elsewhere
Gao Zhe lounged lazily on the couch, popping grapes into her mouth as Liu Xinyu fed her, flipping through channels in boredom. Suddenly, a news report on the financial channel caught her eye. She sat up and immediately called Jing Xuan.
“Hey, Ajing! Where are you? Turn on the TV—finance channel! Your backyard’s on fire!”
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Yan Family Mansion
Old Master Yan slammed the newspaper down on the breakfast table.
“Grandpa, what’s wrong?” Yan Jun asked cautiously. “Don’t get too worked up—it’s bad for your health.”
“That brat Ajing! What’s she gotten herself into now? She’s gotten a girl pregnant! Ugh—bring me the paper again. Let me check if it’s her belly that’s gotten big!”
Yan Jun was speechless.
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Airport Departure
Jing Xuan had just hung up on Gao Zhe and now understood exactly what she meant by “backyard on fire.”
“Young Master, please come with us. The Chairman wants you back immediately.”
“But I still have some things to take care of here…”
“Young Master, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
“…Alright.”
As she walked toward the car with the security team, she called Qiao Fei. It rang several times, but no one answered. Boarding time was approaching, so Jing Xuan had no choice but to put her phone away.
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Qiao Fei’s Apartment
Qiao Fei stepped out of the bathroom, towel-drying her hair and looking for the blow-dryer when she noticed her phone flashing on the bed. She picked it up—six missed calls. The name on the screen made her heart flutter.
She dialed back—but the phone was off.
“What? Her phone’s off? Could it be… could something had happened to Jing Xuan?!”
Panicked, she grabbed her clothes and quickly got dressed.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
“I’m coming!” she called out, rushing to the door, heart racing, hoping it was Jing Xuan. But when she opened it—
“Xinyu? What’s wrong?”
Liu Xinyu pulled her inside, clutching a financial magazine tightly.
“Fei’er…”
“Xinyu, I think something’s happened to Xuan! I was in the shower and missed six of her calls. Then when I called back, her phone was off! What if… what if something happened?!”
Liu Xinyu embraced the distressed Qiao Fei. She hadn’t realized just how deeply Fei’er had fallen. When she saw the report on TV earlier with Gao Zhe, she was stunned. She even got into a huge fight with Gao
Zhe, urging Fei’er to leave Jing Xuan.
But now… maybe she had been too rash. The facts weren’t clear yet, and she’d passed judgment too quickly. It wasn’t fair to Jing Xuan—or to Fei’er.
“Don’t worry, Fei’er. Jing Xuan’s fine. Maybe her phone just ran out of battery. Don’t overthink it.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Seeing Qiao Fei’s tension ease a bit, Liu Xinyu felt even more conflicted inside. My silly Fei’er… what am I supposed to do with you?
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“Xinyu, what about you?”
“Oh… I had a fight with that jerk.”
“Haha, you two again! We all see how good Gao Zhe is to you. Let me guess—were you being unreasonable again?”
“Fei’er! That’s so mean! I… I’m already regretting it…”
Liu Xinyu’s voice grew quieter, her face redder. Qiao Fei teased her playfully.
“Aw, is little Xinyu blushing?”
“Stop it!”
“Alright, alright. If nothing’s wrong, go home. Gao Zhe must be worried.”
“Mhm, I’ll head back now.”
As Liu Xinyu turned to leave, Qiao Fei caught sight of the magazine in her hand.
“Huh? What’s that?” She reached out and took it.
“Fei’er, wait…”
“This… what’s going on?” Qiao Fei pointed to the article about Jing Xuan.
“Fei’er, don’t believe everything you read. Reporters twist the truth.”
“What about this?” she asked, pointing to the cover headline.
Liu Xinyu hesitated. “…Time People magazine.”
“Time People? That’s one of the most reputable magazines out there. Would they really just make things up?”
“Fei’er, don’t be angry. Even reputable sources bend the truth to sell more copies…”
“Xinyu, I don’t believe this article.”
“Yes! I don’t believe it either! Brother Jing Xuan would never do something like this!”
“…It’s not just that—he’s… never mind.”
Fei’er almost let slip Jing Xuan’s secret and quickly stopped herself.
“He’s what? What is he?”
She paused, then quipped, “He’s a jerk!”
She burst out laughing at her own joke. Seeing her genuinely smiling again, Liu Xinyu relaxed, pounced on her, and started tickling her. The two girls collapsed in laughter.
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Morning Light
Nianqing slowly opened her eyes, gazing at Lan Qing sleeping peacefully in her arms. She stared for a long moment, eyes full of affection.
She slowly leaned in and, trembling, pressed a gentle kiss to Lan Qing’s lips.
“Qing’er, I love you. I’ve never dared to say it, but no matter what, I can’t stop loving you. I hate this ‘sister’ identity—it stops me from openly having you. But when I heard you say you couldn’t live without her, I gave up.
Qing’er, I just want you to be happy… promise me, you’ll be happy…”
A single tear slid down Nianqing’s cheek and disappeared into Lan Qing’s hair. She quickly wiped her face, gently withdrew her arm, and quietly left the room.
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As soon as Nianqing left, Lan Qing slowly opened her eyes. Her expression… was complicated.