“I came back to ask about your contact number at the language school, but then…”

Ye Xiaoqiong brought Zhou Yi to her hotel, first letting her take a shower. She discarded Zhou Yi’s torn and soiled clothes, giving her some of her own to wear.

Zhou Yi’s eyes and face were still swollen, with scrapes on her arms.

When Ye Xiaoqiong asked if she wanted to go to the hospital, Zhou Yi panicked: “Joan, no! Please don’t tell anyone about tonight!”

Ye Xiaoqiong felt relieved but deliberately frowned:

“You’re not going to report this to the police?”

“No! No police…”

If she reported it, wouldn’t the police go to the language school?

Zhou Yi was like a frightened rabbit. She had nearly been assaulted by two foreign men – if teachers and classmates at the language school found out, she couldn’t face staying there.

She could already imagine the pointing fingers and whispers. Rumors could drive someone to death.

Even though the criminals hadn’t succeeded, others wouldn’t believe that.

“OK, no police. I respect your privacy. Don’t you have acquaintances in New York? You mentioned your brother’s girlfriend is here. Should you notify her?”

Ye Xiaoqiong probed.

Xia Xiaolan was clever – if she learned of tonight’s events, she would surely be suspicious.

Ye Xiaoqiong didn’t want Xia Xiaolan to know.

Her words carried strong suggestions, emphasizing Zhou Yi’s “privacy.”

Zhou Yi was in terrible shape and trusted her completely, making her easily susceptible to suggestion.

Should she tell Xia Xiaolan?

Zhou Yi looked at her disheveled reflection in the mirror.

She felt intimidated by Xia Xiaolan and didn’t want to face her now – at least not tonight, not until she’d calmed down.

“Never mind, it’s so late…” Zhou Yi checked the clock and told Ye Xiaoqiong: “She’s probably asleep. I don’t want to worry her.”

Ye Xiaoqiong didn’t press further.

She had a single room with one bed. When bringing Zhou Yi back, she hadn’t considered sharing the bed. She hated Zhou Yi so much, that she feared she might smother her with a pillow in the night.

“Let me get you another room-“

“Joan, can I stay with you? I’m scared to be alone!”

Zhou Yi shook her head vigorously in refusal, saying she could sleep on the sofa.

Unfortunately, unlike the couch in Xia Xiaolan’s apartment, the hotel’s single chair couldn’t fit Zhou Yi. She’d rather sleep on the floor than go to another room.

This wasn’t about saving money – she hadn’t even processed the loss of her stolen cash. She was simply terrified.

Only staying in Ye Xiaoqiong’s room made Zhou Yi feel safe.

Ye Xiaoqiong had no choice. She couldn’t make Zhou Yi sleep on the floor, so she shared half the bed.

Zhou Yi slept fitfully that night, waking many times, crying and calling out, keeping Ye Xiaoqiong awake too.

Ye Xiaoqiong ended up being the caretaker!

Few people would invest so much effort in revenge as Ye Xiaoqiong had.

Hearing Zhou Yi mumble “Get away,” “Dad, I want to go home,” and “Yuan Han, I’m scared,” Ye Xiaoqiong’s eyes darkened.

“This isn’t my fault.”

“It’s your own… mistake.”

Even in sleep, Zhou Yi kept shifting closer to her side, now trusting her completely after tonight’s events.

Lack of intelligence was certainly a fault – like her former self, like Zhou Yi now.

Fools deserved to be deceived!

…

All night, Zhou Yi never called her. Xia Xiaolan was exasperated with such a fool.

She deserved to be deceived to death.

First deceived by Yuan Han, now by Yuan Han’s ex-wife… what could Xia Xiaolan do?

In New York, Xia Xiaolan was Zhou Yi’s biggest supporter, yet this idiot wouldn’t contact her after such an incident, instead following the barely-known Ye Xiaoqiong to a hotel. While partly due to Ye Xiaoqiong’s manipulation, it was also because Zhou Yi cared too much about face!

Xia Xiaolan pretended nothing had happened.

Despite poor sleep, she rose early as usual, arriving at the firm on time, and leading Matthew, Lisa, and others to the theater on Broadway’s 53rd Street.

Matthew, the bootlicker, even brought Xia Xiaolan coffee:

“It’s different from the office breakroom coffee!”

Xia Xiaolan took a sip – indeed different, with a richer taste.

Better beans perhaps?

The brewing method mattered too.

Certainly more expensive than GMP’s free breakroom coffee!

“Matthew, you didn’t have to.”

“No, no, I wanted to! A rich morning coffee keeps your mind sharp, helping you lead us better in renovating the theater!”

Yes, Matthew was calculating, two-faced, and shamelessly flattering.

With these qualities plus solid professional skills, his rise in the firm was inevitable!

Matthew’s greatest misfortune was drawing the same internship lottery as Xia Xiaolan for GMP. Her brilliance was too bright, and with others forcefully supporting her, how could Matthew compete?

Had Matthew gone to Foster or P&W, he’d have risen already.

At least he wouldn’t have sunk to an intern flattering another intern.

But circumstances forced his hand. Flattering Xia Xiaolan earned him opportunities to participate in projects – something he couldn’t achieve by sweet-talking GMP’s receptionists!

Mrs. Wilson waited at the theater.

When Xia Xiaolan arrived with the GMP team, Mrs. Wilson personally led the tour.

Of course, she mainly focused on Xia Xiaolan, barely acknowledging the others.

“This theater was left to me by my father. I played here as a child – it’s over a hundred years old!”

Theaters hosted dramas, musicals, and operas, with many more specific categories.

This performance style originated in England, flourished in America, and to this day, the best musical performances were found in either London or New York!

New York Broadway’s first theater, Park Theater, was established in the early 19th century – 1810 to be precise – making it 176 years old now. Mrs. Wilson’s theater wasn’t as old as Park Theater but had over 110 years of history. She mentioned its last interior renovation was 15 years ago.

Fifteen years ago – 1971 – that renovation was luxurious for its time.

Even today it isn’t exactly outdated.

The 1920s marked Broadway’s golden age, with over 80 theaters between 41st and 53rd Streets. But after World War II, young people’s tastes changed. They preferred rock music, movies, and television. Broadway lost its appeal to youth, its glory gradually fading.

Until the 1970s, when new playwrights brought rock music and fresh concepts to Broadway, creating many world-famous plays, and giving theaters a second spring.

Mrs. Wilson’s theater had caught this wave, making considerable profits in recent years.

Lately things had declined, with two consecutive years of losses. Mrs. Wilson blamed the dated interior decor and finally decided to renovate.