The CEO’s Substitute Wife Is A Genius
Chapter 193 Jiang Man Regretted

Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Jiang Man Regretted

"Manman, dear," the old lady greeted with a warm and pleasant expression, immediately taking the phone with a beaming smile.

On the other end, Jiang Man’s voice was sweet and soft, "Grandma, I wish you happiness as vast as the Eastern seas and longevity as enduring as the Southern mountains! I’ve been so careless, not even realizing today is your seventieth birthday!"

"Manman, you are such a good child," the old lady immediately dropped her guard, her smile warm and pleasing.

Jiang Man had saved her life; she owed her a great debt of gratitude.

However, the girl never took advantage of her gratitude but respected her as if she were a granddaughter next door.

The 20 million was forcibly given to the girl by her, and only after much persuasion did Jiang Man accept it. This allowed her conscience to be at ease.

"Grandma, you have given me a new life!" Jiang Man exclaimed, "I’ve just won the championship in the all-France youth group ballet competition, grandma, once I finish my studies and return, I will definitely repay your kindness!"

"Ah, what talk of repayment? I should be the one owing you," she said.

"No, no, no, that 20 million fulfilled my dream. Consider it as a loan from you, grandma; I will certainly repay it."

"What repayment? You saved my life; that’s just a small token of my gratitude."

"It’s not like that." Since Jiang Man’s intention for calling wasn’t about this matter, she argued for a bit but didn’t continue.

"Grandma, I can’t send the gift today, but I will make it up to you later. You must accept it, okay? It’s not something expensive, but it’s filled with my heart," she said.

"Okay, okay, okay!" the old lady replied eagerly, her face breaking into a broad smile.

"Grandma..."

On the other end of the phone, Jiang Man’s voice suddenly became hesitant.

The old lady had a bad feeling, and the smile on her lips froze immediately: "What’s the matter? Just speak your mind."

"Grandma, I heard there’s a girl who has the same-sounding name as mine who married brother Xingzhou?"

The old lady didn’t expect the conversation to turn this way.

"Yes, but it’s not what you think. There was a misunderstanding, a mix-up, and Xingzhou and Manman got married," she explained.

"I see, it’s nothing, I was just asking. Grandma, I need to prepare for class now, I’ll talk to you later," Jiang Man said.

"All right."

It was past seven in the evening in Beicheng, which meant it was just after two in the afternoon in Paris.

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Man placed her cell phone in the locker, changed into her ballet practice clothes, and put on her ballet shoes.

Her dance partners were stretching their legs. Today was a free practice day, so while stretching, the girls chatted and laughed together.

They came from all over the world but eventually communicated in French.

Jiang Man barely understood French, but at school, she had met a girl from Beicheng who was studying abroad.

The girl’s family was very wealthy, the kind that didn’t lack money. They sent her to the Royal Ballet Academy to dance. It was just a personal hobby of hers.

"Ming Xiang, what are they talking about that’s making them so happy?" Jiang Man walked over, began stretching her legs, and asked casually.

Because of the language barrier, she couldn’t really join the conversation with her dance partners.

The only person she could talk to was Ming Xiang.

Ming Xiang flexed her foot arch, pulled her chin close, and said, "They’re talking about your ex-fiance Lu Xingzhou!"

"What? I have nothing to do with him," Jiang Man immediately waved her hands.

However, Ming Xiang tilted her head, a teasing smile on her face, "You two were about to get a marriage certificate, and you say there’s no relation?"

"But I don’t even know what he looks like, I have never met him," she protested.

"I have a photo!" Ming Xiang smiled, "I’ll show it to you during the break."

After two hours of stretching, the group returned to the changing room for a break.

Jiang Man took big gulps of warm water, having already forgotten about the photo.

But Ming Xiang crept up mysteriously behind her and dangled the phone in front of her eyes, "Ta-da~"

"What’s that?" Jiang Man grabbed the phone.

"This is my cousin, this is my former brother-in-law, and this one is Lu Xingzhou," Ming Xiang introduced patiently, pointing with her finger.

Jiang Man’s eyes first fell on Ming Ran, and she could not help but admire, truly worthy of a wealthy heiress, so beautiful!

When her gaze finally landed on Lu Zhendong, she felt dazzled.

Apart from appearing a bit more mature, there was nothing wrong with him, he was just like the handsome uncle character described in novels.

But when her eyes eventually met Lu Xingzhou’s, the initial amazement in her pupils instantly widened, and her breathing stalled.

In the photo, Lu Xingzhou was dressed in business attire, with a fitted black shirt paired with black suit pants, hands in pockets, his posture erect.

The sculptured features of his face, impeccable features, and cold demeanor gave off a sensation both frosty and abstinent.

He fulfilled all of her fantasies of a domineering CEO: tall, with an excellent demeanor, and his pheromone levels off the charts!

"So this is what he looks like..." Jiang Man murmured to herself.

"Exactly!" Ming Xiang responded loudly, "I am quite puzzled, you saved Madam Lu, how did you not get a chance to meet him even once?"

"Indeed, I had no chance to meet him, and it’s also possible that he didn’t want to meet me." Jiang Man responded with a bitter twist of her mouth.

For some reason, a ripple surged within her heart, even sparking a hint of regret.

"They are all discussing Lu Xingzhou’s net worth, since the end of the year is approaching, and the Forbes wealthy list is about to go through another turbulent reshuffling. He’s the youngest and most eligible bachelor on the list, so they are all eager, thinking of ways to engineer a chance encounter with Lu Xingzhou."

Ming Xiang went on talking to herself, picking up her cup and taking a big gulp of water.

"Every student who can attend the Royal Ballet Academy comes from a family with some background and money. When they say they want to encounter Lu Xingzhou, there’s a real possibility that it could happen."

"But," Jiang Man interrupted her, "Lu Xingzhou, he’s married."

"What?" Ming Xiang nearly choked on her water, almost spraying it out.

She eagerly sat down next to Jiang Man and tugged at her arm, "What’s the situation, tell me about it!"

"Rumor has it that a girl whose name sounds like mine took my place and registered the marriage with Lu Xingzhou, thinking she was me. But after the registration, he discovered she wasn’t me."

"Ah? That’s so melodramatic?" Ming Xiang frowned and said, "I bet you, this person did it on purpose, pretending to be you. What’s her name?"

"I’m not clear about the specific characters of her name, but it sounds similar to mine."

"Manman, look at you, showing noble forgiveness by giving Wen Jingya a chance, yet some villain jumped in to take advantage."

"Ming Xiang felt more and more sour as she thought about it."

She took out her phone, "I’ll ask my cousin."

The call was made from Paris to Beicheng.

At that moment, Ming Ran had just been with Lu Zhendong in an intimate encounter.

Because of the alcohol, Lu Zhendong fell into a deep sleep after the event.

Ming Ran was thrilled, wishing to sleep but unable to.

She lay on her side, her beautiful eyes wide open, staring unblinkingly at the man’s sleeping face.

Her lips curved up, filled with longing.

She wondered what reaction Zhendong would have upon waking up the next day.

Would he still explode in anger and drive her away?

Ming Ran rested her hand under her cheek, not daring to ponder what the future might bring.

All she knew was to cherish the present.

At the very least, for that moment, Lu Zhendong loved her; otherwise, he would not have been involved with her in a way that shouldn’t have happened.

Suddenly, the bedside was illuminated by a light.

Ming Ran’s phone had long been set to silent mode; she hesitated, mulled it over for a short while before picking up the phone to take a look.

Seeing that it was a call from her cousin abroad, she directly rejected it, then replied with a text message.

Ming Ran: Tonight is crucial for Zhendong and me to get back together. Let’s talk another day if it’s about anything.

Ming Xiang: Hmm? You two wouldn’t be about to sleep, right? Or have you already?

Ming Ran: (shy emoji)

Ming Xiang: (covering mouth laughing emoji) I won’t disturb you, just one question, what’s the name of Lu Xingzhou’s wife?

Upon seeing this question, Ming Ran’s typing fingers abruptly froze.

After a brief moment of being dazed, she replied: What do you need to know this for?

Ming Xiang: I’m asking for a friend, my friend’s name is Jiang Man, isn’t it ironic? She was about to register a marriage with Lu Xingzhou, but then some shameless woman with a similar sounding name took her place and married Lu Xingzhou!