After all my preparation, when I arrived in Shanghai, none of it mattered.

Manager Li, who was in charge of the interview, was even more polite than I was. He addressed me as “Miss Nie” throughout, barely asked any questions, and simply chatted cordially with me for an hour before welcoming me to join the company. He even asked if I had arranged accommodation in Shanghai, offering that the company could help if needed.

I was completely bewildered as I dealt with the situation. As I stood to leave, Manager Li opened the door to see me out, smiling: “Miss Nie, please give my regards to Mr. Nie.”

So that was it.

After my parents’ divorce, I had rarely been in contact with my father, almost forgetting that my father was Nie Chengyuan. My father—I tend to describe him as a rather handsome middle-aged nouveau riche. In his youth, he was so poor he could barely afford to eat, and only my mother was willing to marry him. Then when he reached middle age and had achieved status and position, he started pursuing love, divorced my mother, and got together with his first love who had left him years ago.

Fortunately, my mother was open-minded about it, telling me: “I had your father when he was young and handsome, who’d want him now that he’s an old man?” However, she strictly forbade me from taking any money from my father, saying I belonged to her. I think she must have still been hurt deep down.

A few days ago, my long-silent father suddenly called, asking about my graduation plans. When I mentioned submitting resumes, he asked which companies. I couldn’t remember the names of most companies, except for Shengyuan, where Zhuang Xu had helped me apply. I mentioned just that one, and Father didn’t say anything at the time, just asked a few more questions before hanging up.

Thinking about it now, he must have pulled some strings afterward.

So it wasn’t because of Zhuang Xu’s connection after all. For some reason, I felt disappointed.

On the train back to Nanjing, I kept wondering whether I should work at Shengyuan. According to my agreement with Mom, I should refuse, but I couldn’t forget the logo I saw on the building opposite Shengyuan Tower when I left.

The golden, arc-shaped logo gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight—Bank A.

Where Zhuang Xu would work in the future.

When I returned to the dorm that evening, my roommates asked about the results. I replied somewhat troubled: “I haven’t decided whether to take it or not.”

The next day, while having breakfast with Si Rong in the cafeteria, she complained, “Xiguang, you were careless with your words yesterday. Rong Rong still hasn’t received an interview notice.”

Ah, I hadn’t noticed that. I nodded, “I see.”

That afternoon, Manager Li called again, asking about my intention to sign. When I hesitated and said I needed to consider it, he immediately offered to increase the salary and benefits. The position I applied for was just a sinecure—even in Shanghai, it would only pay three to four thousand yuan monthly, nowhere near what he was offering.

He probably thought I was playing hard to get because the salary was too low.

After hanging up, I suddenly felt uncomfortable and found myself pacing back and forth by the campus lake.

I could almost imagine what working at Shengyuan would be like. It was the same at the law firm in Wuxi—while other interns were working to the bone, I had the easiest time. Even when people asked me to do things, they were exceedingly polite.

But what did others think of that? Although I didn’t particularly care about others’ opinions, being what Zhuang Xu called a parasite didn’t seem very meaningful either.

After wandering by the lake for a while, I called my mother, telling her I wanted to try finding a job on my own. She opposed it at first, but as we talked, she grew excited, saying I had finally learned to make my plans. Then she reminded me not to be stubborn if I couldn’t find anything—she could still help me then.

Before making the call, I had been uncertain about what I wanted, but my mother’s happy and gratified voice strengthened my resolve.

I would find a job on my own.

As for Shengyuan… I stared absent-mindedly at the sparkling lake water.

I would probably decline, not because of my father, but because it was too close.

Whether I went or not, it was all because it was too close to Zhuang Xu.

Having made up my mind, I returned to working on my thesis. These past few days of worrying about work had put me behind schedule.

One day, while I was copying materials in the library’s periodicals room, I received a text from Si Rong: “Xiguang, come back to the dorm, something’s up.”

Huh, perhaps there was a dinner gathering?

Group dinners were popular among seniors lately, and that was my first thought.

Seeing it was indeed dinner time, I immediately returned the books and excitedly rushed back to the dorm with my backpack.

Back at the dorm, I pushed open the door and tossed my backpack on the bed. “Who’s treating?”

No one answered. Only then did I notice the strange, gloomy atmosphere in the room? Everyone except Xiao Feng, who was in Shanghai, was present—even Zhuang Xu was there. I looked at him curiously; was he treating again?

But why were they all staring at me?

After a while, Rong Rong spoke first, her tone far from friendly.

“Nie Xiguang.”

“What is it?” I was puzzled.

“You’re asking me what? Isn’t this too strange?” Rong Rong sneered, “Aren’t you feeling guilty about what you did?”

“What did I do?” Her accusatory tone made me angry, and all thoughts of dinner vanished.

“Rong Rong, be rational. We haven’t clarified things yet.” Si Rong stood up from her chair and said solemnly to me, “Xiguang, did you receive Rong Rong’s Shengyuan interview call on Monday afternoon?”

I shook my head. What was this about?

“Still denying it. Nie Xiguang, I never thought you’d do something like this.” Rong Rong’s expression was peculiar—seemingly angry and contemptuous, yet with an unmistakable hint of triumph.

A Fen interjected softly: “Maybe Watermelon forgot? She was sleeping when we left that day. Maybe she answered it and went back to sleep, then forgot about it when she woke up.”

A Fen’s words finally helped me understand what was going on. Was Rong Rong suspecting that I had received her interview call and hadn’t told her? I felt more amused than angry. “There must be some misunderstanding. I didn’t receive any interview call for Rong Rong.”

“Why deny it?” Rong Rong maintained her tone. “Unfortunately, you were too clever for your good. If I hadn’t called to inquire, you might have gotten away with it.”

What nonsense. I suppressed my anger, took a deep breath, and turned to Si Rong. “Si Rong, can you explain everything from the beginning?”

Si Rong nodded. “It’s like this—Rong Rong never received an interview call, so she called Shengyuan to inquire. However the HR department said they had notified everyone on the list as soon as they started work on Monday afternoon, and Rong Rong was on that list. They asked why she hadn’t come for the interview.”

“You know Rong Rong’s phone was stolen at the job fair last Saturday, so the company could only have called the dorm. That afternoon, I, Rong Rong, A Fen, and Xiao Feng all went out together, and you were sleeping. Senior was at home and didn’t return until Tuesday, so…”

Si Rong paused before continuing, “Think carefully, did you perhaps answer the call and forget about it?”

I thought back carefully, then shook my head. “No, actually, I got up and went to the library shortly after you all left. I didn’t receive any interview call.”

“How convenient,” Rong Rong said sarcastically.

I ignored her and frowned in thought. I hadn’t received that call, but according to Si Rong’s explanation, I was the only one who could have. What was going on?

A thought suddenly struck me. “Maybe Shengyuan never actually made the call? They might have missed it, or no one answered, and they forgot to call back.”

“Too bad they have a call record—exactly two minutes.” Rong Rong’s tone was certain and mocking; she had already decided I was guilty.

I struggled to maintain my last bit of rationality and said firmly, “I had no reason to do this.”

“No reason?” Rong Rong sneered. “Don’t you like Zhuang Xu?”

I turned pale.

Rong Rong didn’t give me a chance to speak, continuing with her cold smile: “Shengyuan is so close to Bank A. You don’t want me to be with Zhuang Xu, so you used such despicable means…”

“Rong Rong!”

The sharp interruption came from Zhuang Xu, who had been silent until now.

Right, why was he in the dorm? Did Rong Rong call him? To interrogate me together, to see my true colors? My hands clenched as I felt my body trembling slightly.

Si Rong quickly grabbed Rong Rong, saying, “There must be some misunderstanding. You have another interview opportunity now anyway, so let’s drop it. Don’t make everyone unhappy.”

“The incident can be forgotten, but look at her—has she shown any regret, any remorse from start to finish? I can’t swallow this.”

To think she was the one who couldn’t swallow this—I laughed bitterly in my anger. “Ye Rong, you underestimate me. If I didn’t want you to have an interview opportunity, do you think Shengyuan would still be calling to notify you?”

She froze, and after a long pause, spoke in a noticeably forced tone. “Who do you think you are? In today’s society, it’s still about real ability.”

“Want to test that?” I mimicked her cold smile.

Manager Li’s business card was casually tossed among the clutter on my desk. I dug it out, picked up the dorm phone, and started dialing.

Everyone else in the dorm seemed unprepared for this development and stood there stunned.

“Hello, Manager Li. This is Nie Xiguang. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you…”

Before I could finish, the receiver was swiftly and decisively snatched away by a male hand—Zhuang Xu’s.

As he grabbed the receiver, I looked up and met his eyes.

Then I froze.

His expression… was the same as when I told him I liked him last year. Back then, I couldn’t understand or figure out what that look meant… but now it hit me like a bolt of lightning.

It was disgust.

So it was disgust.

Disgust.

He despised me.

I stood there like a lost soul as he easily took the receiver from my hand, unable to move, my mind spinning with just this one thought.

He despised me…

He despised me, but why?

And it wasn’t because of this incident—he had despised me long ago, even when I had just lent him money so his mother could have her surgery…

“Sorry, we are…”

He spoke a few words into the receiver, then frowned and hung up, telling the anxious-looking Rong Rong, “It was a wrong number.”

Yes, I had dialed the wrong number. I had initially intended to make the call, but when it came to the last three digits, I gave up and pressed random numbers instead.

Rong Rong sighed in relief, then sneered, “I thought money could work miracles. Turns out it was all an act.”

Si Rong pulled at her, and she reluctantly stopped.

I had no energy to think about her sour remarks. I could only stare at Zhuang Xu. I knew this behavior would only make me more of a laughing stock, but I couldn’t help it, I could only look at him.

I wanted to ask him why he despised me, and whether he also believed I had deliberately concealed Rong Rong’s interview notification, but I couldn’t voice these questions. Whether he despised me or believed in me, what difference did it make to me?

But I still felt so wrong I wanted to cry.

Before the tears could fall, I turned and ran out of the dorm.