Chapter 9: Investigation

Qing sat down on the sofa, looking at Wen Yang.

Wen Yang leaned back on the sofa, pulled over a cushion, and hugged it. Yu Qing gazed at her closely. “You said you’re suspicious? So it’s not confirmed yet?”

Wen Yang nodded. She said, “Do you remember me telling you that Cheng Yanyu took on a jewelry exhibition project?”

“I remember.”

“Well, I traced it back. Ever since he started that project, he’s changed.”

“Such as?”

“For instance, he doesn’t come home on time, he’s very particular about his appearance…” Wen Yang paused. “And before, he was quite passionate in that aspect, but in the past two months, we’ve only been intimate once.”

Yu Qing was incredulous, her expression frozen.

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Wen Yang shook her head.

Yu Qing froze for a moment.

Wen Yang pointed at Li Man’s profile picture. “And it’s not just that—she seems to have a husband.”

Yu Qing was even more shocked. “What? Then what’s her motive?”

Wen Yang replied, “I don’t know.”

“Has Cheng Yanyu lost his mind?”

Wen Yang bit her lip, recalling his tone and demeanor when he was on the phone that night. Her eyes reddened. “He must be in love with her. I overheard him calling her—he spoke so gently, like he was holding her in the palm of his hand.”

“Damn it!” Yu Qing nearly jumped up. She grabbed Wen Yang’s arm and said, “Listen to me now. You must find evidence of their affair—chat logs, hotel records…”

Hearing “hotel records,” Wen Yang’s eyes filled with tears.

“Wen Yang, snap out of it. The company belongs to both of you. If he’s at fault, you need evidence to fight this battle.”

Wen Yang bit her lip.

It was only now that she began to feel the panic of confronting this reality.

“Also, I’ll help you find out who Li Man’s husband is. No one would tolerate being made a fool like this,” Yu Qing said, pulling out her phone to snap a photo of Li Man’s number, profile picture, and studio. Yu Qing found not only Li Man’s face familiar but also the name of her studio. She was certain she had seen it somewhere before.

After saving the photos, Yu Qing turned to Wen Yang. “Do you have any plans for today? I’ll keep you company.”

Wen Yang shook her head.

“Don’t just shake your head. Let’s get out of here, find a place to play some games.” Yu Qing grabbed Wen Yang’s arm, intending to drag her out of the house. Wen Yang, feeling low, tried to resist, but Yu Qing gave her a look and tugged at her again. Wen Yang pressed her lips together and finally stood up.

Yu Qing had known Wen Yang since high school and understood her personality too well.

Wen Yang was gentle and unambitious. She focused on studying when she was a student, married shortly after graduating college, and happily settled into married life with Cheng Yanyu. When classmates teased her about becoming a full-time housewife so early, she didn’t think much of it and continued living her simple, contented life.

In short, she was easygoing and uncalculating.

Now, because of Cheng Yanyu, she was emotionally drained.

Yu Qing felt a pang of heartache.

She had to get her out of the house to breathe some fresh air.

Wen Yang changed her clothes, and the two left the house, heading to an arcade. They played fighting games, with Yu Qing venting her anger at both Cheng Yanyu and Liu Yu.

Wen Yang played quietly, but she couldn’t help recalling how Cheng Yanyu had once brought her here. He had leaned over her shoulder, holding her hand, and whispered instructions in her ear to use special moves.

Her chest ached with a sharp, stinging pain. Memories of the past felt like they were slicing her heart open.

The round ended.

She lost. Yu Qing was still immersed in her intense gaming. Wen Yang sat next to her, no longer playing but watching Yu Qing instead.

They ate lunch together, during which Cheng Yanyu sent Wen Yang food delivery. When he realized she wasn’t home, he left it in the parcel locker and texted her after learning she’d gone out.

Cheng Yanyu: Have fun outside today. Don’t worry about the delivery.

Wen Yang lowered her head and replied.

Yu Qing noticed. “Why reply to him? Ignore him. Make him sweat a bit.”

Wen Yang smiled faintly and still replied.

Their shared habits and companionship were too ingrained for her to respond with hysteria.

Yu Qing rested her chin on her hand. “If he loses you, it’s his loss.”

Wen Yang bit her lip.

She felt lost about the future.

In the afternoon, Liu Yu kept calling Yu Qing with escalating threats, forcing her to leave. Yu Qing bid Wen Yang farewell, urging her to handle her issues quickly.

Only then did Wen Yang learn that Yu Qing had had a big argument with her senior earlier in the morning.

After parting ways with Yu Qing, Wen Yang returned home. She realized she had nowhere else to go. Unlike Yu Qing, who had work to occupy her, Wen Yang’s life was so simple it revolved solely around Cheng Yanyu.

—

Yu Qing had suggested finding evidence of Cheng Yanyu’s affair, so Wen Yang decided to start with his phone.

That morning, Cheng Yanyu went to the company for a meeting. The jewelry exhibition was already under construction, scheduled for next Saturday. The deadline was tight. Cheng Yanyu became busier, occasionally working late, but he made a point to return home by 10 p.m. to be with Wen Yang.

This was what Wen Yang had longed for in recent weeks, and she couldn’t help but fall back into her dependency on him.

She baked cakes.

And he would taste them by her side.

That evening, Cheng Yanyu had to work overtime until late. With the project nearing completion, he needed to oversee things on-site. He messaged Wen Yang, asking her to go to bed first, saying he’d return around 12:30 a.m.

Wen Yang replied, “Okay.”

But after her shower, as she sat alone in the living room, time seemed to crawl unbearably slowly, leaving her to brood and let her thoughts run wild. Just then, her phone rang, breaking the silence in the house—it was Yu Qing calling.

Wen Yang answered.

Yu Qing’s voice came through, breathless. “Do you know who Li Man’s husband is?”

Wen Yang froze, clutching her phone tightly. “Who?”

“The president of Qingshou Group in Nancheng, Fu Xingzhou. Their group is linked to the Fu family group in Jing City, one of the major corporations in both regions.”

Wen Yang listened, stunned, as Yu Qing continued, “So, I can’t quite believe that Li Man would cheat on him with Cheng Yanyu. With a husband like that, why would she even look at Cheng Yanyu? I mean… sure, Cheng Yanyu is handsome and considerate, but he can’t compare, right?”

Wen Yang felt a wave of dizziness.

Yu Qing’s words continued, “It might be that Cheng Yanyu has a one-sided crush? Maybe he’s infatuated with her?”

Wen Yang gripped her pillow tightly.

“But it might not be as bad as you think, Wen Yang,” Yu Qing added.

“Really?” Wen Yang’s voice was faint but hopeful.

“Yes, but even if it’s just infatuation or admiration for Li Man, that’s still emotional cheating,” Yu Qing said disdainfully. “Physical or emotional, it’s all unacceptable. But knowing how deeply you and Cheng Yanyu care for each other—it’s something all of us have seen—it’s hard to imagine him doing this. Your beautiful wedding just two years ago feels like yesterday.”

Yu Qing noticed Wen Yang staying silent and asked worriedly, “What do you think?”

Hearing “emotional cheating” made Wen Yang’s heart ache. She hesitated before saying, “Emotional or physical, I’m afraid of both. But if I had to choose, emotional cheating scares me more. I know too well how Cheng Yanyu acts when he loves someone.”

Because she had experienced it herself.

Yu Qing wanted to hug her friend. “That’s why you need to investigate and confirm the situation between them. What boundaries, if any, have they crossed? If you can’t do it, let me handle it. I’ll hire someone to find out.”

Wen Yang pressed her lips together. “I’ll try first.”

Deep down, she still clung to hope. Cheng Yanyu might be acting strange, but his tenderness remained. She could still feel that he loved her.

His love—she knew it so well.

“What’s your plan?” Yu Qing asked, then quickly guessed. “You’re going to check his phone, aren’t you? No one knows Cheng Yanyu better than you. Just make sure you take screenshots or photos of anything you find.”

“And don’t torment yourself. Call me anytime,” Yu Qing reminded her.

“Okay,” Wen Yang replied softly.

After a pause, she asked, “Yu Qing, what kind of person is Li Man?”

Yu Qing hesitated but answered honestly, “She’s quite accomplished. After graduating from Li City University, she founded Mengbo Jewelry, aiming for a high-end market. Through bespoke jewelry design, she built a strong network and expanded her social circle. That’s how she met Fu Xingzhou and married into the Fu family, elevating her status even more.”

“Families like that often have heirs with issues—womanizing, laziness, or bad reputations. But Fu Xingzhou has none of those. Aside from being busy, he’s exceptionally good-looking. In Nancheng, he’s reportedly one of the most sought-after bachelors among upper-class women. It’s surprising that Li Man won him over.”

“And Li Man has a great reputation in her circles. No scandals or negative comments about her,” Yu Qing added.

Wen Yang’s heart sank.

Even though nothing was confirmed yet, she had already begun to see Li Man as her rival. On one hand, she felt relieved that Li Man had such a husband and background, as Yu Qing said—it seemed unlikely she would get involved with Cheng Yanyu.

But on the other hand, she wished Li Man weren’t so perfect. Her brilliance was blinding and painful to think about. Wen Yang couldn’t shake the memory of Cheng Yanyu’s tone during that phone call—it surfaced again and again in her mind.

Sensing Wen Yang’s distress, Yu Qing said, “With a family like that, she wouldn’t become a mistress. Wen Yang, just focus on finding out what’s going on with Cheng Yanyu.”

Wen Yang nodded. “Alright.”

Still worried, Yu Qing continued, “You’re amazing too, Wen Yang. You’re a fantastic cook, kind-hearted, gentle, and beautiful. You don’t need to prove yourself in the workplace to be extraordinary. What matters most is living comfortably and happily in any situation. Look at me—I’m supposed to be a designer, but I’m always so exhausted I dream of going back to Nan’an to raise geese.”

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