Chapter 83: Green Diamond
###Two Hot Search Topics
The first hot search was about #Xu Dian pursuing Meng Ying#, while the second was about someone capturing footage of #Meng Ying’s team dining with Gu Yan’s team at a hot pot restaurant#.
The first topic had been trending for a while, but the second one provided the full context. The aftermath of these two hot searches led to fans suddenly cheering.
If you clicked into the second topic, you’d see it was flooded with smiling and excited emojis—not a single comment criticizing Meng Ying.
This was because Liu Qin (Meng Ying’s manager) had proactively posted on Meng Ying’s official studio Weibo, explaining that Meng Ying had run into Gu Yan by chance and invited him to dinner. She thanked Gu Yan for recommending Teacher Hu Ye and mentioned that both were now under Hu Ye’s mentorship, making them “senior-junior.”
Liu Qin did this for a reason: Reporters are everywhere, and Meng Ying was already under scrutiny due to her upcoming movie release and her recent public confirmation of her relationship with Xu Dian. Dining with a male celebrity at such a time could have been risky, but Liu Qin preemptively posted a short video showing three staff members and waiters present—proving it wasn’t a private meeting.
Because everything was open and aboveboard, fans didn’t backlash. After all, can’t a female celebrity have friends?
This made the first hot search even more infuriating.
—
#Xu Dian Won Meng Ying Over Just by Sending Her Home to Her Apartment—Can You Believe It?#
– “I watched the video carefully—our Yingying’s eyes were so tender when she said that! She obviously adores Xu Dian! And yet this guy ‘won her over’ just by sending her home?!”
– “OMG, Yingying, you’re way too easy to pursue! His ‘romantic tactics’ are laughable—more like a ditch than a grand gesture!”
– “What a jerk.”
– “Total jerk! Just because he’s handsome, he thinks he can get away with anything? Not even a single rose? Are you a fake CEO? Is Xu Corp broke or something?”
– “Roses might be cliché, but they’re still romantic. Xu Dian, you’re unworthy.”
– “Right?? Just sending her home? Even a middle-schooler could do better!”
– “LMAO exactly, even kids have better game than him.”
– “He doesn’t deserve her!”
– “Xu Dian, YOU’RE UNWORTHY!!”
– “Taking advantage of our Yingying’s soft heart—what a scheming drama king.”
– “Um, I hate to say it, but… didn’t he spend like 200 million…?”
– “Hey, I’ve got my sword ready…”
– “Fine! That 200 million was probably fake anyway! Ugh, so mad!”
—
#Celebrating Xu Dian Getting Cheated On!#
– “HAHAHA I can’t get enough of Meng Ying and Gu Yan together—my OG ship!”
– “@XuDian_XuCorp How’s the view from under that green hat? Need help adjusting it? ?”
– “Serves you right for ‘pursuing’ her so lazily! Now enjoy being ‘cheated on’!”
– “Congrats on the cuckoldry! ?”
– “NGL, I used to stan Meng Ying and Gu Yan so hard.”
– “Same! This is giving me life.”
– “Special thanks to @XuDian_XuCorp for this glorious moment.”
– “Step down gracefully, Xu Dian. At least you’ll keep some dignity. LOL.”
– “I’m so excited—what will Xu Dian post tonight? Maybe he’ll panic and drop some ‘apology benefits’?”
– “‘Panic’ is the perfect word. HAHAHA.”
—
###The Backlash Against Xu Dian
“HAHAHAHA—I’m laughing so hard I might be crazy! I don’t know why I’m this happy, but I’m living for Xu Dian’s impending Weibo meltdown!”
“How are you gonna explain the ‘green hat’ now? Don’t bother—just keep wearing it! We’re loving this drama! HAHAHA!”
Despite the unflattering “green hat” metaphor (an euphemism for being cheated on), the hashtag was flooded with gleeful schadenfreude, netizens cackling like villains.
Meanwhile, at the car dealership—
Zhou Yang and the others were collapsing in laughter as they scrolled through the热搜. Zhou Yang, in particular, was having the time of his life, dramatically reading out the most savage comments:
“‘Dog bastard!’ ‘You’re unworthy!’ ‘Panic mode activated!’”
Xu Dian, lounging in his chair with his long legs crossed, finished browsing the comments and calmly set down his phone. Then—
Wham!
He hurled a car magazine straight at Zhou Yang, who dodged it effortlessly, grinning.
“Back in the day, you had the most women fawning over you—now look at you, getting dragged by an army of angry fans! HAHAHA, this is gold.”
Li Yi, leaning against the window while smoking, muttered, “They’re all blind.”
Zhou Yang nodded. “Yeah, totally blind.”
Xu Dian scoffed. “You two really have the nerve to talk?”
He stood up, lazily straightening his sleeves with a smirk.
“Say what you want—at least I’m not single.”
His peach-blossom eyes glinted with triumph.
“What about you two?”
Zhou Yang: “…Damn.”
Li Yi turned away. “I need a smoke. For my mental health.”
Zhou Yang followed. “Same.”
As they walked off, they nearly collided with Jiang Yu, who was storming in after a frustrating search for Yun Lu. The three men locked eyes—tension crackling like a showdown in a Western.
The women at the poker table (including Meng Ying, Xu Qing, Liu Yan, and Yun Lü) glanced over, confused.
Yun Lü nervously stood up, but Liu Yan pulled her back down.
“Don’t intervene—men argue over the dumbest things.”
Xu Qing yawned. “Yeah, let them fight.”
Before Yun Lü could protest—
Zhou Yang & Li Yi (in unison, glaring at Jiang Yu): “Oh, so being married makes you special?”
Jiang Yu (cold smirk): “Cope, single dogs.”
Zhou Yang & Li Yi: “……”
“PFFT—” Liu Yan spit out her drink. Yun Lü gasped. Meng Ying nearly misplayed her card in shock.
Xu Dian, chuckling behind her, steadied her wrist and tossed the correct card for her. Then he stayed, wrapping his arms around her waist and taking over the game.
Meng Ying’s hand was strong, but her poker skills were… lacking. She’d almost been outmaneuvered by Xu Qing and Liu Yan—until Xu Dian scanned the table, reorganized her cards, and let out a soft, mocking chuckle.
Meng Ying’s ears burned.
He didn’t even need to speak—his laugh alone was a roast.
She elbowed him lightly. “Wow, someone’s feeling superior.”
Xu Dian raised a brow, feigning innocence. “Me? Never. I’d never dare act superior around you.”
Xu Qing smirked. “Of course not—one wrong move, and Meng Ying’s fans would drown him in spit.”
Liu Yan and Yun Lu, who’d seen the drama, burst out laughing.
The irony was too rich: The legendary Xu Dian, who’d never lost a woman’s favor in real life, had finally met his match—the internet.
—
###Meng Ying’s Winning Streak
Meng Ying shot them a look. “Stop laughing—I’m starting to feel bad for him. At least laugh privately?”
“HAHAHAHA—”
Her waist was suddenly pulled tighter against Xu Dian, who leaned down and murmured lazily in her ear, “Oh? So you’re joining in too?”
His voice was low and dangerous.
Meng Ying didn’t answer—she was too focused on her final move. After rounds of cautious plays, she finally slammed down her winning pair of Kings.
“Boom. Game over.”
She’d been holding a stellar hand the whole time, but her mediocre poker skills had dragged the game out. Xu Dian chuckled and teased, “Still need my help?”
But when the next round started and he glanced at her new hand—another unbeatable set—she swatted his fingers away.
“Do I look like I need help now?”
Xu Dian: “…Fine.”
He draped an arm around her and idly scrolled through his phone, only to gradually darken as Liu Yan and Xu Qing teamed up to bully Meng Ying. Every time he tried to intervene, she’d smack his hand.
“I’ve got this!”
Xu Dian gritted his teeth. “Don’t come crying to me later.”
He leaned back, legs crossed, and fixed Liu Yan and Xu Qing with a chilling stare.
Liu Yan stubbed out her cigarette: “…”
Xu Qing clicked her tongue but lost her nerve.
Under his watch, they dialed back their scheming—slightly.
Yet fate was on Meng Ying’s side. She won 20 straight games, her luck so absurd that even the men abandoned their smoke break to crowd around the table.
Yun Lü watched with starry eyes, while Jiang Yu rolled his at his wife’s admiration.
When Meng Ying triumphantly tossed her last card, she whirled and threw her arms around Xu Dian’s neck, beaming. “Did you see that? Twenty wins—all me!”
Like a giddy girl, her usual poise shed, pure joy radiating.
Xu Dian held her close, his peach-blossom eyes soft. “I saw.”
His grip tightened slightly—his chest aching with something bittersweet yet precious. He kissed her temple and whispered, “My wife is amazing.”
Meng Ying froze at the word “wife”, then met his gaze. In that moment, their eyes held nothing but each other—and all the unspoken love between them.
She smiled.
He smiled back—and brushed a featherlight kiss to her lips.
Then—
FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!
Their friends snapped photos with their phones, cackling.
“Just get married already!”
“Yeah, you’re disgustingly in love!”
“I’ll gift Meng Ying a house as dowry!”
“I’ll throw in a car!”
“How about a hotel? HAHAHA!”
Xu Dian tucked Meng Ying’s face against his chest and growled, “Get lost.”
They ignored him, snapping more pics.
Meng Ying shook with laughter in his arms, and Xu Dian’s heart melted. He shot back, “Since when do we need your charity? You think we’re broke?”
“It’s pre-marital property—her own assets. What’re you gonna do, huh?” they fired back in unison.
Xu Dian: “…”
He… couldn’t argue with that.
—
### Late-Night Supper
Later, the group headed out for a midnight snack. Instead of his usual Hummer, Xu Dian handed Meng Ying the keys to a white BMW—one of the three “feminine” cars he’d just bought.
“You drive.”
Meng Ying took the wheel, lips curving as she admired the new ride.
One white, one bright red, and one pink.
He probably didn’t want to ride in either the flashy red or girlish pink one, so he’d chosen the more neutral white BMW as a compromise.
Meng Ying had a natural talent for driving. She glanced at Xu Dian, who had adjusted the passenger seat to accommodate his long legs, looking slightly uncomfortable in the confined space. He loosened his collar, leaned over to kiss her cheek, and said, “Drive whenever you’re ready. Don’t worry if we can’t keep up with them.”
Meng Ying gave him a casual look before starting the engine. The car shot forward with surprising speed. The three cars ahead – Liu Yan and Xu Qing in a Wrangler, Zhou Yang and Li Yi in a Volvo, and Jiang Yu with Yun Lü in a Mercedes sports car – all powerful vehicles with strong horsepower, had been waiting for them.
The next moment, everyone watched in shock as the brand-new BMW with its “New Driver, Please Yield” sticker (courtesy of Li Yi’s joke) overtook them effortlessly.
“…Since when do new drivers drive like this?!”
They’d been fooled! The chase was on.
After late-night snacks, the group parted ways outside the hotel. Meng Ying continued driving while Xu Dian watched with mixed feelings – pride tinged with an odd sense of uselessness. He kept glancing at her, irritated by how smoothly she handled the car, even executing perfect reverse parking.
“You drive quite well,” he remarked sourly.
“Feeling jealous?” Meng Ying teased without taking her eyes off the road.
Xu Dian: “…”
Maybe a little.
If she could drive this well, what use were the three cars he’d bought? He might as well have bought property instead. Leaning back, he covered his forehead in frustration.
Returning to Moonlight Residences, Meng Ying parked effortlessly in the basement (each unit came with a parking space in the early development days – a luxury no longer available). Xu Dian held her hand in the quiet elevator, eventually pulling her close against the cool draft. When the doors opened on their floor, they were greeted by a breathtaking sight:
Dozens of colorful balloons floated in the hallway, leading to a path of rose petals interspersed with candlelight protected by glass domes – not a single flame had gone out. The romantic display was almost overwhelming.
“Beautiful?” Xu Dian’s voice came from above her as she stood stunned, heart racing.
Meng Ying nodded. “When did you arrange this?”
“Had someone take care of it,” he said, guiding her through the rose-lined path. He picked up the largest bouquet and placed it in her arms before turning to face her.
Among the fresh roses was a card and a small box. “This isn’t… a ring, is it?” Meng Ying asked hesitantly.
“It is. But not from me – it’s my mother’s. Our family heirloom.” Xu Dian opened the velvet box to reveal an exquisite emerald-cut diamond ring with brilliant green stones.
He explained, “This stone was discovered when my grandfather got caught in crossfire during a jade-buying trip to Myanmar. My grandmother happened to be there and saved him. This ring slipped from her fingers during the rescue. He had it polished, added these accent diamonds, and returned it to propose. The original emerald material no longer exists – this is the only one.”
Meng Ying inhaled sharply. “I can’t possibly accept this.”
“Who else would?” Xu Dian tightened his embrace. When their eyes met, Meng Ying saw both determination and vulnerability in his gaze. After a pause, she gently placed the box back in his pocket.
Rising on her toes, she kissed his lips. “Not yet,” she soothed.
Xu Dian froze momentarily before responding fiercely, backing her against the wall as they stumbled into the dark apartment. The fallen ring box tumbled to the floor in the heat of passion, the emerald diamond spilling out in an echo of how it had fallen decades before.
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