38 Messages on the Phone

Zhao Yiming's sudden change of expression truly startled Xiao Banxia.

Although today's unpleasantness was entirely due to Mrs. He's sharp tongue and constant criticism—Xiao Banxia had no affection for this difficult woman—the person who made her resolve to end things wasn't Mrs. He, but Zhao Yiming himself.

No matter how much she disliked Mrs. He, she wouldn't decide to break up with her boyfriend just because his mother was hard to get along with. The reason she uttered those words about breaking up was entirely because Zhao Yiming's behavior had completely disappointed her.

Not only had Zhao Yiming exposed her private pursuit of him, but when his mother nitpicked her at every turn, he did nothing at all—he made no effort to stand up for her, nor did he even try to mediate or prevent things from getting worse.

What chilled her even more was the way Zhao Yiming had looked at her younger brother just now, as if he were about to breathe fire. Clearly, he didn't think his mother was at fault; instead, he believed that she and her brother were the ones who had gone too far.

A man who showed her no genuine affection and wouldn't stand up for her, no matter how handsome he was or how much she liked him, left her with no choice but to end things.

Now, witnessing Zhao Yiming's skill at changing his face in an instant, she felt even more disappointed—bordering on disgust.

Just a moment ago, Zhao Yiming had stood firmly with his family. After she and her brother revealed just a hint about their family's circumstances, his attitude flipped 180 degrees in a heartbeat. The sheer virtuosity of his two-faced act was astonishing.

She had been with Zhao Yiming for a year. While she had sensed that he was a bit materialistic, she really hadn't realized just how thick-skinned he could be. The fact that she had once loved such a hypocrite to her core made her question her own judgment.

"Zhao Yiming, stop pretending. I truly had no idea your acting skills were so refined. Just a moment ago, you were full of contempt and anger, but now that you know my family is wealthy, you're suddenly putting on this deep, loving act. Seeing your face right now makes me want to throw up—do you realize that?" Xiao Banxia said, her sarcasm merciless.

Zhao Yiming was indeed thick-skinned—and a consummate actor. He knitted his brows, feigning anger. "Banxia, what are you saying? I know you're upset, but you can't just say anything you like. We've been together for a year—do you think I don't know about your family's situation?"

Then his expression softened a bit. "Thanks to my parents, our family has no shortage of houses or cars. When we get married, we'll have no pressure. So you can rest assured—I've never cared about your family's status. Besides, I know your family's not lacking either; we're pretty much on par, so it's a good match. What happened today is all my fault. Everyone, calm down—take out your anger on me. You and my mom are both hot-tempered, but you're both good people. Once you get to know each other, things will be different."

Even Mrs. He and Old Zhao were surprised by their son's sudden reversal, left momentarily speechless.

A mocking smile tugged at the corners of Xiao Yao's mouth. He turned to Xiao Banxia and said, "Well, Miss Xiao, what do you think? Eye-opening, isn't it? I bet you've never seen this side of Zhao Yiming before."

Xiao Banxia glared at her brother, but Xiao Yao didn't mind. His gaze shifted to Zhao Yiming as he continued, "Your character may be lacking, but you do have a keen eye and quick reflexes. It's just that your change in attitude is a bit too abrupt—you're still missing a certain finesse. But keep practicing, and you might just become a successful hypocrite one day. As it is, though, your skills are still lacking—I, for one, have lost all interest in watching this little performance."

"Actually, ever since I came to the capital, my sister's identity has been no secret at her company. If, when you returned from your business trip, you hadn't been busy meeting up with other women and had instead gone to see her at the office, you might have been able to keep up your act a little longer—or at least, your true colors wouldn't have been revealed so quickly. I bet you never imagined that our family's unused courtyard in the capital covers over 2,600 square meters, and that the four spare cars in the yard are each worth over ten million. If you had managed to please my sister, even though marriage would be out of the question, I could have casually gifted you a luxury car worth millions. Not a problem at all." Xiao Yao said this deliberately, just to make Zhao Yiming regret his choices—his look of regret would at least give his sister a little satisfaction.

With that, Xiao Yao picked up his phone and called Old Zhao. "Old Zhao, pull the car around to the restaurant entrance—we're coming down now."

"Come on, sis, let's go."

Seeing that his sister was still fuming, Xiao Yao tried to comfort her. "Actually, this is a good thing. The sooner you see Zhao Yiming's true colors, the sooner you're free. Apart from his looks, there's not a single redeeming feature in the man. What could someone like that do except live off a woman? Without this weed, there's an entire meadow waiting for you. With your qualities, there are plenty of weeds eager to win your heart."

"Oh, shut up. Is this any way to talk about your sister? At the very least, I'm a flower in full bloom. What weed could ever be worthy of me? Even if I lower my standards, only the most handsome on campus would barely catch my eye."

Banxia's mood lightened considerably, and she carried on chatting and laughing with her brother as if nobody else existed, not sparing the Zhao family so much as a glance. The siblings walked out together, leaving the three members of Zhao Yiming's family behind.

Zhao Yiming's response was truly astonishing—he kept up his cheerful demeanor, smiling all the while, and even escorted the siblings all the way to the entrance of the restaurant.

Outside, a striking Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked at the entrance. Zhao Yiming's eyes lit up even more at the sight.

As the siblings were about to get into the car, Zhao Yiming quickly called out, "Banxia, calm down when you get home. I'll get in touch with you tomorrow."

But Xiao Banxia, already fed up with Zhao Yiming's clinginess, didn't even bother to reply. With a bang, she slammed the car door shut, shutting him out completely.

As the car slowly pulled away, Xiao Yao took out a phone and waved it in front of Xiao Banxia. "Want to see what kind of information is on here?"

The phone in Xiao Yao's hand was sky blue and quite distinctive—Xiao Banxia recognized it at once. It was Zhao Yiming's phone.