Chapter 41: The Affection You Know Nothing Of

Xia Rusheng’s demand was by no means intended merely to make things difficult for them. Once Shen Rou and Zhang Biting offered a public apology, it would serve as direct proof to the public that the news reports were true. As long as one aspect of the claims was verified, the public would inevitably assume that every piece of information in those reports was credible. Xia Rusheng intended to exploit this misdirection to influence the audience’s perceptions.

If she succeeded, it would cut off any chance for Tan Li and Xia Yu to recover. If she failed, it would still sow discord between Xia Rui and the Shen family; she stood to lose nothing. As for the face-to-face apology, it was merely a formality—if she wanted it, she could obtain it by simply relenting a step later.

Xia Rui, however, had not anticipated this. When he relayed Xia Rusheng’s intentions, the expressions of Shen Tao and Zhang Xu shifted instantly. If the apology were private, they would be reluctant, but it would not be overly humiliating; but a public apology? That would be tantamount to a slap in the face in front of everyone. Zhang Xu was a lackey who could afford to lose face, but Shen Tao could not.

"Chairman Xia, they are just children having a spat; must you make such a public spectacle of it? You are a prominent figure in the business world; why stoop to bickering with children? Besides, showing mercy is a virtue—leaving a way out for others is leaving a way out for yourself. You surely understand that, don't you?" Shen Tao was consumed by unprecedented rage. Had he not been forced into a corner, he would never have come to endure such humiliation. Now, the Xia family was pushing their luck—did they really think the Shen family was easy to bully?

"Chairman Shen, it is not that I am being unforgiving. You know full well who started this. You saw Xiaxia’s reaction earlier; just imagine how traumatized a child must be to reach that state. Is it really too much to ask for a sincere apology?" At the thought of Xiaxia’s fearful demeanor, Xia Rui refused to budge. To him, this was an opportunity—a golden opportunity to reconcile with his daughter.

"The cause may indeed lie with Rou, but as for the truth of the matter, I believe the children know it best. Does Miss Xia not feel a twinge of conscience for doing this?"

"I witnessed this incident with my own eyes, yet now you claim my daughter is framing you? If you intend to distort the facts, Chairman Shen, then there is nothing left to discuss!" Xia Rui was truly incensed. At this point, it was no longer a matter of right or wrong; it was a matter of his own dignity. He had yet to hold Shen Rou accountable for leaking the Xia family’s private affairs; he had already been merciful enough!

"So, Chairman Xia, you refuse to compromise?" Shen Tao was nearly losing his mind over Xia Rui’s attitude, while Zhang Xu stood by silently, waiting for Shen Tao to take the lead.

Xia Rui let out a cold snort, his stance unusually firm. Seeing this, Shen Tao hardened his heart and left the Xia residence with his daughter. To hell with the apology!

He did not believe that Feng Yuan would truly sever all cooperation with them over a woman with whom he had no connection. If the partnership were to end, the Shen Corporation would indeed suffer, but the S&Y Group would not be unscathed either!

The world is a strange place; the more you refuse to believe something, the more likely it is to happen. At six o'clock that evening, Shen Tao suddenly received a call from his company’s project department: all funds injected into the Shen Corporation by the S&Y Group had been completely frozen, and all joint projects between the Shen Corporation and the S&Y Group had been suspended.

At the same time, Xia Rusheng received a mysterious text message: "Awaiting the good news."

The four simple words carried no punctuation or signature. While it left her feeling puzzled, it also held a strange, soothing power. Impulsively, Xia Rusheng dialed the number from the message interface. After three rings, a familiar voice answered.

"Miss Xia, I knew you would call." That was why he hadn't signed it.

"President Feng? What did you mean by those four words?"

"Miss Xia will know tomorrow," Feng Yuan replied with a formulaic tone that effectively said nothing at all.

Xia Rusheng bit her lower lip in frustration and suddenly asked, "President Feng, regarding the news—"

"It was my doing. You lit the fire, Miss Xia; I merely 'added fuel to the flames' as a partner. Are you satisfied?"

Xia Rusheng was even more perplexed. Aside from Liu Xin, who had helped her retrieve the surveillance footage, no one else knew what she had done. How did Feng Yuan find out?

"President Feng, you haven't been having me followed, have you?" Due to her connection with that certain person, Xia Rusheng’s guard was instinctively down toward Feng Yuan, and she blurted out whatever came to mind.

Feng Yuan laughed on the other end of the line. "Miss Xia, while you are very clever, even the most meticulous plans have flaws. You have a loophole you haven't even noticed yourself, and we have caught onto it. But rest assured, we bear you no malice."

Xia Rusheng bit her finger, rapidly reviewing everything since her rebirth in her mind. Indeed, just as Feng Yuan said, she had failed to notice any oversights. Moreover, Feng Yuan had used the word "we"—could the other person be *him*?

A vague silhouette surfaced in her mind, and a faint, warm smile inexplicably tugged at her lips.

"Could you pass a message to him for me?" Xia Rusheng hesitated for a long time before speaking.

"Please, Miss Xia." Feng Yuan laughed again, his tone clearly more intense and buoyant than before.

"I want to thank him... or perhaps, thank him on behalf of Xiaxia..."

Thinking that the man might be doing all this for the "real" Xiaxia, a faint sense of disappointment clouded her eyes. She was not Xiaxia. Most crucially, he did not know she was not the real Xiaxia, while she knew that everything he did might just be for the real Xiaxia...

On the other end of the line, Feng Yuan, who had been on speakerphone, fell silent for a moment. He had understood Xia Rusheng’s meaning, and he had heard the dejection in her voice.

Feng Yuan could hear it, and the other man standing by the floor-to-ceiling window holding a cup of coffee could naturally hear it too.

"Very well, Miss Xia, I will pass it on."

As the call ended, Xia Rusheng hung up first. Feng Yuan put away his phone, leaned back in his office chair, and said with a smile, "Your strategy seems to be working. The lady is lost in thought, and she’s feeling a bit heartbroken."

The man’s hand, holding the coffee, paused. His clean, strong fingers tightened slightly. Gazing at the view outside the window, he said calmly, "Feng Yuan, there is a kind of love in this world where you don't even know I am doting on you."

Knowing there was more to say, Feng Yuan asked with a quiet smile, "And so?"

"And so, I will wait for that fool to discover it herself."

Feng Yuan curled his lips in amusement. "What if she remains the same Xia Rusheng, and never discovers it?"

The man’s grip tightened further, his knuckles turning white. He took a steady sip of his coffee, the color in his deep, dark eyes intensifying.

"This time, I will protect her well and give her enough time to find out."