“I have a family…” Did Han Jingnian say that?

Xia Wan’an turned her head again, glanced out of the window to confirm that it was indeed the sun in the sky, and then shivered slightly as she held her phone.

Han Jingnian… Wasn’t he supposed to keep their relationship a secret from unrelated people? How did he end up telling Qin Shujian?

On her end, Xia Wan’an was lost in thought. On the other end, Qin Shujian was crying even harder. “I, I, I’ve been labeled as the third party for no reason!”

Through the phone, Xia Wan’an faintly heard the sound of Qin Shujian blowing her nose with a tissue. “Why am I so unlucky? I’ve lived this long, and I finally took a liking to a man. Isn’t it hard enough for me? He actually has a wife now. Waaah…”

In one moment, Qin Shujian was sobbing pitifully, and in the next, her tone suddenly turned fierce. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you secretly mocking me? Let me tell you, don’t get too smug. Just like me, you’re also the third party! No, if I’m the third party, then you’re the fourth party, and you’re behind me… If this were ancient times, you’d have to call me ‘sister’…”

Xia Wan’an: “Miss, have you acted in too many TV dramas?”

“I have acted in quite a few TV dramas. Didn’t I film three this year?” Qin Shujian replied. Then, she began crying again. “Waaah, do you know, Jingnian is so young, how could he be married? I look so good, yet when he called me, he was so impolite. Do you know what he said to me? He said, ‘I have a family,’ and he told me to disappear from his life completely. Or maybe he should disappear from my life. Aren’t those the same? They both mean that he doesn’t want any connection with me!”

“Waaah, he also told me that if I can’t do that, I won’t make it in the entertainment industry. He even told me that no matter who I mention him to, I have to explain that we have no relationship…”

Listening to all this, Xia Wan’an finally understood the whole story.

She apologized to her as she had been afraid of Han Jingnian…

From the messages Qin Shujian sent her yesterday, it seemed that she was the type of person who would continue bothering someone if they ignored her. Perhaps Han Jingnian had grown tired of her antics and decided to mention that he had a family.

“Do you know how much I’ve done because of him? I spent money to bribe one of his assistants in the office. I knew his every move. I followed him around and had my pictures taken by the paparazzi. Those pictures were even posted online to generate buzz. Do you think it’s easy for me? On one hand, I’m spending money, and on the other hand, people are using me to make money. I… Waaah…”

Xia Wan’an: “…”

She had seen people with low intelligence, but she had never seen someone this unintelligent…

Xia Wan’an couldn’t help but ask, “Can I ask you a question?”

Qin Shujian wiped her tears away with a tissue and stopped crying. “Go ahead.”

“How did you become popular in the first place?” Based on what she knew about the entertainment industry, someone with her level of intelligence would have been played with and discarded in no time.

“Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?”

“Can I hear both?”

“Well, it’s not impossible…” Qin Shujian sniffled as she continued, “The lie is that I became popular through my acting skills. The truth is, I don’t even know how I became popular. My agent said I’m probably one of those typical cases where foolish people have their blessings…”

Xia Wan’an nearly couldn’t hold back her laughter when she heard Qin Shujian’s words.

“Foolish people have their blessings…” Her agent’s words were quite accurate!

“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. I have to get ready for makeup. I have a commercial shoot later. I called you for two reasons. First, I wanted to tell you that Jingnian and I have no relationship anymore. Second, I want to apologize. Since he already has a family, I can’t keep bothering him. I’ve stopped pestering him, so I don’t need to target you either…”

Listening to Qin Shujian’s sniffles and sobs, Xia Wan’an suddenly felt that she wasn’t as annoying as she had imagined. In fact, she seemed a bit cute.

“Goodbye…”

While Xia Wan’an was lost in thought, Qin Shujian’s voice came through the phone again.

Xia Wan’an snapped back to attention and said, “Alright, goodbye.” She watched as Qin Shujian hung up, then placed her phone down.

She lay her head back on the desk, ready to rest her eyes, but her phone rang again.

She reluctantly lifted her eyelids and saw that it was still Qin Shujian calling. She slid to answer, saying, “What is it now?”

“I forgot to tell you a few things just now. You better leave Jingnian as soon as possible. Let me tell you, even third parties don’t end up well, let alone you, a fourth party… I’m advising you because I pity you, but if you don’t listen, I won’t bother meddling anymore… Oh? By the way, do you know who Jingnian’s wife is? Why have I never seen her in public? Could she be really ugly?”

Xia Wan’an, who had found Qin Shujian a bit cute just a moment ago, now felt like strangling her. “Ugly?”

“Yes, if she’s not so ugly that she can’t show her face, how could he never take her out? She must be so hideous that it’s embarrassing. Not to mention, she’s probably a shrew…” Qin Shujian giggled on the other end of the phone.

Who was so ugly they couldn’t show their face? Who was so hideous it was embarrassing? Who was a shrew?!

Xia Wan’an struggled to control her anger and forced a smile, squeezing out a few words between her teeth, “Go film your advertisement. Goodbye!”

“Alright…” Qin Shujian seemed reluctant as she said goodbye, then added, “When I have time, I’ll call you again.”

Xia Wan’an was about to reply with “No need,” but before she could say anything, Qin Shujian had already hung up.

She held her phone and took several deep breaths to calm her emotions.

Meanwhile, in the top-floor executive office.

“Mr. Han?”

“Mr. Han?”

Assistant Zhang called out several times in a row. Han Jingnian, who was sitting at his desk, finally raised his head slowly and glanced at him.

“This document, sir. You forgot to sign it…” Assistant Zhang pointed out the issue.

Han Jingnian responded with a simple “Oh” and picked up a pen.

As he watched Han Jingnian write his name quickly on the paper, Assistant Zhang couldn’t help but sigh silently. Today, Han Jingnian had made eight mistakes in his work. Having been by his side for so many years, it seemed like all the mistakes he had made in the past didn’t add up to as many as he had made this morning alone.

T/N ramble: As a reader, I find Qin Shujian cute… as a receiving end though, she could also be hella annoying. Thanks but no thanks(?).