Ah Cai nodded repeatedly.
"The night I saved Uncle, he passed out. In his daze, he called out 'Jiangjiang' several times. At the time, I knew Jiangjiang must be someone Uncle holds closest to his heart."
"And a few days ago at noon, while you were sleeping, Uncle sat beside you and watched you for a long time. The way Uncle looked at Sister Ayin was truly affectionate and gentle."
"Uncle must have had his own unavoidable reasons for acting cold when you woke up!"
Jiang Shuyin held Ah Cai's hand. "Thank you for telling me this. However, I can't be with him right now. If you ever come to Harbor City, you can contact me."
Jiang Shuyin gave her contact information to Ah Cai.
After returning to Harbor City, Jiang Shuyin threw herself completely into her work.
About half a month later, Qin Xiaoxiao suddenly showed up at her company.
"Miss Jiang, I heard you are a jewelry designer. I came to your company hoping you could help me pick out a jewelry set suitable for an engagement ceremony."
Engagement ceremony?
Just as Jiang Shuyin was about to say something, she suddenly saw a tall figure walk in.
The man wrapped his arm around Qin Xiaoxiao's shoulder. "Have you picked out something you like?"
Jiang Shuyin saw Lu Yan, whom she hadn't seen in half a month. He was wearing a black leather jacket, his hair slicked back. His facial features were sharp and handsome, and he exuded a cold, piercing aura.
Since walking in, he hadn't looked at her even once.
Was Lu Yan the man Qin Xiaoxiao was getting engaged to?
Jiang Shuyin knew that in order to find evidence of Third Master Qin's crimes, Lu Yan had to strategize and play along with the act.
"Miss Jiang, could you give me some recommendations?"
Jiang Shuyin nodded and led Qin Xiaoxiao to pick out some jewelry.
Qin Xiaoxiao chose a diamond necklace. "Brother Yan, help me put it on."
Lu Yan walked around behind Qin Xiaoxiao and fastened the necklace for her.
"Brother Yan, please don't be mad at my daddy for testing you last time. He's naturally suspicious. But after that test, he trusts you one hundred percent now."
Lu Yan gave a low hum of acknowledgment.
After picking out the jewelry, Qin Xiaoxiao took an invitation card from her bag and handed it to Jiang Shuyin. "Miss Jiang, you are welcome to attend my and Brother Yan's engagement ceremony as our guest."
When Lu Yan saw the invitation card Qin Xiaoxiao handed over, his sharp eyebrows furrowed unconsciously.
After the two left Jiang Shuyin's company, Lu Yan asked in a low voice, "We aren't close with Miss Jiang. Why did you think to invite her?"
A smile appeared on Qin Xiaoxiao's face. "Because Ji Chi likes her. Ji Chi has been quite depressed lately, so I want to create an opportunity for him."
Lu Yan pressed his thin lips together and said nothing more.
...
Jiang Shuyin returned to her office and looked at the gold-stamped invitation card in her hand.
Qin Xiaoxiao and Lu Yan's engagement ceremony was next Friday.
Last time on Yuzhou Island, she had told Lu Yan about the relationship between Qin Xiaoxiao and Ji Shaoqin. He should be fully aware of it!
Even though she knew the engagement was just an act, her heart still felt a bit bitter.
Over these past few days, she had finally sorted out the emotions buried deep in her heart.
While she hated Lu Yan, she had also uncontrollably liked him and felt her heart flutter for him.
It was just that the hatred had been too intense, and she hadn't dared to look deeper into it, so she thought she had absolutely no feelings for him.
But seeing him talk to Ah Cai, and seeing him play along with Qin Xiaoxiao, made her feel extremely uncomfortable deep down.
That uncomfortable feeling was called jealousy.
In the past, she could never have imagined that she would get jealous over Lu Yan.
But after seeing her own heart clearly, she felt that being jealous was completely normal.
It was because she cared and liked him.
In the half month since she returned from the small fishing village, besides working, she had gone to a beauty salon to get scar removal treatments for the wounds on her arm.
Since her feelings toward Lu Yan had changed, she felt there was no need to keep those marks anymore.
Jiang Shuyin had always been someone who dared to love and dared to hate.
When she hated someone, she hated them with all her heart.
But when she liked someone, she could like them recklessly and without hesitation.
Once Lu Yan finished his mission regarding Third Master Qin, she would confess her feelings to him.
It wasn't that she was being narcissistic, but given his possessiveness over her, she felt that he liked her too.
Otherwise, with his status, what kind of woman couldn't he have?
Why would he stubbornly hang onto her?
...
Time flew by, and soon it was the day of Qin Xiaoxiao and Lu Yan's engagement banquet.
After hesitating again and again, Jiang Shuyin decided to attend.
The engagement ceremony was held at a five-star hotel. She ran into Ji Chi at the hotel entrance.
When Ji Chi saw Jiang Shuyin, his peach-blossom eyes lit up.
"Ayin, I originally wasn't going to come, but Xiaoxiao said she had a surprise for me. So you're the surprise she prepared?"
Jiang Shuyin looked at the handsome and charming Ji Chi. She didn't believe he truly had deep feelings for her. Perhaps it was just the ego of a rich playboy—the harder something was to get, the more he wanted it to prove his own charm.
Jiang Shuyin didn't want to make things too awkward with Ji Chi. After all, she guessed that Lu Yan definitely had a big plan set up for today, and she couldn't ruin his show.
She nodded at Ji Chi. "I received an invitation from Miss Qin."
Ji Chi offered his arm to Jiang Shuyin. "Ayin, would you be my date for tonight?"
"Sure." Jiang Shuyin took Ji Chi's arm.
The two entered the hotel banquet hall together.
Third Master Qin, Lu Yan, and Qin Xiaoxiao were standing at the entrance greeting guests.
Seeing Ji Chi and Jiang Shuyin walk over together, a smile appeared on Qin Xiaoxiao's face. "What a handsome man and beautiful woman. You two look so compatible and pleasing to the eye. Don't you think so, Brother Yan?"
Lu Yan glanced at Jiang Shuyin and gave a low hum.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Lu Yan and Qin Xiaoxiao, Ji Chi led Jiang Shuyin into the banquet hall. A trace of apology appeared on his handsome face. "Don't listen to Qin Xiaoxiao's nonsense. Actually, I've figured things out now. You can't force matters of the heart. I used to be a victorious general when it came to chasing women; you're the only one I've stumbled over. That's why I was feeling so emo. It's not like I actually love you so deeply that I can't extricate myself or would die for you."
Ji Chi's honesty made Jiang Shuyin see him in a new light.
Although he was a playboy, compared to his hypocritical older brother, he was much more of a gentleman.
Jiang Shuyin ran into several of her clients in the banquet hall and chatted with them one by one.
After an unknown amount of time, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Qin Xiaoxiao and Ji Shaoqin walking toward the back door one after the other.
Perhaps it was because she knew about the relationship between Qin Xiaoxiao and Ji Shaoqin that she paid extra attention to them.
Jiang Shuyin glanced over at Lu Yan. He was standing with Third Master Qin, holding a glass of red wine. His cold, handsome face was unreadable, and he exuded an icy aura that kept people a thousand miles away.
Jiang Shuyin vaguely sensed that this seemingly peaceful engagement banquet was actually surging with hidden undercurrents.
...
Qin Xiaoxiao and Ji Shaoqin entered a lounge.
Qin Xiaoxiao took out a ledger from the safe in the lounge. "This is what you wanted. Without the ledger containing evidence of your crimes, you won't have to be controlled by my daddy anymore."
Qin Xiaoxiao held out her hand to Ji Shaoqin. "Where is the antidote for the Five-Color Flower?"
Ji Shaoqin looked at Qin Xiaoxiao, who was willing to betray Third Master Qin for Lu Yan. He narrowed his clear, gentle eyes. "You really are a fool for love!"
Like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on, Qin Xiaoxiao instantly bristled. "I am going to be engaged to Brother Yan very soon! He will definitely treat me well in the future. Hurry up and hand over the antidote. I don't want him to suffer the agony of the poison acting up anymore!"
Ji Shaoqin handed the antidote to Qin Xiaoxiao. Before he even had the chance to say anything, she quickly turned and walked away.
Qin Xiaoxiao found Lu Yan in the banquet hall. "Brother Yan, I got the antidote for the Five-Colored Flower for you."
Lu Yan glanced at the antidote. He took it and slipped it into his pants pocket. "Xiaoxiao, haven't you always been curious as to why your daddy wouldn't allow you to be with Ji Shaoqin?"
Qin Xiaoxiao's pupils shrank. "Brother Yan, h-how did you know about me and Ji Shaoqin..."
With one hand tucked into his pocket, Lu Yan lowered his head slightly. His voice was deep and magnetic as he said, "I know exactly what you and Ji Shaoqin did on that island."
Qin Xiaoxiao's face suddenly drained of color.
She never expected that Lu Yan actually knew everything.
Qin Xiaoxiao was instantly thrown into an extreme panic. "Brother Yan, I promise I will draw a clear line with Ji Shaoqin from now on. I won't ever cheat on you."
Lu Yan's expression was dark and profound. "Xiaoxiao, first, I am going to have you and the guests watch a live video broadcast. You will soon learn the true relationship between your daddy and Ji Shaoqin."
Qin Xiaoxiao was a little bewildered. Just as she was about to say something, Lu Yan took out a remote control and gently pressed a button.
On the large screen in the banquet hall, a scene suddenly appeared that caused everyone's jaws to drop...
