The moment Wang Zhuo’s tone registered, Guan Yingying, An Qi, and An Qi in the car understood that this was not a casual greeting to an acquaintance, but an intentional act of provocation!
Sure enough, Xu Mingjie’s face, tanned the color of a crab, instantly shifted. During the days he’d been assigned to guard duty here, his greatest fear was running into someone he knew and losing face. Running into Wang Zhuo felt like enemies crossing paths on a narrow road—he’d lost face in a major way!
“How’s it going, Officer Xu?” Wang Zhuo asked, looking him up and down with a smile. “Old Li assigned you to guard duty here five days ago, right? You seem to be in good spirits. Has there been any movement on your second uncle’s case?”
The three women couldn’t decipher Wang Zhuo’s cryptic remarks, but they could clearly see the spectacle of Xu Mingjie’s expression: a cocktail of rage, resentment, unwillingness, disbelief, and mania—he looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
“Where’s Zhong Wei? Isn’t he with you?” Wang Zhuo chuckled lightly. “I hate that kind of two-faced hypocrite who smiles to your face and stabs you in the back. What a piece of work! Compared to him, you people who wear your hearts on your sleeves are much easier to deal with; you’re transparent.”
Was that a compliment or an insult? The three women suppressed their smiles and observed Xu Mingjie’s reaction.
Under the scorching sun, clad in a uniform soaked with sweat, his skin burning painfully from the exposure, Xu Mingjie was utterly wretched. In stark contrast, Wang Zhuo sat comfortably in the air-conditioned cabin of the latest luxury car.
From Wang Zhuo’s brief words, even the women could deduce that Xu Mingjie’s banishment to guard duty was directly related to Wang Zhuo. After struggling and hesitating for a long time, Xu Mingjie finally recognized the vast disparity in power. With a sigh of dejection, he turned and walked towards the roadside.
Watching his forlorn retreating figure, An Qi was inexplicably reminded of her own departure from the police force. As the Audi slowly pulled away, she couldn't help but ask softly, “Wang Zhuo, what’s your deal with him?”
“Him?” Wang Zhuo scoffed. “Just a scumbag from the Inspection Team. Extortion, blackmail, abusing public office, seeking personal gain through power. If I hadn't been soft-hearted, he’d be behind bars eating prison slop right now.”
An Qi’s sympathy immediately evaporated. Given Wang Zhuo’s status, he had no reason to lie about this matter. If he called Xu Mingjie a degenerate, then it must be true. An Qi had only felt a flicker of shared misfortune looking at his back; hearing Wang Zhuo’s explanation, she instantly drew a clear line between herself and Xu Mingjie.
Because they departed rather late, their encounter with Xu Mingjie delayed the group by several minutes. By the time they arrived at the competition venue, most other contestants had already gathered.
Today’s event was the quarterfinal battle for the Jiangzhou City Amateur Snooker Challenge—this wasn't the padded elimination round like those contrived 9-into-8 or 8-into-7 matches for television variety shows, but a genuine elimination tournament from the final sixteen down to eight!
Snooker is a sport of gentlemen, and the spectators were naturally social elites with a certain standing. The moment they stepped onto the red carpet in the main hall, Guan Yingying’s eyes lit up. She tugged Wang Zhuo’s sleeve and pointed ahead, urging him to look: “Quick, look! Is that woman in the blue qipao Ning Yao?”
Wang Zhuo glanced over and nodded. “That’s her. Do you know her?”
Guan Yingying’s beautiful eyes shone. She shook her head. “I don’t know her personally, but I absolutely love watching her in Insisting on Divorce.”
Wang Zhuo scratched his head. Why did women love those depressing dramas so much? “I’ll ask her for an autograph for you later.”
That statement was audacious, to say the least. Ning Yao was a rising film queen, a household name whom countless people couldn't even get near, let alone secure an autograph from. Even the major organizers who had the privilege of inviting her could only politely request her autograph, yet Wang Zhuo, a mere young man, casually declared he’d get one. His attitude bordered on arrogance.
Indeed, as soon as the words left his mouth, the surrounding crowd scrutinized him with strange looks, trying to figure out who this boastful fellow was—was he genuinely capable, or just thick-skinned and full of hot air?
Wang Zhuo didn’t have much interaction with the snooker circle, and as no one recognized him, he was immediately categorized among the braggarts, nicknamed “Sky-Blowing Hua.”
“Are you very familiar with her?” Guan Yingying whispered curiously. She knew Wang Zhuo knew Ning Yao, but she wasn't clear on the nature of their relationship.
“Her director *** project is entirely financed by me. How familiar do you think we are?” Wang Zhuo chuckled smugly. “The production crew is almost assembled; filming is about to begin.”
“You funded the whole thing?” Guan Yingying looked at Wang Zhuo again with surprise. “How come you never told me about something this big?”
“I wanted to give you a surprise,” Wang Zhuo chuckled dryly. “When the movie finishes and the credits roll, seeing my name suddenly appear in the opening sequence will surely startle you.”
Guan Yingying was already well acquainted with Wang Zhuo’s mischievous streak. Hearing his explanation, she could only manage a wry smile. This surprise had come a bit too late; it should have been revealed at the groundbreaking ceremony or the wrap party.
An Qi accompanied An Qi to register. Seeing that Ning Yao was busy socializing, they didn’t approach her. Instead, they found a table in a quieter corner of the venue and sat down.
Guan Yingying watched Ning Yao from a distance. Amidst the crowd, Ning Yao smiled gracefully, looked around with ease, and handled every interaction perfectly. Every gesture exuded the alluring charm of a mature woman. Her perfectly tailored qipao accentuated her full bust, slender waist, and gently curving hips. Her captivating features, lightly dusted with makeup, glowed, making her age almost impossible to discern.
Guan Yingying suddenly had a flash of insight and looked at Wang Zhuo suspiciously, wondering if this loose-belted fellow also had some sort of improper relationship with Ning Yao!
“Why are you looking at me? Is there something on my face?” Wang Zhuo touched his face self-consciously under her strange gaze.
“Oh! Nothing,” Guan Yingying quickly shook her head to cover up, but in her mind, she was desperately trying to compare the hairstyle and figure of the mysterious woman in Brother Suzuki’s explicit photos with Ning Yao’s.
The more she compared them, the more similar they seemed. Furthermore, the photo captured by the electronic eye was taken on one of the main arteries leading into Jiangzhou—the direction of travel suggested they might have been heading to the wetland villa Wang Zhuo had lent his father. And hadn't Ning Yao also visited that villa several times?!
The deeper she analyzed, the more convinced she became that she had uncovered the truth, and she was deeply shaken by it. That was the film queen Ning Yao, an idol to millions, a public darling! And she’d been handled by a little hooligan like Wang Zhuo? And had serviced the little hooligan in a car during busy morning traffic? It was too incredible!
She truly couldn't imagine what it would be like for a '250' to move freely between the film queen’s red lips. While she couldn't claim to be devoid of jealousy, what overwhelmed her was admiration for Wang Zhuo and shock at her own discovery!
In reality, Ning Yao and Ruan Mingqing had different body shapes, but the angle in the photo failed to highlight those differences. Combined with Guan Yingying’s preconceived notion, her mistaken judgment solidified.
“Hey.” Snapping out of her shock, Guan Yingying nudged Wang Zhuo with her elbow, asking in a low voice, “Ning Yao’s tongue work is pretty good, right?”
Wang Zhuo thought she was referring to Ning Yao’s distinctive nasal tone when speaking. Hearing her question, he chuckled dismissively. “You’ve got it wrong. She’s not tongue-tied; the resonance issue is in her nasal cavity.”
Coincidentally, the host was testing the sound system just then. Guan Yingying missed the latter half of Wang Zhuo’s sentence, catching only, “She’s not tongue-tied.” She immediately assumed Wang Zhuo was proudly confirming his supposed conquest, and instantly turned jealous, reaching down to pinch and twist a piece of flesh on Wang Zhuo’s thigh.
“Ow, stop fooling around,” Wang Zhuo quickly pressed her hand down. “Ning Yao is coming over!”
Ning Yao had spotted Wang Zhuo long ago. Now that the swarm of admirers around her had finally dispersed, she managed to break free and walk over. As she approached, An Qi and An Qi, who had just finished registering, also returned.
“Wang Zhuo, it’s been a while,” the film queen’s smile was casual and flawless, revealing none of the slight thrill and tension churning inside her.
Guan Yingying secretly studied her face, trying to spot crow’s feet around the eyes of the thirty-six-year-old woman, but failed.
However, she thought of another matter: Ning Yao’s age was almost enough to be Wang Zhuo’s mother. This kid truly had no restraints, feasting on everyone indiscriminately!
Wang Zhuo was oblivious to the complex thoughts swirling in the minds of these two women. He easily introduced them to each other, then pulled out his phone, asking everyone to group together for a commemorative photo.
During the process, however, he noticed two details: first, Guan Yingying’s expression when posing with Ning Yao was subtly strange; second, when he posed with Ning Yao, the Film Queen seemed to lean a little closer, her soft, high chest pressing against him—a very pleasant sensation...
Getting a photo with the film queen’s arm draped over his shoulder was the ultimate privilege for every man present today. Wang Zhuo himself didn’t think much of it, unaware that countless envious, jealous, and hateful eyes were fixed on him.
The gong sounded, and the match began!
An Qi’s performance was commendable. There were only two female players in the entire field, the other being a short Black woman. Among the eight tables where matches were running simultaneously, her table had the largest audience.
She was wearing a tailored player’s outfit today. Although her less-than-full bust was underwhelming, her short, curly, glossy hairstyle and emerald earrings perfectly accentuated her cool, detached elegance. Combined with the thin, tightly pursed lips during her shots and her unconventional black-rimmed glasses, she captivated the male spectators.
As the first frame neared its end, An Qi found herself deadlocked with her opponent. Their scores were neck and neck, and only one red ball remained on the table. Both players were setting up safety shots, and time was ticking away rapidly.
Wang Zhuo watched the game calmly, showing no worry for An Qi’s situation. In contrast, Guan Yingying and An Qi beside him were sweating, their eyes full of concern and their expressions tense.
“It looks like Miss An is going to lose.”
A slightly mocking voice suddenly came from behind. Wang Zhuo turned around, and a gaze full of challenge met his. It was Jing Yunquan, an old acquaintance!
Wang Zhuo assessed him briefly, then shook his head with a faint smile. “If she loses, I’ll buy back President Jing’s protective amulet and deliver it to you personally.”
In a close match, male players usually held the advantage in stamina, but every situation has its exception. Wang Zhuo’s understanding of An Qi’s endurance surpassed even An Qi’s—this was the remarkable woman who could endure an entire afternoon during their first time together! How could a stranger like Jing Yunquan possibly fathom that?!