It's important to know that Jiang Youli has been dealing with poisons and medicines since childhood. Trying to drug her would be like showing off one's meager skills in front of a master—a sure path to ruin!
After cursing Qi Yue, Duan Jinghan looked down at the engagement party invitation in his hand. However, he still intended to attend the party tomorrow. He planned to openly win Jiang Youli back and also tell her about Qi Yue's schemes!
He imagined Jiang Youli would be deeply moved by his actions!
...
The Jiang Family Residence, Eastern District Villa.
At eleven o'clock at night, Ye Ying's call came through.
"Boss, I've found out. The person who went to investigate you before was sent by Jiang Zhao. However, that person was killed after finishing the investigation into your past."
"Killed?" Jiang Youli was surprised. She was certain it wasn't done by the uncles and aunts in the village.
So, who was deliberately trying to stop Jiang Zhao's investigation?
And why stop it?
The only explanation was Jiang Yonghe.
She was afraid Jiang Zhao would uncover that she had once bribed someone to harm her.
How interesting.
"Do you know what Jiang Zhao's people found out?"
"Although the person sent by Jiang Zhao was killed, I found out he had contacted a wilderness explorer before his death. Following this lead, I investigated and found that the explorer mentioned a bizarre thing he saw in the mountains: a young girl surrounded by venomous snakes and insects in the deep wilderness. The explorer initially thought the girl was in trouble, but when he got closer, he found she was actually playing with the venomous snakes and insects. In his panic, he took a photo of this terrifying scene and fled immediately."
"I understand."
After hanging up, Jiang Youli used her finger to play with Little Green, who was being cute nearby.
Since discovering her interest in medicine and the study of poisons, Jiang Youli had often interacted with snakes, insects, and poisonous ants in the mountains, collecting them to either keep at home or place in her medicinal garden as guards.
Once, a hiking explorer accidentally saw her in the mountains, effortlessly playing amidst a swarm of venomous snakes and insects, which scared him into fleeing in panic.
She hadn't known that person had taken a photo at the time.
If ordinary people knew about this, it would indeed seem a bit eerie and hard to accept.
If these so-called "dark secrets" had already been sent to Jiang Zhao, then presumably Jiang Yonghe and Jiang Xing knew about them too.
What did they plan to do with this at her engagement party?
Just expose it?
That would certainly damage her reputation, but it still didn't seem forceful enough.
At that moment, her phone vibrated. Jiang Youli looked down at the phone on the desk. A message from Duan Jinghan arrived as usual.
[Jiang Youli, I can't believe you still didn't plan to go get the marriage certificate with me today. You're as difficult as ever! But I won't give up. Tomorrow, at your engagement party, I won't let it proceed successfully!]
Jiang Youli: ...
Duan Jinghan sent another message: [Tomorrow you will finally understand how deep my love for you is! Qi Huan's feelings for you are far inferior to mine!]
Jiang Youli really didn't know what to do with Duan Jinghan anymore. It was best to continue ignoring him.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Little Green bothering Little Black and Little White during their rest. A thought suddenly struck Jiang Youli.
Jiang Xing had once sent someone to steal things from her room and knew about the venomous snakes there.
This matter might be used by Jiang Xing to make a move.
As for the engagement party, if they wanted to completely ruin her, they would of course use the cruelest method.
For example—
Having guests at the party bitten by venomous snakes or insects. She would undoubtedly become the prime suspect.
Jiang Youli began to feel excited. If Jiang Xing really had the guts to do this, tomorrow's engagement party would indeed be very interesting!
...
Meanwhile, at the Qi Family residence.
"Young Master, Qi Yue was restless tonight. First, he secretly met with Jiang Xing and Jiang Yonghe, and then he went to the Duan family to see Duan Jinghan." Cheng Jing reported everything he had observed about Qi Yue's surveillance to Qi Huan.
Qi Huan put his phone on speaker and placed it on the nightstand. Then he picked up a ring box beside him, gently opened it, revealing a pair of matching rings inside.
The rings were designed with extreme simplicity and elegance, without excessive ornate or complex decorations. Only some delicate patterns, flowing naturally like blades of grass, were engraved on the surface, looking both fresh, distinctive, and elegant.
From the moment he first saw Jiang Youli and heard her agree to return to the Jiang family to marry him, Qi Huan had been preparing for their engagement and future wedding.
He looked forward to each new day, bringing the time of his marriage to Jiang Youli one step closer.
After looking his fill, Qi Huan closed the ring box, put it back on the table, and began to ponder the motive behind Qi Yue's actions tonight.
Meeting with Jiang Xing and Jiang Yonghe was understandable—he was just humiliated by Xiao Li'er today, unwilling to accept it, and wanted to join forces with Jiang Xing and Jiang Yonghe to deal with her.
But why did Qi Yue go to see Duan Jinghan?
To incite Duan Jinghan to expose his past relationship with Jiang Youli at the engagement party, to embarrass him?
But it was just a past relationship; even if exposed, so what?
Since Qi Yue was taking action, his methods certainly wouldn't be that mild.
Qi Huan could roughly guess that Qi Yue probably wanted to use dirty, despicable means to make Jiang Youli and Duan Jinghan lose control in a passionate moment, only to be caught in the act by the many guests at the engagement party.
This way, he would not only get revenge on Jiang Youli but also make Qi Huan wear the "green hat" and be thoroughly humiliated at his own engagement party.
Buzz buzz.
The phone rang.
Qi Huan glanced at it. It was a call from Jiang Youli. He answered immediately.
"Little Huanhuan, there's something I need to give you a heads-up about in advance," the woman's cheerful voice came through.
The corner of Qi Huan's mouth lifted slightly. "What is it?"
"Our engagement party tomorrow might get a bit... bloody."
"Playing that big?" Qi Huan raised an eyebrow. "But if you think it's necessary, do as you please."
Jiang Youli immediately laughed. "Mwah! But don't worry, with me here, no one will die at our engagement party."
Qi Huan was intrigued by her mystery. "Coincidentally, I've also found out some things that might be related to you."
"What things?"
"Qi Yue met with Jiang Xing and Jiang Yonghe tonight."
"Is that so! Then perhaps tomorrow we can deal with both Jiang Xing and Qi Yue at once." Jiang Youli told Qi Huan about her ability to control venomous insects and snakes and shared her speculation. "I originally thought Jiang Xing would act personally, but it seems it will be Qi Yue."
Qi Huan smiled. "It doesn't matter. Since these two have teamed up, neither should escape. Regarding Qi Yue, I'll have Cheng Jing gather solid evidence to pin him down. You just need to guard against Jiang Xing."
"OK!"
After hanging up, a deep, inscrutable light flickered in Qi Huan's dark eyes.
Anyone who wanted to disrupt his and Xiao Li'er's engagement party tomorrow would have to pay the corresponding price.
...
Jiang Youli put down her phone, lay back on the bed, and played with Little Green with her finger.
"Tomorrow, you three better play a good game of hide-and-seek~"
Xiao Lu nodded, then swam over to Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai, tapping them with its tail until they grew impatient and nodded as well. It then swam back to Jiang Youli, winding around her finger with a look that seemed to beg for praise.
Jiang Youli chuckled softly, reaching out with another finger to stroke its cool little head. "My Xiao Lu is the cutest~ Alright, go and rest now~ I have a tough battle to face tomorrow too~"
Xiao Lu immediately released her finger, swam to a spot between Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai, curled its body into a ball, and settled down to sleep.
