Bai Xiaoxiao froze for a moment.
“I’m only saying these things for your own good. Please don’t be angry with me. I know there’s a huge gap between our social statuses…”
Ning Zhiyuan’s mother had died during childbirth.
Her father was constantly busy with work and rarely had time to accompany her.
As a child, Ning Zhiyuan had been especially close to Bai Cuilan, the family nanny.
Bai Xiaoxiao was Bai Cuilan’s daughter.
The two girls had been extremely close. If not for Ning Zhiyuan’s father’s firm opposition, she would have wanted him to formally adopt Bai Xiaoxiao as a goddaughter.
Despite being the daughter of a nanny, Bai Xiaoxiao enjoyed food, clothing, and luxuries no less extravagant than those of a wealthy young lady.
Bai Cuilan could never have afforded such a lifestyle.
And because Bai Xiaoxiao considered herself too proud to spend Pei Jin’s money, Ning Zhiyuan had become the willing fool footing the bill.
She had given money.
She had given genuine friendship.
In return, she had raised a thankless wolf.
Today was Ning Zhiyuan’s engagement banquet, yet Bai Xiaoxiao’s outfit was anything but understated.
She wore a bright red dress from the same designer brand.
Her curled hair was styled into a delicate princess updo.
Her makeup was flawless.
At first glance, the resemblance between the two women was three or four parts alike.
Her intention to steal the spotlight could not have been more obvious.
In the past, Ning Zhiyuan had been blind to it all.
But someone who had died once and lived again could hardly remain oblivious.
“Anyone who didn’t know better might think you’re the one getting engaged.”
Perhaps because Ning Zhiyuan had been acting strangely all day, Bai Xiaoxiao’s eyes immediately reddened.
“Yuanyuan, I only dressed this way because I didn’t want to embarrass you. If you don’t like it, I’ll change immediately. I know someone like me isn’t worthy of wearing clothes similar to yours…”
Someone who had spent hours perfecting her appearance naturally didn’t want to ruin her makeup.
She put on a tearful act without producing a single tear.
The performance was hardly convincing.
Crossing her arms, Ning Zhiyuan replied calmly,
“I don’t like it. Go change.”
Bai Xiaoxiao gripped the hem of her skirt, her face filled with disbelief.
“How can you ask me to change clothes in public? Yuanyuan, you’re my best friend! I may be poor, but you can’t trample on my dignity!”
Her voice trembled with righteous indignation.
She looked exactly like a helpless, impoverished girl being bullied into changing clothes in front of everyone.
Passing servers immediately cast sympathetic looks her way.
To outsiders, it appeared to be nothing more than an arrogant rich heiress tormenting a poor girl.
Especially when that heiress happened to be the infamous Miss Ning.
Ning Zhiyuan didn’t care what irrelevant people thought.
But if word spread that Bai Xiaoxiao had changed clothes at the engagement banquet because of her, it would inevitably damage Shen Li’s reputation.
Now wasn’t the time to settle scores.
Too lazy to waste another word, Ning Zhiyuan simply called security and had Bai Xiaoxiao escorted out.
“Miss, there you are! The Master has been looking for you everywhere. Everyone’s waiting.”
The Ning family butler was overjoyed when he finally found her.
Without delay, he hurriedly led her toward the banquet hall.
Inside the hall, Shen Li stood at the center of a storm.
Countless reporters pointed cameras and microphones at him as sharp questions flew one after another.
“Miss Ning still hasn’t appeared. Did she run away because she doesn’t want this engagement?”
“I heard Miss Ning has a boyfriend she’s been dating for years. Recently, because of your injury, they were forced to break up under pressure. Mr. Shen, are you a third party who used a favor to force your way into someone else’s relationship?”
“Mr. Shen, please respond directly to these questions.”
The moment those words were spoken, everyone present understood that the reporter had been sent specifically to cause trouble.
With the Shen family’s status, almost nobody dared offend them openly.
Every reporter in attendance needed an invitation to enter the banquet hall.
This obscure newspaper clearly wouldn’t have received one on its own.
Someone from the inside had deliberately provided access.
Someone wanted to ruin the engagement banquet.
As for who had the audacity to do such a thing…
The answer was obvious.
The elders of both the Ning and Shen families wore ugly expressions.
Ning Zhiyuan’s father looked especially furious and was about to have the troublesome reporter thrown out.
At the center of the crowd, Shen Li remained calm and composed.
His noble features were cold and distant.
If this was what Yuanyuan wanted…
How could he refuse to grant it?
“Sorry, Mr. Shen will not be answering any questions.”
Shen Li gently moved Assistant Qi aside and slowly raised his head.
“Thank you all for coming. My leg has already recovered…”
Creak—
The sudden sound of a door opening drew everyone’s attention.
Someone shouted,
“It’s Miss Ning!”
Instantly, every gaze shifted toward the entrance.
The elderly butler bent slightly as he guided someone inside.
Following behind him was a beautiful young woman.
“Sorry, everyone. I’m late.”
Ning Zhiyuan’s long hair flowed freely down her shoulders.
Her skin was smooth and fair as jade.
Her lips were rosy, her teeth pearly white, and her eyes sparkled like stars.
She walked forward gracefully, every step captivating.
Ning Zhiyuan’s father offered a token scolding.
“Yuanyuan, your sense of time really needs improvement. You’re not allowed to be this willful next time.”
It was an entirely unconvincing reprimand.
He simply couldn’t bear to truly criticize his precious daughter.
As always, he handled her with the utmost gentleness.
The Shen family was equally open-minded.
Having watched Ning Zhiyuan grow up and being close friends with her father, they naturally had no intention of making things difficult for her.
Besides, their son cared about her to an almost obsessive degree.
Compared to saving face, they knew what truly mattered.
Shen Li’s fingers curled slightly at his side.
The heaviness in his expression remained unchanged.
Had it finally come to this?
Was Yuanyuan about to personally announce the cancellation of their engagement?
Soon, Ning Zhiyuan stood beside him.
The two of them together made a striking pair.
One was cool and elegant.
The other was vibrant and dazzling.
They looked perfectly matched.
Normally calm and self-controlled, Shen Li seemed to be suppressing something with all his strength.
He didn’t spare Ning Zhiyuan a single glance.
His eyes wandered elsewhere.
It was as though he had trapped himself inside some dark, oppressive emotion.
Ning Zhiyuan smiled softly.
Then she turned toward the reporter who had asked those malicious questions.
Leaning closer to the microphone, she answered each word clearly.
“I hope this reporter will stop spreading baseless rumors. I don’t want my fiancé getting jealous. If it happens again, I’ll pursue legal action for defamation.”
Shen Li’s eyes widened slightly.
His gaze locked onto the fair arm now wrapped around his own.
He didn’t dare move.
He didn’t even dare blink.
He was afraid it was all a dream.
The male reporter’s face alternated between red and pale.
His expression was spectacularly awkward.
After stammering for a long time, he still couldn’t find the right words.
The enormous check Miss Ning had given him was enough to end his professional career comfortably.
He had only dared to ask those questions because of it.
But why was everything different from what they had agreed upon?
What kind of person paid money to publicly embarrass themselves?
Before his brain could catch up to his mouth, he blurted out:
“Miss Ning, weren’t you late because you wanted to run away from the engagement?”
“Mr. Shen has already recovered. You don’t have to honor the engagement agreement anymore.”
The arm linked with Shen Li’s tightened suddenly.
Ning Zhiyuan frowned.
The reporter belonged to Yuanyuan.
Shen Li had known that for a long time.
He knew about their deal.
That was why he had allowed the reporter to attend.
Why he had allowed those sharp questions to be asked in front of everyone.
What he couldn’t understand was why, at the very last moment, Yuanyuan was saying things that disrupted his heart.
A dull blade cut the deepest.
This engagement had always been nothing more than his own impossible dream.
Reaching this point should have been enough.
“I…”
Before Ning Zhiyuan could continue, Shen Li spoke in a voice only she could hear.
“Yuanyuan, that’s enough. The performance can end here.”
His hand gently grasped her arm and pulled her away.
The warmth in his eyes disappeared.
His back looked thin and lonely as he turned away.
“I announce…”
Ning Zhiyuan immediately realized what he intended to say.
She snatched the microphone before he could finish.
“I was late because I wanted to move the wedding date forward. Brother Shen Li thought it was too rushed, so I threw a little tantrum.”