Chapter 42: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

At ten o'clock the next morning, Xia Rusheng finally understood what Feng Yuan meant by "good news." Under pressure from the S&Y Group, the Shen Corporation decided to hold a small press conference to formally apologize for the violent incident, with Zhang Xu and Zhang Biting in attendance.

When Lin Yichen heard the news, he rushed to the Xia residence, only to find Chen Ma wrapping Xia Rusheng’s hands and feet in gauze.

"What are you doing?" Lin Yichen asked, his mouth twitching as he looked at her hands, which were bandaged into round, ball-like shapes.

"Bandaging up," Xia Rusheng replied matter-of-factly, not forgetting to remind Chen Ma to make them look neat.

Lin Yichen’s facial twitch intensified. Looking closer, he realized she was sitting in a wheelchair and looked somewhat haggard. A sudden realization dawned on him. "Xia Xia, you aren't planning on going to the press conference, are you?"

Xia Rusheng looked up at him with an innocent expression. "Someone is apologizing to me; of course I have to go. How is it? My look is quite convincing, isn't it? The news said I was critically injured. Don’t I look like I’ve suffered a major blow?"

Lin Yichen was speechless for a long time before crouching down beside her. "Xia Xia, I’ve already guessed that this matter has something to do with you. Your goal has been achieved, so why go to such lengths?"

Xia Rusheng did not argue, which served as a tacit admission. She wouldn't volunteer a confession, but if he guessed the truth, she wouldn't deny it. Lin Yichen had treated her well, and she held to one basic principle: she would not lie to him.

Chen Ma watched from the side and finally burst into laughter. "Young Master Lin, Xia Xia is just teasing you. She’s not going to any press conference; she’d find it embarrassing."

Lin Yichen was dumbfounded again. "Then why is she wrapped up like this..."

"Xia Xia had too many small cuts on her hands and feet, and she wrapped them up because she thought they looked ugly. She can't walk well with them bandaged, so she has to use the wheelchair. It’s a good way to keep this girl quiet for a few days." With that, Chen Ma packed up her medical kit and left them to their own devices.

Lin Yichen pushed Xia Rusheng into the garden to soak up some sun. Once he estimated the press conference was over, they returned to her room to check the follow-up reports.

As things stood, Tan Li could not shake the label of "the other woman," and because Xia Yu had assaulted the fiancée of the "heartthrob" Lin Yichen, she was facing a barrage of abuse from netizens. Both of their reputations were completely ruined.

Hadn't Xia Yu wanted to use Shen Rou to destroy her reputation? Now, by seizing the initiative to blow things out of proportion and dragging Shen Rou down with her, Xia Rusheng had ensured that unless they had concrete, persuasive evidence to prove this was all her conspiracy, there was no way for them to turn the tide.

Xia Rusheng closed her laptop, feeling wonderful. However, the mood in the rest of the household was far less cheerful.

Tan Li had been crying and causing a scene for two days. To avoid the drama, Xia Rui hadn't returned home since the previous night. With no other choice, Tan Li went to pester the Old Madam.

"Mother, you must help me. It doesn’t matter if I’m looked down upon, but Xiao Yu is still just a child. She can't be ruined by public opinion. Her coming-of-age ceremony is in three months—if this doesn't die down, how will she have the face to show herself in public?"

"You still have the nerve to mention the coming-of-age ceremony!" The Old Madam was nearly driven to madness by her daughter-in-law from a humble background. "The situation is volatile right now. Instead of trying to keep a low profile, you’re talking about ceremonies? Cancel it immediately!"

"How can we do that?" Tan Li gripped the Old Madam’s arm. "If we don't hold the ceremony, how will Xiao Yu officially enter high society? How will she join the social circles of the elite?"

"I am doing this precisely for her own good. It’s settled. When Xiao Yu is discharged, I will tell her myself. For the next few months, you make sure she behaves and doesn't cause any more trouble, or don't blame me for disowning her as my granddaughter!"

The Old Madam valued the Xia family’s reputation above all else; Tan Li’s pleas were hitting a brick wall.

In despair, Tan Li stopped wasting her time with the Old Madam and spent her time calling everyone, desperately searching for Xia Rui. At this point, he was the only one she could rely on.

Xia Rusheng watched coldly as Tan Li scurried about like an ant on a hot pan. A thought suddenly occurred to her, and she asked Lin Yichen, "Do you know where the Tan family moved to?"

"How would I know that? Why?"

Xia Rusheng shook her head. "It’s nothing. If you don't know, forget it."

She now suspected that Xia Rui’s absence wasn't just about avoiding home—she wondered if he was with Tan Xue. If so, that would be perfect.

After Lin Yichen left, Xia Rusheng quickly called Chen Ma to inquire. Chen Ma did indeed know where the family had relocated. After getting the specific address, Xia Rusheng waited at home until evening. That night, Xia Rui once again didn't return, merely calling the Old Madam to say he had business to attend to.

He didn't have "business"—he clearly just didn't want to come home.

Xia Rusheng unwrapped the bandages she had applied earlier that day, quietly drove to the apartment complex where the Tans had moved, and waited. She wasn't certain if Xia Rui would show up, so she relied on a simple tactic: waiting for the rabbit by the tree.

As midnight approached, a discreet black Mercedes pulled up beneath the building where Chen Yan lived. The window rolled down, and Xia Rui’s face appeared in Xia Rusheng’s line of sight. He was on the phone, occasionally glancing up at the building. A short while later, Tan Xue emerged, dressed neatly, and got into Xia Rui’s car.

Xia Rusheng noticed that from the time Xia Rui made his call until Tan Xue appeared, the lights in Chen Yan’s apartment had never turned on.

The two of them were indeed sneaking around with great caution.

Xia Rusheng followed them until they reached a secluded hotel. Xia Rui and Tan Xue entered ten minutes apart, and both checked in separately.

"Cautious, aren't they?" Fearing exposure, Xia Rusheng didn't dare follow them inside, and the hotel staff wouldn't disclose room numbers to her anyway. Even if she went in, it would be hard to find anything.

This wasn't her specialty, so she decided to leave it to someone who was.

She pulled out her phone to call Lin Yichen. The moment the call went through, a ringtone sounded from the car behind her, and the ringing on the other end stopped simultaneously.

It wasn't that she was being paranoid—the ringtone was exactly the same as Lin Yichen’s. As she connected the call, she couldn't help but look toward the car behind her.

Another coincidence. Even the car was the same...

What was this? The mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?

"Lin Yichen, roll down your window!" Xia Rusheng was now certain that the person sitting in that car was none other than Lin Yichen.

"Discovered so soon, huh..." Lin Yichen didn't hang up, laughing as he rolled down his window. Seeing Xia Rusheng, he didn't forget to give her a wink.