The young lady hired me to help her and the young master have an online romance.

Haicheng, 9:00 AM.

Gu Manning held a coffee cup and leaned leisurely against the kitchen counter.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. She looked down and saw a message from her father.

I have cancelled the equity transfer.

"Bang!"

The cup in his hand slammed onto the floor, spilling coffee everywhere.

Blood rushed to her brain in an instant, and Gu Manning quickly called Jiang Wan.

After ringing four or five times, the call was answered.

In the library, Jiang Wan asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"Wanwan, things have changed. You haven't broken up with him yet, have you?"

Jiang Wan was stunned.

From Gu Manning's urgent tone, she understood what the other person meant.

Obviously, they hope she hasn't broken up yet.

But the plan was terminated on her orders, and I have already done so.

Jiang Wan gritted her teeth, her face unusually cold, and said, "What do you think?"

Gu Manning's voice instantly rose a notch.

"Quickly, quickly, reconcile!"

Jiang Wan frowned. "Why?"

Gu Manning's voice was hoarse, "My dad just sent me a message saying he's canceled the share transfer."

"I suspect he changed his mind because of that illegitimate child. I'll go find him and demand an explanation later."

"If his attitude is very firm, I... will have no choice but to ask Shang Shixu to step in for me."

"Wanwan, I need your help with Shang Shixu's situation."

Jiang Wan held her phone, her emotions too complicated to speak.

In order to extricate herself from the relationship, she made it clear at the time of the breakup that she would never regret it.

It's only been two days, and you're already going to back out and go after him?

This is absolutely absurd!

Gu Manning didn't get a response, so she softened her voice, "Wanwan, I know this is very difficult for you, but plans can't always keep up with changes."

"How about this, I'll go talk to my dad first and see if there's any room for negotiation."

"I'll contact you after I've met with my dad."

Jiang Wan gave a soft "hmm".

*

The entrance to the president's office at the Gu Group.

Gu Manning, clutching the voided share transfer agreement, suddenly pushed open the door.

Father Gu Jianping sat behind his desk, looking at the financial statements.

He looked up at his daughter's ashen face, put down the report, and leaned back in his chair.

"Bang!" Gu Manning slammed the file onto the table.

Why was the share transfer cancelled?

Gu Jianping remained silent.

"Is it because of that illegitimate child?" Gu Manning asked sharply, her eyes filled with anger.

"You promised me, why did you back out at the last minute? Tell me, what exactly do you mean by this!"

Gu Jianping frowned, tapped his fingers twice on the table, and snorted coldly.

Why?

"You still have the nerve to ask me why?"

"Why don't you ask what you did!"

Gu Manning was stunned.

Gu Jianping glared at him fiercely.

"If you won't tell me, I'll tell you what you've done."

"You just took the shares from me and then broke up with Shang Shixu."

"You're one thing to outwardly comply with me but inwardly defy me, but you dare to manipulate business timing? Are you trying to ruin the Gu family?!"

"He's been calling me non-stop!!"

"It was his decision to withdraw the shares. Do you realize you've angered him?!"

Gu Manning's palms were sweaty.

He stood there blankly, his neck feeling as if it were being gripped by an invisible force, unable to utter a word.

After Gu Jianping vented his frustrations, the atmosphere in the office froze.

He took a deep breath, and his cold, sharp voice rang out again.

"Gu Manning, let me tell you."

"I don't care what methods you use, you have to appease Shang Shixu."

"If you can't get back together with him, you can forget about being the heir!"

"Are you threatening me?" Gu Manning's voice trembled with anger.

"This is not a threat, it's a notification."

"Gu family doesn't support useless people, let alone stupid people."

"Ningning, this is the last chance your father is giving you."

After Gu Jianping finished speaking, he picked up the financial statements again, as if Gu Manning had ceased to exist.

Gu Manning stood in front of the desk, staring intently at him.

At that moment, she understood the man in front of her.

She used to think that her father favored his illegitimate son because he preferred sons to daughters.

But now she understands that he doesn't favor anyone.

He only favors those who bring him greater benefits.

Whoever can bring him greater benefits will be the next successor.

"Bang!"

Gu Manning slammed the door and left.

The elevator took me directly to the underground parking lot. The first thing I did after getting into my car was to take out my phone and call Jiang Wan.

The phone rang three times before being answered.

"Wanwan."

"What did your dad say?" Jiang Wan asked directly, voicing her most pressing question.

Gu Manning said in a low voice, "The share transfer was halted by Shang Shixu."

"What?" Jiang Wan was taken aback.

Gu Manning continued to explain.

"He called my dad, told him about our breakup, and demanded that the share transfer be withdrawn."

"The meaning is quite clear: he's very unhappy about the breakup."

Jiang Wan bit her lower lip and didn't reply.

Silence spread between the two, like a stretched-out thread, so thin it could snap at any moment.

Gu Manning spoke again, her voice sounding somewhat tired.

"Wanwan, I didn't think this through."

"I shouldn't have told you to terminate the plan before I even got the shares; I got carried away."

"sorry."

Jiang Wan sighed. "What are your plans next?"

Gu Manning gripped her phone, her fingers tightening slightly.

"Wanwan... could you help me one more time?"

Jiang Wan: "..."

S University Library.

Jiang Wan stood in the corridor between the bookshelves, her phone pressed to her ear.

She leaned against the bookshelf, the wooden shelf against her back, hard and solid.

At this moment, she needed something tangible to support her, otherwise she might very well squat down.

"Wanwan?" Gu Manning's voice came through the receiver again.

Jiang Wan responded.

Upon hearing the response, Gu Manning continued, "I know this request is excessive. You have already completed your mission, and we are even. I shouldn't be contacting you anymore."

"but......"

"My dad said this is my last chance. If I can't reconcile with Shang Shixu and win him over, he'll kick me out of the heir list."

Jiang Wan's breath hitched. "He threatened you?"

"It's not a threat, it's a notification." Gu Manning smiled mockingly. "He just wants an heir who can bring him benefits."

Faced with such a father, Jiang Wan didn't know what to say.

Gu Manning added a sentence.

"I won't let you do this for nothing; this time I'll give you even more in return—"

"Ningning," Jiang Wan interrupted her.

"I don't need more compensation."

"I'm worried about being exposed."

"If I pursue him again, I don't even need to think about it; he'll definitely be determined to make things more difficult, and he might even ask to meet up."

"What will you do then? Will you handle it?"

Gu Manning's firm voice came through the receiver, "If we really have to meet, I will handle it."

"Don't worry, Wanwan. You only need to handle things online; leave the real-life stuff to me."

"I'll give you a straight answer today. Regardless of whether Shang Shixu agrees to get back together this time, as long as you're willing to help me, I'll give you a reward of one million."

"Wanwan, for the sake of our friendship, please say yes, okay?" Gu Manning's voice was pleading.

Sunlight streamed obliquely into the bookshelf through the window, and Jiang Wan felt stiff all over.

She took a deep breath and sighed slowly.

"Okay... let me think of something."

"Wanwan, thank you!!!"

*

11:30 am.

Jiang Wan left the library and headed to the cafeteria.

As she walked, she held her phone and opened the chat window with Shang Shixu.

The last message she posted was, "Mmm, I have no regrets."

Looking at those words, Jiang Wan felt embarrassed.

How so?

Say "I regret it"?

To say "everything you said before was bullshit"?

emmm...

It's true, I can't bring myself to say it.

But I can't keep quiet about it.

It wasn't just because of the million-dollar reward, but also because of Gu Manning's earnest request.

Jiang Wan shamelessly typed two words.

Nice Rabbit Squid: [Brother]

There was no reply from the other end.

One minute, two minutes, five minutes.

Jiang Wan took a breath and sent another message—

Nice Rabbit Squid: [Can we talk?]

Five minutes passed, and there was still no reply.

Jiang Wan put her phone back in her pocket.

With heavy thoughts on my mind, I walked towards the cafeteria.

......

Across the ocean, Boston.

Shang Shixu walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel as he walked to the island counter and picked up his phone.

Turn on the screen, and two messages will appear.

The familiar nickname sent a shiver down his spine.

Her slightly pursed lips then curled into a mocking smile.

He put down his phone and continued drying his hair.

I wiped it twice, then turned the screen on again and glanced at it.

I turned off the screen and continued drying my hair.

I wiped it a couple more times, and a restless, turbulent feeling raged in my chest like a tornado.

"Hold!"

He threw the towel aside, picked up his phone, and opened the chat window.

Fingertips flew across the surface—

Lie: [Said]