Beiyao Film City was a famous filming location, with countless crews gathering there.

Lin Jingfei often came to shoot dramas, yet she disliked staying in hotels.

After all, there were too many crews around the film city, all fighting over the limited rooms in a few five-star hotels. Sometimes, the crews could not even book an executive suite. She refused to stay in an ordinary double room.

It so happened that the Qin family had recently developed a new property nearby. Lin Jingfei knew that Qin Jue had reserved three apartments. Apart from the top floor he kept for himself, one went to his sister Qin Xiang, while the other key ended up in Lin Jingfei’s hands.

What Lin Jingfei did not expect was that Qin Xiang’s apartment had already been transferred into Qin Xiang’s name long ago, while the one she lived in still only came with a set of keys.

She and Qin Jue had known each other for nearly twenty years, and their relationship was far more than mere friendship. The Qin Jue of the past would never have shown partiality between her and Qin Xiang.

Lin Jingfei set down her glass of water and leaned against the sofa. Her delicate eyes were hazy, and her fair and tender face carried a natural charm.

The burgundy silk nightgown clung smoothly to her figure, setting off her jade-like skin and graceful curves.

She looked toward the man standing alone by the window, his posture tall and straight, his bearing extraordinary. His eyes were lowered faintly, and his expression was unreadable.

Since childhood, Qin Jue had always been the most outstanding among his peers.

The Qin family held an illustrious status, and Qin Jue was the unquestionable heir. He had good looks, excelled academically, and handled basketball and piano with effortless ease. It was as though everything became simple once it fell into his hands.

His refined manners and upbringing as a youth had won him endless praise from teachers and elders alike.

Over the years, the immaturity had faded. He had become more mature, decisive, and ruthless, and his cold and distant aura only enhanced his allure.

Lin Jingfei had once felt that Qin Jue was close to her, yet after his return to the country, he seemed to have distanced himself. It was a change she was unwilling to accept.

After pondering for a while, she rose and walked over to his side.

Her uninjured right hand looped around his arm, her head leaned closer, and the collar of her nightgown slipped slightly, half-revealing a seductive charm.

She feigned unawareness and spoke softly, “Ah Jue, did my cousin misunderstand again? Do you want me to explain it for you?”

Her voice was crisp and sweet, tinged with guilt.

Qin Jue had grown more reticent over the years, but he still treated Lin Jingfei with a certain gentleness.

He put away his phone, walked to the side to sit down, rubbed his brow, and spoke gently, “It’s nothing. Let’s just cooperate with the police first and deal with yesterday’s incident.”

After all, he had broken his word first. Ruan Zhiyin was angry now, and he understood her sharp words. Once he returned, he would explain things to her properly.

The two of them had experienced so much together. Qin Jue knew Ruan Zhiyin’s feelings for him, and he had chosen her.

Even though there had been small quarrels after returning home because of Lin Jingfei, Ruan Zhiyin would never leave him.

On that point, Qin Jue was certain.

Still, irritation lingered in his chest.

“Ruan Zhiyin is just putting on airs. You already said the wedding is only postponed, yet she talks nonsense about canceling it. Is she not afraid of making a fool of herself?” Jiang Anzheng walked out of the guest room, yawning, his tone full of careless mockery.

The main business of the Ruan family was in Lin Cheng’s hands, and marrying into the Qin family meant having leverage to contend with Lin Cheng.

Jiang Anzheng did not believe for a second that Ruan Zhiyin would truly cancel the wedding, let alone break up with Qin Jue.

As he finished speaking, he noticed a sharp gaze fixed on him.

Jiang Anzheng turned and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that? Feifei really was slashed by that lunatic. When I called you, you were worried too. You didn’t even ask how serious it was.”

Lin Jingfei’s right forearm was wrapped in a thick bandage. It looked severe, but in truth, it was only a superficial wound.

Still, both she and Jiang Anzheng knew the tricks of the entertainment industry. They would never waste such an opportunity to hit the trending searches.

“Ah Zheng, Zhiyin is my wife. For my sake, you should show her some respect.” Qin Jue said, his lips pressed into a straight line, his words carrying a faint warning.

Jiang Anzheng had always spoken carelessly, and since Ruan Zhiyin was mild-tempered, she had never minded. Qin Jue had thus paid it little attention.

But recalling her attitude just now, Qin Jue suddenly thought she might have minded after all and was only keeping silent because of his friendship with Jiang Anzheng.

Hearing Qin Jue call Ruan Zhiyin his wife, Lin Jingfei’s expression froze for a moment, though she quickly masked it.

Jiang Anzheng, however, sneered inwardly. They weren’t even married yet, were they?

Outwardly, he only gave a perfunctory nod. “Got it.”

His dislike for Ruan Zhiyin wasn’t solely because of Lin Jingfei, but also because of Lin Jingfei’s cousin, Lin Zhe.

Lin Zhe had pursued Ruan Zhiyin in high school, but later, for some reason, grew fearful of her. When she returned to the country, she had ruthlessly driven Lin Zhe out of Ruan Group. To Jiang Anzheng, her docility before Qin Jue was nothing but an act.

He, Qin Jue, and Lin Jingfei had grown up together. They were genuine childhood friends.

Before going abroad, Qin Jue had broken up with Lin Jingfei. Yet less than a year later, he started dating Ruan Zhiyin— and it had been Qin Jue who pursued her. Jiang Anzheng found that hard to stomach.

Everyone knew Qin Jue had gone abroad heartbroken after Lin Jingfei initiated the breakup. Jiang Anzheng had once hoped they would reconcile. When Qin Jue later told them he was with Ruan Zhiyin, Jiang Anzheng had been angry.

Romantic flings were common in elite circles, but Lin Jingfei was different from those women. Qin Jue had kept himself clean all these years. Since he loved Lin Jingfei so deeply, how could he so quickly turn to someone else?

Even if Qin Jue said he had been the one to pursue Ruan Zhiyin, Jiang Anzheng still believed Ruan Zhiyin had deliberately seduced Qin Jue. She looked every bit the temptress. Even bare-faced in high school, she had bewitched countless boys.

Ruan Zhiyin and Qin Jue had an engagement contract arranged by their elders. Back then, she had used that to follow him everywhere.

She had seemed docile and well-behaved, but once she and Qin Jue started dating, Jiang Anzheng saw her as scheming and fake.

By contrast, Lin Jingfei had forced a smile and offered generous blessings, which only made Jiang Anzheng pity her more.

Yesterday, when Lin Jingfei was injured, Jiang Anzheng deliberately exaggerated the severity before calling Qin Jue.

Earlier, when he asked Lin Jingfei, she had smiled bitterly and declined, not wanting to affect Qin Jue’s wedding. But with just one look, Jiang Anzheng knew Lin Jingfei still had not let go of Qin Jue.

Ruan Zhiyin might want to marry into the Qin family, but Jiang Anzheng would not let her do so gloriously.

A runaway groom and a postponed wedding, the sympathy and ridicule of everyone else would be enough to sting.

If Ruan Zhiyin wanted to be Mrs. Qin, then the grievances Lin Jingfei suffered would be hers to bear for a lifetime.

Jiang Anzheng pulled out his phone and glanced at the trending searches.

He was rather curious. How humiliated must Ruan Zhiyin be feeling now?

────ρя


At that moment, Ruan Zhiyin was staring at a name in her contacts. After hesitating for a while, she finally dialed.

The beeping tone dragged on and on.

The wait felt unbearably long. Just as she was about to give up, the call was finally picked up.

In that instant, all her prepared words stuck in her throat.

Neither spoke. The strange silence lasted ten seconds before the call was ruthlessly hung up.

Ruan Zhiyin: “……”

Helpless, she exhaled softly, calmed herself, and redialed.

This time, the call was answered quickly.

Ruan Zhiyin paused slightly. “Cheng Yuelin, it’s me.”

“Heh, I thought I was seeing things. How does Miss Ruan, the bride-to-be, have time to call me?” The man’s lazy, slightly hoarse voice carried the same careless tone he had used in their youth.

Cheng Yuelin’s surprise was not unfounded. He and Ruan Zhiyin rarely contacted each other privately. If not for necessary business dealings, she likely would have blocked him.

His arrogant tone did not surprise Ruan Zhiyin, but this time, she oddly heard mockery in it.

Her brows furrowed lightly, her voice cold, “Cheng Yuelin, are you laughing at me?”

“I don’t dare.” He chuckled faintly, his words brief and indifferent. “Say it. What do you want?”

Ignoring the sound of clinking glass from his side, Ruan Zhiyin pressed her lips together and went straight to the point, “I remember you were very interested in the Beicheng^[1]northern part of the city project.”

Earlier that year, the Lanqiao municipal government had planned a theme park resort in the northern part of the city. After rounds of bidding, the project had gone to the Ruan Group, which allowed Ruan Zhiyin to secure her footing within the company.

The Cheng family had a vast connection and was powerful. Back then, Cheng Yuelin had poured considerable effort into the Beicheng project, only to return disappointed in the end. After the bidding concluded, he had even gone out of his way to exchange a few words with her, his estranged old classmate.

At her words now, he seemed intrigued. “Oh? Miss Ruan is willing to part with it now? Would the Lin family even agree?”

Ruan Zhiyin’s parents had passed away early. Although the Ruan Group still bore her family’s name, in truth, power had gradually been seized by her uncle by marriage, Lin Cheng.

She paused, then said slowly, “There’s a way to make Lin Cheng have no choice but to agree.”

His voice over the line turned playful, “Oh? And what way is that?”

“Cheng Yuelin.” After a moment’s silence, Ruan Zhiyin’s tone deepened. She stared at the clock on the wall and said seriously, “Marry me now. We’ll divorce in a year. The Beicheng project will be yours.”

The next second, a heavy thud sounded on the other end.

The call was cut off again.

Ruan Zhiyin: “?”

What was that supposed to mean?

Did he just get scared off by her?

Even if their relationship was poor and whatever classmates’ bond they had was as thin as paper, she wasn’t some ferocious beast.

Looking at the call record, Ruan Zhiyin frowned faintly, then sighed.

Forget it. Anyone suddenly forced into marriage would balk.

Compared to Qin Jue, the standard was too high. To save the Ruan family’s face, Cheng Yuelin was the best candidate.

That had been Gu Linlang’s exact words.

So, knowing he was her nemesis, she still proposed the deal. But since he refused, she could not force him.

If so, she would have to consider Gu Linlang’s second and third candidates……

As she was thinking that, her phone lit up again.

Surprised, she raised her brows and answered.

“Ahem, my apologies. I just heard Miss Ruan’s groom ran away.”

It was still that lazy voice, though now it carried an oddly good mood. The realization made Ruan Zhiyin choke.

“Cheng Yuelin, are you happy about this?”

Though he was arrogant and they had been at odds in high school, she had thought he was not someone who would kick her when she was down.

But now, that belief is shattered.

Her groom ran off, and he sounded pleased. If that wasn’t kicking her when she was down, what was?

“No, you misheard.” He denied it, then added lightly with a mocking laugh, “I just think your taste is poor. But as for Qin Jue, he’s really fallen hard this time.”

Ruan Zhiyin had almost forgotten that Cheng Yuelin and Qin Jue had long held a grudge, never getting along even back in high school.

Normally, she might have argued with him. But now, not only had Qin Jue become her ex in her heart, she also did not want to jeopardize cooperation.

“Ruan Yingying^[2]sound of chirping / whispering / sobbing.”

“Mm?”

She instinctively responded, then realized in shock that he had called her by his nickname for her.

Flushing in both embarrassment and anger, she was about to retort when he added, “Wait for me. I’ll come marry you.”

His careless tone stunned her.

She had expected bargaining, even prepared for it, yet he had agreed so lightly, leaving her momentarily at a loss.

Cheng Yuelin, unconcerned by her silence, continued, “Oh, right.”

Startled back to herself, she thought he would now haggle, but his next words only puzzled her.

“Is there a mirror in your room?”

“Huh? Yes.”

“Then go to it.”

His voice was calm, unhurried.

Ruan Zhiyin stepped into the dressing room. To the left of the wardrobe stood a tall, full-length mirror.

She stared at the young woman in a white wedding gown reflected back, dazed for a moment.

Then she regained her composure and asked patiently, “And then?”

“What do you see?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Her patience was almost gone.

Cheng Yuelin deliberately drawled, chuckling low, “Ruan Yingying, don’t cry. I vaguely remember that you crying looked exactly like a…… bald little quail.”

Ruan Zhiyin choked. “Cheng. Yue. Lin.”

He was actually toying with her.

He was still just as infuriating as ever. She had been calm for years, yet at that moment, he had managed to make her laugh in anger.

But thanks to him, her earlier gloom had entirely vanished, leaving only a faint trace of indignation.

Robbin: Unlocking schedule is every Tuesday and Friday.