I asked Jiang Li.  "What mysterious business dealings does XQ and Ai Rui have?" 

He looked at me and gave me a simple answer.  "You will not understand."

I was depressed but a week later, I found out what he meant by 'business' and also knew why he did not want to tell me about his business.

In the XQ forum, a hot discussion was ongoing on the home page with this title.  'Hot Insider News!  Ai Rui intends to acquire XQ!'

Posts by someone claiming to be an employee of Ai Rui stating that he had supporting clues and evidence to conclude that Ai Rui intended to buy over XQ, involving a huge investment capital and therefore it was imperative that they succeed.  There were a lot of replies, with some people believing and some people not believing.  But most people believed it was hearsay only and others say this matter was nonsensical. 

I also did not believe but the thought of Jiang Li's recent unusual behavior and tired smiles, I had my doubts.

I checked up the phone number of Jiang Li's assistant and gave him a call.  I did not even greet him and straight away asked.  "Is XQ being acquired by Ai Rui?"

His assistant denied and comforted me, telling me not to think foolishly while fiercely cursing those spreading rumors.  At first, I almost believed him but his response was too dramatic.  It aroused my suspicion that he was trying to hide something and so I began to have second thoughts.

So I said to him.  "If you don’t tell me the truth, I will tell Jiang Li you molested me.  Let's see whether you will lose your job or not."   I really admired myself for being so despicable and being able to conjure up such a despicable threat which was all thanks to Jiang Li's bad influence!

His assistant was so tormented that he asked.  "Sister-in-law, what do you want me to say?"

With a sobbing voice, I said.  "As Jiang Li's wife, I don’t even have the right to know about this matter?  What do you take me for?  A display vase?  In your eyes, am I so insignificant……?"  

I felt my eloquence was getting better and better and all this was due to Jiang Li's training.

After my persistent, grinding coercion and under the pressure of tremendous verbal torture by me, he finally told me the truth.  After that, he repeatedly stressed that he told me the truth was not because of my pressure but hoped I could comfort Jiang Li over this matter.

"Recently, Brother Jiang is really very tired."  He said.

At this moment, I clutched the phone and could not even utter a word.

It turned out that XQ was really faced with the pressure of malicious mergers and acquisitions from Ai Rui.

The assistant said that Ai Rui had very strong financial standing and they were very fierce and was determined to win. 

Now, XQ is almost unable to withstand the onslaught…….

I really hated myself.  Jiang Li had to face such tremendous pressure and I did not even support him nor comforted him.   But instead, I suspected him of having an affair with Xue Hong…….Guan Xiao Yan, you are really a bastard!

                                                                                                                 

                                                  ***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***

 

At night, when Jiang Li came home earlier than usual.  The moment I saw him, my tears started to roll down uncontrollably.

When he saw me crying, he panicked.  He wiped my tears and asked anxiously.  "What happened?  Who provoked you?"

I hugged him and leaned on his chest while sobbing.  "Jiang Li…..sorry……."

He patted my back and softly said.  "Never mind.  Don’t cry."

I looked up at him and asked him with uncertainty.  "You don’t even know what I did, doesn't it matter?"

He smiled gently and said.  "As long as you are alright, whatever you have done, doesn’t matter."

When I heard this, I cried even harder.  While crying, I said.  "Jiang Li, I know everything.  I'm sorry.  I didn’t understand you and was unreasonable towards you."

He laughed.  "Don’t cry.  You said you are sorry but why does it looks like I am bullying you?"

I wiped my tears and bowed my head in embarrassment.

He hugged me again and said.  "Actually, I don’t want you to know……I don’t want you to worry too much."

I said.  "Jiang Li, I want to accompany you."

He laughed.  "Good.  In fact, I also want you to keep me company."

I led him onto the chair and gave him a shoulder massage.  Although I would accompany him, I also knew that I would not be of much help to him since I did not know anything about corporate mergers and acquisitions.  I only knew that if Ai Rui acquired XQ, then the company that Jiang Li founded would eventually belong to someone else.

XQ was like Jiang Li's child.  Who would be willing to hand over their child to someone else!

At this time, he was enjoying my massage and from time to time he would let out an evil moan.

I blushed and quickly changed the topic.  I said.  "Jiang Li, if you encounter any problems in the company, you can come home and take it out on your wife."

Jiang Li closed his eyes and gave my hand a squeeze.  He sighed deeply and said.  "Actually, it is no big deal.  Ai Rui relied on their strong cash flow and just wanted to cause some trouble.  I also have some extra cash to turn over and I'll make sure they suffer a bit."

When he said this, there was ruthlessness on his face.  I looked at him in surprise and believed he was not joking.  I asked.  "How much money do you need?"

He replied casually.  "Not too much.  One hundred and twenty million will be enough."

One hundred and twenty million………I wiped off the cold sweat forming on my forehead. Suddenly I felt really very tiny…….

"Guan Xiao Yan."   He held my hand.  "Don’t worry.  Worst come to the worst, I will sell off XQ and the two of us will travel around the world."

I nodded and did not speak but my heart was very sad.  I knew that Jiang Li was reluctant to let XQ go but did he just said that to comfort me?

Even he had said there was no way to deal with it, then there would really be no way.

However, I really do not want to see XQ falling into the hands of others………

 

                                                  ***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***

 

Today, Jiang Li went to work as usual.  I was at home browsing the online forum about XQ and Ai Rui's rumors while thinking about what to cook for him to eat when he comes home.  I decided to cook some delicious food to nurture his brains.

At this moment, the doorbell rang.  I wondered who it was, as Jiang Li would not be home so early.  So I went to the door and look through the glass hole.  When I saw the person through the glass, I felt a chill shooting up from the soles of my feet…….why is she here?

Xue Hong seemed to feel that I was observing her and she bent down with a strange smile to look through the glass hole from the other side of the door.

I stared at the door and wondered what I should do. 

Why is that woman here?  Forget it, I will not open the door for her and pretend I am not in the house.

Suddenly she shouted loudly outside the door.  "Guan Xiao Yan, I know you are inside!  Are you not going to invite me into your house?!"

I backed against the wall and shook my head vigorously. 

I don’t want......don’t want to!  Go away!

Xue Hong said.  "I have a proposal for you to keep XQ, do you not intend to listen to me?"

XQ…..XQ.......

Although I know she must have an evil scheme but when I heard 'XQ', I could not help but open the door and let her in without any expression.

She smiled at me gracefully, walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa as if it was her own home.

I looked at her blankly as if looking at garbage by the roadside.  Jiang Li had said that when facing this woman, I should use this type of expression and I must not show excitement nor nervousness.

The two people in the room remained strangely silent.  Xue Hong broke the silence first and said.  "Guan Xiao Yan, a few years had gone by and you have improved."

I did not bother to lift my eyes and said.  "Thanks for your praise.  If you have anything to say, you can say to me directly.  There is no need to talk in circles."

She smiled and said.  "Have you heard that Ai Rui wants to acquire XQ?"

Jiang Li had told me.  "So?"

XH:  "You really don’t intend to listen to me on how you can keep XQ?"

I smiled.  "Did you come just to tell me this?  Tell me directly, what is your condition?"  Thanks to Jiang Li's influence, although my palms were sweating, I could still keep a calm expression.  All this was due to Jiang Li's impact on me.  It seems that my performance could not be underestimated.

Xue Hong took out a cigarette, lit it and then blew out a smoke ring.  She looked at me and her face flashed a sneer.

Without any expression, I pointed at the unused ashtray on the table and said.  "Smoking is prohibited here.  Snuff out your cigarette."  

You must be joking!  I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and even my family's Jiang Li does not smoke.  Who are you to smoke in my house!

She was still laughing but her eyes had a trace of panic and resentment which did not escape my eyes.  Secretly in my heart, I made a V sign and encouraged myself……. Guan Xiao Yan, carry on and maintain this momentum!

She snuffed out the cigarette in her hand and then coldly said to me.  "In fact, the acquisition of XQ was my idea.  Do you want to know why?"

My hands shook.   Calm down…….calm down…..I had to keep calm…….don’t show facial expression........without any expression!

She continued.  "Guan Xiao Yan, I hate people who show off."

I was baffled.  "I think I have never shown off to you."

Her face flashed a trace of ruthlessness.  "You dare to say you didn’t?  When you and Yu Zi Fei were together, you showed off to me and flaunted your handsome boyfriend.  Now you are married, you have such a gentle rich man and also your husband is the president of XQ!  Do you feel great?  Well, let's wait and see.  I want to see how long you can be arrogant!"

Her words made me laugh bitterly.  "I didn’t show off to you.  It is your mental problem that you can’t bear to see others better off than you."

She laughed coldly.  "Better than me?  How are you better than me?  Guan Xiao Yan, don’t joke with me.  You are not even qualified to compare your one finger with me!"

If in the past, I had heard these words, I would be very angry and irritated.  But now I just wanted to laugh.  Her reasoning was really absurd and since she was not happy, she plotted to destroy other people's happiness. 

What is this?

I could not maintain my expressionless face any longer and had to laugh and I said calmly.  "Don’t tell me that because of this, you came to give me trouble?  To tell the truth, if this is the case, I would advise you to let go.  Jiang Li is not someone you can mess around with and if not properly done, you would be at the losing end."   When I said these words, I just wanted to scare Xue Hong, after all, Jiang Li had already done his best.  However, I did not expect my words would actually be accidentally fulfilled……....this would be mentioned later.

She gave a chilly laugh but did not speak.  I earnestly advised her.  "Jiang Li is like the top boss in an online game.  If you don't provoke him, he will not attack you and both sides will not be harmed.  If you dare to stab him, he will retaliate by clawing you to death, not even letting you breathe.  Although I don't like you, because you have mental setbacks, I don't want to see you shed your blood on the spot."

She gave me a strange look, from top to toe and sneered.  "If Jiang Li can really settle this, will you be telling me so much nonsense?'

Me:  "….."

Too bad, I just patronized her and I actually forgot the fact that 'Xue Hong is also a smart lady'.  Great, I am really not suitable to be play-acting and not suitable to play the Queen of Aura.

At this moment, Xue Hong said.  "Eggs no matter how smart, are still eggs.  Stones no matter how stupid, are still stones."

I threw her a glance and ignored her. 

You are just implying that Jiang Li is like "eggs knocking against stones".  Why talk in circles?  So despicable!

XH:  "What?  Do you have any comments?"

I again put back on my expressionless face and said.  "You came today just to tell me this?" 

The main purpose you came today, is to tell me how I can keep XQ intact, right?  Sister, you have deviated from the main point........

XH:  "I was going to tell you this.  Guan Xiao Yan, don’t you think such a good man like Jiang Li is wasted in your hands?"

My hands shook and I asked.  "What do you mean?"

She laughed.  "No particular meaning but I suddenly have a little interest in Jiang Li."

"And then?"  I heard my voice changing a little when encountering Jiang Li's problem.  I really could not keep calm and could not even pretend when it came to his problem.

"Then….."   The smile in her eyes deepened.  "Then….. I hope he is mine."

I became agitated and my breathing was erratic.  I looked angrily at her.  "How fresh!  You want whatever is good.  Last time it was Yu Zi Fei, now it is Jiang Li!  Have you ever asked yourself whether you truly like them?"

She straightened her neck and said impatiently.  "Of course, I like them.  If not, why would I want them?"

She made me so angry that I was going crazy.  "Goodness!  Jiang Li is not a bar of chocolate or a piece of clothing.  Give him some respect, okay?  Even if you like Jiang Li but he doesn’t like you.  How will the two of you be together?  Xue Hong, recently your 'princess' illness has become more serious, affecting your IQ!  Please get yourself treated!"

She swiftly got up on her feet, stared at me and said.  "I don’t care.  Anyway, the things that I fancy, I will get it no matter how!"

I was unable to smile.  "What are you going to do?  Kidnap him or kill me?"

"Guan Xiao Yan, I am solemnly warning you!  I can cancel the acquisition of XQ but the condition is……."  She slowly bent down and gave me a ruthless evil smile.  "You will have to leave Jiang Li."

I stare at her angrily.  "You…. can…. dream!"

She laughed.  "Then XQ will be destroyed because of you!"

I could not stand it anymore and holding up my head I shouted at her.  "Xue Hong, please leave!  Leave!"

 

                                                  ***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***

 

After she left, I went into the bathroom and washed my face with cold water to force myself to calm down.  There were many questions that I needed to face up to.

Truly, Xue Hong's behavior made me helpless.  I despised and was disgusted by what she said.  I really could not understand why such people existed in this world.  Why was it that when she saw other people feeling happy, she would want to destroy other people's happiness?   Why was it that when she saw a good man, she would want to snatch other people's man?  Did her father used all his time to fool around instead of properly educating her?  How could a normal human mind be so deformed and weird?

She obviously had everything, beauty, wisdom, knowledge, family background but why was she jealous of other people's happiness?  She obviously comes into contact with a lot of excellent men but why did she purposely pick on Jiang Li and not let him go?  Why was she pining for things that she could not have and unable to keep her hands off?  Was it because the fruits in other people's garden were always sweeter?

Even if the fruits from other people's garden were sweeter, why must the fruits belong to her?

I held my forehead and laughed bitterly.  I could not figure this out and it seems that only the saying 'In this big world there is no shortage of wonders' could explain this.

I have nothing to say!

But, but……although she was very unreasonable, I still had to face another problem.

Jiang Li….. XQ…… Jiang Li…… XQ

Xue Hong said she would not acquire XQ on the condition that I leave Jiang LI…….

Jiang Li had said if he is rich, he would not lose but he has no money………

A long time ago, I had learned to embroidery cross-stitch.  I was stupid and it took nearly six months to learn the simple cross stitch.  Later my mother played around with my embroidery and accidentally spilled some juice on it.  I was so mad that I did not speak to my mother for several days after that. 

It was not just a cross-stitch but it was my effort for that half-year.

And what is XQ's value to Jiang Li?  That would be his life's blood, sweat, and tears, right?

Will I have to leave Jiang Li for XQ to be saved?

The thought of leaving Jiang Li hurt me terribly.  But when I thought of Jiang Li losing XQ, it hurts even more and I felt the pain......a sharp intense pain.

I started to analyze the situation. 

In Jiang Li's heart, XQ and I, which is more important?

If this was in the past, I would certainly hope that Jiang Li would place more importance on me than XQ.  But now……..if I am not as important as XQ, then will Jiang Li quickly let me go?  If I am not as important, I will feel sad, so sad that Jiang Li's love for me is so shallow……

I could not help but pull at my hair in frustration.  There was no solution to this problem!

Forget it, I did not want to dally on this problem any longer and went straight to the conclusion.  The conclusion was……in the Jiang Li's heart, XQ was more important than me.  The result of the analysis was as follows:-

First of all, how long was XQ with Jiang Li?  It would be about four or five years, right?  But I had only been with him for less than a year. 

Second, XQ was founded by Jiang Li.  And I?  I had accidentally stumbled into his life. 

Third, for most men, career is more important than women and Jiang Li……..should not be an exception, right? 

Fourth, in this world, there is only one XQ and if XQ is gone, it will be forever gone.  And if Guan Xiao Yan, is gone, there will be thousands more of her around.  This is a comparison between renewable resources and non-renewable resources.

In conclusion, XQ is the life of Jiang Li and Guan Xiao Yan can be considered as just a dish of………

I took a long breath.  Although I felt sad, this was the conclusion that I had also wanted.

 

                                                  ***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***

 

I simply packed up a bag and checked into a hotel.  I could not go back to my mother nor can I go to He Zi's place because those two places would be the first places that Jiang Li would look for me.  I stayed in the hotel room for a while and estimated that Jiang Li should be home by now.  I turned on my cell phone and sent him a text message: 

~ Jiang Li, I had thought it over.  I cannot stay with a failed man for a lifetime.  Blame yourself for not having the ability to succeed.

When I wrote the message, I thought it was written exceptionally well.  On one hand, this would inspire Jiang Li to fight on and on the other hand, he could hate me.  Then both of us would have peace of mind.  If this conversation was a piece of art then I would undoubtedly be an artist!

After a while, Jiang Li called me on my cell phone.  I stared at the phone for a long while and finally with trembling hands I picked up the call. 

"Guan Xiao Yan?"  Jiang Li's mood did not seem to be good.  Just those three words, I was able to visualize the icy ballast coming out from him.

I pinched at the hem of my dress and I stammered.  "Jiang Li…."

"Guan Xiao Yan, you are getting braver and braver, uh?"  His cold voice sending out cold blasts.

Stammering, I said.  "That……Jiang Li, I…….what I wanted to say…….I already said……."

"Guan Xiao Yan!"  Jiang Li did not try to hide his anger.  "I want to see you in front of me in half an hour or else tomorrow I will sell off XQ!"

I laughed bitterly.  "Jiang Li, why are you doing this………?"

He bluntly said.  "If XQ is lost, it will be because of you.  It is up to you to do whatever you think is right.  What I dare to say, I will do."

I laughed in despair.  Everyone likes to threaten me this way…….

He continued.  "There is still twenty-nine minutes left.  XQ's fate is in your hands."

I grabbed my phone leaving my luggage behind and flew out of the hotel.

Fortunately, I did not have the heart to go too far away from home.  The hotel was a short distance away and...... luckily the traffic jam was not too bad......luckily Jiang Li had given me half an hour instead of fifteen minutes…….

Although recently I have been unlucky, God has been looking after me, so I really reached home in half an hour which could be considered a miracle!

Just as I placed my key into the keyhole, the door suddenly opened from the inside.  Jiang Li was at the door and he glared at me with a look that was anxious and angry at the same time.  He pressed his lips into a thin line and did not speak.  There were little dangerous flames burning in his eyes as he stared at me.

I awkwardly waved my hand, shrunk my neck and gave a light laugh.  "Hi, Jiang Li……"

Suddenly, Jiang Li pulled me into the house and shut the door with a 'bang'.  Then he pressed me against the door very hard and I felt the pain cutting into my back.

He held my shoulders and his eyes were staring at me.  Gnashing his teeth and he said to me.  "Guan Xiao Yan, have you been watching too many TV dramas?"