Chapter 53: Is She Even Worthy?

Xianyu Jing gave an awkward smile. “I was just tagging along for the experience, that’s all.”

Zhai Yan’er was unconvinced. “Don’t fool me! My brother said there’s no way things could’ve been resolved this quickly without Principal Xi’s intervention!”

“Why would your brother be interested in my affairs?” Xianyu Jing asked, suspicion in her voice.

After all, she was only a distant relative of the Nangong family. Surely the Zhai family wasn’t wary of even her?

“It’s because Zuo Jingjing’s father works at my brother’s company!” Zhai Yan’er said, somewhat exasperated. “I even told my brother, Zuo Jingjing is so awful, her father can’t be much better, so he shouldn’t employ him anymore!”

Xianyu Jing chuckled at that. “This is between me and Zuo Jingjing. Your brother wouldn’t blame her family for her mistakes.”

“Exactly!” Zhai Yan’er nodded vigorously. “That’s what my brother said too!”

Then she curled her lips in disdain. “But still! If the head of the house isn’t upright, how can the rest be? My brother is usually so sharp—why doesn’t he get this principle…”

Xianyu Jing exchanged a glance with Bai Liyao but offered no comment. Her brother understood plenty—perhaps too much.

It was Zuo Jingjing who had targeted Xianyu Jing as a member of the Nangong family. As the head of the Zhai family, why would he sacrifice a valuable employee for the sake of someone from the Nangong clan?

Zhai Yan’er, lacking subtlety, had simply never thought that far. Perhaps she harbored no ill will toward Xianyu Jing despite the rivalry between their families. Xianyu Jing tried to see it in a positive light.

Elsewhere, Nangong Xin, Lu Hankai, and Luo Liya were fuming over Xianyu Jing.

“How does that wild girl get away with everything?” Nangong Xin complained bitterly in their private group chat.

Lu Hankai replied, frustrated, “There’s something uncanny about her!”

Every time someone tried to mess with her, they ended up in trouble themselves.

Luo Liya chimed in, “That’s because she used to have your big brother and second brother protecting her, and now there’s Zhai Yan’er too. My sister says we can’t touch Xianyu Jing anymore.”

In truth, Luo Lina was most wary of Zhai Yan’er. Without certainty of victory, she didn’t want to risk alienating Zhai Yan’er over a grudge against Xianyu Jing.

Nangong Xin was indignant. “Are we just going to let that wild girl live the good life?”

Luo Liya tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry, we’ll get our chance!”

Lu Hankai agreed. “Right! We won’t let that brat off so easily!”

He still hadn’t forgiven himself for the trouble his cousin took on his behalf last time. His aunt was furious—he couldn’t just let it go.

Just then, Xiao Zhiying appeared online. “Xin Xin, I heard the Xi family invited Madam Nangong and the eldest young master over for dinner last weekend, and your cousin was there too.”

Nangong Xin had no idea about any of this—she’d been off at the autumn fashion week in F country last weekend. “Why her?”

Xiao Zhiying replied, “Apparently, at the charity ball fiasco, your cousin saved Young Master Xi…”

Luo Liya sensed something amiss. “She wasn’t after Young Master Xi all along, was she?”

Nangong Xin bristled. “As if she’s worthy!”

Lu Hankai seemed to have an epiphany. “My uncle did mention that Principal Xi personally intervened in the recent online incident.”

Luo Liya added, “No wonder!”

No wonder her sister had instructed her to avoid provoking Xianyu Jing at school. If the Xi family was now protecting her, targeting her would be asking for trouble.

Nangong Xin was practically seething.

What tricks did Xianyu Jing have up her sleeve? Why was everyone under her spell?

Xiao Zhiying tried to soothe her. “Don’t worry, Xin Xin. Maybe Young Master Xi is just temporarily taken in by her act.”

Luo Liya agreed. “Exactly. She’s just a pheasant; there’s no way Young Master Xi would be interested in her!”

Xiao Zhiying added, “Still, better safe than sorry. Didn’t the Xi family just buy a villa in the Fuhua district last month?”

Fuhua was the very villa district where the Nangong estate was located.

Nangong Xin became instantly alert. “Really?”

Xiao Zhiying affirmed, “That’s what my cousin said, so it should be true.”

Her cousin worked at the same agency as Xi Junle, which made it easy for Nangong Xin to keep tabs on his whereabouts.

Nangong Xin could no longer keep calm. “No way! That wild girl will definitely try to seduce Junle!”

Lu Hankai sneered. “Who’d want anything to do with a girl like her?”

Luo Liya retorted, “Shows what you know! Just because no one wants her doesn’t mean she’ll behave herself!”

Lu Hankai fell silent.

Nangong Xin could no longer sit still. As soon as school ended, she had someone pack her things—two full carloads—and rushed straight to the Nangong estate.

Aunt Rong was startled by the sight of all that luggage. “Miss Xin, what’s all this?”

Nangong Xin gave her a sideways glance. “Can’t you see? It’s my luggage! Get the second floor ready—I’m moving in tonight.”

Aunt Rong looked troubled. “But the master hasn’t given instructions. We can’t just make those decisions…”

Besides, the second floor was the family cousin’s room—if Miss Xin moved in, where would the cousin stay?

Nangong Xin couldn’t care less. “Why so much fuss? I’ll call big brother myself in a minute!”

She knew perfectly well that if she had asked beforehand, her brother would never have agreed. It was better to act first and report later. Once she’d moved in, he wouldn’t kick her out.

She would never have dared act so willfully before, but Xianyu Jing had gotten under her skin—her impulsiveness had overridden all else.

There was no way she’d allow that wild girl a chance to get close to Junle!

How to stop her? Naturally, by living together and keeping watch every day. This was actually Xiao Zhiying’s secret suggestion.

Aunt Rong was nearly beside herself; Miss Xin’s reputation for willfulness was well known. If she didn’t comply, there would be no end to the trouble. But she couldn’t defy the eldest master either—her job would be at risk.

Just then, Su Cha came downstairs and whispered to Aunt Rong, “Cousin says to let Miss Xin move in for now.”

Xianyu Jing, having overheard the commotion upstairs, had instructed Su Cha to call Cui Hao.

Nangong Ao was in a meeting and couldn’t answer, so Cui Hao had passed the message to Bai Luomei.

Bai Luomei replied simply, “Let cousin move to the third floor.”

Next to Nangong Ao’s bedroom was a smaller guest room. Although it was less spacious and lacked a walk-in closet, Xianyu Jing didn’t have many belongings—it would suffice.

Reluctantly, Aunt Rong and Su Cha cleared out Xianyu Jing’s room for Nangong Xin.

By the time everything was settled, it was late into the night.

No sooner had she settled in than Nangong Xin began complaining that she was used to having a personal attendant and demanded Aunt Rong assign her a maid.

Aunt Rong felt faint with frustration.

There was no one else but her and Su Cha. She was too old for such service, and Su Cha attended to the cousin.

All she could do was go to Xianyu Jing to vent her troubles. Xianyu Jing calmly told Su Cha, “I don’t need much here. You can look after Miss Xin for a few days.”