“Dad, I really wasn’t fooling around with some other man outside either.”
Looking at Ji Lifeng with utmost sincerity, Ji Xixing said with a face that could not have looked more genuine, “Actually, Mr. Gu and I aren’t close at all.”
“That day, you froze my cards and took away my car, so I had nowhere to go. By coincidence, Mr. Gu saw me standing pitifully by the roadside all alone and wanted to help me.”
“I was angry with you at the time, so I accepted his kindness instead of refusing.”
Ji Lifeng clearly did not believe her.
“He’s famous in business circles for being cold and ruthless. Why would he help you of all people and not someone else?”
“Do you think I’m a three year old child?”
His anger flared again, but Ji Xixing merely blinked innocently twice, looking both earnest and harmless, which only made Ji Lifeng’s brows furrow even deeper.
Under his scrutiny, Ji Xixing fell silent for a second before shamelessly saying, “Maybe, perhaps, probably because I’m beautiful.”
Then she quickly added a guarantee.
“Dad, don’t worry. If I ever really have the chance to stay by Mr. Gu’s side, I’ll definitely remember everything you told me.”
Ji Lifeng said nothing, though his expression remained unpleasant.
These reversals differed far too much from what he had anticipated, ruining all his plans.
Dissatisfied, he scolded, “You useless thing. You had such a good opportunity and still failed to seize it, and now you’re talking about future chances? Do you think he’s some street cleaner whom you can see whenever you want?”
Ji Xixing secretly curled her lips.
This old man really was hypocritical.
Just moments ago, he had accused her of cheating and disgracing the Ji family, and now he was blaming her for not knowing how to seduce a man.
Though she complained inwardly, she said obediently, “Dad, you’re right. But I can’t help it. I’ve always remembered that I’m someone with a fiancé.”
Glancing at Ji Lifeng’s cold expression, she continued painting him a rosy picture.
“Dad, actually, I feel that Mr. Gu treats me differently. Maybe he knows I already have a fiancé, so all he can do is sigh inwardly that we were fated to miss each other.”
“Listen to the nonsense coming out of your mouth. Have you no shame?” Ji Lifeng slammed the table and cursed. “With his status and influence, what kind of woman can’t he get?”
“Forget a nominal engagement, even if a woman is already married, as long as he shows interest, countless people would rush to send her into his bed.”
“And who do you think you are? You actually think he would lament your missed fate?”
Ji Xixing accepted the scolding without arguing.
Inwardly, she muttered that she absolutely could make someone sigh over a missed fate. After all, that man had even invited her to become his wife.
Though perhaps his motives were not entirely pure.
Still, she found herself reevaluating the meaning of power once more. She knew Ji Lifeng’s words were not exaggerated.
Before people with wealth and influence, many things ceased to be problems.
Her silence made Ji Lifeng think she was reflecting on her actions. Suddenly, however, he recalled hearing that Gu Wangxuan had personally declared that Ji Xixing belonged to him.
His assessing gaze once more settled on her.
“Ji Xixing, you’d better not be lying to me.”
Immediately, she assured him with utmost sincerity, “Dad, I could lie to anyone, but never to you.”
To prove her loyalty, she even hurried to distance herself from the people he despised.
“Dad, I swear I’ll never go against you again, and I definitely won’t have any dealings with those people anymore.”
“From now on, I’ll only listen to you. If you tell me to go east, I’ll never go west. You have to believe me.”
Silently, she added in her heart: May lightning strike you if I fail.
Unfortunately, Ji Lifeng could not hear that.
At that moment, he believed her sudden change in temperament was due to finally awakening after his teachings, realizing that only the Ji family would always be her support.
After remaining silent for a long while, he finally decided, “I’ll find a way to create opportunities for you. You’d better not play tricks.”
On the surface, Ji Xixing nodded, while inwardly she exclaimed in amazement.
She had not expected Ji Lifeng to be so utterly shameless that he would actually send his own daughter to seduce another man.
As expected of someone driven solely by profit.
Still somewhat worried, Ji Lifeng added, “Even if you don’t succeed, at least improve your relationship with him. Remember, don’t court death.”
“And fix that temper of yours. Besides us, who else in the world would tolerate you so much?”
Amazing. Another round of brainwashing.
Ji Xixing continued nodding obediently, looking every bit like a model student.
Seeing that he had nearly finished speaking, she sincerely said, “But Dad, I’m still engaged. I can’t do such things behind my fiancé’s back. That would bring disgrace to the Ji family.”
Seeing that she had gradually begun putting the Ji family’s reputation first, Ji Lifeng’s expression softened slightly.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Cheng Songjin doesn’t seem to have any feelings for you. I can see that he likes Huanhuan very much, and Huanhuan has told me that she has a good impression of him too.”
“The marriage between our Ji family and the Cheng family is mainly about cooperation between the two families. As for who marries whom, that isn’t important.”
“I’ve watched that boy from the Cheng family grow up. If Huanhuan can marry him, it would be his blessing.”
“When the time comes, I’ll find an opportunity to discuss this matter with the Cheng family.”
On the surface, Ji Lifeng’s arrangement seemed perfect. It fulfilled Ji Chenhuan and Cheng Songjin’s beautiful love story while also achieving the marriage alliance between the Ji and Cheng families.
But throughout the entire process, who had ever considered the feelings of the original Ji Xixing?
Her feelings for Cheng Songjin over more than ten years, their childhood companionship and affection, all seemed utterly insignificant before worldly interests.
What was even more ironic was that Cheng Songjin was not the male lead of this novel.
In other words, the man the original female lead discarded was someone she would never obtain no matter how much she desired him.
Fortunately, Ji Xixing was no longer the Ji Xixing from the original story.
Although she felt some sympathy, Ji Lifeng’s willingness to cancel the engagement brought her more benefits than disadvantages.
However, she certainly had no intention of letting those two smoothly get engaged.
After all, hadn’t love always required paying a little price since ancient times?
“You’re silent. Do you think my arrangement is unreasonable?” Ji Lifeng’s displeased voice sounded.
Clearly, he knew that Ji Xixing once had feelings for Cheng Songjin.
But the original Ji Xixing was already dead, and the current Ji Xixing would never walk the path of losing herself in love, becoming a pitiful bootlicker who sacrificed everything and received nothing in return.
Coming back to her senses, Ji Xixing smiled ingratiatingly.
“If I’m not speaking, that naturally means I approve of your decision.”
“Dad is wise.”