On the 10th of March, Ji Fanyin headed into the film set to check on their progress. Before heading out, she sent a message asking them if there was anything they would like to eat.
When she finally arrived at the World Studios, she encountered a wild Cen Xiangyang.
"Did you say something to her?" Cen Xiangyang got straight to the point and questioned her. "Why did she suddenly break off communication with me?"
Since she was waiting for the members of the film set to come over and carry the takeout boxes anyway, Ji Fanyin decided to humor Cen Xiangyang. She leaned against her new Ferrari and replied, "Are you that worried about letting others know about what you did?"
"So you were the one behind it!" Cen Xiangyang narrowed his eyes sharply. "You must have played a part in her sudden engagement with Li Xiaoxing."
"You could always attend the engagement ceremony and ask Ji Xinxin in person." Ji Xinxin pulled up her sunglasses and rested it on her head. "… Ah, I nearly forgot. Did you receive an invitation letter?"
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When it came to engagement ceremonies, the groom and the bride would usually send out their invitation letters separately since both parties usually had their own social circles.
What was particularly fascinating about this was that the invitation letter Ji Fanyin received came not from Ji Xinxin but Li Xiaoxing.
I wonder who Ji Xinxin would send her invitation letters to.
Given Li Xiaoxing's temper, he would have probably sent an invitation letter to all of the love rivals he knew of. He didn't mind the extra postage fee, as long as he could infuriate his love rivals.
It's not as if he lacks money anyway.
"Of course I'll be there." Cen Xiangyang eyed Ji Fanyin intently. "I won't give up that easily. It's nothing but an engagement. Even if she really got married, she can always get a divorce afterward."
"You intend to play the third party?" asked Ji Fanyin curiously.
Cen Xiangyang did have the influence to pull that off, but that was only possible if Li Xiaoxing left Ji Xinxin on loose reins, which was extremely unlikely to occur…
… if the two of them even got to that step at all.
"Did you think that I would hand you another blackmail material to use against me?" Cen Xiangyang shook his head. "Ji Fanyin, you're much viler than I thought you were."
Ji Fanyin thought that there was something really wrong with his head. He was one of the few people in the world who didn't have the right to claim someone else was evil. There was actually a point in time when Ji Fanyin considered him a potential candidate to be Ji Xinxin's husband.
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"Shall I forward you the proposal you sent me, to jog your memory?" asked Ji Fanyin.
Cen Xiangyang's complexion turned awful for a brief moment, but he soon burst into laughter and said, "Did you think that I'll keep falling for the same trick?"
"What's important is that it works." Looking at Cen Xiangyang, Ji Fanyin altered her voice to sound pure and innocent, as if she was an angel unsullied by the material world. "Isn't that so?"
Cen Xiangyang's smile vanished. He stared at Ji Fanyin's face in a daze and reached for her, "Xinxin…"
Ji Fanyin only maintained her work persona for a brief instant before sidestepping to dodge Cen Xiangyang's hand. "Well, it could just be my imagination… but are you thinking of engaging my services if Ji Xinxin really gets married?"
Cen Xiangyang looked at her without the slightest trace of embarrassment. "Isn't that what you do for a living?"
"I needed money back then, but my pockets aren't as tight now," replied Ji Fanyin. "The market conditions have changed. My rates have risen from 100,000 dollars to 1,000,000 dollars per hour. Director Cen, can you afford that?"
Cen Xiangyang burst into laughter. "Who do you take yourself for? An A-list actress? Do you know how much it costs for them to accompany a person for a night?"
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from /37k7u89t.
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"Do they have the same face as the person you fancy?" Ji Fanyin answered with a question.
It was at this point that the staff members of the film set finally arrived. "Hm? Director Cen is here too?"
"He was just passing by," said Ji Fanyin as she opened up the trunk for them. She casually waved Cen Xiangyang goodbye, indicating that the conversation was over.
She wasn't in need of money anymore, and she believed more in quality instead of quantity when it came to her clients. There was no need for her to drag Cen Xiangyang out of the rubbish bin just to add him into her client list.
His final destination had already been decided anyway—jail.
Advising him not to commit a crime? Not only is it a waste of time, I don't feel obliged or inclined to do that for him either.
As if that lunatic would even listen to me.
Ji Fanyin toured around the film set and ensured that everything was proceeding smoothly before taking her leave. While driving off, she shot a glance at Cen Xiangyang's film set through her rearview mirror.
She had a feeling that Cen Xiangyang was going to make a move soon.
Based on what she knew, while Cen Xiangyang had little qualms in kidnapping Ji Xinxin, he wouldn't go to the extent of killing her. Thus, she wasn't too concerned about him.
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Ji Xinxin should have already anticipated such a possibility when she chose to approach Cen Xiangyang feigning an innocent little lamb back then.
On the 11th of March, Ji Fanyin met up with Bai Zhou.
The two of them spent the entire day in an art studio.
Bai Zhou was fond of drawing, and he was talented in it as well. But today, reminiscent of a writer who had encountered a writer's block, he looked agonized standing in front of the canvas, tearing off draft after draft of unsatisfactory work.
It was a long time before he managed to draft something he was barely satisfied with.
A faint smile finally lit up his gloomy face. His movements became much smoother as he proceeded to color the canvas and refine the details. It was as if he had finally managed to grasp hold of the fleeting spark of inspiration after rampaging for an entire day.
Ji Fanyin was curious to see what he had drawn, but Bai Zhou immediately wrapped his arms around the canvas, as if he was protecting some sort of treasure. "No peeping!"
"I'll just take a quick look."
"Not even a quick look!" Bai Zhou refused to let go of his canvas. His face had also started to turn red. "Why don't you go look into the mirror instead? You can see it all you want!"
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His words were still jarring, but his attitude and choice of words were much more amicable than before. Even if just slightly, he was learning how to respect others through his interactions with Ji Fanyin.
"Alright, I won't look." Ji Fanyin glanced at her watch and asked him, "Are you done with the painting?"
"Ji Fanyin, you aren't off work yet!" Bai Zhou seemed to have some sort of trauma toward that action of hers. He immediately issued a warning, "Don't even think about returning home early today. Go back to your seat!"
Ji Fanyin chose not to argue with him on this. She returned to her seat to idle away the last few minutes before she got off work.
Bai Zhou waited until Ji Fanyin had turned around and walked away before finally releasing the canvas from his embrace. He slowly leaned backward to look at the person he had drawn in his oil painting.
The background of the portrait wasn't the art studio, and the woman in the portrait wasn't sitting on a little stool either. There was no sense of distance between the woman and the painter through the portrait.
The perspective taken by the portrait made it look as if the artist was sitting right next to the woman, studying her features intently as he painted them down onto his canvas. Warm sunlight shone in her face, mellowing down her features while dyeing her in a layer of faint gold.
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Strangely, Bai Zhou hadn't added facial features to the woman in the canvas yet.
He clearly remembered the conversation he had with Ji Fanyin that day by the Aegean Sea, as well as her slightly curled lips when she made a wish to the rising sun by the sea horizon.
She wished that he could smile as he did as a child.
But if he chose to repaint that scene, its significance would be no more than the neoprints he had carefully stowed away in his wallet. It would be nothing more than an empty mirage, an illusion he was persistently holding onto.
He didn't want the concern of a non-existent girlfriend he had fabricated for himself. What he wanted was Ji Fanyin's real concern.
But he didn't dare say it.
He couldn't pretend that nothing had happened after everything he had done to Ji Fanyin.
He also couldn't admit that his feelings had moved on when he had confessed to Ji Fanyin while she was playing the role of Ji Xinxin. Unlike Song Shiyu, he still had a sense of shame.
But most importantly, he was afraid that Ji Fanyin would sever all ties with him, just like what she had done with Song Shiyu.
He would rather maintain the status quo.
Even when they left the art studio at 9 PM, the woman in the portrait still had a blank face.
To ensure that Ji Fanyin was unable to see the content of the portrait, he carefully entrusted it to a staff member of the art studio, requesting for it to be kept private.
While making their way out of the art studio, Bai Zhou casually asked Ji Fanyin," Are you attending the engagement ceremony tomorrow?"
"Yes," replied Ji Fanyin lazily.
Bai Zhou secretly glanced at Ji Fanyin's reflection on the front reception's glass table. He found it intriguing how her disposition underwent a 180-degrees change the moment she was off work, even though she was still wearing the same set of clothes.
"Let's head there together after lunch. I'll drive you," Bai Zhou offered on a whim.
Ji Fanyin decisively rejected his offer, "On your motorcycle? Too cold."
"I bought a car!" exclaimed Bai Zhou as he puffed out his chest.
Ever since Ji Fanyin complained about riding on his motorcycle being too cold, he immediately went through the driver's license test and bought a car.
Ji Fanyin raised her eyebrows.
Bai Zhou couldn't figure out what Ji Fanyin was thinking, but he had a feeling that she saw him as a child throwing a tantrum.
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"You want to attend Ji Xinxin's engagement ceremony with me?" Ji Fanyin repeated his proposal. "Bai Zhou, do you know what others will think if they see that?"
Bai Zhou was silent for two seconds before he responded with an answer that was aligned with his previous persona, "Why the fuck would I care about what they think?"
Ji Fanyin shot him a look.
Her gaze made Bai Zhou incredibly self-conscious, to the point that he subconsciously corrected his words, "What would I care about what they think?"
Search /3Tfs4P4 for the original.
A split second after he made that correction, he realized that something was really weird here: When did I become so civilized?
"I'll hitch a ride from you tomorrow then," replied Ji Fanyin.
"I-It's a deal then!" The unexpectedly positive outcome left Bai Zhou so excited that he immediately cast aside the doubts he harbored in his mind.
…
12th March arrived as promised.
There was a drizzle early in the morning. Just as Ji Fanyin was about to head out, she received a call from Mother Ji. The latter anxiously asked, "Yinyin, where are you?"
"Hm?"
"It's the day of Xinxin's engagement! Shouldn't you come earlier to help you?" exclaimed Mother Ji in bewilderment. "No matter how estranged you are from our family, you shouldn't miss such an important day for your younger sister. We're waiting for you to host the guests here!"
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Ji Fanyin used an even more shocked tone to respond, "I nearly forgot about it. If I recall correctly, I've only received an invitation from the groom's side. I don't think anyone from the bride's side even invited me."
Both Father Ji and Mother Ji had vanished from Ji Fanyin's life ever since their previous awkward meeting.
It was understandable why Ji Xinxin hadn't sent Ji Fanyin an invitation letter, but there was really no excuse for these two.
"You expected us to send you an invitation letter too?"
"I'm busy. I'll head there in the afternoon." Ji Fanyin looked at the gloomy weather outside and decided to take an umbrella with her.
"What are you busy with? What could be more important than your younger sister's engagement ceremony?" Mother Ji sounded infuriated. "I don't care! If you don't rush here right now, you shouldn't even dream of us offering you a helping hand when you need help!"
Ji Fanyin calmly answered, "My next schedule is worth 12 million dollars. If you're willing to compensate me for my loss, I'll head over right now."
Mother Ji became even more agitated. "What nonsense are you spouting? 12 million? Are you selling your organs?"
"I don't need your help. I also don't intend on attending the engagement ceremony as Ji Xinxin's older sister." The lift arrived on the first floor. Ji Fanyin walked out and opened her umbrella. "Oh right, relay my well wishes to Mr. Li. Thank him for the invitation letter on my behalf."
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"Ji Fanyin!" Mother Ji furiously bellowed. "Are you going to defy us now that you're earning your own money?"
Ji Fanyin chuckled at those words. "That's right."
Mother Ji took a sharp gasp of air, but Ji Fanyin hung up the phone before she could say anything else.
Father Ji and Mother Ji weren't generous with their Emotional Points, but it was still something. More importantly, she carried disdain for the two of them.
The two of them were accustomed to taking advantage of little conveniences and making use of other people's kindness. They disliked dealing with trouble, and they would prefer to downplay things whenever possible.
Ji Xinxin knew how to cry and kick up a fuss, so the two of them doted on her.
'Ji Fanyin' chose to bottle everything within her and tolerate it, so the two of them took her sacrifices for granted and expected her to continue doing so till the end of time.
If only Father Ji and Mother Ji were a little more sensitive to their children's feelings, they would have found themselves with two intelligent twin daughters who had strengths in different fields. It wouldn't have ended in the current tragedy.
After Ji Fanyin got into a cab, she whipped out her phone and began scrolling through her WeChat. She was hoping to see the commotion at the engagement ceremony, but she unexpectedly stumbled upon a friend request.
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It was from a person named Yuuki.
It took her a while before she recalled who this 'Yuuki' was.
It was Cheng Lin, the female classmate who seemed to harbor ill feelings for both Ji Xinxin and Ji Fanyin.
Cheng Lin's friend request came without an introduction message, but it piqued Ji Fanyin's interest.
Cheng Lin outwardly appeared to be on good terms with Ji Xinxin, but their interactions looked much more like that of plastic sisters. In comparison to her interactions with Ji Xinxin, she was quite hostile toward 'Ji Fanyin' and never hesitated to utilize every possible opportunity to ridicule her.
She was like a short-tempered bystander who was angry at 'Ji Fanyin' for not standing up for herself.
Ji Fanyin accepted Cheng Lin's friend request but did not message her. Instead, Ji Fanyin started scrolling through her WeChat Moments, wanting to see if there were any tidbits of gossip on Ji Xinxin's wedding.
A message notification from Cheng Lin popped up: 【You there?】
Ji Fanyin: 【.】
Cheng Lin fell silent again.
Ji Fanyin continued scrolling through her WeChat Moments when she chanced upon a post by Mother Ji. The photo featured the back view of Ji Xinxin in her engagement dress, complete with the front view reflected on the full-length mirror in front of her.
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There was a blissful smile on Ji Xinxin's face, just like any other bride.
With a swipe of her finger, Ji Fanyin scrolled away the photo and the accompanying lengthy paragraphs depicting the rueful feelings of Mother Ji. She felt a bit regretful that there wasn't anything about an outbreak of conflict yet.
Oh well, this is fine too. I'll be able to secure front row seats to the drama when I head over to rake in Emotion Points later at night.
Ji Fanyin had a simple lunch at Bai Zhou's place where he confidently showed off his cooking skills with a plate of stir-fried tomatoes with eggs.
With the slightly charred dish placed in front of him, a proud Bai Zhou looked at Ji Fanyin with his arms akimbo as he smugly raised his chin toward her.
Ji Fanyin glanced at him and praised with a smile, "Our Zhouzhou learnt how to cook so quickly. When are you going to cook up a feast for me?"
"Soon!" Bai Zhou's tail was almost up to the sky, "You can look forward to it in the next few days… next few months!"
"Today is your birthday. It wouldn't do for the birthday boy to tire himself out." Ji Fanyin tousled his hair, "Wait for me outside; I'm almost done. You can bring the cake out first."
Bai Zhou happily scurried away with his plate of stir-fried tomato with egg in hand. He then proceeded to take out the cake Ji Fanyin had brought over. "Where's my present?"
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"I'll give it to you after the meal."
Bai Zhou carefully warned, "No going back on your word."
Ji Fanyin casually replied without even raising her head, "I won't."
So what if I do? What can you even do about it?
The meal lasted till 1 PM. Bai Zhou moved the dirty dishes into the dishwasher before hounding Ji Fanyin to help him pick out his outfit for later.
Support us at /3Tfs4P4.
This was the first time Ji Fanyin was in Bai Zhou's bedroom. The walk-in wardrobe that was connected to the bedroom was quite spacious. It was probably intended for two.
Ji Fanyin took a look around and casually picked out a tuxedo and a matching tie.
"What about the accessories?" asked Bai Zhou.
"Our Zhouzhou is young and handsome. You look good without them."
"But Song Shiyu has them." Bai Zhou was displeased.
Ji Fanyin: "..."
What in the world have these two people been talking to each other about?
Ji Fanyin went back into the walk-in wardrobe and rummaged through the drawers, trying to find where Bai Zhou kept his accessories.
She was in the midst of pulling out two drawers when Bai Zhou, who had been standing by the entrance with his tuxedo in hand, suddenly rushed forward and blocked the drawer that she was going to open next. "It's not here!"
Ji Fanyin raised her hands in resignation. "Then tell me where they are."
Bai Zhou pointed in a direction and exclaimed with a furious blush. "It's there. Don't touch any of the other drawers!"
Ji Fanyin couldn't be bothered to find out what was hidden in the mysterious drawer. For all she cared, it could be a kinky device or some intimate apparel. She quickly picked out a set of accessories to complement the tuxedo and tie without looking back.
It was already 2 PM by the time they set off for the hotel where the engagement party was being held.
It could be out of consideration for Ji Xinxin, but Li Xiaoxing chose to hold the engagement ceremony in her hometown.
Right as they were about to arrive at the destination, Ji Fanyin noticed a nursing home located mid-hill.
It somehow looked familiar to her, so she gave it a second glance.
Bai Zhou noticed her action. "I heard that you were hospitalized there when you were younger?"
Realization struck Ji Fanyin. "Yes."
Turns out there was a special reason why Li Xiaoxing chose to hold the engagement ceremony at this hotel.
We are /3Tfs4P4, find us on google.
"Was your condition severe then?" Bai Zhou asked. "You never give me a proper response whenever I raise this topic."
"I was in a vegetative state for a few weeks, but I don't remember it being painful." replied Ji Fanyin with a smile "It felt like a long nap. I might have even gotten something good in return."
"Something good?" Bai Zhou was puzzled.
Ji Fanyin laughed. "Yes, something good."
…
Li Xiaoxing booked the entire hotel for the engagement ceremony, so every single detail in the venue was meticulously set up.
Even from the periphery, one could already spot an archway of white multiflora roses lining the entrance of the hotel.
Bai Zhou snorted in disdain, "What a show off. My wedding ceremony will be much grander than this!"
"Sure, sure," Ji Fanyin replied perfunctorily. "But don't you think that the happiness of the groom and the bride is more important than the size of the venue or the number of guests?"
Those words seemed to remind Bai Zhou of something. He grumbled with a pout, "You're right."
Bai Zhou followed the directions of the hotel staff and parked his car. He glanced out of the car window and remarked, "Is it raining?"
Ji Fanyin passed the umbrella to Bai Zhou, thinking that she would just brave the rain since it was just a short walking distance.
I'll just consider this umbrella my birthday present to Bai Zhou, even though it is slightly inauspicious.
(Umbrella is a homonym with 'parting ways' or 'break-up')
Bai Zhou quickly alighted from the driver seat and sprinted over to the passenger seat. His umbrella arrived in time to shield Ji Fanyin, who had just opened the door to step out of the vehicle.
Not a single drop of rain landed on her.
She looked at the youth carrying the umbrella for her and revealed a brief smile. "Happy birthday, Zhouzhou."
Bai Zhou was puzzled. "Didn't you already wish me…"
The countdown timer suddenly rang at this moment. Bai Zhou's muscles instinctively tensed up, only to relax two seconds later. "Let's go our separate ways when we are out of the rain! After all, I still have to return the umbrella to you, right?"
Ji Fanyin responded with a shrug, allowing him to do as he wished. She lifted her skirt slightly and stepped out from the car before making her way to the hotel's main entrance under Bai Zhou's escort.
Along the way, Bai Zhou even cautioned her. "Puddle."
Looks like the little dolt has learned well over the past few months. He's almost ready to graduate. There's only one lesson left.
When the two of them finally stepped onto the red carpet laid out in front of the hotel's main entrance, Ji Fanyin casually picked a 'Queen of Sweden' rose from the flower archway and handed it to Bai Zhou.
Bai Zhou retracted the umbrella before looking at Ji Fanyin with a questioning look.
"Your birthday present." Ji Fanyin inserted the rose into the folds of the umbrella and teased, "I didn't go back on my word."
Support us at /3Tfs4P4.
Bai Zhou, "What the f… These flowers are Li Xiaoxing's!"
"Throw it away then." Ji Fanyin coolly waved her hand and walked away.
At the turn of the corner, she spotted Song Shiyu standing by the main entrance with a half burnt cigarette between his fingers. There was a long ash trail sticking to the end of his cigarette butt, suggesting that he had been standing still for a long period of time.
"Hey, Ji Fanyin…" Bai Zhou chased after her with the umbrella in one hand and the rose in the other. As soon as Song Shiyu appeared in his view, he subconsciously slipped the pink rose into his breast pocket.
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"Young master Song." Ji Fanyin acknowledged Song Shiyu's presence with a nod as she continued making her way into the hotel.
Song Shiyu hurriedly extinguished the cigarette. "Fanyin, can I have a word with you?"
Ji Fanyin halted her footsteps to take a good look at Song Shiyu.
He looked like he had aged a few years. His gentlemanly appearance was marred by his inconcealable dark eye circles and fatigued look on his face.
With a polite but cold voice, Ji Fanyin said, "For work-related matters, please contact Zhang Ning or my personal assistant, Shen Qi."
"It's not work-related…"
Ji Fanyin interrupted, "Then there is nothing to be said between us."
In a bid to separate them, Bai Zhou thrust the wet umbrella between the two of them, mainly toward Song Shiyu, and exclaimed, "Make way please. You're blocking the path."
Song Shiyu glared at Bai Zhou, but the latter did not seem bothered by it. He even gleefully flaunted his rose.
Ji Fanyin ignored the two bickering men and headed right into the hotel lobby.
The two stars of the day were not at the entrance to greet the guests. In their place were Father Ji, Mother Ji, and a beautiful lady.
It was Ji Fanyin's first time seeing the lady, but she could tell that the latter was Li Xiaoxing's relative through her facial features.
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Now that I think of it, Li Xiaoxing has a younger sister named Li Mingyue. Their name corresponds to the line in a poem, 'A rendezvous of fireflies and the bright moon'.
Li Mingyue was surprised upon catching sight of Ji Fanyin. It took a moment before she finally snapped out of it and stepped forward to shake hands with Ji Fanyin, "Hello. You must be Ji Xinxin's older sister?"
"Hello." Ji Fanyin took out her invitation and chuckled, "I am, but I'm a guest of Mr. Li."
Anger and awkwardness tainted Father Ji and Mother Ji's faces.
Li Mingyue shot a glance at Father Ji and Mother Ji. There was a trace of surprise and dissatisfaction on her face. Then, she turned back to Ji Fanyin and said, "Alright. Let's get you registered over here."
Ji Fanyin took this opportunity to casually look through Li Xiaoxing's guest list. Unsurprisingly, she found many of Ji Xinxin's fishes.
It's almost like Ji Xinxin's edition of a marine life illustration book..
She flipped to the page indexed with 'Ji', found her name, and signed next to it..
"... Ji Fanyin!" Someone suddenly shouted her name from behind. "Why didn't you reply to my text?
Ji Fanyin turned around to take a look. It was Cheng Lin, so she capped the pen and replied, "I was busy. What did you want to tell me?"
"I asked if you really aren't intending to…" Cheng Lin halted her chiding mid-sentence upon noticing the prying eyes all around. She gestured to the side and said, "Let's talk over there."
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Before she left, she shot a sharp glare at Father Ji and Mother Ji.
Ji Fanyin courteously nodded at Li Mingyue before following Cheng Lin.
Upon arriving at a corner filled with greenery, Cheng Lin finally turned around and glared at Ji Fanyin. She questioned, "I thought that you have already started making changes to retaliate against Ji Xinxin, but why do you still let her step all over you?!"
Ji Fanyin raised her eyebrows.
Does Cheng Lin know the truth? I guess Ji Xinxin is bound to have slipped up at least a couple of times over the years.
… That would explain the exasperated and disappointed attitude she had towards 'Ji Fanyin'.
"I've told you many times in the past that you have to fight back, but you said that you were content with how things were. I thought that you have changed. Are those changes just for show? Don't you want to make her pay for the things she did to you?"
This matter should have been none of Cheng Lin's business, but somehow, she looked even more agitated than Ji Fanyin.
Her angry outburst is kind of cute.
Looking at Cheng Lin, Ji Fanyin couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
That further fanned Cheng Lin's anger. "How could you still laugh! Do you even know what's happening? She's about to be engaged to Li Xiaoxing!"
Li Mingyue's voice suddenly piped up from behind. "Pardon me, but I would like to join the conversation too. What does this have to do with my brother's engagement?"
Li Mingyue's quiet appearance shocked Ji Fanyin, but it made perfect sense when she noticed the lambskin flats on Li Mingyue.
Anyone with the slightest bit of common sense would choose to wear a pair of comfortable shoes over stiletto on such an exhausting day.
"Looks like she has done a good job hiding the truth." Cheng Lin crossed her arms and snorted. She turned to Li Mingyue and continued, "Why wouldn't she? She's still counting on marrying into the Li Family to lift her social status!"
Li Mingyue was unfazed. She calmly looked at Cheng Lin and replied, "It's only been a month since my brother brought Ji Xinxin home. I admit that I don't know her well. Can't you share more details with me?"
Cheng Lin's expression froze up, which amused Ji Fanyin. The latter chuckled unapologetically.
Cheng Lin had always been weak to soft tactics. She couldn't find any reasons to reject the calm and polite request coming from Li Mingyue.
Cheng Lin directed a sharp glare at Ji Fanyin, but it didn't look very intimidating. She then pursed her lips and asked with a provocative tone, "Ji Fanyin, what do you think? Should I reveal everything to the Li Family?"
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"Today is an important day for them. Let's not be wet blankets," Ji Fanyin replied with a smile.
She had already booked a VIP seat to enjoy the upcoming drama. It would be interesting to watch them get onto the same boat and drag each other down. She wouldn't want Li Xiaoxing and Ji Xinxin to sever their relationship now and ruin the show.
After all, she had already booked the VIP seats to enjoy the upcoming drama.
However, Ji Fanyin's reply agitated Cheng Lin. "That's the thing about you! Don't you know how the two of them 'met at the nursing home'?"
These words were a huge hint.
Ji Fanyin put up a finger to hush Cheng Lin. She then walked forth to grab her arm to stop her from revealing anything more.
Despite looking like a valiant soldier prepared to march to the battlefield, Cheng Lin froze up on Ji Fanyin's touch. "Ji Fanyin! What are you doing… Why the bloody hell are you leaning on me? Let's talk peacefully and not resort to violence… Don't you have any bones?!"
"Don't ruin my plans." Ji Fanyin forcefully dragged Cheng Lin off while directing an apologetic smile toward Li Mingyue. "Sorry for the inconvenience."
Li Mingyue frowned at their exchange. She asked, "Is it inconvenient to reveal the details?"
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from /37k7u89t.
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"Yes, it's better not to talk about it," replied Ji Fanyin.
For me, that is. I can't say the same for Li Xiaoxing though.
Those words got Cheng Lin gritting her teeth. She dragged Ji Fanyin forward with her and exclaimed, "Why not? Don't you know that a person of Li Xiaoxing's stature won't be able to easily annul an engagement once the ceremony goes through? If you do not reveal the truth now, when do you plan to…"
Cheng Lin suddenly widened her eyes and stared at Ji Fanyin incredulously. "It can't be that you don't even know why Li Xiaoxing likes Ji Xinxin?!"
"I know." Ji Fanyin tightened her grip around Cheng Lin's arm, silently pressuring her to lower her volume. "But we don't have to expose her now."
"... When do you plan to reveal it then?"
"When Li Xiaoxing can no longer back out," replied Ji Fanyin.
Ji Fanyin had never been worried about being outplayed by Ji Xinxin. What interested her more was how Li Xiaoxing would react when he learned of the truth, after the deed had been done. That was the only thing she was uncertain about.
These were the kind of things that piqued her interest, making her want to see to the end of things.
But if one thing was for sure, Li Xiaoxing definitely wouldn't abandon Ji Xinxin right away.
He had already invested so much into Ji Xinxin. Regardless of whether it was out of anger from being scammed, or to recoup his investment, Li Xiaoxing wouldn't let Ji Xinxin go that easily.
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But what about after that?
Ji Fanyin was secretly hoping that he might transfer her eight billion dollars out of guilt and self-reproach.
… I'm also fine with seven billion too if that's too much.
Cheng Lin fell silent. She pulled her arm out of Ji Fanyin's grasp and then snorted in disdain, "You're hopeless. I'm an idiot for worrying about you."
She raised her chin haughtily and marched off to the table assigned to her, not wanting to interfere in this matter anymore.
Ji Fanyin's invitation was from Li Xiaoxing, so it was only natural for her to be seated amongst Li Xiaoxing's guests. Despite being a foreign face to Li Xiaoxing's associates, no one dared to belittle her.
After all, Secretary Fan had taken special care to greet her within a minute of her settling down in her seat.
After Ji Fanyin and Cheng Lin's departure, Li Mingyue was left standing on the spot. She tapped her foot as she mused over the information she had just gathered.
Things aren't as simple as they seem.
If Cheng Lin is a paparazzi who has caught wind of juicy gossip, Ji Fanyin would be a capitalist who is determined to suppress the news.
She spent half a minute organizing the information she had just gathered before returning to the registration corner.
Despite Ji Fanyin's interference, Cheng Lin had already leaked the crux of the matter. It wasn't that difficult to figure out the rest of the story. All that was left to do was to sound out Father Ji and Mother Ji to verify her deduction.
She entrusted her duties at the reception area to her assistant before heading over to Father Ji and Mother Ji. With an amicable smile, she struck up a conversation with them, "I was surprised by how identical my sister-in-law and her older sister are."
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Father Ji let out a dry laugh while Mother Ji awkwardly answered, "They are twins after all."
Li Mingyue nodded understandingly. "I heard my sister-in-law had to be admitted to a nursing home many years ago?"
"Yeah… Xinxin had a frail body as a child. Once, she got so critically ill that we thought that she wouldn't make it… Ah! Let's not talk about inauspicious stuff on a joyous day like this!" Mother Ji lightly slapped her mouth in a gesture of touchwood. "Thank god she was able to grow up into a healthy adult. With Mr. Li's companionship, I'm sure that they'll both be able to sail through any difficulties that come their way."
Li Mingyue slightly lowered her head to dissect what she had just heard.
When Li Xiaoxing returned from Japan a month ago, he brought Ji Xinxin back to the Li Family with him, saying that he had proposed to her and she had accepted him. He adamantly insisted that he would marry no one other than this woman.
Left with no choice, the Li Family could only approve their marriage.
During that meeting, Li Xiaoxing shared how he ended up giving his heart away to a woman who was almost ten years younger than him.
When the Li Family realized that Ji Xinxin was the little girl who had helped Li Xiaoxing regain his confidence when he was at his lowest point, their opinion of her was raised by a notch. If not for her encouragement then, Li Xiaoxing might have been bed bound for his entire life.
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Ji Xinxin had also received their thanks at that time, albeit shyly.
But thinking about it now, Ji Xinxin was merely in the third grade when the incident happened. If she was severely ill during that period of time, would she really have the strength to visit Li Xiaoxing's ward that frequently?
Li Mingyue had an impression of that little girl too. Her memories of that little girl were fuzzy, but she was certain that the girl was in the pink of health.
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"Was my sister-in-law's condition that bad?" Li Mingyue asked with a worried look. "Does she undergo regular health checkups? It would be awful if she suffered a relapse. Why don't I get someone to arrange a checkup for her before the wedding?"
Mother Ji was flustered by the suggestion. She quickly waved her hands to turn down the offer, saying, "That's a thing of the past. She has never been in a coma ever since. She was also given a clean bill of health during our annual health checks."
"... Coma?"
"I can't remember what exactly the doctor said back then, but I think he mentioned something along the line of vegetative state?" Mother Ji's brows furrowed as she tried to remember the details. "She simply wouldn't wake up no matter what we did, so the doctor admitted her into the nursing home for observation. It took an entire month before she finally regained consciousness… But I can assure you that Xinxin is in great health now. There's no need to worry about that. She'll have no problem giving birth and taking care of kids!"
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"That's good to hear." Li Mingyue's lips curled into a smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I was just worried that my brother might go mad with worry if something happens to sister-in-law."
After saying her piece, she ended the small talk and returned to the Li Family's side of the reception. Barely after taking two steps, she suddenly remembered something and turned around to look at Mother Ji.
"Has my sister-in-law shared the story of how she and my brother met?"
"I'm afraid not." Mother Ji shook her head in confusion, before adding in a loving manner, "But it must have been romantic."
Li Mingyue casually replied to that with another smile.
At that moment, Li Mingyue's assistant had just finished registering a male guest.
Li Mingyue approached her and whispered, "Make a trip to Evergreen Nursing Home and bring me both Ji Xinxin and my brother's medical records."
The assistant acknowledged the instructions with a nod and took her leave. Soon, another assistant came in to fill the gap.
Li Mingyue continued to welcome her brother's guests, but she couldn't help but check the time on her watch every now and then with a slight frown.
The nursing home isn't too far away, and its president is a family friend. It shouldn't take too long for my assistant to get the medical records. He might just be able to make it before the engagement ceremony starts…
Somewhere within earshot, a guest had just completed his registration and deposited his congratulatory money. As he calmly made his way into the venue, he whipped out his phone and made a call.
The call did not connect, but the man wasn't going to give up that easily. On his fifth try, the call finally connected.
"Xinxin." The man licked his lips in excitement. "I just heard an important piece of news that you definitely won't want to miss out on."
"..." Ji Xinxin replied with a voice that was suppressed to the bare minimum, "Cen Xiangyang, didn't I tell you not to contact me again?"
Cen Xiangyang's complexion darkened. "Evergreen Nursing Home. Does it ring a bell?"
"..." Ji Xinxin fell silent.
Cen Xiangxiang patiently waited for a moment before continuing on, "I'm beside the reception area. Meet me and I'll let you in on the details."
He ended the call right after saying his bit, not giving Ji Xinxin a chance to bargain.
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While waiting for Ji Xinxin, Cen Xiangyang tidied up his hair looking in a nearby glass panel. His reflection showed a sniggering man with a hint of madness in his eyes.
With the handle he now had over Ji Xinxin, she would never be able to escape from his clutches even after becoming Mrs. Li.
You're mine.
Cen Xiangyang whistled in a good mood.
Shortly after, he was approached by a staff member. "Are you Mr. Cen?"
The staff member led him to a room beside the bridal preparation room. Not too long later, Ji Xinxin entered in her wedding dress.
"You're gorgeous," Cen Xiangyang praised. "It's a pity that I'm not the groom."
Ji Xinxin vexatiously cut him off there and got straight to the point. "Let's not waste time. Now that I'm here, you should explain what you said on the phone."
Suppressing his emerging smile, Cen Xiangyang repeated the conversation he had overheard from Li Mingyue, Father Ji, and Mother Ji. He ended off with a taunt, "Li Mingyue has a good head. She sent her assistant out after hearing your parents' words. Aren't you curious what her plans are? Could she be thinking of ousting you out as an imposter?"
Ji Xinxin tightly gripped her skirt. Without a word, she turned around and left the room.
Cen Xiangyang allowed her to leave.
What he was seeing in his eyes was a helpless prey running straight toward a trap.
… Who was it? Who raised Li Mingyue's suspicions?
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Was it Ji Fanyin? Was it really her? Didn't she offer us her blessings?! How could she go back on her word?
Ji Xinxin practically sprinted all the way to the groom's preparation room. She stopped at the door, took in a deep breath to recompose herself, and plastered a blissful smile on her face. Then, she knocked on the door. "Xiaoxing, may I come in?"
A flurry of activity could be heard on the other side, but it didn't take long before someone answered the door.
It was Li Xiaoxing's assistant. Behind him, a dashing suited-up Li Xiaoxing was slowly wheeling himself toward the door.
He looked at Ji Xinxin with an endearing smile and offered her his hand. "What's wrong? Are you getting cold feet now?"
"Of course not." Ji Xinxin returned a smile. She squatted down beside Li Xiaoxing's wheelchair and took his outstretched hand in hers. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm just… frightened you'll suddenly change your mind and abandon me."
"There's no way I would do that." Li Xiaoxing stroked her hair tenderly. "I love you."
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"Shall we…" Ji Xinxin broke out into a smile. She suggested with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Shall we surprise everyone by commencing the ceremony now?"
Her heart hammered so loudly in her chest that she thought that it would rip right out of her ribcage. Both her voice and hands were trembling ever so slightly.
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Li Xiaoxing was falling more and more in love with her unease. He squeezed her trembling hands comfortingly and accepted her wilful request, "Let's do that then. Let's commence the ceremony now."
Ji Xinxin let out a huge sigh of relief. She was glad to have overcome the ordeal, even if just for the time being.
So what if Li Mingyue discovers the truth?
I'd have already become Li Xiaoxing's fiancé by the time she gathers the evidence. By then, the Li Family won't be able to get rid of me anymore. I'll have all the time in the world to win Li Xiaoxing over.
Ji Xinxin rested her forehead on the back of Li Xiaoxing's hand and mumbled, "... I love you too."
"Mm." Li Xiaoxing tenderly stroked Ji Xinxin's nape. "There's nothing to be scared about. I'll always be by your side."
Ji Fanyin was sipping on some refreshing coconut water when the emcee suddenly stepped on stage. The emcee maintained a composed front but his premature appearance and hurried movements hinted that there was a sudden change in plans.
It's barely 4PM. Wasn't the ceremony supposed to start at 4.30PM?
The abrupt change in plans piqued Ji Fanyin's interest. What could have prompted this change while she was idling in her seat?
To be exact, she hadn't exactly been idling since quite a few things happened ever since she settled down on the seat.
For one, there was a constant stream of people who either mistook her for Ji Xinxin or were curious about their identical appearances, that approached her for small talk.
There was also Bai Zhou and Song Shiyu, who entered the venue shortly after her. But what particularly caught her eye was Cen Xiangyang.
The budding film director shot her a long, meaningful stare.
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Ji Fanyin figured that Cen Xiangyang was up to no good, but she chose to ignore him.
Soon, the emcee welcomed the two stars of the night up on stage.
The doors to the ballroom opened, and a wheelchair-ridden Li Xiaoxing entered the ballroom with Ji Xinxin. She slowly pushed him down the aisle and up onto the stage via a specially constructed ramp.
"What a beautiful couple…"
Awed murmurs could be heard from the audience.
Some of the guests even turned to look at Ji Fanyin after seeing the bride, shocked at the degree of similarity in their appearances.
To hype up the atmosphere, the emcee cued the couple to share the story of how they met.
The emcee was an amateur and a close friend of Li Xiaoxing, so he didn't pull any punches with his teasing, "Should we get the bride-to-be or groom-to-be to answer this question?"
That threw the crowd into a frenzy. Loud applause broke out, and several people in the crowd chanted Li Xiaoxing's name.
Ji Xinxin's accusatory eyes immediately darted toward Ji Fanyin. Ji Fanyin felt wronged.
… The heavens can vouch for me. If anything, I was the one who has been trying to conceal the matter. Instead of looking at me, you should look at your parents instead. That would have been much more useful.
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Li Xiaoxing took the mic from the emcee.
This was an important day to him too, so he didn't hesitate to share the story. "I was involved in a car accident back when I was nineteen. The impact damaged my spinal cord, leaving me fully paralyzed. My family and the doctors told me that there was a chance for me to recover, but deep down, I had already given up all hope."
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He turned to Ji Xinxin and grabbed her hand.
"When I fell into depression from the thought of having to be confined to a bed for the rest of my life, a little girl who was in the same hospital barged into my ward. She was…"
A faint smile formed on Li Xiaoxing's lips as he recalled that moment.
"... an angel. She appeared and comforted me when no one else could understand my fear. She brought hope back to me. Under her care and support, I worked hard on my rehabilitation and eventually started recovering."
The mischievous emcee then stuffed the mic toward Ji Xinxin and said, "Shall we get our bride-to-be to share her thoughts after hearing the groom's touching story?"
Ji Xinxin took the mic from the emcee and said, "That was just an intermittent memory of our childhood days. We lost contact afterward, and it was only on the 20th of May five years ago that our paths crossed again. It was an unexpected reunion, but we still managed to recognize each other. Over time, we developed feelings for each other. I am fortunate to have been able to meet Xiaoxing and grasp hold of this wonderful relationship."
During her speech, her gaze casually lingered on Ji Fanyin for a few seconds.
It was almost as if she was trying to convince herself that the identity swap was nothing but an impetus that kickstarted their relationship, and that she was the one whom Li Xiaoxing truly loved.
Ji Fanyin raised her eyebrows, not bothering to say a word.
However, Ji Xinxin's words had tipped quite a few people off about the truth.
One of them was Bai Zhou, who rudely shot to his feet and stared at Ji Fanyin in disbelief.
Song Shiyu, Father Ji, and Mother Ji were also aware of the details behind Ji Xinxin's hospitalization, and they could hardly control their expressions once they realized the truth.
Thankfully, the banquet hall was incredibly massive, such that those seated at the far back would have trouble seeing the newlywed's faces. As a result, hardly anyone noticed their anomaly.
It was also around then that Ji Fanyin spotted Li Mingyue, who was seated in the main table as the groom's direct kin, rising to her feet and inconspicuously leaving the banquet hall. Following closely behind was her assistant with two folders tucked under her arm.
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Ji Fanyin thought about everything that had happened since her arrival at the hotel, and she stroked her lower jaw in anticipation.
Li Mingyue is truly a smart person. The highlight of the show is about to begin.
Isn't Ji Xinxin trying so hard to convince herself that the person Li Xiaoxing is in love with is the one he met after the reunion? Let's put that to the test then.
…
Li Mingyue tried her best to leave the ballroom as discreetly as possible. She took the folders from her assistant's hands and swiftly browsed through it. Slowly, her delicate eyebrows began furrowing tightly against each other.
"This kind of matter…" She quickly pursed her lips to stop herself from saying anything more.
It was too absurd.
How did Ji Xinxin manage to conceal such a blatant lie? Did the shallowness of the affair blindside Li Xiaoxing, causing him to let his guard down?
Li Mingyue clutched the two folders tightly as she considered her next move.
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Her assistant quietly probed, "Do you intend to show these folders to Mr. Li?"
Li Mingyue didn't answer the question. She looked at the banquet hall behind her, where laughter and cheery conversation could be heard. Who could have imagined the touching love story recounted just a moment ago was simply a lie?
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But the engagement ceremony was already underway.
Li Mingyue didn't need to reach for her phone to know that a public engagement like this would have already spread like wildfire on the internet.
Millions were already aware of this engagement. It wouldn't be an easy feat for them to annul it now.
More importantly, Li Mingyue was unaware of Li Xiaoxing's thoughts on the matter.
How will he react when he finds out about it?
While Li Mingyue was still immersed in her thoughts, her assistant noticed a man walking out of the banquet hall and greeted him, "Mr. Song."
The greeting sounded more like a reminder to Li Mingyue.
The latter quickly snapped out of her daze and acknowledged Song Shiyu's presence with a nod. However, Song Shiyu walked up to her, eyed the folders in her hands, and then asked solemnly, "What's that?"
"Just a couple of documents." Li Mingyue passed the folders to her assistant with no intention of giving Song Shiyu a look at them.
"I have known Ji Xinxin and Ji Fanyin for many years." Song Shiyu's voice was freezingly cold. "I know how dire Xinxin's condition was back then."
Refusing to bite the bait, Li Mingyue calmly replied, "You must have been touched by their love story."
"..." Her response annoyed Song Shiyu. He lit up a cigarette and took a puff. "You don't have to sound me out. If a little girl had truly helped your brother back then, she could only have been Ji Fanyin and not Ji Xinxin."
"Smoking isn't allowed here," Li Mingyue reminded him.
While Song Shiyu put out the cigarette, Li Mingyue eyed the folders in her assistant's hands.
"Can those documents prove their identities?" asked Song Shiyu. "… Do you intend to show them to Li Xiaoxing?"
"It's too late for that." Li Mingyue grabbed the folders and slammed them against Song Shiyu's chest. "There's much more at stake now."
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They could have easily called it off if the engagement ceremony hadn't commenced yet, but not anymore. It was like a message that had been sent for over two minutes on WeChat—it couldn't be retracted anymore.
While Li Mingyue was weighing her choices, Song Shiyu's mind started churning into action too.
If Li Xiaoxing truly cares about the little girl who saved him back then, there's a possibility that he might back down on his decision to marry Ji Xinxin and instead court Ji Fanyin. Why would I bring another strong love rival into the picture?
Besides, Ji Fanyin attended the engagement ceremony as one of the groom's guests, showing that she is acquainted with Li Xiaoxing. The chances are that she is already aware of Ji Xinxin's impersonation.
If Ji Fanyin hasn't exposed them yet, it can only mean that she doesn't intend to, at least not yet.
So, Song Shiyu began to speak up, "In my view, it might not necessarily be a bad idea to let things play out as they are."
Li Mingyue stared daggers at Song Shiyu.
"… It's a fact that Li Xiaoxing has already fallen in love with Ji Xinxin, isn't that so?" asked Song Shiyu. "Rather than plunging the world into chaos by announcing the truth, wouldn't it be better to uphold the current peace and harmony? What do you think?"
"… What a load of crap!" Their conversation was interrupted by an infuriated Cheng Lin. "Why should Ji Xinxin be allowed to trample all over her older sister and get things that don't belong to her? Do you know how she has oppressed that dimwit, Ji Fanyin all these years? She shouldn't even be given a dime she doesn't deserve!"
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Cheng Lin's appearance spawned a headache for Li Mingyue. "What brings you here?"
"Excuse me." Another voice piped up behind Cheng Lin. "You all trailed out of the banquet hall one after another. I'm not blind."
Find the original at /3Tfs4P4.
It was Bai Zhou.
He closed the door behind him and said, "There shouldn't be anyone else after me."
The group looked at each other silently. No one was taking the initiative to start the conversation.
Song Shiyu began looking through the medical records while Li Mingyue gestured for her assistant to keep a lookout for them. However, the remaining two, Bai Zhou and Cheng Lin, appeared to have reached an argument after a quick exchange of glances.
"You can discuss all you want, but I'll be revealing the truth." Cheng Lin crossed her arms domineeringly. "I had to put up with this for so many years and I am sick of it. I'll tell Li Xiaoxing he is blind for recognising the wrong person. Whether he wants to continue this shit or not is none of my business. It's his choice."
Bai Zhou looked at Cheng Lin.
"What?" Cheng Lin asked impatiently.
Oddly enough, Bai Zhou was even angrier than her. "Does Ji Fanyin condone your use of vulgarities?"
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Cheng Lin: "?"
"Forget it. That just means she cares more about me than you." Bai Zhou swiftly found an excuse.
Bai Zhou then turned to Li Mingyue and said, "In any case, I'm aware of the situation now. It doesn't matter what you decide to do anymore. You can't stop me from talking about it."
Song Shiyu chirped in, "I understand your frustrations. There's only one thing I'd like to say in response to that. Don't you think Ji Fanyin already knows about the imposter situation?"
"..."
Song Shiyu further pushed his point, "If Ji Fanyin herself isn't bothered by the situation, don't you think you're overstepping your bounds by revealing the truth?"
Bai Zhou's determination began to waver.
Now that he thought about it, Ji Fanyin was oddly unbothered by the situation compared to the rest of them.
He was painfully aware that Ji Fanyin drew a clear boundary between work and personal life. Considering how she had taken Li Xiaoxing in as one of her clients, it was highly improbable that she was interested in becoming his 'white moonlight.
"... So what!" Cheng Lin had a totally different reaction. "I'll do what I think is right! All I know is that someone has done something wrong. I'll expose her as a liar and hypocrite, even if it's none of my business! If Ji Fanyin has a problem with that, she can take it up with me any time she wants!"
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After saying her piece, she stomped back into the banquet hall.
Li Mingyue hurriedly snatched the documents back from Song Shiyu's hands and handed them to her assistant before chasing Cheng Lin into the banquet hall.
I can't allow her to barge in and tell Li Xiaoxing the truth now! This is the worst setting and timing to do so!
The two newlyweds had just finished exchanging their engagement rings. The emcee cued the audience to applaud as the newlyweds headed off to change their clothes.
Cheng Lin ran straight over to intercept the two of them, only to be surrounded by a group of bodyguards the next instant.
"Cheng Lin?" exclaimed Ji Xinxin in surprise. "Is something the matter? … You don't have to be so vigilant around her. She's an acquaintance of mine."
Cheng Lin looked at Ji Xinxin with eyes filled with disdain and sneered, "Ji Xinxin, I have had enough of you and your innocent white lotus act. If Li Xiaoxing is that important to you, why don't you share how you encouraged him back then?"
Ji Xinxin looked a little indignant at being suddenly shouted at. "I don't remember much of what happened back then. I only recall seeing an unhappily big brother lying in the neighboring ward, so I tried my best to cheer him on."
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"Is that so? It just so happens that I remember the incident very clearly." Cheng Lin whipped out her phone and spent a while rummaging through its contents before reading aloud, "… I once said to someone, "Even if your spine was damaged beyond repair, I'll study hard to find a way to help you stand up again". I wonder how that person is faring now."
Ji Xinxin didn't have time to react before Cheng Lin shoved the phone into Li Xiaoxing's face. "Look closely, you dimwit! I'm reading this from Ji Fanyin's diary, not Ji Xinxin's! Has it never fucking occurred to you how Ji Xinxin was able to visit you every day and care for you despite being critically ill?"
"Cheng Lin, who put you up to this?" Panic and frustration were evident on Ji Xinxin's face. "How can you fabricate such lies on such an important day for me…"
"... Is that the only evidence you have?" asked Li Xiaoxing deeply.
Cheng Lin rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I have an entire cloud worth of evidence! Why don't you give me your company email address? I'll forward it to you."
Cheng Lin did not show a single ounce of respect for Li Xiaoxing. If it wasn't for the two newlyweds stepping off-stage moments earlier, all eyes in the banquet hall would have been on them right now.
Nevertheless, there were still guests seated closer to the stage, who noticed that something was amiss and were quietly watching the situation play out.
Li Mingyue finally caught up to Cheng Lin and said, "Let's not make a scene here and talk elsewhere. I'm begging you."
Cheng Lin glared at her. "You should be begging them instead of me. That dimwit will just be fooled by that woman again if I walk away now!"
"Xiaoxing," Li Mingyue spoke with a suppressed voice, "there are too many eyes here."
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Li Xiaoxing quietly motioned Secretary Fan to wheel him out of the banquet hall.
Ji Xinxin left alongside Li Xiaoxing with hurried footsteps. She couldn't help but bite her lips.
Cheng Lin swaggered ostentatiously behind them. She casually glanced in Ji Fanyin's direction and was surprised to see Bai Zhou squatting next to her seat, whispering something into her ears.
Bai Zhou, that indecisive brat. What is he up to now?
Cheng Lin frowned. She momentarily weighed her choices of interrupting their conversation or dragging Ji Xinxin into the mud, and eventually decided to go with the latter.
Li Mingyue took the two copies of medical records from her assistant before instructing the latter to remain in the banquet hall to maintain order. After settling that, she quickly followed behind the group.
"Let's find a quiet room to talk." Li Mingyue was glad they had booked the entire hotel for the engagement ceremony, allowing them much-needed privacy.
Secretary Fan swiftly found a nearby guest room for them.
"Xinxin," Li Xiaoxing called his fiancé in his deep voice, "I want to hear the truth from you."
This was the first time Ji Xinxin thought that Li Xiaoxing's emotionless face was terrifying, but she suppressed her nervousness and fear to squat down in front of him. "I don't remember much about our past. You were always the one who shared details about our childhood days, don't you remember?"
"You don't remember?" Cheng Lin spat coldly. "Of course you don't! No matter how rotten your head is, you can't possibly remember memories that aren't yours!"
"I really don't remember anything at all! I don't know anything about what she recited from that diary or something!" Ji Xinxin broke down into tears. "All I know is that I love you a lot. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But if you don't love me anymore because I can't prove that I am the girl from your memories, let's annul our engagement right now."
"Stop trying to change the topic!" Cheng Lin cut right in, leaving no room for others to speak. "You just told everyone about how you've known each other for five years. Haven't the two of you ever reminisced about your childhood even once during these five years? How could someone who doesn't remember at all, fondly reminisce about their childhood days? Your impromptu skills can beat even the best talk show hosts! Go on, spin your lies. I would love to see how you can turn the truth on its head today!"
After finishing her piece, Cheng Lin planted a chair right in front of the door and sat down there.
Li Mingyue: "..."
She shot a glance at the pitifully sobbing Ji Xinxin before stepping forward to hand the medical records to Li Xiaoxing.
As Li Xiaoxing reached for the records, Ji Xinxin's eyes fell upon the words written at the corner of the document.
【Name: Ji Xinxin】
"I requested this document from Evergreen Nursing Home earlier on," explained Li Mingyue quietly. "It contains detailed records of her medical conditions from her stay at the nursing home."
Li Xiaoxing took the documents, but he didn't browse through them right away. Instead, he began assessing Ji Xinxin, who was lying on his knees. His intent gaze induced shivers in Ji Xinxin.
Left with no choice, she desperately grabbed Li Xiaoxing's hands and exclaimed, "I had no choice! By the time I realized something was amiss, I was already deeply in love with you! I couldn't… I simply couldn't let you know that I'm not the girl from your memories! What if you didn't love me anymore? What if you decided to court my older sister instead? What would I do then?!"
"Hah!" Cheng Lin raised her hands and applauded loudly. "Not bad at all. I'll give you ten points out of a hundred for this excuse. To put it in other words, you took his feelings toward Ji Fanyin as your own so that you could score yourself a rich sugar daddy!"
Li Mingyue coughed softly at that remark.
Cheng Lin retorted indignantly, "Did I say anything wrong?"
"I have already repented for this to my older sister a long time ago!" Ji Xinxin tearfully defended herself. "I never hid anything from my older sister. She knows everything, but she was fine with it. She even offered her blessings, saying that we were made for each other. She can vouch for me!"
Cheng Lin's face turned livid. "How could that pathetic Ji Fanyin dare go against you, after being oppressed by you for an entire decade?"
Ji Xinxin shot a hateful glance at Cheng Lin, but it only lasted for a split second.
Li Xiaoxing turned to Secretary Fan and asked, "Is she still here?"
Secretary Fan implicitly understood who Li Xiaoxing was referring to, and he reported, "Miss Ji was still seated in the banquet hall when we left."
Li Xiaoxing pulled Ji Xinxin's hands away from his knees, but the latter anxiously grasped his fingers.
"You said that you love me, right?" asked Li Xiaoxing.
Ji Xinxin kissed the back of his hand and repeated in despair, "Yes, I love you. You're the only one for me."
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Ji Xinxin had always been aware of what Li Xiaoxing desired. That's why she made sure to feed him in small spoonfuls so as to ensure that he would never feel truly satisfied.
Yet, before she knew it, Li Xiaoxing started baring his fangs at her. She found herself gradually losing her control over the relationship, and the scale of power between them started tipping in Li Xiaoxing's favor.
This novel is available on /3Tfs4P4.
Now that she was on the verge of losing everything and the only chip she had was Li Xiaoxing's love, there was no room for her to protect her pride anymore. She could only spew out everything Li Xiaoxing wanted to hear, praying hard that he wouldn't leave her.
"Please don't leave me. I love you so, so much. I can't survive without you. There's nothing else I have left in the world but you…"
"I want you to obediently wait for me here if you truly love me." Li Xiaoxing stroked her hair before raising his hand.
Secretary Fan immediately caught his drift and wheeled him toward the door, but Cheng Lin was still blocking the exit.
Li Mingyue subtly cued her, "You mentioned earlier that you have a cloud full of evidence. Can you tell me more about it?"
"Tsk." Cheng Lin clicked her tongue and unwillingly shifted her chair away, allowing Li Xiaoxing and Secretary Fan to leave.
Several seconds after Li Xiaoxing left, she peeked outside before striding toward the still sobbing Ji Xinxin. A resounding slap was heard as Ji Xinxin's tiara flew across the room. Cheng Lin had slapped Ji Xinxin.
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"Ah!" Li Mingyue didn't plan on stopping Cheng Lin, but she still gasped in shock from how loud the slap was.
"That's right, I slapped her. What about it? Bitches like me are allergic to hypocritical white lotuses!" Cheng Lin bent toward Ji Xinxin and haughtily pointed at her own cheek. "Do you feel wronged? I'll allow you to hit me back if you do."
Ji Xinxin covered her own face, refusing to look at her.
Cheng Lin snorted in disdain. "I knew that a white lotus like you won't easily give up on your pretense."
She stood back up and walked towards Li Mingyue. "I was just joking earlier. It's someone else's personal diary after all. Even though I snatched it away from her, I don't plan on publicising it."
"…You snatched it?" Li Mingyue repeated in bewilderment.
"Yes, I snatched it." Cheng Lin declared unabashedly. "She didn't even dare to ask me to return it. What a wimp."
Li Mingyue gave the matter some thought before asking, "Should I seek her permission first before getting the diary from you?"
Cheng Lin: "… Aren't you a weird one?"
"Weird?" Li Mingyue inquired politely.
"Most people would have been infuriated by the turn of affairs," Cheng Lin pointed out with narrowed eyes. "But you don't seem angry at all."
Li Mingyue was suddenly reminded of the highly polarized evaluations those in their social circle had of Cheng Lin and found it rather amusing.
Ad
With a temper like hers, it's no wonder why so many people talk behind her back.
"I just want to find an optimal solution to resolve this problem. Does that sound better?" asked Li Mingyue.
"…" Cheng Lin fell silent for a brief moment. There was a pensive look in her eyes as she asked, "Are you familiar with web novels? Or novels similar to Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio?"
"Pardon me, I'm usually preoccupied with work, though I've read Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," replied Li Mingyue indirectly.
"… I'm saying that you can just go ahead and take a look at it. There's no need to ask her for permission. It's meaningless." Cheng Lin pushed the door open. "I'm heading out for a puff. I'll be back soon."
Li Mingyue waited for Cheng Lin to leave before turning her sights back to the guest room. The only ones left in here were her and Ji Xinxin, who was still despairing on the floor.
She walked over and helped the bride-to-be onto a chair. "Take a seat here and calm down. I'll handle the situation in the banquet hall."
Ji Xinxin suddenly grabbed Li Mingyue's wrist, "I'm begging you, don't tell uncle and auntie about this. They are already advanced in age. I don't want to put them through such a huge shock. If something were to happen to them, I'll…"
Li Mingyue lowered her gaze and looked at Ji Xinxin intently. Despite the latter's frail appearance, she was brazen enough to deceive Li Xiaoxing for five whole years and even become his fiancée. She didn't dare underestimate what Ji Xinxin was capable of.
"My parents have weathered through huge storms over the years. They won't collapse at little setbacks like this," replied Li Mingyue placidly. She slipped her hand out of Ji Xinxin's grasp and instructed her assistant to get her a cup of water.
Right before Li Mingyue left the guest room, she took one last glance at Ji Xinxin. She had curled herself into a ball, looking miserable and pitiful.
However, Li Mingyue didn't feel a shred of compassion for her. She quietly instructed her assistant, "… Keep a close eye on her. Don't allow her to leave the room until my brother or I return. If needed, call security over."
"Understood." The assistant nodded in acknowledgment.
Having ensured the arrangements were in place, Li Mingyue made her way toward the smoking corner where Cheng Lin was taking a puff, ready to take a good look at Ji Fanyin's diary.
…
Ji Fanyin was taking her first sip from a glass of icy cola when Bai Zhou suddenly approached her.
"What?" Ji Fanyin gave him a sidelong glance.
Bai Zhou squatted down beside her and spoke with a suppressed voice, "You shouldn't get involved with what'll happen next. Let's go."
"The ceremony is still underway." Ji Fanyin was glued to her seat.
She had noticed Cheng Lin and Ji Xinxin arguing earlier on, only for Li Mingyue to rush over moments later to break them up. The group of them then hurriedly left the scene. The entire incident was over in two minutes, so it didn't draw much attention from the guests.
"I already know about it." Bai Zhou paused for a brief moment. "Soon, Li Xiaoxing will too."
"Now is a good time for him to learn the truth," replied Ji Fanyin.
Bai Zhou fell silent. With an even more suppressed tone, he asked, "Is this revenge?"
"Shouldn't Ji Fanyin exact revenge?" she asked back.
"… Just come with me." Bai Zhou didn't harp on the issue and instead chose to reiterate his earlier request. "It's my birthday today. You still owe me an answer."
Ji Fanyin continued sipping on her cola as she subconsciously glanced at a certain someone seated not too far away—Mrs. Bai—and the latter was looking at her too.
God knows how long she has been looking at us!
The two of them ended up exchanging gazes for a brief moment. In the end, Ji Fanyin stood up with her cola and said, "Let's talk outside."
Theft is never good, try looking at /37k7u89t.
Bai Zhou sprung to his feet and followed her.
Minutes later, Secretary Fan arrived at Ji Fanyin's now empty seat with Li Xiaoxing. He asked the guests seated on the same table about where Ji Fanyin had gone.
"Miss Ji?" One of the guests pointed in a direction. "She left with the young master of the Bai Family not too long ago."
Her son merrily chirped in, "That beautiful big sister owes that big brother an answer!"
The guest hurriedly covered his son's mouth and flashed an awkward but polite smile at them.
Secretary Fan quickly took out his phone and made a call. A moment later, he bent down and whispered in Li Xiaoxing's ear, "They are just outside."
Li Xiaoxing hadn't even noticed how tightly he had been gripping the wheelchair's hand rest all this while. "Let's go."