Several people looked at him with disdain and mockery. Shang Xu’s fury nearly shattered his reason, and he could no longer maintain his usual icy, ruthless image.
“Devoted to one person for life? Deeply loving and considerate? You believe that? Ji Yan is cold-hearted and devoid of genuine affection. All of this is a mask he created. Young miss Su, you will regret this one day. Sooner or later, the Su Corporation will become his possession.”
Su Xiang’s face was expressionless. “How Ji Yan treats me is something I can feel for myself. I don’t need an outsider like you to judge it. Don’t force your own rotten nature onto other people.”
Shang Xu sneered. “Then wait and see.”
As he passed Lin Ranran, he did not even turn his head. “You’re fired.”
He did not even pause when he passed He Ting.
Shang Mother hesitated uneasily. “This...”
She feared offending He Ting and losing the He Family’s support, but her son’s dignity mattered too.
Besides, it was obvious that He Ting had brought people here. Otherwise, how could such a coincidence have occurred?
“After taking so many things from us, this is how you repay us?”
He Ting blew on her fingernails, her manner languid. “You gave them willingly. I never asked for them. You know what your purpose was.”
Shang Mother’s eyes seemed to blaze with fire. “Miss He, The Shang Family may need a favor, but we don’t depend on the He Family. After losing my son, do you really think you can find someone better?”
Ji Yan could not stand hearing that and retorted, “auntie, a woman’s success is not equivalent to finding a man.”
He Ting and He Chan wanted to applaud him, and even Lin Ranran fell into deep thought.
“Don’t make your son sound so wonderful, either. He Chan devoted so many years to him—how did you treat her? Lin Ranran gave him all her genuine affection, so how did you belittle her? For all you know, once The Shang Family gains power, Shang Xu will kick He Ting aside, thinking of her as a stain on his life.”
Ji Yan shook his head. “Don’t drag others into this. The Shang Family ruined its own reputation.”
“Good, very good indeed. I never realized you were this kind of person, Ji Yan. No wonder your reputation has risen recently. So you’re good at crawling around among women. I refuse to believe you want nothing from them. I’ll wait for the day you crash and burn.”
“With you keeping watch, I’ll reflect on myself three times a day.”
Shang Mother had treated Lin Ranran arrogantly moments ago, but now she hurried away in utter disarray.
A sense of absurdity arose in Lin Ranran’s heart. So the person she had once thought untouchable and believed she had to treat with utmost respect was actually not much better in private.
Her relationship with Shang Xu had not even had time to take shape before it dissolved completely.
Still, she felt no regret, only relief.
If she had continued entangling herself with him instead of awakening in time, then even if they had ended up together, she would have carried the stigma of being a third party, and Shang Xu would have kept her like a parasitic vine for the rest of her life.
Young Master Ji was right: a woman’s success was not equivalent to finding a man.
After leaving The Shang Family and Shang Xu, she still had many choices. She could not let her father trap her for her entire life as he had trapped her mother.
Once she understood all of this, she suddenly felt enlightened.
“Thank you all!”
He Chan lightly patted her shoulder. “I told you last time: girls helping girls. Don’t overthink it.”
The group exchanged smiles. Ji Yan put his hands in his pockets. “Changing my gender isn’t right, is it?”
Another burst of laughter followed. The girls laughed until they swayed like flowers in the breeze, creating a beautiful scene.
Ji Yan smiled with gentle elegance. “Let’s go. I’ll treat you all to a feast to celebrate.”
“We should celebrate properly for getting rid of that scumbag, Shang Xu.”
Lin Ranran hesitated. “Am I going too?”
“Of course. Lin Ranran, you need to remember that you graduated from a prestigious university. You’re smart and beautiful, so there’s no need to feel inferior. Be confident. We may have money, but it all comes from our families. It’s nothing extraordinary.”
Lin Ranran’s expression grew more composed. She said with genuine sincerity, “I admire you all. Even though your families gave you excellent conditions, you didn’t indulge in pleasure. You’re exceptionally capable in both your studies and your work. If it were me, I might have given up and lain flat long ago.”
He Chan spread her hands. “I used to lie flat too. I only knew how to revolve around Shang Xu, and then I lost myself. But now I’ve found something to do.”
Su Xiang, meanwhile, remained silent and thoughtful. Should she also work hard to catch up with Ji Yan?
Ji Yan was becoming more and more outstanding. If she settled for being a beautiful but dull housewife, would there come a day when she and Ji Yan had nothing to talk about?
Even the best relationship could not withstand people whose thoughts were out of sync. If she said she wanted to join the project now, would Ji Yan think she was getting in the way?
Ji Yan noticed her mood and squeezed her palm. “What’s wrong?”
Fortunately, there was nothing she could not say to him now, so Su Xiang answered directly. “I want to return to work at the company.”
Ji Yan’s gaze softened, and his expression showed some agreement. “Everyone has something to do. I’m worried you might get bored one day. You studied design, so you can come to the Design Department and rescue your father’s sense of aesthetics. He even showed me some plans you worked on at the Su Corporation. Some of your ideas were good. You could also go to the Planning Department.”
She had only mentioned it casually, but he had actually considered it so seriously.
She could also tell that Ji Yan had no objection to her taking part in new projects.
The Shang Family was a mess, yet they assumed everyone else was as rotten as they were.
“I want to start in the Planning Department, learn about everyone’s progress, and then move to the Design Department.”
“Then go there tomorrow. I’ll have my Assistant introduce you to the project’s basic details.”
“Okay.”
He Chan watched her Best Friend begin discussing work with Ji Yan and felt reassured.
It was not that she lacked trust in Ji Yan. Time was unpredictable.
Two months ago, she would never have imagined going from obsession with Shang Xu to complete loathing.
No matter how good a relationship was, it was not as valuable as having the ability to stand on one’s own.
Even if time eventually made Ji Yan less attentive and considerate, her Best Friend would still have a career.
“Lin Ranran, would you be interested in working at the Ji Corporation?” Ji Yan invited her with a serious expression.
Despite her family circumstances, Lin Ranran had entered a prestigious university. Without a doubt, she had exceptional learning ability.
Moreover, as the Female Protagonist, she possessed Fortune. Recruiting her into the company would be worthwhile.
However, according to the memories provided by the System, after Lin Ranran married Shang Xu, there was no mention of any career achievements. The memories only said that she gave birth to two exceptionally intelligent sons who looked much like Shang Xu.
In the end, Shang Xu’s mother also set aside her dissatisfaction and resentment for the sake of her grandson and accepted the Female Protagonist.
Tsk. She was an outstanding woman, yet her worth was acknowledged only because she gave birth to a grandson. Was this really a sweet, doting romance centered on the Female Protagonist?
Besides, the children were intelligent because they resembled Shang Xu. Was Lin Ranran herself not intelligent?
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