Side Story 11: The Rise of Xie Yingying

 

Thanks to her excellent “water-carrying” skills (balancing attention and affection among friends), Xie Yingying lived like a little queen in the military compound. Whether they were boys or girls, everyone felt that the adorable Xie Yingying needed their protection.

 

In this era, terms like “heartbreaker” or “green tea” weren’t a thing yet. Though some murmured that Xie Yingying was only slightly pretty and wondered how she could captivate everyone, their gossip didn’t hinder her growth at all.

 

When the time came for her to start school, kids who weren’t even old enough begged their parents to let them attend with her. And those who were a year ahead of Xie Yingying felt deeply regretful, some even tearfully lamenting that they should’ve waited to start school just to be with her.

 

Xie Yingying consoled them with her usual charm, holding their hands and softly saying, “It doesn’t matter if we’re not in the same grade. We can still go to school and come back together. After all, we should pay attention in class and be good students, right?”

 

Her words were like a shot of adrenaline. Yes, yes! They needed to study hard and set a good example for Yingying!

 

On her first day of school, Lin Chuxia had already prepared everything well in advance: a cute little backpack, a pencil case, and all the necessary school supplies. Xie Yingying’s three older brothers also wanted to send her off on her first day, but unfortunately, they had to attend school themselves. Still, they couldn’t help but worry about their little sister being the center of attention in the compound.

 

However, unlike what her brothers feared, when Lin Chuxia brought Xie Yingying to school, her daughter was nothing but the perfect picture of sweetness. She wore a princess dress, her hair braided with delicate butterfly clips that looked like they could take flight at any moment. Her fair and soft face carried a bright smile that could melt hearts. Who wouldn’t love her?

 

The teacher, of course, instantly adored this well-behaved new student. After the usual introductions, the teacher assigned seats, handed out books, and asked each student to introduce themselves.

 

Xie Yingying was paired with a little girl who was also cute and spoiled at home, but with a bit of an ego. She didn’t like how Xie Yingying’s beauty seemed to steal her spotlight.

 

“Hmph,” the girl huffed, clearly displeased with her new seatmate. She thought to herself that there was only room for one shining princess here, and that princess was her.

 

Xie Yingying turned to her, her soft, deer-like eyes gleaming with innocence. “You look so cute! And your clothes are really pretty.”

 

The girl blushed immediately, embarrassed by the unexpected compliment. “R-Really? I-I like your hair clip too. It’s really nice.”

 

Before they even knew each other’s names, the two girls had already begun a polite exchange of compliments, instantly softening any tension between them.

 

Meanwhile, two other kids from the compound were also placed in the same class but not seated with Xie Yingying. They couldn’t help but feel a bit left out, watching their friend chat happily with her new deskmate.

 

“Why didn’t the teacher seat me with Yingying?” one of them pouted.

 

“Exactly! I should be sitting with Yingying!”

 

“No, I should!”

 

The two kids, initially just a little sour, soon started bickering as if the winner of the argument would magically be able to sit with Xie Yingying.

 

Other classmates watched in confusion, wondering why these familiar friends were suddenly fighting. Aren’t they supposed to be friends? What’s going on?

 

By lunchtime, Lin Chuxia arrived to pick Xie Yingying up, only to be called in by the teacher for a brief talk about how her daughter had unintentionally stirred up a bit of drama among her peers.

 

Lin Chuxia blinked in surprise, then gave the teacher a look that said, “Are you serious?” She smiled and replied, “Teacher, my Yingying hasn’t done anything wrong. She’s just a little too sweet, that’s all. Is that really her fault?”

 

The teacher—who had also taught Xie Yingying’s older brothers—could only sigh, realizing that Lin Chuxia had a point. “You’re right,” she conceded. “I’ll just talk to the other students.”

 

Yet by the time the teacher returned to the classroom later that day, she found that the kids had already made up and were now playing jump rope together, hand in hand.

 

Ms. Qin sighed, shaking her head. “Well, that was pointless.”

 

With Xie Yingying at the center of it all, the other kids had already settled their differences, forming new friendships. As for how well those friendships would last—that was another story.

 

Xie Yingying continued to excel in her studies and make friends easily throughout her school years. Just like her brothers, she soared through her classes, her academic performance as dazzling as her beauty. But unlike her brothers, she was much more popular and well-loved by her classmates.

 

As she matured into high school, Xie Yingying’s appearance grew more and more like Lin Chuxia’s—stunning, elegant, and graceful, easily claiming the title of the school’s “goddess.” Her beauty, paired with her poise, attracted countless admirers.

 

Her charm had only improved since childhood, and she now navigated relationships effortlessly. Despite having multiple boyfriends over the years, each one remained loyal even after their breakups. None of her exes had a bad word to say about her, and many of them still pined for her.

 

Whenever someone tried to gossip about Xie Yingying behind her back, her ex-boyfriends would be the first to jump to her defense, scolding the offenders fiercely.

 

Others sneered at them, calling them pathetic. “Are you serious? She dumped you, and you’re still defending her like this? Get a grip, man.”

 

“You think by doing this, she’ll take you back?” they mocked.

 

One of her exes calmly responded, “I don’t need her to take me back. You’ll never understand how amazing Yingying really is, you sour grape.”

 

Xie Yingying never let these petty comments get to her. Her parents and brothers had always told her to live for her own happiness, and as long as she was content, nothing else mattered.

 

One evening, while Yingying was discussing plans with her boyfriend, a friend of hers approached, tugging at her hand playfully. “Yingying, it’s my birthday tonight. You *have* to come!” she said in a sweet, pleading tone.

 

Her boyfriend, standing by with an equally soft gaze, chimed in, “Yingying, you promised we’d celebrate my job interview success together.”

 

Yingying smiled at both of them, as though completely unaffected by the dilemma. “Alright,” she said to her friend first, “I’ll definitely come to your birthday party tonight.”

 

Then, turning to her boyfriend, she said, “You can come too! After the party, we’ll play some fun little games together.”

 

Her friend, who had felt victorious for a moment, quickly scowled upon hearing Yingying’s second promise. But the boyfriend, smugly confident that he’d be the one to spend more time with Yingying in the end, simply smirked at the friend.

 

Every man who dated Xie Yingying believed he was her “final” boyfriend—the one who would eventually marry her. After all, the love and affection she showed each one felt so sincere and exclusive.

 

Eventually, after graduating, Xie Yingying took over her brother’s failing entertainment company.

 

By the time the new millennium arrived, rapid development was reshaping many industries, but the entertainment sector was still ripe for opportunity. Inspired by the bustling entertainment industries in places like Hong Kong and South Korea, Yingying saw immense potential in mainland China.

 

Her eldest brother, Xie Hongchu, had joined the military.

 

Her second brother, Xie Xinghe, had entered politics.

 

Her third brother, Xie Xingrong, had ventured into the medical field, focusing on research and the development of medical technologies and pharmaceuticals. The entertainment company he’d acquired had been more of a side project.

 

But Xie Yingying had big plans for it. The entertainment world was a playground for handsome men and beautiful women—just her type of environment. With her eye for talent and her love of novelty, she knew she could make waves in the industry.

 

When Lin Chuxia found out that her daughter had entered the entertainment business—not just as a player but as a leader—she shared every bit of advice she could. After all, she didn’t want Yingying to fall into the same pitfalls so many others in the industry faced. As for Yingying’s personal life? Lin Chuxia didn’t mind at all. As long as her daughter was happy, that was all that mattered.

 

In fact, Lin Chuxia was a little envious.

 

“Wow, she’s even better at this than me,” she thought.

 

Whenever Lin Chuxia let her envy show, Xie Jingming would quickly “educate” her, making sure she understood that *he* was more than enough to keep her entertained. He had a way of showing her exactly who was in charge, leaving Lin Chuxia laughing and breathless until she begged for mercy.

 

It was as if he were telling her, “If you think you can be a ‘heartbreaker,’ then you better try managing *me* first!” *

 

Under Xie Yingying’s leadership, the entertainment company flourished, skyrocketing to the top of the industry.

 

One day, a young man approached her in the company’s lobby. “President Xie, I’m Chen Xishuang, a newly signed actor,” he introduced himself, his shy smile contrasting with his handsome, almost delicate features.

 

Yingying paused, looking him up and down. This type of encounter was becoming more frequent. As she sized him up, she thought, “Well, now, isn’t this a pleasant little surprise?”

 

Chen Xishuang, feeling nervous under her gaze, recalled his sick parents at home and tried to gather his resolve. He had heard about Xie Yingying before and assumed she’d be an older, sleazy type of executive. Who knew she’d be so beautiful? And…

 

While he was lost in his thoughts, Yingying let out a soft laugh and said casually, “Come along then.”

 

It was time to let go of the last guy. She was getting bored. This new face? He seemed interesting, though he’d need some polishing first.

 

By the end of the day, it seemed she wouldn’t be going home tonight after all.