Chapter 13: Striking the Deal

Xiao Yi slowly lifted the corner of his mouth, a trace of pride flickering in the corner of his eyes.

“Not only that, I also know, Sister Ran, that you’ve only been in one relationship.”

Ran Xing stared at him, dumbfounded.

But then she thought about it—Xiao Yuan already knew all this.

So she said firmly, “Xiao Yuan must have told you all this, right?”

Xiao Yi didn’t deny it, responding with a relaxed smile.

“To be precise, I asked her to buy this information for me. It probably cost about a hundred thousand.”

Ran Xing nearly jumped up. “A hundred thousand? Are you crazy? You spent a hundred thousand just to buy information about my habits? Xiao Yi, what exactly do you want?”

Xiao Yi played coy, propping his chin on one hand, a glint of slyness hidden deep in his bright eyes.

“Sister Ran, how about we make a deal?”

Ran Xing was puzzled. There shouldn’t be anything between them worth trading. But since he brought it up, curiosity got the better of her, and she asked,

“What kind of deal?”

“I take care of you for a month, and in return, you help me break into the ranks of top-tier celebrities in the entertainment industry.”

Suddenly, Ran Xing understood.

No wonder he was always helping her.

He wanted to leverage her resources to become a big name.

It seemed Xiao Yi wasn’t as innocent as she had thought.

However, she doubted she could help with this deal.

Three years ago, she could have effortlessly helped him.

But now, she was no longer the Ran Xing who had once enjoyed both fame and fortune.

Seeing her silent hesitation, Xiao Yi mistook it for doubt and said,

“Trust me, Sister Ran, a caregiver might not look after you as well as I can.”

“I admit, I do have some habits that require attention, and you might be suited for that. But I’m afraid this deal won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“You’ve probably heard some rumors about me. Now I can tell you—they’re true. Three years ago, I developed bipolar disorder and lost control on set. It went viral online, and my status dropped from the top tier. Now, I probably don’t have enough resources to help you.”

Xiao Yi shook his head, his voice faint but steady.

“No, Sister Ran, you do.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know after finishing this shoot, you have an international advertisement lined up.”

Ran Xing tensed. “How do you know?”

Before she could finish, she suddenly guessed, “Xiao Yuan told you again, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, but this time, she volunteered the information.”

Xiao Yi’s words came a little too fast now, seeming less grounded than before.

Ran Xing bit her lip and sighed helplessly.

“So, you want me to introduce you to President Wang, the advertiser?”

Xiao Yi nodded slightly, confirming, “Yes, you could put it that way. That shouldn’t be difficult for you, right?”

Ran Xing felt as if a flock of crows had just flown overhead and nodded silently.

“Fine, I’ll give it a try. But whether it succeeds or not has nothing to do with me.”

“Then thank you in advance, Sister Ran.”

At that moment, the buzzing of Xiao Yi’s phone broke the silence.

“Sorry, I need to take this call. Sister Ran, please rest for now.”

As he stood, Xiao Yi gently adjusted Ran Xing’s pillow, carefully helped her lie down, and covered her with a blanket.

Only after finishing these did he quietly close the door.

In the hallway,

Xiao Yi buttoned the cuff of his shirt, and through the window, he watched the woman on the hospital bed close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep. Then, lowering his voice, his gaze sharpened with cold intensity.

“What did you find out?”

“The photos were given by Yang Likang. That Wen Xiaoning is Yang Likang’s secret lover. By the way, how is Ran Xing?”

“She’s stable.”

“Do we know what caused the accident?” the other asked, concern evident.

“If Ran Xing’s information is correct, I suspect Wen Xiaoning sabotaged it. She probably cut the brake line, causing brake failure.”

“No, if Ran Xing is fine, why would she seek out Wen Xiaoning?”

“Probably to ask about the photos of Xu Ting.”

“Does Ran Xing know you installed a tracking system on her phone while she was drunk that night?”

Xiao Yi scratched the side of his nose, feeling a bit guilty. “No, I made up some excuse.”

“So, where are you at with your plan now?”

Suddenly, Xiao Yi’s eyes darkened, a sinister gleam flashing within them. He answered calmly,

“You talk too much.”

“All right, all right,” the other sighed in frustration, “I won’t ask anymore. But do you want me to deal with Wen Xiaoning for you?”

“No,” Xiao Yi rejected coldly, a cruel edge flickering in his eyes, “I’ll handle it myself.”

“Hey, actually, I have a good idea. Want to hear it?”

Xiao Yi, holding onto a sliver of hope, asked, “Go ahead.”

“You could meet that Zhang Tong directly as the president of Lu Corporation and crush him in the business world.”

Xiao Yi’s face darkened.

He really shouldn’t have asked.

He rolled his eyes and said,

“If you want me to go to jail, just say so.”

The other laughed softly, “Just joking—we’re law-abiding citizens.”

After hanging up, Xiao Yi casually dialed another number.

Once connected, his thin lips parted slightly, eyes blazing with determination, exuding an aura no one dared challenge.

Slowly, he said,

“Listen, I’ve got some juicy information for you—you’ll be very interested.”

—

Inside the hospital room,

Six hours later,

Night had quietly fallen.

Ran Xing was roused by the enticing aroma of fish-flavored shredded pork.

She habitually raised her right hand to rub her sleepy eyes, but encountered the heavy bandages instead.

Helpless, she lowered her hand and tried to shift her body, attempting to sit up.

Her movements were too vigorous, and she accidentally bumped her right hand.

Pain shot through her, and she let out a soft groan.

Hearing the sound, the bathroom door nearby opened swiftly.

A man, dressed in a gray tracksuit and slippers, hair still damp, hurried to the bedside. Naturally, he took her injured hand, bringing it close to his eyes for a careful inspection.

“Are you okay?”

Ran Xing was startled by the sudden concern and quickly pulled her hand away.

Slightly embarrassed, she said, “I’m fine.”

Just then, droplets from Xiao Yi’s wet hair fell onto her hand, soaking through the bandage.

Ran Xing’s gaze involuntarily traced his jawline upward, studying him closely.

She couldn’t help but say,

“You look very much like someone I know.”

Xiao Yi’s tall figure paused, a light kindling in his eyes as he asked,

“Really? Sister Ran, who do you think I resemble?”

“Like…”

Ran Xing hesitated, a look of melancholy washing over her eyes.

“Like my… fiancé.”

A sudden dryness gripped Xiao Yi’s throat; his voice faltered.

“Your fiancé…?”

Ran Xing nodded heavily.

“Yes. His name was Xu Ting. Unfortunately, he left me three years ago.”

Sensing the mood grow heavy, Ran Xing steadied herself and gestured toward the rice beside her.

“If you don’t eat now, it’ll get cold.”

Xiao Yi suddenly remembered and apologized hastily.

“Sorry, I almost forgot.”

He scooped some fish-flavored shredded pork onto the rice and brought it to her lips.

Ran Xing felt uneasy and reached out to take the chopsticks herself.

“I’ll do it.”

But Xiao Yi refused, “Are you sure you want to use your left hand?”

“Sister Ran, don’t be stubborn with me, okay?”

Without waiting for her answer, he picked up some pork with chopsticks and offered it to her mouth.

Ran Xing’s eyes caught the spoon beside the rice. Seizing a glimmer of hope, she smiled and said,

“I think a spoon suits me better.”