Chapter 67: Encountering a Benefactor

The more Liang Jinshang thought about it, the heavier her heart became.

It was entirely possible that Shang Yucheng had simply treated her as a sacrificial pawn, left to endure all the negative criticism.

Such was the way of society—scandal always punished the woman, drowning her in shame, while the man’s losses could be dismissed as negligible.

Especially when it came to someone like Shang Yucheng. He had never feared the slightest blemish.

Those journalists, swarming like flies, showed no respect as they stripped away Liang Jinshang’s privacy. Yet when faced with Shang Yucheng himself, not one would dare turn a spotlight his way.

Seeing her silence, Shang Yiming’s mischievous intent stirred; he reached for the microphone, ready to embellish the story further.

Liang Jinshang seized the nearest microphone first.

“I am willing to answer questions that pertain to moral principles,” she said coolly. “But regarding slander and baseless speculation, I reserve the right to refuse.”

The reporter closest to them, noting their scramble for the microphone, quickly pressed, “What is your relationship with this gentleman? Is he here to speak about your alleged infidelity?”

“Colleagues,” Liang Jinshang replied, her tone shifting, icy and sharp. “I did not cheat.”

“So what is your relationship with Mr. Shang Yucheng?”

She was out of contact with him—what relationship could there be? “There is none.”

A few immediately scoffed in disbelief. “How could there be no relationship? That night at the bar, the way you interacted, your proximity and gestures clearly went beyond mere friends!”

At that moment, Liang Jinshang could only insist that the person in the photo wasn’t her.

But before she could speak, a languid female voice drew their attention. “Who says it was beyond mere friends? My relationship with Shang Yucheng is even worse than casual acquaintances.”

Liang Jinshang looked up abruptly and saw Le Quan leaning against the wall, utterly unbothered, her gaze disdainful and indifferent.

A reporter recognized her as the heiress of the Le family. “Miss Le, are you implying that the person in the photograph is you?”

“Anyone with eyes can see it’s me. That night, I went to the bar with Liang Jinshang. We ran into Shang Yucheng, I had a few drinks, and ended up shoving him twice. Look at Miss Liang here’s petite frame—does she look like someone who’d dare ‘spar’ with Shang Yucheng?”

Liang Jinshang ought to count herself fortunate—the photo captured only the moment by the car when Shang Yucheng was shoving her. Had it been the scene in the private booth, where their lips and teeth met in heated exchange, there would have been no way to explain it.

She watched Le Quan speak with ease. They hadn’t spoken in over four days—colder now than even the pure roommate relationship they’d had in graduate school. She thought their friendship would simply fade away...

Only now did Liang Jinshang realize that losing a true friend was no easier to bear than heartbreak.

To prove her claim, Le Quan dialed Shang Yucheng in front of the reporters, set the phone to speaker, and relayed their questions to him.

If Shang Yucheng were the type to answer properly, he wouldn’t be himself.

“Le Quan, if you so enjoy parading your private affairs for the amusement of dull minds…” Shang Yucheng's voice came through the line, imperious and arrogant. “Next time, stay out of my business.”

With that, he ended the call.

Liang Jinshang’s first reaction was, Oh, so this man will answer promptly as long as it’s not her calling.

The reporters on site had also fully grasped it—Shang Yucheng really was with Le Quan that evening.

Once the reporters dispersed, Le Quan turned to leave.

Liang Jinshang chased after her, calling her name softly. “Le Quan…”

“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t do it for you,” Le Quan replied without turning. “Our families are cooperating lately. I’m only getting close to Shang Yucheng on my family’s orders.”

Liang Jinshang had no answer, her throat aching.

Le Quan left without hesitation.

That was just the way she was.

She came and went with composure, loving and hating as she pleased.

Liang Jinshang remembered that Nan Yi was still in the private booth, so she turned to check on her.

Shang Yiming had slipped away at some point, leaving only Nan Yi sitting alone.

She was alone in an armchair, looking utterly isolated.

Liang Jinshang called to her.

Nan Yi’s expression was strange. “So you’re called Liang Jinshang now?”

“Mm… I and Liang Xizhou…”

“Don’t want to hear it,” Nan Yi interrupted quietly, but for Liang Jinshang, it was enough to silence her.

Nan Yi looked her over. “Liang Jinshang, Liang Jinshang… You’re doing well now. You have poise, and your work is respectable.”

The words were kind, but Liang Jinshang couldn’t muster a smile.

She was doing well—but Nan Yi was not.

Anyone as thin as Nan Yi either suffered physically, carried burdens of the heart, or both.

“Nan Yi, I… I’ve tried to find you so many times… I thought you’d left Jin City. The money I sent every month, did you… did you receive it?”

Even during her undergraduate years, half of Liang Jinshang’s earnings from part-time jobs went to Liang Xizhou’s medical care, and the other half was transferred to the account Nan Yi’s mother had given her.

Nan Yi raised her brows, as if she had no knowledge of this.

But she didn’t seem to care, nodded slightly, and was about to leave.

She walked lightly, and Liang Jinshang wanted to reach out and hold her back, afraid she might vanish at any moment.

But she had no right.

…

The next day, at the departmental meeting, Yuan Xi announced two things: first, that Le Quan and Liang Jinshang had officially completed their internships and become full-time employees; second, that Liang Jinshang could directly participate in the design of the “Small Villa Cluster” project for Design Office Three.

Shang Yiming, who had planned to humiliate Liang Jinshang at the meeting and drive her out, was naturally dissatisfied!

He chased after Yuan Xi to her office.

“Director Yuan, Liang Jinshang lost the design drafts! Her three-month internship isn’t even over—how can this be?”

“Who said she lost the drafts?” Yuan Xi arched her brow in return. “The day after you announced they were missing, she restored them from the original computer and sent them directly to me. Yiming, you’re still young—learning more about computer technology wouldn’t hurt.”

Shang Yiming’s rage burned through his spine. So Liang Jinshang had already recovered the drafts, and her recent hard work was just a smokescreen?!

Yuan Xi listened to his indignant words. “She drafted the initial designs for the villa cluster during her overtime, and I found them impressive. That’s why I ended her internship early and brought her into the design team. Is there a problem?”

Shang Yiming dared not suggest there was a problem—Yuan Xi was clearly protecting Liang Jinshang.

And that Liang Jinshang was certainly not someone to be trifled with!

Yuan Xi’s explanation was enough for Shang Yiming, but not for Liang Jinshang.

Such matters were raised high and placed down gently—the weight and balance, clearly in Yuan Xi’s hands.

“Director Yuan, why are you helping me?”

Yuan Xi answered with a meaningful smile, “If you weren’t destined for some benefactor, do you think I’d waste my time on random good deeds?”

Liang Jinshang stared in disbelief, but Yuan Xi curled her lips. “Enough, it’s not the one you’re imagining. As for Shang Yucheng, I’ll still compete with him fairly.”