Everyone Thought The Fake Heiress Had Her Reasons Ch. 32
To be honest, every time Ming Jiao called Shi Yan, her long-lost conscience would resurface for a while.
After all, unlike deceiving her aunt, Shi Yan was a very busy CEO with little rest time, yet Ming Jiao always bothered her with various schemes and plots happening around her.
The call was quickly answered. Ming Jiao greeted cheerfully, “President Shi, working again?”
There came soft breathing from the other end of the line, but unusually, no sound of flipping documents.
Ming Jiao keenly sensed something, “Why aren’t you speaking?” Have you made progress with what I asked you to look into?”
Shi Yan finally spoke, her voice sounding normal, “You called me just to ask about this?”
“Not entirely.” Ming Jiao said leisurely, “I’m living outside now, but I didn’t tell my aunt. I lied and said I’m staying at one of your properties. If she calls you, don’t let it slip.”
She thought it unlikely that her aunt would call Shi Yan, since they weren’t very familiar, but it was better to be safe.
As for whether her aunt would investigate where she was currently living, that was even less concerning. Not only did Shi Yan, as the heir of a prominent family, own countless properties that would be difficult to track, even if her aunt seriously tried to investigate, she wouldn’t be able to find out. And not being able to find out would only prove that her current residence was hidden and safe.
Shi Yan paused before asking, “Why lie to her? Aren’t you two the closest?”
This was a question Shi Yan would never have asked before, at least not so bluntly. Though straightforward, she wasn’t without emotional intelligence.
Understanding this, Ming Jiao felt more certain about her guess. She chuckled softly, “It seems you’ve discovered something.”
She just probably hadn’t figured out how to tell her yet.
“You knew all along that she was the one having you watched.” Shi Yan’s tone was very grave, mixed with endless confusion, “Let’s meet and talk.”
Ming Jiao said, “I can’t say I knew all along, I only suspected it was her. Now that you’ve confirmed it for me, I’m not surprised.”
“Why?” Shi Yan was very confused.”
Why would her aunt have Ming Jiao watched? Why did Ming Jiao suspect her aunt from the beginning? This completely contradicted everything she had known.
“To be honest, I’d like to know too, but some questions can only be answered by herself. Ming Jiao lowered her eyes, her voice very calm.
“What do you plan to do next?” Shi Yan asked.
Ming Jiao didn’t answer, instead asking, “Besides her having me watched, did you find anything else?”
Shi Yan said, “The rumor that was spreading like wildfire recently about Tang Xiaoyu being an illegitimate child – she was the one who had people spread it.”
Ming Jiao thought about it and found it quite reasonable. While the rumor originated from the original host, without her aunt’s full support, it certainly wouldn’t have blown up so much.
She didn’t think Shi Yan had discovered too little either. After all, this was still the early stages of the plot – the original host’s major misdeeds were still limited, so her aunt’s actions were naturally few as well.
Hearing her silence, Shi Yan remembered recent events and felt a twinge of regret, “Sorry, I thought it was you too.”
No, friend, I’m not innocent at all. It’s just that my aunt pushed all the blame that could be shared onto me.
“No need to apologize.” Ming Jiao chuckled softly, “I’m not completely clean in this matter either.”
She was stating plain facts, but Shi Yan no longer felt she was being deliberately blunt. Convinced that Aunt had used her, Shi Yan wanted to offer comfort but lacked the gift of gentle persuasion. Ultimately, she decided to take practical action. “I can arrange a meeting with Ming Wei for you and testify on your behalf.”
“Not yet.”
Shi Yan frowned. “Your softheartedness will only enable her to keep making mistakes.”
Ming Jiao thought, You must have some misunderstanding about me—I’ve never been associated with softheartedness.
“I’m not planning to cover for her. Otherwise, why would I ask you to investigate her? I could’ve just let things remain unclear.” She said, “It’s just not the right time yet.”
Shi Yan pressed, “Why?” Ming Jiao replied, “What we have now isn’t enough. Neither legally nor morally is it sufficient to warrant severe punishment for her.”
Initially, she did want Shi Yan to testify and help expose Aunt. But now that Tang Xiaoyu had begun to see Aunt’s true nature, the matter was no longer so urgent. There was no need to alert the enemy prematurely.
“If we can’t strike a fatal blow, it will only bring endless trouble for everyone.” Her tone was heavy, almost carrying a hint of grim determination.
Shi Yan had never heard Ming Jiao speak in such a cold, solemn manner—filled with vigilance and the resolve of someone facing grave danger. Yet Aunt’s current actions were far from warranting such seriousness. Unless there was something she didn’t know.
Before Shi Yan could untangle even a thread from the chaos of thoughts, Ming Jiao resumed her casual tone. “This is enough for now. Keep what you’ve found safe. When the day comes to bring it before my sister, I’ll be counting on you. Don’t investigate any further.”
Ming Jiao said this because she had been increasingly feeling that aside from Aunt’s cunning and methods, there were many other unsettling aspects about her, and the original story held too many hidden plots. Though she wasn’t a good person, she wouldn’t harm those who treated her well.
However, she also knew she couldn’t dismiss Shi Yan with just a few words. She needed to find the right phrases to reassure her. After all, Shi Yan had worked hard investigating for so long without any reward and was left completely in the dark about the whole situation. Anyone would feel frustrated.
As Ming Jiao searched for words, Shi Yan grew more aware that once today’s conversation ended, it would be even harder to get anything out of her. Her tone deepened. “Fine, if you don’t want to talk about Aunt, let’s change the subject. What about Xie Chu?”
Ming Jiao’s heart tightened, and she blurted out, “You’re investigating him?” This is bad. Did I really drag Shi Yan into this mess?
But then it occurred to her that Aunt’s investigation into Xie Chu was a result of her own guidance. There was no reason for Shi Yan to investigate Xie Chu out of the blue—she must have found clues while looking into Aunt.
As Ming Jiao had suspected, Shi Yan had discovered traces pointing to Xie Chu during her investigation of Aunt. However, remembering Ming Jiao’s earnest warnings, Shi Yan had restrained herself from digging deeper. She herself had no fear, but she was deeply concerned that rash actions might harm Ming Jiao.
Now, she deliberately kept her words brief and vague. If Ming Jiao knew nothing about Xie Chu, her reaction should have been confusion, not immediately tense questioning about whether Shi Yan had investigated him.
But in reality, even if Ming Jiao had immediately realized Shi Yan was probing, she couldn’t have played dumb. If she had left Shi Yan in the dark, given the other’s personality, she would have dug deeper. By then, Ming Jiao’s plan to restrain Aunt and Xie Chu would have backfired, inadvertently harming Shi Yan instead. Not only would it be embarrassing, but her conscience would ache.
“So you really did know.” Shi Yan, thinking of all the good deeds Aunt had done, felt a surge of anger. “He’s also been betraying you behind your back.”
“That depends on what kind of betrayal you mean. Xie Chu still has some principles—at least he didn’t cheat during our engagement,” Ming Jiao said.
As for hiring a hunter to kill me or something trivial like that, it’s hardly worth mentioning. When I get the chance, I’ll make sure he ends up behind bars, she thought.
“Ming Jiao!”
Ming Jiao hadn’t actually intended to brush Shi Yan off with vague answers, nor did she want to reveal everything. Both options could plunge Shi Yan into a dangerous abyss.
It wasn’t that Shi Yan wasn’t capable or that her family background wasn’t solid—it was that her “beloved friends and family” were too vicious and cunning.
When good people confront evil, whether evil triumphs or good prevails, it’s always the good who get hurt first.
“Shi Yan, you’ve already done enough for me.”
Ming Jiao said, “I know you care about me, but there’s no place for you to make a move in my current game. If you insist on joining, it will put us both in danger. So, the current situation is just fine.”
“If this ever ends, I’ll tell you everything they’ve done—but not now.”
Her tone was so sincere and serious, unlike anything Shi Yan had ever heard from her, evoking a deep sense of conviction but also heavier worry.
After a moment of silence, Shi Yan asked, “Do you want me to send someone to deliver the investigation materials and photos to you?”
She had originally wanted to meet Ming Jiao in person, but since Ming Jiao didn’t want her further involved, she respected her decision.
Ming Jiao thought it over and decided it was necessary. Strengthening Tang Xiaoyu’s guard against Aunt couldn’t be put on hold.
Moreover, she felt that if Xie Chu’s affairs hadn’t been occupying Tang Xiaoyu’s attention, given her personality, she would have already started investigating Aunt.
Since she couldn’t spare the energy to investigate, she’d keep worrying about it. Ming Jiao needed to ease this potential source of anxiety for her.
As she thought of Tang Xiaoyu, Shi Yan was also thinking, “Have you and Tang Xiaoyu always had misunderstandings?”
“No misunderstandings,” Ming Jiao said. “I really was jealous of her before.”
Her attitude was as composed and unapologetic as ever. Though Shi Yan had faced this demeanor before, it was the first time she felt Ming Jiao wasn’t entirely hopeless.
After all, she said “before,” and Shi Yan couldn’t help but suspect how many times Aunt had fueled the fire between them.
“Are you safe? I know two security companies with highly professional defense capabilities. If you need, I can hire them for you,” Shi Yan said.
Ming Jiao replied, “Don’t worry. Aunt may not have genuine feelings for me, but she hasn’t reached the point of wanting to kill or harm me.”
Shi Yan didn’t quite believe this. She wasn’t aware of Xie Chu and the hunter situation, but she suspected Ming Jiao’s injuries were related to Aunt. With so many puzzling mysteries intertwined, it was hard not to make connections.
“I…” she sighed.
It seems I’ve never truly understood you. I always thought you were just a naive, spoiled young lady.
“You… if anything happens in the future, you can always talk to me. Come find me directly.”
She ultimately wasn’t accustomed to baring her heart, so everything was eventually condensed into the simplest promise.
“I will help you.”
I will help you.
The low, pleasant yet cool voice echoed in her ears—Tang Xiaoyu had once spoken these exact words to her.
Ming Jiao felt a momentary daze. Collecting herself, she reviewed the entire conversation with Shi Yan and concluded that Shi Yan must have misunderstood some things. She ought to clarify, yet she didn’t know how to explain.
In the end, she could only deliberately adopt a lighthearted tone, “Got it. There are many things I can’t explain clearly right now, but don’t imagine me as some pitiful, tragic figure, alright?”
“And… thank you,” she said. “If there’s one thing I did right in this miserable first half of my life, it’s probably becoming friends with you.”
Shi Yan’s breathing slowed, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the phone. Even after the call ended, she remained lost in thought for a long time.
·
After ending the call with Shi Yan, the System was even more emotional than Ming Jiao. 【How fortunate to have a friend like Shi Yan in life.】
Shi Yan and the original host had barely interacted over the years, and how much of their friendship remained was known only to them.
But now, as soon as Ming Jiao spoke up, Shi Yan was still filled with concern and earnestness, ready to help with her troubles.
Ming Jiao smiled, radiant and boundless. 【Having a friend like Shi Yan is a blessing in life. But if someone like Shi Yan never meets a worthy friend, that would be a true misfortune.】
She slowly walked along the smooth road toward the approaching taxi. 【You see, if I wanted to trick her, I could do it with pinpoint accuracy.】
The System said, 【But you won’t, Host.】
Excessive sentimentality wasn’t their style. Before long, they resumed their familiar back-and-forth banter.
Hearing the address she gave the taxi driver, the System was astonished. 【Host, are you still going to the studio?】
Meeting Aunt was necessary, but going to the studio seemed unnecessary.
Ming Jiao’s tone was lazy. 【Since I’m already out, I might as well not waste the trip. Besides, Shi Yan has been so good to me—I ought to do something to express my gratitude.】
The System replied, 【So you’re planning to make clothes to repay her? Not that I doubt you, Host, but you haven’t even touched a needle yet.】
Ming Jiao’s tone turned profound. 【That’s precisely what makes it sincere. Don’t worry, even if the sky falls tomorrow, I promise I won’t step outside.】
The System sensed the aura of a jinx. 【You should save that kind of vow for when the protagonist catches you red-handed.】
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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