A figure walked straight toward Li Zhenmian.
“Miss Li, right? Do you remember me? We met in the shop a few days ago.”
Li Zhenmian raised an eyebrow. Here comes trouble.
“Can I help you?”
Zhao Xinyuan smiled falsely and extended her hand toward her. “My name is Zhao Xinyuan. I just wanted to make friends with Miss Li.”
Li Zhenmian glanced at her but did not shake her hand.
“Miss Zhao can speak frankly if you have something to say.”
Zhao Xinyuan’s face stiffened, and she awkwardly withdrew her hand.
“What is your relationship with Mr. Qi?” She tried to conceal the jealousy in her eyes.
“No relationship.”
“Is that so? I think Mr. Qi treats you a little differently.”
Li Zhenmian really wanted to ask her where exactly she got the idea that Qi Siyan treated her differently.
“After all, since Mr. Qi’s ex-girlfriend died, no other woman has ever appeared by his side.”
“Oh, and then?”
Li Zhenmian sneered inwardly. This woman might as well have written her infatuation with Qi Siyan all over her face. Did she really think she was hiding it well?
“Isn’t Miss Li curious about who I mistook you for that day?”
She looked as if the words were hard to say. “Actually, you look almost exactly like Mr. Qi’s deceased ex-girlfriend. That’s why I was so shocked that day.”
“So what?” Li Zhenmian nodded lightly.
She was trying to hint, in a roundabout way, that Qi Siyan saw her as a replacement.
Zhao Xinyuan frowned. Could this woman not understand what she was getting at?
Li Zhenmian found her reaction amusing.
Yun Zhi and Yun Shiche arrived late, searching around before finally spotting Li Zhenmian in the corner. A woman was standing across from her.
“Why is it you again?” Yun Zhi recognized the woman’s face as she approached.
“I just wanted to have a chat with Miss Li.”
“Sorry, Miss Zhao, but I don’t think there’s anything to chat about between us.”
Yun Shiche was waiting for them not far away. Li Zhenmian and Yun Zhi quickly walked over.
Zhao Xinyuan stood behind them with a livid face, her pearly teeth nearly ground to dust.
After Li Zhenmian came over, Yun Shiche asked her in a gentle voice.
“Amian, are you settling in well in Andu?”
Li Zhenmian nodded.
“Mm.”
“Brother, why don’t you ask me if I’m settling in well in Andu?”
Yun Zhi muttered under her breath.
“Ha, is there anywhere you can’t settle in? After all, you’re the kind of person who dares to charge into Wanjiazhou alone.”
Yun Shiche scolded her without mercy.
Yun Zhi pursed her lips guiltily, still a little unconvinced.
Li Zhenmian was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.
“Cousin, I want to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Did my mother only have me as her daughter?” Li Zhenmian had never met her mother. Her grandmother had told her that her mother died in an accident.
Everything about Yun Yueru had been told to her by her grandmother and uncles.
“Your mother only gave birth to you back then. Why do you suddenly ask this?” Yun Shiche asked with a smile.
“No reason. Just asking casually.” She unconsciously thought of that photograph.
“Cousin, do you know Jiang Zhi?”
“I’ve heard of her. Why?”
Yun Shiche looked up at her with a puzzled expression.
Yun Zhi watched him pretending to be all serious from the side.
Tsk tsk tsk. Her brother really could act.
Li Zhenmian continued asking:
“Have you ever met her?”
“No.”
The Yun family’s main residence was in Fengcheng. Yun Shiche had come to Andu three years ago—exactly the year Jiang Zhi died.
Yun Shiche had founded his current company and was considered a rising power in Andu.
“Amian, why so many questions tonight? That’s not like you.” Yun Shiche teased.
“Jiang Zhi looks very similar to me.”
“What’s so strange about that? There are many people in the world who look alike.”
Is that so? But Li Zhenmian had a feeling that Jiang Zhi had some connection to her.
Yun Shiche’s eyes held an unreadable glint, but Li Zhenmian, with her head lowered, did not see it.
Li Zhenmian had no interest in these social functions, so Yun Shiche had no choice but to take Yun Zhi to mingle with some people. Fortunately, Yun Zhi would be reporting to his company in a few days anyway.
As Yun Zhi was dragged away, she shot Li Zhenmian a desperate SOS look, but it was ignored.
Wuwuwu, sis, my one and only sis, don’t you love me anymore?
The banquet officially began. Wen Yang helped Old Master Wen out, and everyone took out their gifts to offer congratulations.
Amid the crowd, Wen Yang caught sight of Li Zhenmian’s figure. She whispered a few words into Old Master Wen’s ear.
Then Wen Yang was seen helping him walk over toward Li Zhenmian.
“Zhenmian.”
Li Zhenmian hadn’t expected Wen Yang and Old Master Wen to come greet her at this moment. In an instant, she became the center of attention again.
With so many people here, why did this group have to single her out?
“Miss Wen, long time no see.”
“I never got to properly thank you for last time. I didn’t expect you to come to Grandfather’s banquet.”
Li Zhenmian nodded respectfully to the elderly man before her. “Old Master Wen.”
Old Master Wen also appraised Li Zhenmian. “Young lady, thank you for saving our Wen Yang.”
“If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, come to the Wen family. As long as we can help, we will never stand by and do nothing.”
The girl’s voice was low and calm, her demeanor neither humble nor overbearing.
“Elder Wen, this is simply my duty. You flatter me.”
Elder Wen looked at Li Zhenmian with even more affection and admiration in his eyes.
“Regardless, you saved Wen Yang. The Wen family owes you a favor.”
“What I say, I do not take back. My word still stands.”
The old master liked this young lady more and more with each passing moment.
“Alright, my dear, enjoy yourself. This old man needs to go rest.” He patted Li Zhenmian’s hand as a signal to her.
Wen Yang nodded at Li Zhenmian before supporting Elder Wen as they left.
Over there, Zhao Xinyuan walked gracefully toward Qi Siyan, but before she could get close, Su Pei blocked her path.
Su Pei nodded at her with a blank expression.
“Miss Zhao.”
Zhao Xinyuan ignored him, tilting her chin up and gazing at Qi Siyan with tender affection. “Si… Siyan.”
Su Pei nearly gagged at her tone. This wasn’t something a mere hired hand should have to endure.
Though he complained inwardly, his face remained stern.
“Siyan~”
Su Pei’s inner monologue: Someone, please save him.
Goosebumps were falling all over the floor.
“Miss Zhao, my master is unavailable right now.”
Not unavailable—he just doesn’t want to deal with you. Can’t you read the room?
Please, just leave. Su Pei felt like he needed to wash his ears out.
As Yun Zhi passed by and heard Zhao Xinyuan’s tone, she couldn’t help but shudder.
Ew.
What kind of filth was that?
A true boss was a true boss—he could keep a straight face through all that.
If it were her, she’d have already kicked Zhao Xinyuan.
Yun Zhi was still enjoying the show when Yun Shiche yanked her away.
Qi Siyan had turned his head the moment Zhao Xinyuan called his name the second time.
“It seems the words I’ve spoken before have been forgotten by Miss Zhao.”
His low voice was cold enough to freeze, and the cruelty and bloodlust in his eyes made Zhao Xinyuan shiver.
Qi Siyan had once warned her not to address him that way. She had assumed that after all these years, he would have forgotten.
And Jiang Zhi had been dead for three years now—why couldn’t he just look at her?
“Mr. Qi.”
Her voice carried a hint of grievance, but she didn’t dare truly challenge his limits.
Qi Siyan showed her no mercy, spitting out a single icy word.
“Scram.”
Zhao Xinyuan left unwillingly.
Su Pei let out a sigh of relief, feeling as though the air had turned fresh again.