Volume One, Chapter Six: So They Were Friends After All

In truth, Wanwen Fu had already done her best to preserve Xu Zhi's dignity; otherwise, she wouldn't have said only those few words. Even so, Xu Zhi still felt wronged. When Liang Muzi asked, she became even more upset. She had always been obedient since childhood, never once scolded by teachers at school or her own parents at home, so she had no tolerance for being reprimanded. Her eyes reddened, and her throat tightened.

Seeing this, Liang Muzi hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, Little Zhi, don't worry. From now on, whatever happens, I'll stand by you no matter what..."

Xu Zhi turned her face away, murmuring, "This is the last time."

Liang Muzi asked, "What?"

"Don't use me as your shield anymore," she said, her neck stiff, refusing to look at him. "It's not appropriate."

Liang Muzi was stunned.

Taking the opportunity, Xu Zhi pulled her hand out of his grasp and was about to leave when Liang Muzi called out again, "Aren't we best friends?"

Xu Zhi paused.

Best friends?

So, that's what they were.

Those two words now felt like a slap to her face, stinging her cheeks. She didn't answer Liang Muzi and turned away, quickly leaving the Liang house.

When she returned home, no one was there.

The Xu family used to employ two or three maids, but about half a year ago, business took a downturn, and her father decided to dismiss them. Now, only part-time cleaners came periodically to tidy up.

Xu Zhi went straight upstairs to her room to read. Her phone vibrated incessantly during this time—Liang Muzi was calling. She didn't want to answer, so she simply set it to silent.

Before noon, sounds came from downstairs—someone was back.

Xu Zhi hadn't gone down to greet them yet, but voices were already raised in argument below.

Her father, Xu Heping, reeked of alcohol as he berated Zhao Nianqiao, "All you ever do is go to beauty salons! Do you even know how to help with the company? There are so many issues and you don't lift a finger!"

Zhao Nianqiao stood by the sofa, sneering, "Am I the one not helping? I warned you that project wouldn't work, but you didn't listen and insisted on doing it. Now that you're losing money, you take it out on me?"

Xu Zhi walked to the top of the stairs and stopped.

Every family has its troubles. The Liang family had its scandals; her own was a constant chaos of arguments—at least once a month, Zhao Nianqiao and Xu Heping threatened divorce.

She went downstairs and called out, "Dad, Mom."

Both looked back at her, momentarily stunned.

"Zhi's back, huh," Zhao Nianqiao said, unembarrassed. "Why didn't you let us know ahead of time?"

"I came to pick up something, just spent a while reading, and I'll leave this afternoon."

Xu Heping tugged at his tie, said nothing, and went to the bathroom.

"Why is Dad drinking in the middle of the day?" Xu Zhi asked Zhao Nianqiao.

Zhao Nianqiao replied, "It's not today, it was last night. He was out until dawn, drinking with someone from the bank. The company has several projects lacking funds now, so he needs to figure out a loan."

Xu Zhi hesitated, "Is the company... not doing well?"

Zhao Nianqiao was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly, "Don't ask, you wouldn't understand even if I explained."

She went upstairs, leaving Xu Zhi alone in the empty living room, feeling suffocated.

In truth, long ago Zhao Nianqiao and Xu Heping's relationship hadn't been so bitter. Unlike the Liang family, whose roots were deep, the Xu family had built their fortune from scratch. The couple had once been entrepreneurial partners.

But Xu Heping favored sons over daughters.

When Xu Zhi was born, he was unhappy, and conflicts grew. Later, Zhao Nianqiao became pregnant again. Xu Heping had tests done through connections and found out it was a boy, which excited him.

However, Zhao Nianqiao was a career-driven woman. Even pregnant, she kept working at the company. At seven months, while out handling business, she got into a dispute over clients and, somehow, lost the child.

The baby, seven months along, was delivered by the doctor—a lifeless, bruised infant.

Moreover, Zhao Nianqiao's body suffered such severe damage that she was never able to conceive again.

This incident became a shadow over the entire Xu family. Afterwards, Xu Heping accused Zhao Nianqiao of caring only about work and neglecting the child, while she retorted that if he could secure clients, she wouldn't have needed to run around while heavily pregnant.

They argued endlessly, and Zhao Nianqiao never went back to the company.

Sometimes, Xu Zhi wondered if things would have been different had she been a boy—maybe her parents wouldn't have sunk so low.

With the house in turmoil, Xu Zhi went upstairs to pack her things, planning to return to school. As she came back down, she encountered Xu Heping.

Father and daughter rarely spoke, but this time, Xu Heping stopped her, asking, "You're heading back to school?"

Xu Zhi nodded.

"You have a little more than half a year until graduation, right?"

She nodded again, unsure why he was asking; her father had never cared about her academic progress.

He looked at her, as if pondering something, then asked, "How are things with Muzi lately?"

Xu Zhi frowned, "I... don't have anything with him, we're just ordinary friends."

Xu Heping was taken aback. "What do you mean ordinary friends? You two are engaged by family arrangement; your grandfather and Old Master Liang settled it long ago."

Xu Zhi was speechless. Why did everyone insist on making things difficult for her? Clearly, Liang Muzi was the one who rejected the childhood engagement.

She was about to explain when Xu Heping interrupted sternly, "You must marry Muzi. The company is facing some difficulties now, and we need the Liang family's help with financing. Do you understand what this marriage means?"

Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned.

She rarely asked about the company, since Xu Heping never liked to discuss it with her. But now, his implication was clear—he wanted to use her marriage to Liang Muzi to secure financing.

"But Muzi and I..."

She tried to explain, but Xu Heping cut her off, "No buts. You are part of this family. You're an adult now; I've provided for you, supported your education. You can't contribute nothing. I don't care what your relationship with Muzi is—you must marry him. As soon as we're in-laws with the Liang family, the bank will approve my loan just to save face."

Xu Zhi felt a coldness in her chest. Suddenly, she lost all desire to explain.

Xu Heping never listened to her, never had. He had all the typical faults of a father who favored sons, looking down on his daughter. Yet now, when it came time to use her, he showed no hesitation.

"You're about to graduate anyway. The company desperately needs this money, and who knows how long we can hold on. It would be best if you and Muzi could get engaged around the New Year, and we can make it public..."

He paused, looking at her deeply, "What's with that expression? It's not like I'm sentencing you to hardship. Who wouldn't want connections with the Liang family? Besides, you and Muzi have always gotten along so well—haven't you been together all along?"

Xu Zhi pressed her lips together, calmly retorting, "What if Liang Muzi doesn't agree?"

Xu Heping replied, "His parents and Old Master Liang are all fond of you. Why wouldn't he agree?"

"What if..." Xu Zhi's words caught in her throat, stabbing her heart first, "he doesn't like me, and he has another girlfriend?"

"Then you take him back," Xu Heping said, cruel and resolute. "Don't act useless. I've raised you all these years—you ought to be of some use."