Chapter 16: Which Old Man Is Keeping You?

Before her hand could come down, Pei Qiaonian gripped her wrist tightly and flung her aside. Out of habit, Yu Momo staggered back several steps. Her assistant hurriedly caught her, preventing her from falling.

“Xu Yunzhuo!” Momo glared at him, furious.

Pei Qiaonian glanced at her with obvious disdain, tilting his head arrogantly. “Not only is your face ugly, but your voice is grating too. Don’t call my name, or I’ll have to hit you.”

Yu Momo saw the seriousness in Pei Qiaonian’s expression—he was genuinely considering hitting her.

She was a little shocked. Could it be that being dumped by a man had changed her so drastically?

The Xu Yunzhuo from before hadn’t been like this. She used to be as dull as a dead fish, willing to swallow her pride for money, losing all dignity in her quest to marry into a higher-class family.

Yu Momo had always despised the old Xu Yunzhuo. Her own career wasn’t going well either, but at least she was a popular influencer with a million fans on Douyin. She wasn’t as good as real celebrities, but she was still better off than Xu Yunzhuo. She vented all her frustrations on Xu Yunzhuo, finding satisfaction in seeing someone worse off than herself.

She refused to lose face in front of others and raised her chin haughtily. “If you have the guts, try hitting me.”

Well, it was the first time anyone had made such an unreasonable demand—so he intended to oblige.

Yet, in the next instant, a delicate, fair hand grabbed his wrist, halting his advance. Pei Qiaonian turned to find himself face to face with Ning Qinghuan, whose pure, elegant beauty was as fresh as a lily.

He was momentarily dazed. Ning Qinghuan stepped in front of him, shielding him, and said to Yu Momo, “Momo, stop bullying Yunzhuo. She’s my friend.”

Pei Qiaonian glanced down at the wrist Ning Qinghuan held.

It was strange. Whenever Ning Qinghuan appeared, his heart raced, as if falling for her all over again.

He frowned slightly.

He despised this feeling—this loss of control, the way he was always on the verge of developing feelings for her, and then falling deeper.

That was why he had refused when Ning Qinghuan had asked to be his lover.

With a sharp movement, he shook off Ning Qinghuan’s hand. The force of it made the black card he’d taken from Xu Yunzhuo’s pocket fly out and land on the floor.

Ning Qinghuan’s eyes reddened with hurt as she looked at Pei Qiaonian. Yu Momo, quick-eyed, spotted the black card and, just as Pei Qiaonian bent to pick it up, planted her foot on it. She wore a triumphant expression, as if she’d caught Xu Yunzhuo in some misdeed. “I thought you were so well-behaved, but you’re just like everyone else—found yourself a sugar daddy who gives you a black card. Seems you’re quite good at serving people.”

She finished sneering at Pei Qiaonian and turned to Ning Qinghuan. “You treat her as a friend, but clearly she sees you as an enemy. Don’t waste your warmth on someone who’s cold to you.” Her eyes dropped to the black card, envy flickering in her gaze. “Let’s see whose name is on this card—which old man is keeping you?”

Ning Qinghuan looked wounded.

A flash of malice crossed Pei Qiaonian’s eyes; the woman before him was both annoying and noisy.

As Yu Momo reached down to snatch the card, Pei Qiaonian stomped down on her fingers.

Yu Momo screamed and jerked her hand back, but Pei Qiaonian pressed his foot down hard on her exposed, pale instep, grinding mercilessly. He smiled with satisfaction. “Did you get a good look at the cardholder’s name?”

“Aah! It hurts! Xu Yunzhuo, let go! Are you crazy? Someone, help! My foot’s bleeding!” Yu Momo’s eyes brimmed with tears from the pain. She tried to hit Pei Qiaonian, but he caught her wrist and squeezed until it hurt.

Her assistant, too frightened by Pei Qiaonian’s shove, stayed frozen to the side.

Pei Qiaonian’s smile made Xu Yunzhuo’s usually seductive face appear even more bewitching. His dark almond eyes fixed on Yu Momo. “I asked you, did you see the name?”

Yu Momo didn’t dare provoke him any further. She shook her head, her voice trembling. “No, no, Xu… Xu Yunzhuo, I’m sorry. I apologize. I was out of line. Please let go, it hurts.”

Pei Qiaonian snorted, releasing her. She immediately backed away several steps, her instep now red and oozing blood.

Pei Qiaonian’s lips curled into a faint smile, his eyes full of disdain.

He bent to pick up the black card. Ning Qinghuan only managed to glimpse the first capital letter, P.

The rest of the name was concealed beneath Pei Qiaonian’s fingers.

Ning Qinghuan stepped forward and grabbed Pei Qiaonian’s hand. “Yunzhuo, give me a chance to explain. I truly never meant to hurt you.”

He shook her off again, his gaze icy. “Get out of my way.”

The words she wanted to say stuck in Ning Qinghuan’s throat. That look and demeanor—strangely, they overlapped with the figure in her memory.

For a moment, she could see Pei Qiaonian’s shadow in Xu Yunzhuo.

That man who looked down on the world, indifferent and cold to everyone and everything.

But he had the right to be proud—he had built an entire business empire after taking over the Pei family, creating it with his own hands.

No matter how aloof or heartless he was, women still flocked to him like moths to a flame.

Suppressing her shock, Ning Qinghuan’s stunningly beautiful face took on a hint of sorrow. “I’m sorry, Yunzhuo. But please believe me—I have nothing to do with him. I already have someone I love.”

Pei Qiaonian frowned slightly, unwilling to spare her another glance. He strode out of the company, missing the flash of malice in Yu Momo’s eyes.

“Qinghuan, let’s head upstairs. Sister Xia is still waiting for you,” her assistant whispered behind her.

Sister Xia was Ning Qinghuan’s agent. Unlike Xu Yunzhuo, Ning Qinghuan had been lucky. The two debuted together, but Ning Qinghuan had become a breakout star thanks to a supporting role in a fantasy drama. Now she was one of the hottest new actresses in the entertainment industry, her pure and exquisite looks, along with a spotless reputation, had earned her the title “Fairy Sister” among netizens.

Ning Qinghuan withdrew her gaze, her lovely eyes lowered. “Yunzhuo seems like a different person now. I suppose the broken engagement must have hit her hard…”

With that, she covered her mouth as if she had let something slip.

Yu Momo, sensing gossip like a cat to fish, immediately pounced. “So the rumors are true? Xu Yunzhuo was dumped by the Pei family? The Pei family has two young masters—don’t tell me… Pei Qiaonian? Was she really so lucky, about to marry the top tycoon?”

Ning Qinghuan frowned in exasperation. “No, Momo, stop asking. This has nothing to do with you.”

She stomped her foot and turned away, leaving Yu Momo with endless speculation.

Yu Momo truly knew nothing about the affairs of the wealthy. She had only learned from Ning Qinghuan that Xu Yunzhuo was the real eldest daughter whom the Xu family had found and brought back.

But when she heard that Xu Yunzhuo had grown up in the countryside, she instantly felt a sense of balance.

The Xu family and the Pei family belonged to completely different worlds.

There was no way the Pei family’s young master would marry someone so out of his league as a Xu.

In the upper echelons of Beijing society, there were always hierarchies.

And the Xu family belonged right at the bottom.