CHAPTER 596: CHAPTER 596: WHERE THERE’S A MISTRESS, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER

Saying goodbye to Chen Huan felt as if everything had changed.

Thinking back to the competition for newcomers that year, Chen Huan came in third, standing right next to Lin Zhiyi.

The two spent some good times together at Xue Man’s Studio.

Little did they know, Chen Huan herself was a huge lie.

As the office door was pushed open, Chen Huan stood up at the sound.

The once plain woman was now voluptuous and luxurious.

A pair of pink diamond earrings with little bunnies dangled from her ears.

Totally out of line with her overall temperament.

When Chen Huan saw Lin Zhiyi, there was no emotion, just a standard smile on her delicately made-up face.

"What a rare guest, when they said you were coming, I thought it was someone with the same name."

Lin Zhiyi exchanged pleasantries politely, "Mr. Chen."

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Huan burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, fortunes do change, huh? Never thought those words would come out of your mouth, Lin Zhiyi."

"Could it be that you’ve offended half the industry and have nowhere else to turn, so you’re coming to me?"

Chen Huan seemed to revel in the moment, her lips curling with smug satisfaction.

"Lin Zhiyi, weren’t you the one who loved Xue Man the most? You even helped her plot against me! Why don’t you go beg her now? I certainly can’t help you."

"What? Did she abandon you too?"

Chen Huan leisurely sipped her tea, her eyes gleaming with schadenfreude as she gazed at Lin Zhiyi, hoping to see despair on her face.

However, Lin Zhiyi sat calm and composed, listening to her till she finished.

"Are you done?"

"What...what do you mean?"

Chen Huan frowned, momentarily uncertain of Lin Zhiyi’s intentions.

Lin Zhiyi looked at her, "With or without me, you were the third party in Xue Man’s marriage, your affairs have nothing to do with me."

"I didn’t plot against you; at most, I was just protecting myself."

"Winning over a scumbag doesn’t mean victory, besides, are you really doing well?"

With just three sentences, Chen Huan’s tea spilled onto her white dress.

As if telling her that no matter how clean you dress, you can’t cover up the stains of the past.

Chen Huan slammed the teacup down forcefully, "Lin Zhiyi! If you’re here to cause trouble, I’ll have security escort you out now!"

"You’re the same as before, fronting so well, only to easily break down in the end. Honestly, deep down, you’re still insecure."

Lin Zhiyi casually handed her a tissue.

Chen Huan trembled slightly as she took it, wanting to retort, but only opening her mouth.

Lin Zhiyi poured her some more tea and then poured herself a cup to drink.

"He cheated again, didn’t he? On my way up, an employee in the latest designer set dressed more like the boss lady than you, interrogated me for three minutes to make sure I was here for you before letting me in."

Where there’s a mistress, there’ll be a second, a third, a fourth...

Now Chen Huan is like the former Xue Man, with only the studio’s interests left between her and that man.

Chen Huan chuckled softly at the tea in front of her, "Coming from so far to laugh at me? At least I’m better than Xue Man! I didn’t turn into an alcoholic."

Lin Zhiyi retorted, "Why must you compare yourself with Xue Man? Then do you have to compare yourself with that woman outside next? She wears pink diamonds, so you wear pink diamonds that don’t suit you?"

"Actually, you and Xue Man both know, if it’s not you, it’ll be that woman outside, and after comparing one, there’s another, but in the end, you’ll just end up losing yourself."

That’s how Xue Man ended up.

Pretending to be carefree in ending a marriage, but in reality confining herself within it.

Chen Huan is on the brink too.

She covered her earrings with one hand, indignantly saying, "Enough! Lin Zhiyi, I don’t want to hear your preaching! Get out!"

Lin Zhiyi set down her teacup and slowly stood up.

"That mistress is a newcomer your husband is promoting, right? Just like when he placed you in Xue Man’s Studio."

"..."

Chen Huan pursed her lips, her hands clenching tightly.

Lin Zhiyi continued, "Xue Man’s studio released new items, and usually you’d follow suit, why haven’t you moved this season? Do you think their new items can’t be copied? Your husband probably wants you to use that woman’s design for new items, doesn’t he?"

By this point in the conversation, Chen Huan should realize she came prepared.

Lin Zhiyi didn’t spell it out, turning to leave.

After taking two steps, Chen Huan looked up and called out to her.

"Lin Zhiyi, what exactly do you want to do?"

"Talk about a collaboration."

"Collaboration? You want to deal with Xue Man?" Chen Huan looked at Lin Zhiyi incredulously.

"You’ve seen how they have colluded against me online, haven’t you? I must protect myself."

Lin Zhiyi was candid.

Chen Huan didn’t answer immediately, pretending to think as she slowly sipped her tea.

"Why should I believe you?"

"I have a very popular necklace at Xue Man’s Studio. In fact, I designed two styles at that time; I just didn’t get to launch the second one before I left the studio. I can collaborate with you on the design, so you don’t have to use the mistress’s design."

The gemstone market in Jing City is not that big yet not that small.

The gossip spreads particularly fast.

The love-hate entanglements between Xue Man and her ex-husband are like a TV series.

It so happened that Dazhu was in jewelry sales, and a little inquiry was all it took to find out.

As Xue Man and Bai Ruoshu tried to divert public chatter, Lin Zhiyi prepared a high stage to put on her own performance.

Whatever they’re afraid of, she’ll perform it.

The feud between Xue Man and her ex-husband had long made headlines, and she would use that popularity to her advantage.

If at this moment, Xue Man were outperformed by Chen Huan.

It would impact not only Xue Man, but also newly-hired chief designer Bai Ruoshu.

By then, who would be more anxious would be quite uncertain.

Chen Huan remained silent.

Lin Zhiyi calmly reminded her, "Mr. Chen, between money and a man, you better keep one."

Chen Huan hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind.

"Alright, I agree."

Lin Zhiyi checked the time, Gong Chen should be almost done by now.

"Mr. Chen, then get ready to release an announcement, the jewelry, I’ve already prepared for you."

With that, she unbuttoned her shirt to reveal the necklace around her neck.

Chen Huan’s gaze fixed on the necklace, unable to look away.

The chasm between her and Lin Zhiyi at that moment transformed into admiration.

If not for Song Wanqiu back then, Lin Zhiyi would undoubtedly have been the champion.

...

Gong Group.

As Gong Chen looked through some documents, the office door was opened.

Bai Zhengxian and Bai Ruoshu walked in.

"Third Young Master."

"Sit down. What brings you here?"

Gong Chen skipped the small talk.

The father and daughter sat down, but neither said a word.

The aroma of tea filled the air as the man in the top seat flipped through his files, not once lifting his head.

His whole demeanor was calm and impassive, showing no hints of urgency on behalf of Lin Zhiyi.

Bai Zhengxian frowned slightly, casting a glance towards Bai Ruoshu.

Bai Ruoshu walked up to Gong Chen, somewhat apologetic, "Third Young Master, I’m really sorry about the online issue, I have no idea who’s spreading those rumors."

"No need to apologize to me." Gong Chen’s face grew a shade colder.

Bai Ruoshu’s lips curled slightly.

Indeed, just as her mother said, once a woman becomes a burden, a man grows weary.

"Third Young Master, don’t worry, there must be a way to resolve this."

She eagerly gazed at Gong Chen, hinting for him to pay attention to her.

Gong Chen shut the document, slowly lifting his head, his dark eyes stern and cold.

"I said, you don’t need to apologize to me, the one you should apologize to is Zhiyi."

"Third Young Master, what do you mean? I..."

Bai Ruoshu’s words faltered as her gaze fell on the red mark on the man’s Adam’s apple.

What it was, she knew all too well.