Chapter 49 – If Nan Xiao Could Find a Flaw
Xie Chengyu had already been angry at Nan Xiao for hiding him. Hearing her talk of “making it up to him” only stoked his fury further.
“Make amends?”
The corner of his lips curled into a cold smile, his aura dropping several degrees.
Nan Xiao froze, puzzled as to why he was getting angrier. She had wronged him, so apologizing and offering to make it up should have been the proper thing. Why wasn’t he satisfied?
“Yes, I was in the wrong just now…”
Her nature was like this—when she was at fault, she grew especially timid, almost ready to apologize a hundred times just to soothe the other person’s anger. Of course, she wouldn’t truly go that far; that would be too humiliating.
After some thought, she added, “I really was wrong just now. If you want some form of compensation, just tell me.”
Xie Chengyu’s face grew darker still.
“You’re this polite with everyone?”
He had just begun to admire her boldness in standing against Nan Qingqing, yet in front of him she shrank back. Yes, hiding him had angered him—but he wasn’t some beast about to devour her. Did she really need to keep apologizing over and over?
“…”
Nan Xiao lifted her gaze, confused by his words.
“Not with everyone…”
With Lin Yan or Xiao Zekai, she never acted this deferential. But could Xie Chengyu really be compared to them?
“Then why hide me when meeting your friend?”
He decided not to press her soft temperament any further, shifting the subject to his next grievance.
Nan Xiao answered calmly, “That friend is a celebrity. His private life—”
“His private life isn’t convenient to expose, so you hide it?” Xie Chengyu cut in, finishing her sentence.
She blinked, then nodded.
“Yes, exactly…”
Her reasoning seemed logical—after all, Xiao Zekai was a top star. Even if he bore no grudge against Xie Chengyu, his private life needed strict secrecy.
But once Xie Chengyu phrased it aloud, it sounded… strange.
“Not even to me?”
His voice carried suppressed anger.
“Whatever else, we’re still husband and wife in name. For now, we’re bound by shared interests. Do you think I’d go leaking his secrets?”
“…”
Nan Xiao was momentarily speechless. On the surface, his words made sense—but she quickly sensed something amiss.
“President Xie, I don’t think it works that way. After all, we’re not an ordinary couple.”
Her head tilted, her voice dropping low. She was already speaking as tactfully as she could.
Their marriage had always been a transaction. In essence, they weren’t even friends—just two acquaintances bound by a contract. With such a relationship, of course she would keep certain “private” matters from him.
Xie Chengyu’s handsome face shadowed as he stared at the crown of her head in silence.
At length, he said, “I didn’t mind what happened today. You don’t need to compensate me. I’ll go first.”
With that, he left her apartment.
Downstairs, he tugged at his tie, letting the cool wind clear his head. Awareness struck—his reaction earlier had been off.
They were contract spouses, meant not to interfere with each other. So why had he interrogated her? Why did he care so much about her male friends?
After a moment’s reflection, the answer clicked.
Because men, even if they don’t like their wives, won’t tolerate the feeling of wearing a green hat. His displeasure was normal.
Relieved, he walked back to his car and drove away.
That night, something bizarre happened. The storm over “Nan Xiao’s leaked photo” vanished into thin air.
Not only were related search terms erased from every platform, even the photo itself was scrubbed from the internet. Unless someone had saved it privately, it was gone.
Netizens marveled:
“How did the trending topic disappear so cleanly? I’ve never seen it wiped like this before. Must’ve cost a fortune!”
“Right? Even celebrities can’t erase a hot search this thoroughly. What kind of backing does Xiaoxiao Wuye have…?”
There weren’t many such discussions, and the matter faded. But the internet never forgets. Conversations shifted toward Xu Ruoxin and the investor.
People sneered that Nan Xiao was even uglier than imagined. The investor was pitied for being forced to marry such a woman, and Xu Ruoxin was pitied for having to “compete” with her.
As for the reporters surrounding Nan Xiao, though some footage spread, the Xie family’s influence silenced any mention of Xie Chengyu’s name. The incident died quickly.
By the next day, those empty-handed reporters had turned their sights on Xu Ruoxin instead.
They blocked her outside the set, asking her opinion on Nan Xiao’s appearance.
Tucking her hair back with a gentle smile, Xu Ruoxin replied:
“I have no opinion about our screenwriter’s looks. She’s a very good person in real life, and her appearance is not her fault. Please don’t attack her for it.”
Her voice was soft, her words kind. She didn’t say anything bad about Nan Xiao. Yet once the interview aired, not a single person’s impression of Nan Xiao improved. Instead, everyone praised Xu Ruoxin.
“Xu Ruoxin is so kind! She doesn’t judge by appearances—our Ruoxin is the best, sob sob!”
Reading the comments, Lin Yan fumed, cursing Xu Ruoxin for ten straight minutes until Nan Xiao, helpless, patted her shoulder.
“Don’t be mad. Your temper really needs working on. Anger’s bad for your health.”
Lin Yan’s fiery temper hurt others and herself. Nan Xiao hoped she could find more peace.
“Besides, this isn’t all bad.”
Nan Xiao sipped her coffee, a faint smile curving her lips.
The photo scandal was surely Nan Qingqing’s doing. And Nan Qingqing was so stupid, her scheme was bound to be riddled with flaws.
If Nan Xiao could seize those flaws, everything would become much easier.
