Chapter 36: Four People Can't Cross Each Other

Nan Xiao didn’t know about any of this. He nodded, “Sure, let’s go together.”

…

That evening, Xu Ruoxin returned home.

Her parents were both migrant workers—so it was no surprise that she’d met Xie Chengyu during her first year at university, when he’d come to inspect a construction site.

But after she broke into the entertainment industry and made a fortune, with Xie Chengyu’s help, she’d gotten her parents out of manual labor and bought them a spacious high-rise apartment in the city center. She’d even rebranded them as refined, upper-class people.

When she walked through the door, her mother Chen Lian stepped forward, gently taking the bag from her hands. Her voice trembled slightly:
“Ruoxin, why haven’t you answered your phone these past two days? How’s the baby? Are you and Chengyu… okay?”

Her father, Xu Ziqiang, followed close behind.
“Did filming keep you busy lately? Don’t overwork yourself—you’re carrying our whole future now. The baby must be safe at all costs…”

“I know, I know,” Ruoxin snapped, irritation bubbling up. “Why do you have to ask me all these questions? I can’t even answer them!”

The moment she stepped inside, it was all about the baby. A wave of frustration washed over her. She waved her hand dismissively, pushed past her parents, and stormed straight into her bedroom.

Behind her, the door slammed shut.

Chen Lian stared at it, murmuring softly, “What’s wrong with this girl? One mention of the baby and she gets so upset. And she won’t even let me take her to the hospital for a checkup. She’s just too stubborn…”

“Enough already,” Xu Ziqiang said, waving her off. “She knows what she’s doing. Let’s go play cards instead.”

Lying on her plush bed, Ruoxin scrolled mindlessly through her phone, thoughts circling back to Xie Chengyu.

For the past few days, he’d been acting normal—no cold shoulder over the online harassment against Nan Xiao, nothing unusual. But still, something felt off. She couldn’t shake the unease.

She decided to test the waters.

Staring at the promotional image of the upcoming auction on her phone, she dialed him.
“Chengyu… there’s an auction this Friday. Can you take me?”

By Friday, Nan Xiao wore a sleek black cocktail dress that hugged her figure like a second skin. Her hair was swept high atop her head, exposing her pale shoulders and long, elegant neck. Her eyes were lined with sharp, dramatic makeup, and she wore a black butterfly mask—looking every bit like a guest at a masquerade ball, glowing with dangerous beauty.

Lin Yan wore a silver gown—elegant, striking, undeniably beautiful. But when the two walked into the auction hall arm-in-arm, every eye in the room turned toward Nan Xiao.

It wasn’t because Lin Yan wasn’t stunning. It was the mask—the mystery, the boldness, the sheer *difference*.

If this were a masquerade, where everyone wore masks except one person, that one person would be the undeniable center of attention.
But here, no one else wore masks. Only Nan Xiao did. So she became the focal point—unavoidable, magnetic.

Lin Yan pulled her to the third row, whispering in her ear:
“Look at you, even with that mask on, you’re irresistible. Just imagine what’ll happen when you take it off. They’ll all fall at your feet. Let Xie Chengyu regret ever letting you go.”

Nan Xiao smiled faintly. For years, she’d been called ugly, mocked, ignored. Now, suddenly, she was the one being worshipped by the crowd. Of course she wasn’t happy—it was impossible not to be.

But her smile vanished the moment she saw Xie Chengyu and Xu Ruoxin walk in together.

Xie Chengyu wore a tailored black suit—cold, composed, radiating quiet elegance and an almost unconscious kind of perfection. There was a regal stillness about him, like he belonged above everyone else.

Xu Ruoxin wore a satin red gown, her lips painted the same deep crimson. She looked effortlessly glamorous, seductive, exactly as she always did.

Seeing them, Lin Yan’s brow knotted. She instinctively stood up, as if ready to confront them.

Nan Xiao grabbed her sleeve, pulling her down. “Don’t. Let them come. We ignore them.”

“But they know about us,” Lin Yan muttered, her voice tight. “And this isn’t just some random crowd. These are North City’s elite. A lot of them attended your wedding.”

Nan Xiao knew that. She clenched her fists, forcing herself not to flinch under the weight of the stares—some curious, some cruel, most judgmental.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said quietly. “They’ve been gossiping for three years. I’m immune by now.”

She wasn’t fine. She was just tired—tired of pain, tired of betrayal, tired of watching her life unravel while others pretended to care.

Besides, she and Xie Chengyu were getting divorced. Why stir up trouble?

Lin Yan sighed, sinking back into her seat. But as she sat, Xu Ruoxin caught sight of her—and then her gaze lingered on Nan Xiao beside her.

A beat passed.

Then the auction began.

This event was clearly built around Xu Ruoxin.

She hadn’t bid on much—only four items total—but each one was priceless.

One was a rare pink diamond. When it finally sold to her, the room erupted in congratulations. People asked if she’d turn it into a ring, if she and Xie Chengyu were getting married again…

Neither of them denied it.

So the old sycophants started celebrating their reunion before it even happened.

Xie Chengyu remained expressionless, but he never once refuted anything. That silence alone was enough to drive Lin Yan wild.

Afterward, she exploded.
“F***ing hell! I’m gonna kill them! I swear, if hitting people weren’t illegal, I’d punch both of them right now!”

Outside, free from restraint, she spat the words between gritted teeth.

“That pair of scumbags—they actually *let* people congratulate them? How dare they act like they’re still together? It’s disgusting!”

Just then, Xie Chengyu and Xu Ruoxin approached.

Four people met in the narrow hallway—close quarters, no room to pass without collision.

Lin Yan froze mid-sentence, eyes locked onto Xu Ruoxin like a predator sighting prey.

Xu Ruoxin had just landed four billion-yuan jewels. She’d been praised, fawned over, celebrated. She was riding high.

Smiling, she said, “You came to the auction too? What did you end up bidding on?”

Still, she kept her arm linked with Xie Chengyu’s—as if it were natural, as if it were hers.

“Nothing,” Nan Xiao replied, voice flat. She kept her eyes lowered, refusing to meet Xu Ruoxin’s gaze.

Inside, her mind raced: Should she turn and walk away with Lin Yan? Should she step aside and let them pass? Or should she speak up and demand they make way?

The corridor was too narrow for all four to pass side by side.

Xu Ruoxin seemed unfazed. She’d just spent millions—on things Xie Chengyu hadn’t objected to, even offered to raise bids on. The tension between them had vanished.

Whatever storm had brewed in their relationship… it had cleared.