68: Chapter 68 Embracing Both Sides

As Qin Shuang's performance concluded, thunderous applause erupted, and Zhou Wenying joined in the enthusiastic clapping.

When Qin Shuang bowed to thank the audience, her gaze swept across Jiang Jing and then over to her, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes—perhaps she couldn't fathom why Zhou Wenying was so calm.

Zhou Wenying shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips instead.

She took out her phone and quickly sent a message to Jiang Jing: "Brother, today's tie looks very good~ [Cute Emoji]"

After sending the message, she deliberately looked up toward Jiang Jing's direction.

Sure enough, Jiang Jing felt his phone vibrate, took it out to glance at it, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Zhou Wenying could even see his long, slender fingers tapping rapidly on the screen.

A few seconds later, her phone lit up: "Little rascal, focus on watching the performance."

This simple reply made Zhou Wenying's heart suddenly settle.

Jiang Jing hadn't ignored her; he even remembered to respond to her in such a setting.

That was enough.

"Wen Ying, are you… not upset?" Lin Xiaoyu looked at her calm profile in disbelief.

Zhou Wenying shook her head gently, her voice soft but firm: "Why would I be upset? Brother Jiang Jing treats me very well, and that is enough."

She paused, "Besides, a man like him could never belong to just one person."

As she said this, her gaze inadvertently met Qin Shuang's.

Qin Shuang was currently arm-in-arm with Jiang Jing, walking toward the VIP seats, a triumphant gleam flickering in her eyes.

Zhou Wenying merely smiled faintly and nodded elegantly, as if congratulating the other party.

This reaction was clearly beyond Qin Shuang's expectations, and her expression stiffened noticeably.

"Oh my god, Wen Ying, you're too magnanimous, aren't you?" a girl in the back row couldn't help but exclaim. "If my boyfriend were like that with another girl, I would have rushed up to tear them apart!"

"You'd dare to tear apart a tycoon like that?"

"But Qin Shuang is clearly showing off!"

"But Wen Ying's reaction just makes Qin Shuang look petty…"

The surrounding whispers gradually shifted toward sympathy for Zhou Wenying and criticism of Qin Shuang. Zhou Wenying knew clearly that in this invisible contest, sometimes not competing was the greatest competition of all.

Zhou Wenying saw that after Qin Shuang finished her performance, she didn't come down but instead ran to the restroom. She thought for a moment, told her friends around her, and also ran to the backstage restroom.

In the restroom, as Qin Shuang was touching up her makeup in front of the mirror, Zhou Wenying pushed the door open and entered.

The two locked eyes in the mirror; the air was thick with an invisible scent of gunpowder.

"The performance was wonderful; your piano playing was great, senior," Zhou Wenying smiled sweetly.

"Thank you." Qin Shuang stood beside her, her tone calm.

"Have you and Jiang Jing known each other for a long time?" Qin Shuang asked, feigning casualness.

"Not that long, I suppose." Zhou Wenying closed her lipstick, "But Brother Jiang Jing treats me very well and has given me so many gifts."

Qin Shuang's expression shifted slightly, but she quickly regained her elegance: "It seems we have a lot in common. Why don't we… exchange contact information?"

"Sure~" Zhou Wenying readily took out her phone, and the two added each other on WeChat.

Harmonious on the surface, but not calm beneath.

When they returned to the auditorium together, Jiang Jing was standing in the corridor waiting for them.

Seeing the two walking side by side, he raised an eyebrow: "You two seem to have a good relationship?"

"Just met," Qin Shuang said with a smile, "Junior Wen Ying's dance was amazing."

"Senior Qin Shuang's piano playing is also very impressive!" Zhou Wenying affectionately linked her arm with Qin Shuang's, as if they were old friends.

Jiang Jing's gaze swept back and forth between the two, a faint, ambiguous smile hanging on his lips: "That's perfect, let's walk together."

"Okay." The two answered in unison, then exchanged a smile.

They returned to their seats amidst the surprised gazes of others.

Qin Shuang sat on Jiang Jing's left, and Zhou Wenying sat on his right; the two campus beauties surrounded him like stars around the moon.

The entire auditorium's focus was fixed on this peculiar trio, and whispers spread through the crowd like ripples.

"My god, what is going on?" A girl wearing glasses in the back row rubbed her eyes vigorously, "Two campus beauties serving one husband?"

"Shh! Keep it down!" The short-haired girl beside her lowered her voice, "That man is a super tycoon who drives a lamborghini veneno. I heard he bought Zhou Wenying a luxury house worth 50 million…"

"Then what does that make Qin Shuang? The mistress?" a third person interjected, only to have their mouth covered by a companion immediately.

Several boys in the front row stared blankly: "Damn, this is too awesome! Two campus beauties!"

"What do you know? A tycoon of that level plays much wilder than this," a boy wearing trendy clothes said sourly, "I heard none of Zhou Wenying's gifts were worth less than hundreds of thousands…"

Professor Li from the Art Academy pushed up his glasses and frowned as he watched the scene: "Students these days, what a disgrace…"

"Professor Li, you're outdated," the young teaching assistant next to him said with a smile, "They are both willing, why should we worry about it?"

"Morality is declining, and people's hearts are not what they used to be!" Professor Li glared at him sternly, and the teaching assistant immediately fell silent.

On stage, the student choir was performing, but almost no one was paying attention.

Everyone's attention was focused on that conspicuous spot—Qin Shuang elegantly brushed back her hair and leaned slightly toward Jiang Jing to explain something; Zhou Wenying playfully peeled a grape and naturally offered it to Jiang Jing's mouth.

"See that? Zhou Wenying is asserting her sovereignty!"

"Qin Shuang isn't backing down either; she's practically pressed up against him."

"Tsk tsk, this is the power of money…"

The discussions rose and fell; some were envious, some were jealous, and most were just watching the spectacle, eager for more drama.

Several girls even secretly took out their phones to take pictures, preparing to post them on the campus forum.

Jiang Jing seemed oblivious to the commotion around him, but he keenly sensed the hidden barbs within the seemingly harmonious conversation between the two beauties beside him.

"Senior, your piano playing is really good," Zhou Wenying said sweetly, "I've envied people who can play the piano since I was little."

"Junior, your dance was also stunning," Qin Shuang responded with a smile, "Especially that backbend; your waist must be very flexible, right?"

"It's alright~ Brother Jiang Jing often praises my body's flexibility," Zhou Wenying blinked and leaned closer to Jiang Jing on purpose.

Qin Shuang's smile stiffened for an instant, but she immediately returned to normal: "Is that so? Jiang Jing just said that my fingers look beautiful when I play the piano…"

It was as if invisible sparks were crackling in the air.

Jiang Jing gave a light cough and suddenly spoke: "Do you know how Tencent Group first got its start?"

Both were stunned, not understanding why he suddenly brought this up.

"When Mr. Ma was starting his business back then," Jiang Jing said leisurely, "he had two key generals under him, one responsible for technology and one for marketing. The two had vastly different styles and were constantly arguing."

Zhou Wenying and Qin Shuang both quieted down, looking at him in confusion.

"Once, the two argued so fiercely over a project that it reached the point of resignation," Jiang Jing's gaze swept across both their faces, "Guess how Mr. Ma handled it?"

Both shook their heads.

"He called them into his office, gave each of them the same gift, and then said—" Jiang Jing paused, "'My company is big enough to accommodate both of you talented people. But the premise is that you must understand who is the one making the decisions.'"

The auditorium lights shone into Jiang Jing's deep eyes; his voice was soft, yet it carried an unquestionable power: "Later, those two became the most tacit partners in Tencent Group, jointly creating a commercial empire with a market value of hundreds of billions."

Zhou Wenying's eyelashes trembled slightly, and Qin Shuang's fingers twisted together unconsciously.

"What I mean is," Jiang Jing took one hand each, gently holding their hands, "beautiful things are worth sharing, but the premise is—" his thumbs gently rubbed the backs of their hands, "you must know your place."

PS: [I saw some readers asking to include Liu Ruyan. Do you want the scumbag Liu Ruyan, or the extremely money-grubbing, vain, yet stunningly beautiful Liu Ruyan? Feel free to share your thoughts.]