I Married My Heartless Ex-Wife’s Black Lotus Sister - Chapter 39

Zheng Yili had just arrived at the company when her secretary informed her that someone from Ding Rui had come.

She looked at the serious secretary, hesitated for a moment, and then cautiously asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s a new face, someone I haven’t seen before,” the secretary replied professionally. “It might be someone from another department or a new employee. Would you like to meet them, Ms. Zheng?”

“Sure.” After a moment of consideration, Zheng Yili nodded. “Take them to the meeting room first. I’ll be there shortly.”

The secretary nodded and quickly went to handle it.

After swiftly wrapping up her current tasks, Zheng Yili strode into the meeting room. The visitor was a neat and composed middle-aged woman with meticulously styled long hair, wearing black-framed glasses and a well-tailored professional suit—sharp and commanding.

“Hello, Ms. Zheng. I’m Mr. Song’s special assistant, surnamed Zhao.”

The woman stood up and extended her hand.

Zheng Yili shook it briefly, offering a polite smile. “Assistant Zhao, hello. Please, have a seat.”

“I came today to briefly discuss the collaboration between Xing Yue and Ding Rui with you. I know you and Mr. Song have already discussed the general framework, but I’ll be handling the specific details moving forward.”

Understanding the purpose of the visit, Zheng Yili nodded. “Understood. Please wait a moment—I’ll have the copyright and marketing departments come over.”

After instructing the secretary to summon the relevant staff, Zheng Yili turned back and probed, “Did Mr. Song brief you on everything?”

“Yes.” Assistant Zhao smiled courteously. “Ding Rui will demonstrate full sincerity in this matter. I’m sure you’ll be satisfied, Ms. Zheng.”

Zheng Yili was momentarily speechless. Song Yanqing really was detached—nothing like a typical businessperson. But since Song Yanqing was willingly conceding so much benefit and taking on all the heavy lifting, how could Zheng Yili possibly hog the lion’s share and leave her with nothing?

Within the morning, Zheng Yili and Assistant Zhao quickly reached an agreement on the basic terms of the collaboration.

After returning to Ding Rui, Assistant Zhao reported the morning’s discussion to Song Yanqing in full detail. Song Yanqing paused while watering her flowers, slightly surprised. “A 60-40 split?”

“Yes. Ms. Zheng insisted on it.”

Song Yanqing chuckled, her eyes curving like a sliver of bright moonlight. “If that’s the case, then let’s proceed as she wishes.” She then turned back. “Put extra effort into this collaboration. If it goes well, I’ll increase your bonus.”

Assistant Zhao smiled faintly. “Understood. You can rest assured, Mr. Song.”

“I won’t let your beloved suffer any losses.”

Song Yanqing shot her a sidelong glance but didn’t refute it, merely scolding lightly with a smile, “Too talkative. Go do your work.”

When Assistant Zhao stepped out of the CEO’s office, she happened to run into Lin Xiaoxiao. Lin scrutinized her with confusion, her tone full of doubt. “Ah Xin, have you seen that woman before?”

Liang Xin snapped out of her thoughts and glanced over, studying the figure for a moment. “No, I don’t recognize her.”

She shook her head and added, “I’ve never seen her before either.”

A sudden sense of foreboding rose in Lin Xiaoxiao’s heart, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. Standing frozen for a moment, she took a deep breath and quickened her pace toward the CEO’s office. “Wait here for me,” she said. “I need to speak with President Song about something.”

Liang Xin watched her go, calling out worriedly, “If anything happens, just shout for me—”

Lin Xiaoxiao didn’t respond. Her steps were hurried as she pushed open the door to the CEO’s office. From where he stood, Liang Xin saw her figure stiffen slightly. She remained motionless at the threshold, neither entering nor retreating.

Puzzled, Liang Xin was about to step forward to check on her when Lin Xiaoxiao abruptly disappeared from view.

Song Yanqing regarded Lin Xiaoxiao with an amused, faint smile. “Something you need?”

Lin Xiaoxiao’s eyes were filled with disbelief. Staring at the woman before her—both familiar and unfamiliar—she suddenly felt her mouth go dry. “Where’s President Song?”

“I’m right here,” Song Yanqing replied, the corners of her lips lifting into a cold, mirthless curve. “You were looking for me.”

“No.” Lin Xiaoxiao reflexively denied it. “Not you.”

She couldn’t help raising her voice. “The person sitting in this position should be Song Qi’an.”

Struggling to ignore the rising panic in her chest, Lin Xiaoxiao demanded, “Where is Song Qi’an? I need to see her.” After a brief pause, she added accusingly, “What are you doing here?”

“This position belongs to me,” Song Yanqing said mildly, though a sharp edge gradually surfaced in her gaze. “Starting today, I am the President of Ding Rui.”

“As for my younger sister, Song Qi’an—she resigned voluntarily.”

Song Yanqing smiled. “If you hurry to the parking lot now, you might still catch her.”

Lin Xiaoxiao’s mind went blank, as if it had short-circuited on the spot. She stared dumbfounded at the composed yet icy woman before her, her disbelief overwhelming.

Why would Song Qi’an leave Ding Rui out of the blue?

If she was gone, what would happen to Lin Xiaoxiao? After orchestrating the smear campaign against Meng Sulan, her reputation was in tatters. If even Song Qi’an abandoned her, wouldn’t her career be completely ruined?

Lin Xiaoxiao’s face drained of color in an instant. Without another word to Song Yanqing, she turned and sprinted toward the elevator.

Liang Xin, seeing her pale and frantic, instinctively chased after her. “What’s wrong, Xiaoxiao? What happened?” she called out.

While waiting anxiously for the elevator, Lin Xiaoxiao’s lips trembled, barely able to form coherent words. “Ding Rui… has changed hands.”

“Song Qi’an left. Her sister, Song Yanqing, is in charge now.”

Lin Xiaoxiao forced herself to stay calm, but her eyes welled up as she quickly explained. “Ah Xin, if Song Qi’an isn’t at Ding Rui anymore, what am I supposed to do?”

“Her sister won’t support me the way she did. Without that backing, I’ll never recover.”

Liang Xin was still reeling from the shocking news when Lin Xiaoxiao suddenly grabbed her arm, nails digging deep into her flesh.

She couldn’t help but cry out in pain, instinctively saying, “Xiaoxiao, you’re pinching me too hard.”

Lin Xiaoxiao froze for a moment before hurriedly releasing her, putting on a pitiful expression as she apologized, “I’m sorry, A’Xin, I didn’t mean to.” She quickly moved closer to examine the marks on Liang Xin’s arm, “Does it still hurt?”

Liang Xin shook her head, “Not anymore.”

As the elevator arrived, Lin Xiaoxiao rushed in with Liang Xin following closely behind. “Xiaoxiao, where are we going now?”

“To chase Song Qi’an.” Lin Xiaoxiao pressed her lips tightly together, her tear-filled eyes brimming with determination. “No matter what, I must catch up with Song Qi’an and make her take me with her.”

“Even if I have to endure more hardships, I don’t care—as long as I can stay by her side.”

Hearing such unabashed words of affection, a bitter taste rose in Liang Xin’s throat. While Lin Xiaoxiao chased after Song Qi’an, hadn’t she herself been chasing after Lin Xiaoxiao all this time?

Yet after all these years, Lin Xiaoxiao had never once turned around to truly look at her.

It was as if she had always been nothing more than a fool, stubbornly pouring her heart into a one-sided love…

Song Yanqing stared calmly at the still-open door before picking up the phone on her desk. “From now on, don’t allow Lin Xiaoxiao or Liang Xin onto my office floor.”

The person on the other end quickly agreed and made assurances until Song Yanqing was satisfied.

Crossing her legs slowly, a faint smile played on her lips. This nonsense about Song Qi’an having just left and Lin Xiaoxiao being able to catch her in the parking lot—Song Qi’an hadn’t even come to the company today.

When Lin Xiaoxiao reached the parking lot, she searched everywhere but couldn’t find Song Qi’an.

All her strength seemed to drain away as she collapsed weakly to the ground. “Song Qi’an isn’t here… she’s gone…” Lin Xiaoxiao muttered to herself, utterly devastated.

Liang Xin’s wavering heart ached with pity. She couldn’t help but crouch down and comfort her as usual, “It’s okay, Xiaoxiao. You still have me.”

“You still have me. I’ll keep helping you, just like always.”

But instead of feeling comforted, Lin Xiaoxiao suddenly flew into a rage. “What good is that? You have no power or influence, not even a shred of say in anything. If I keep waiting for you, when will I ever get my chance?”

Lin Xiaoxiao fixed her gaze on Liang Xin. “You know I can’t wait anymore, A’Xin. I just can’t.”

“I’m already twenty-five. If I don’t make it big soon, I’ll be too old and audiences will lose interest. My innocent persona won’t suit me anymore, and if I keep pretending to be young, I’ll be torn apart by critics.”

“My youth is slipping away… So, I have to fight for this, to grab my chance and come out on top.”

Her eyes grew increasingly determined as she stared intently toward the exit, her expression more unfamiliar than Liang Xin had ever seen.

Unconsciously, Liang Xin released her grip, suddenly realizing the person before her was no longer the innocent and lively, pure and kind younger sister she had always known—the one she couldn’t help but want to protect and care for.

Lin Xiaoxiao seemed to notice her own outburst. In an instant, she composed herself, reverting to her usual pitiful demeanor. “A’Xin, let’s go back.”

Liang Xin hesitated for a moment. “Aren’t we going to look for President Song anymore?”

“What’s the point of finding her?” Lin Xiaoxiao let out a bitter laugh. “She’s probably already gone to reconcile with Miss Zheng by now. How could she possibly remember me?”

“After all, it was my fault. If I hadn’t panicked and misunderstood Miss Meng, President Song wouldn’t have been so disappointed and distant with me.”

Two clear tears rolled down Lin Xiaoxiao’s face. “I brought this upon myself, so I deserve all of this.”

Seeing her beloved’s tears, Liang Xin’s heart instantly softened. Unable to control herself, she pulled Lin Xiaoxiao into her arms, her heart pounding wildly. “This isn’t your fault. You were innocent to begin with.”

“Xiaoxiao, do you trust me?” she asked.

Lin Xiaoxiao replied, “I trust you. I’ve always trusted you.”

“Good.” Liang Xin couldn’t help but smile contentedly. She whispered soothingly, “Xiaoxiao, give me a little more time. I’ll definitely help you make a comeback soon, and you’ll be even more popular than before.”

Lin Xiaoxiao blinked her teary eyes, looking utterly bewildered. “What are you planning to do?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Liang Xin lowered her head, locking eyes with Lin Xiaoxiao at close range. “All you need to do is relax at home and wait for my good news.”

Though Lin Xiaoxiao was half-doubting in her heart, she didn’t show it. She nodded, deeply moved. “Thank you.”

“Meeting you is truly the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to me…”

After hearing about Liang Xin’s whereabouts, Zheng Yili lightly tossed a stack of photos onto the table. “You know what to do.” She calmly stared at the person before her. “Right?”

The other person lowered their eyes. “Don’t worry, President Zheng.”

“Alright, you may go. Remember not to rush—take it step by step.”

Zheng Yili still vividly remembered Liang Xin’s smug face in her past life and how she had helped Lin Xiaoxiao gradually push her into the abyss. In that life, when Zheng Yili had fallen into such dire straits, Liang Xin was undoubtedly complicit.

If Lin Xiaoxiao was the ultimate beneficiary, then Liang Xin was the sharpest weapon in Lin Xiaoxiao’s hands, helping her secure victory.

Liang Xin had always been Lin Xiaoxiao’s most loyal follower, unwavering in her devotion. Many of the underhanded deeds Lin Xiaoxiao wouldn’t openly suggest were carried out or proposed by Liang Xin.

Back then, it was Liang Xin who had leaked the rumors about Lin Xiaoxiao and Song Qi’an to Zheng Yili. The “accidental” encounter where Zheng Yili stumbled upon Lin Xiaoxiao and Song Qi’an in an intimate embrace was also orchestrated by Liang Xin. And in the end, it was Liang Xin herself who delivered the news that Song Qi’an would divorce Zheng Yili to marry Lin Xiaoxiao.

That utterly ordinary face, the kind you’d lose in a crowd, had somehow managed to earn Zheng Yili’s deepest loathing—so much so that even in her dreams, she would grit her teeth in hatred.

A trace of innocent cruelty flickered in Zheng Yili’s pupils. In the past, Liang Xin had loved using Song Qi’an’s influence to bully others. Now, it was time for her to experience the despair of being powerless, as if being forcibly held underwater until exhaustion.

After finalizing her plans against Liang Xin, Zheng Yili went to see Meng Sulan.

Meng Sulan had been looking better and better lately, radiant and breathtakingly beautiful. The subtle sweetness and alluring charm she exuded made it hard for Zheng Yili not to suspect that something wonderful was about to happen to her.

Zheng Yili observed the filming for a while. During the break, Meng Sulan quickly ran over. “President Zheng, what brings you here?”

“Just came to see you,” she smiled. “You’re looking great lately.”

Meng Sulan beamed with joy. “Of course! Good fortune makes one’s spirits soar! You wouldn’t believe it—since Lin Xiaoxiao’s downfall, I’ve gained at least two million followers across all platforms, and my endorsement fees have increased dozens of times.”

“Now, besides juggling my work here, I have to squeeze in time for magazine shoots, commercials, and endorsements. I’m spinning like a top every day. Though exhausting, whenever I see my bank balance, the satisfaction is indescribable.”

“President Zheng, you’re truly my savior reborn!”

Meng Sulan’s flattery was always effective, easily lifting Zheng Yili’s spirits. “In that case, keep up the good work. Soon, the company will expand and recruit new talent.”

“What?” Meng Sulan’s elated expression faltered. “Won’t the competition become fierce then?”

Zheng Yili chuckled. “With your abilities, it won’t affect you much.”

Despite her words, Meng Sulan couldn’t help but feel a sense of impending crisis. Noticing her unease, Zheng Yili reassured her, “Don’t worry. We’re about to collaborate with Ding Rui, and your works will be prioritized for overseas release.”

She winked at Meng Sulan. “The international market will be in your hands.”

Meng Sulan was dazed, only snapping out of it after Zheng Yili left. Pressing a hand to her wildly beating heart, she was overwhelmed with joy.

Had President Zheng come today just to share this internal decision with her in advance?

She couldn’t stop imagining—if Xing Yue’s works were to be packaged for overseas release, wouldn’t she have a chance to become globally famous…

Currently, Meng Sulan was Xing Yue’s most promising newcomer, and Zheng Yili had high hopes for her.

Though Song Yanqing had painted a rosy picture, Zheng Yili remained tense. But soon, she had no time or energy left to worry about what hadn’t yet happened.

With the official signing of the contract with Ding Rui, Zheng Yili became increasingly swamped with work.

Lin Xiaoxiao learned of this from a former high-ranking contact at Ding Rui. Song Yanqing’s favoritism toward Zheng Yili was too obvious, making it hard for Lin Xiaoxiao not to suspect he would take the opportunity to kick her while she was down, settling personal scores on Zheng Yili’s behalf.

Already isolated and vulnerable, Song Yanqing’s actions snuffed out the last glimmer of hope in her heart.

Lin Xiaoxiao’s face turned pale, then flushed with anger as she clenched her fists, her expression dark. Since the contract termination, she hadn’t landed any new projects—not even a minor advertisement.

If this continued… Lin Xiaoxiao shut her eyes, unwilling to dwell on it.

“Ah Xin, how are things on your end?” Lin Xiaoxiao turned to the woman beside her—exhausted, sallow-skinned, with dark circles under her eyes—asking casually.

Liang Xin snapped out of her thoughts and replied bitterly after a pause, “Not ideal.”

“I’m not sure if someone is deliberately obstructing us or if it’s some other reason, but everyone seems to be avoiding me. The only two who approached me also—” Liang Xin suddenly stopped speaking, her eyes filled with humiliation.

Lin Xiaoxiao frowned. “Also what?”

“They just wanted to take advantage of me when I was drunk.” Liang Xin took a deep breath, barely suppressing her anger. “You know how those men are—always thinking with their pants.”

Lin Xiaoxiao fell silent. Though reason told her she should offer gentle words of comfort, she didn’t feel like it.

This time, Liang Xin had brought her no benefits, making her question Liang Xin’s competence.

Her situation was already dire. She didn’t need useless people dragging her down further.

“Go rest for now,” Lin Xiaoxiao said with a smile after a moment of thought. “You haven’t slept well in a while. Your health comes first.”

“But…” Sensing the sudden coldness in her tone, Liang Xin grew anxious. “But the issue isn’t resolved yet. How can I leave you alone to handle it?”

Lin Xiaoxiao continued smiling at her. “It’s fine. Leave the rest to me.”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“How? Song Qi’an is ghosting us, and her sister clearly favors Zheng Yili…”

Lin Xiaoxiao didn’t want to hear any of this. She cut off Liang Xin’s frantic words. “Earlier, you suspected someone might be deliberately obstructing you. If that’s the case, I’d guess the person behind it is Zheng Yili.”

“She has every right to be angry. After all, I was the one who unfairly blamed her artist and even caused her to suffer online harassment.”

“But I don’t think she’s a bad person. She’s probably just venting her frustration. If I swallow my pride and apologize sincerely, she might let it go.”

Lin Xiaoxiao spoke calmly, but Liang Xin’s frown deepened. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer and stood up, vehemently rejecting the idea. “No, I don’t agree.”

“Who knows what kind of person Zheng Yili really is? You’re not close to her. What if she doesn’t accept your apology and keeps scheming against us?”

Liang Xin was resolute. “You can’t apologize.”

“Then tell me, do I have any other way out?” Lin Xiaoxiao lifted her eyelids impatiently. “Other than her, who else can I turn to now?”

“I’m completely alone.”

Liang Xin fell silent, at a loss for words.

“Alright, it’s settled. No more arguments.” Lin Xiaoxiao sighed and added, “Ah Xin, I have no other choice.”

“Either way, I have to try. What if it works?”

Knowing she couldn’t stop her, Liang Xin nodded grimly. After Lin Xiaoxiao left, she struggled for a moment before finally giving in and calling Song Qi’an.

The call wasn’t answered, so she switched to sending a text message: “President Song, Xiaoxiao is going to meet Miss Zheng.”

She hadn’t expected any response, but the moment the message was sent, Song Qi’an called back immediately. “When is she planning to go?”

“What does she want to meet Yili for?”

Two consecutive questions instantly made Liang Xin see red. Unable to control herself, she raised her voice with a slightly accusatory tone: “President Song, don’t you even care about Xiaoxiao’s current situation?”

Song Qi’an naturally detected the hostility in Liang Xin’s words. Thinking of what he’d uncovered during his recent investigations, he sneered, “She still has you, doesn’t she?”

“Besides, after she made me lose my Lili, does she even deserve my concern?”