Chapter 581: A Strange Request

Chapter 581: A Strange Request

Before opening the note titled “Xia Jinyu,” Xia Jinyu hesitated. A flicker of unease stirred in her chest. What if the note contained another line that struck straight at the heart of the matter? What would she do then?

Xia Jinyu had never feared a challenge, but she loathed the feeling of losing control.

Pausing for about three seconds, she opened the note.

Xia Jinyu’s Note: When you open this note, it means deep down, you have already accepted the way we interact. Your abrupt decision to look proves you are willing to let this game continue. You are content with the status quo in this world, but that isn’t what you truly want. Since you agree with what I said about life being short, why insist on an existence without a single ripple?

Xia Jinyu’s eyelid twitched violently after reading just the first paragraph.

Life is short!

The two of them had only just spoken of life being short. Xia Jinyu had made a sudden decision to check the notes, and there the very phrase was. This meant Wu Chen had once again anticipated the exact timing of her action, knowing she would open the note after reflecting on how short life is.

Xia Jinyu could not help glancing up at Wu Chen, casting a look that to any onlooker would have seemed entirely inscrutable.

Wu Chen answered with a smile.

To win over Xia Jinyu, beyond stirring her emotions, one factor was paramount: certain things had to be stated outright. He could neither coerce nor drop vague hints—or, framed differently, he could leave her no room for speculation.

Because she was a psychologist.

Her thoughts were exceptionally intricate, and she was skilled at steering others toward the answers she sought.

An intricate mind… once she formed an erroneous judgment or assumption, the progress of winning her over would slow down dramatically. While “unintended complications” might be a trifling matter with anyone else, with Xia Jinyu it could become a serious problem.

As for her skill in steering… she would ultimately arrive at the correct answer anyway.

Since she would reach the right answer regardless, it was far better to tell her directly and save a great deal of time and effort! Xia Jinyu herself was a woman of extraordinarily high tolerance! Because she understood the world; she knew that people were simply like that!

Take male lust, for example.

If an honest, upright man was suddenly exposed for keeping a mistress on the side, shocking his relatives and friends and sending his wife into a fury…

If such an incident occurred around Xia Jinyu, her reaction would be calmer than anyone else’s. At most, she would label the man as someone who was good at disguising himself.

As for moral condemnation, Xia Jinyu couldn’t be bothered.

Because that was simply human nature!

If a woman married for years with children suddenly had an affair with her personal trainer, Xia Jinyu would react the same way.

She had long since stopped looking down on flaws in individual human nature.

There were simply too many to despise.

Xia Jinyu’s Note: You may think that attempting to brainwash a world-renowned psychologist is utterly laughable, yet I intend to do so regardless. I want to correct the definition of brainwashing in your mind. Your life should not have ground to a halt at such a young age…

As she read on, Xia Jinyu’s eyebrows rose slightly.

Never in her wildest imagination had she envisioned a day when someone would preach grand life philosophies to her—as if she were a patient and Wu Chen her psychotherapist.

It was bizarre.

If none of the earlier events had happened, Xia Jinyu would have looked at Wu Chen as if he were an idiot after reading the grand pronouncements in the note, and she would have lost all desire to continue talking to him.

Yet because of everything that had just occurred…

Xia Jinyu’s emotional state was completely different.

For she had, even while consciously aware of it, established a sufficient degree of “trust” in Wu Chen! Not trust in Wu Chen as a person, but trust in his capability! No matter how competitive she was or how much she longed to deny it, she could not deny that Wu Chen had abilities equal to hers, or even greater.

She acknowledged his competence.

Which meant those “grand philosophies” were no longer laughable empty platitudes, but genuine truths!

Xia Jinyu’s Note: I imagine you’ve sensed Bingbing’s hostility. You are a beautiful, intelligent woman, and Bingbing knows my designs on you, though I doubt you’ll care about her attitude.

Judging by the number of times Xia Jinyu swiped the screen, Wu Chen deduced she had reached this passage.

Yet Xia Jinyu did not look up at Li Ruobing at this moment.

Good.

This meant she hadn’t doubted Wu Chen’s words!

Deceiving Xia Jinyu was extraordinarily difficult. The moment one attempted to speak through masked emotion, she could deduce that something was wrong with the statement simply by noting that you had “donned a mask.”

Therefore, Wu Chen had deceived Xia Jinyu through the notes. Written words had no microexpressions. That she raised no suspicion over this line also demonstrated that her “trust” in Wu Chen had reached a certain threshold.

The end of the note read: Miss Xia Jinyu, I would like to invite you to lunch. If you decline, please return my phone. If you accept, please open note 07.

At that moment, Xia Jinyu felt her scalp tingle with sudden numbness.

She had never imagined she would find herself faced with such a dilemma.

Wu Chen had played one final little trick. Of course she could refuse his invitation, but he had also aroused her intense curiosity; she desperately wanted to know what was written in note 07. In truth, at this juncture, if Xia Jinyu followed her true inclination, she was leaning toward accepting the invitation, though she still needed time to weigh it.

Or perhaps speak with Wu Chen for a few more minutes before settling her choice.

Yet Wu Chen’s little parting trick made it feel like a calculation. Framed from another perspective, it made Wu Chen’s invitation direct and forceful! For Xia Jinyu, who intensely disliked taking the initiative and cared little for dining dates, this actually made making a choice far more comfortable, because she hadn’t broken her longstanding principles.

After several seconds of deliberation, Xia Jinyu tapped into “Xia Jinyu 07.”

The content was simple—a single sentence: I hope you will wear burgundy when you come.

A strange request.

Xia Jinyu looked up at Wu Chen and handed the phone back.

“The Dragon and Phoenix private room on the second floor of the Peace Hotel,” Wu Chen said. Smiling as he pocketed the phone, he rose. “I won’t disturb you any further.”

The film had not yet ended, but Wu Chen departed first, taking Li Ruobing with him.

Xia Jinyu kept her head turned, watching Wu Chen and Li Ruobing disappear from view one after the other. How could she possibly be in the mood to watch a movie now? She had intended to chat a little longer, but Wu Chen had given her no opportunity. If she wished to probe further into what kind of man he really was, she would have to wait until lunchtime.

Noon. The second floor of the Peace Hotel in Modu.

The corridor was exceptionally broad with high ceilings, lending it the grandeur of a luxurious hall. Along one side of the hallway outside the private dining rooms, sofas and low tea tables were arranged for guests to rest.

“Do you think she’ll wear burgundy?” Li Ruobing asked from her seat, casting a sidelong glance at Wu Chen while holding his phone.

After leaving the cinema, Li Ruobing had asked Wu Chen question after question about everything she found inexplicable. Xia Jinyu had been forcibly kissed by him, yet she had actually agreed to have lunch together?

Wu Chen had explained part of it, including Xia Jinyu’s inner psychological state. Li Ruobing had wanted to see the notes, and Wu Chen had let her read them.

Even so, much remained that she could not comprehend—especially Wu Chen’s final request. A minor request, yet deeply bizarre. A request about what someone should wear would normally come from a superior to a subordinate, or between people in an intimate relationship. Otherwise, it was unlikely to be accepted. It was rude and intrusive. Wu Chen and Xia Jinyu clearly shared neither of those dynamics.

“She will,” Wu Chen said.

“On what grounds?” Li Ruobing countered. “Why would she listen to you?”

“It’s complicated.” Wu Chen didn’t care to explain.

“I don’t think she will.” Li Ruobing suddenly felt a surge of confidence. She was a woman herself and understood women. “For a woman—especially one like Xia Jinyu who likes to take the lead—complying with your request would place her at an absolute disadvantage in the subsequent conversation. She would never listen to you.”

As they spoke, the sound of high heels echoed down the hall. Though still distant, the footsteps were especially crisp and clear.

“She’s here!” Li Ruobing said after a glance, followed by a light laugh. “Ha! She’s wearing a black dress—looks even more like a a female teacher now.” With that, she gave Wu Chen a challenging look. She had been right: Xia Jinyu hadn’t worn burgundy after all.

Wu Chen smiled, leaning close to Li Ruobing’s ear to murmur, “She’s wearing burgundy underwear. If you don’t believe me, find a chance to check.”

With that, Wu Chen smoothed his suit jacket and stood to greet Xia Jinyu.

Li Ruobing froze. Then she stared at Xia Jinyu. Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could Xia Jinyu be wearing burgundy underwear? Had she gone mad?