Chapter 158: The More It Is Untangled, the More It Knots

According to what Wen Jingxing had said, they were once very close friends who often played together. If that were the case, after they grew up and reunited, even if the original owner did not want to marry Wen Jingxing, she certainly would not have hated him. It should have been a joyful reunion.

However, the plot in the book mentioned more than once that the original owner and Wen Jingxing never got along from the moment they met. It was a mercy that they didn't get into a full-blown fistfight. It was clear just how incompatible they were. Moreover, since they grew up playing in the same residential complex, everyone should have remembered that the original owner was the close playmate Wen Jingxing spoke of. But no one remembered. Even Auntie Li, who had watched Wen Jingxing grow up, was now coming to talk to her about it.

Could the biggest reason be that the "good friend" Wen Jingxing talked about and the "good friend" everyone else remembered were not the same person? Song Wanning dared to think boldly. She had already experienced the bizarre event of transmigrating into a book, so there was nothing she was afraid to consider. However, the events of the past were too distant, and even the original owner, the person directly involved, had never spoken of them, so Song Wanning knew even less. Finding the situation increasingly messy, Song Wanning simply stopped thinking about it.

Seeing Wen Jingxing approaching in the distance, she had to agree to Auntie Li's request first. "Don't worry, Auntie Li! I will definitely keep him good company during the variety show!" She set a time limit, though—only for the duration of the show. She didn't expect that by keeping him company, she would end up entangling herself as well.

For now, looking at Wen Jingxing’s increasingly clear face and keeping Auntie Li’s words in mind, she walked up to him with a smile. "Jingxing, why did you come out? Have you finished lunch? Was it good?"

Wen Jingxing looked at the woman who was suddenly so attentive toward him, then glanced at Auntie Li behind her, guessing that this was likely prompted by the older woman. He didn't dwell on it, nor did he want to overthink it; he simply wanted things to continue this way. "I finished all the food. I just noticed you weren't there, so I came out to look for you. Your cooking is as good as ever."

Wen Jingxing answered her questions one by one. Song Wanning was quite happy that her cooking had been recognized again. She asked, "Do you have any plans for the afternoon?"

Wen Jingxing was about to nod, then shook his head instead. "No. What would you like to do?"

"Hmm... how about you come with me to..." Song Wanning pondered as she discussed potential activities with him.

Auntie Li watched their receding figures with great joy. The two were simply such a perfect match!

However, the atmosphere at the Fan-Jing Garden estate became exceptionally lively that evening, as it played host to three uninvited guests: Shen Yue, Wen Yi, and Gu Yan. Since Wen Jingxing and Song Wanning were out, and Auntie Li, out of personal bias, had not notified them, it wasn't until the two returned at ten o'clock that they learned three "guests had been waiting for a long time."

Shen Yue was naturally there to settle scores. She didn't bother waiting to take Song Wanning to a private spot; the moment she saw Song Wanning’s face, she rushed over excitedly. "Song Wanning, you are so vicious! Jiang Mingzhao was clearly here that day it rained, yet you lied to me and said he wasn't!"

Song Wanning was wearing a black camisole dress and black high-heeled sandals, with a fluffy shawl draped over her shoulders; she had just returned from a street food market with Wen Jingxing. Already tall, the addition of heels brought her close to Shen Yue, and she looked down at the other woman almost condescendingly.

Song Wanning didn't panic under the interrogation; instead, she countered. "Really? This place is huge. I thought he had left that day. He told me he was going to stay elsewhere, but the rain was so heavy he couldn't leave, so he ended up staying here. I saw how you kept asking about him, and I assumed he had already told you. So he hadn't? How strange."

"You!" Shen Yue had rushed over in a fury after failing to find Jiang Mingzhao and then watching the show's footage, which revealed he had been there for several days. She hadn't even prepared what to say, and now, caught off guard by Song Wanning’s retort, she was left speechless. "I don't care! Make him appear in front of me right now!"

Song Wanning shrugged. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that. Just this morning, he said a friend invited him to a birthday party. He won't be back today. Why don't you give him a call and ask?"

"You know perfectly well he won't answer if I call, yet you tell me to call him!?"

As soon as the words left her lips, Shen Yue realized what she had just admitted. She knew Jiang Mingzhao was deliberately hiding from her, not wanting to be found, yet she kept chasing after him. But she couldn't bring herself to let him go—who could blame her for being so devoted to love? Once she liked someone, she didn't want to let go. If Jiang Mingzhao knew her thoughts, he would surely retch on the spot and call her a stalker and a pervert.

Shen Yue eventually left the Wen residence in low spirits. This was Wen Jingxing’s territory, and since he was protecting Song Wanning, she dared not do anything and had to slink away.

Wen Yi, however, had watched the drama unfold with a playful expression. She sat on the sofa, staring at Song Wanning. Wen Jingxing tried to warn her with a look, but she acted as if she didn't see it, her gaze roaming over Song Wanning in a direct and impolite manner.

It had been half a month, and Song Wanning’s style had improved quite a bit—she no longer dressed in that flashy, tacky way. Song Wanning must have been at the yacht party last time, but unfortunately, she hadn't seen her there. Thinking of that, Wen Yi recalled how her third brother had rushed off midway through the party. If she hadn't gone looking for him, she never would have known that her third brother, who usually avoided women, was holding a charming woman in a red dress. To this day, Wen Yi couldn't forget the fleeting glimpse of those feet—slender, fair, and flawless, as beautiful as jade. Her third brother had even said that the woman was his future sister-in-law.

She had scoffed at the idea; how could someone like Song Wanning be qualified to be her third sister-in-law? Surely, Song Wanning didn't even know about that incident yet, did she? At that thought, Wen Yi’s smile deepened as she looked at Song Wanning.

Gu Yan watched Song Wanning with a complicated expression, not knowing how to start a conversation. When they had met that afternoon, she had shared her thoughts with her good friend, Wen Yi, without any reservations. Upon hearing them, Wen Yi had burst into laughter, declaring that Gu Yan’s impressions were just illusions and that these minor gestures meant nothing. If she had seen how Song Wanning used to behave, she would be shocked by her character. As she spoke, Wen Yi gave examples of things that had happened in the past. Gu Yan frowned deeply as she listened. Was Song Wanning really as unbearable as Wen Yi described?