Lu Corporation, CEO’s Office.
Qi Yue came to submit the quarterly report.
He had deliberately worn a new outfit—a silk shirt with a deep V-neck, topped with a black suit jacket, and a loosely knotted tie hanging from the collar.
Qi Yue was handsome, in a delicate, almost effeminate way.
“President Lu.” Qi Yue approached Lu Junyue. “You’ve been working hard. Let me massage your shoulders for you.”
Lu Junyue set down his pen, having just finished copying the Book of Male Virtues a thousand times.
Before Qi Yue could touch him, Lu Junyue blocked his hand with the fountain pen.
Staring at Qi Yue’s plunging neckline that nearly reached his chest, Lu Junyue frowned deeply.
“Don’t wear clothes like this in the future. It’s inappropriate if others see.”
He thought of Shen Zhiyi.
That woman whose mind was always filled with indecent thoughts.
If she saw Qi Yue’s lack of virtue in upholding male morals, she would undoubtedly conjure up all sorts of unclean fantasies in her mind.
Her body and mind should only be filled with him alone.
Qi Yue could hear his own heart pounding violently.
President Lu didn’t want others to see his body!
He knew it—President Lu treated him differently!
“President Lu…” Qi Yue wanted to seize the opportunity to ask Lu Junyue about transferring to work as his personal secretary.
But the next second, Han Ming rushed in frantically.
“President Lu, it’s terrible! Something’s happened!”
“The old madam has taken Mrs. Lu with thirty bodyguards and a motorcade to crash Ji Yanli’s wedding!”
“…”
Lu Junyue remained calm, as if he was used to such situations.
He stood up and walked out.
Qi Yue was still stunned. Mrs. Lu? President Lu was married?!
He looked down and happened to see the handwritten Book of Male Virtues on the desk.
Qi Yue’s eyes turned bloodshot.
Thinking of how exceptionally busy President Lu had been these past three days, veins nearly burst in his eyes.
The untouchably noble President Lu had actually spent three days handwriting the Book of Male Virtues?!
Jealousy overflowed from his gaze.
Just who was that damned little bitch!
Losing his rationality, Qi Yue even considered tearing up the Book of Male Virtues on the desk.
The next moment, Han Ming returned under Lu Junyue’s orders, carefully retrieving the Book of Male Virtues.
Before leaving, he gave a strange look at Qi Yue’s stiffly smiling face.
The Ji family was one of the two top wealthy families in the capital.
Although Madam Ji disliked Shen Yanyan, for the sake of face, the wedding was extravagantly lavish.
The ceremony was an outdoor garden wedding.
Champagne towers stood one after another, with over a hundred staff serving at the wedding.
The entrance pathway was lined with fresh flowers and heart-shaped balloons on both sides.
Shen Yanyan wore a custom-made wedding dress worth seven figures, with exquisite makeup applied.
Though she should have been the envied bride, she was now surrounded by stares and pointed fingers.
Shen Yanyan covered her scarred face, her eyes filled with intense resentment.
Shen Zhiyi’s knife cut had been deep, leaving a permanent scar.
Even though the makeup artist had applied over a dozen layers of concealer and tried every technique, the facial scar remained visible.
She should have been the most beautiful bride at the wedding, admired by everyone.
But because of Shen Zhiyi, she had become the biggest laughingstock of this wedding!
“Brother Yanli, all the guests have arrived.” We should begin the ceremony.”
Shen Yanyan linked arms with Ji Yanli, speaking softly.
As long as she successfully married into the Ji family, she would become Madam Ji!
With that status and power, crushing Shen Zhiyi would be as easy as squashing an ant!
“Let’s wait a bit longer.”
Ji Yanli frowned, his gaze constantly looking outward as if waiting for someone.
Shen Yanyan felt a sense of crisis.
“Brother Yanli, are you having second thoughts?””
Ji Yanli remained silent.
Eight years can change many things.
For instance, he had always treated Shen Zhiyi as a Substitute. Yet unknowingly, he had fallen in love with her.
But he never realized it.
It wasn’t until she left that he became aware of his true feelings.
“Back then, to save you, I was left with chronic health issues and chose to go abroad for treatment. But the doctors said the surgery might fail, and I could die.”
Shen Yanyan’s voice trembled with emotion, “I was afraid of burdening you, so I left without saying goodbye. Now if you call off the wedding, I’ll understand.”
She employed a strategy of retreat to advance, weaving a story more convincing than truth itself.
Ji Yanli never expected this, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Tears streamed down Shen Yanyan’s face, “I didn’t want you to worry…”
Ji Yanli reached out to wipe her tears, “Today is our wedding day, don’t cry.”
The wedding ceremony began with an elegant piano accompaniment.
The Ji family had hired a renowned pianist and an entire orchestra. The accompaniment played on various high-end instruments sounded like a full concert performance.
Shen Yanyan walked arm in arm with Ji Yanli, step by step along the red carpet until they reached the front platform.
Below the platform, many distinguished guests had gathered.
But from the Ji family, only a handful had attended.
Apart from Madam Ji, none of the influential figures from the Ji family ancestral home had come.
Including Ji Yanli’s own father.
Surrounding guests offered congratulations to Madam Ji.
Madam Ji found no joy in the occasion.
This marriage was already disgraceful, and the absence of Ji family members made it even more humiliating, turning her and her son into laughingstocks.
More importantly, she had been experiencing persistent twitching in her left eyelid all day.
Left eye twitching signifies good fortune, right eye misfortune.
Could something fortunate be about to happen?
Madam Ji glanced at Shen Yanyan on the platform, nearly rolling her eyes skyward.
She made a silent wish.
If there truly was good fortune coming, she hoped it would be this wedding failing to proceed!
On the platform, the minister looked at the couple before him.
“Ms. Shen Yanyan, do you take Mr. Ji Yanli to be your husband, for better or for worse…”
Before the minister could finish, Shen Yanyan nodded, “I do.”
The minister continued, “Mr. Ji Yanli, do you take Ms. Shen Yanyan to be your wife, for better or for worse, to stand by each other throughout life?”
Ji Yanli remained silent for a long moment before speaking.
“I do…”
Shen Yanyan watched his lips eagerly, waiting for him to complete those three words.
But…
Instead of hearing Ji Yanli finish his vow, what she witnessed was a group of well-trained bodyguards storming into the wedding venue.
The bodyguards formed two orderly lines.
Madam Ji stood up furiously, “Who dares to cause trouble at the Ji family’s wedding…”
Her words trailed off as she saw Shen Zhiyi and Grandma Lu emerge one after another.
Oh, it’s these two ancestors. Never mind then.
Madam Ji quietly resumed her seat.
The moment she saw Shen Zhiyi, Shen Yanyan panicked.
She immediately glared at He Ying in the audience.
He Ying limped over to Shen Zhiyi.
“Shen Zhiyi, what are you doing here? I’m begging you as your mother, please leave immediately.”
After just a few days apart,
He Ying had completely lost her former vigor.
She had grown noticeably thinner, her complexion pale and sickly, half her hair turned white, and her leg somehow crippled.
Shen Zhiyi smiled brightly, “I came to deliver a Wedding gift.”
For some reason, He Ying felt unnerved by her smile.
Grandma Lu cooperated perfectly with Shen Zhiyi.
The elderly woman turned to Madam Ji, “You don’t mind if our little Zhiyi says a few words up there, do you?”
Though phrased as a polite inquiry, it was clearly a declaration.
Madam Ji didn’t dare refuse and immediately had someone bring the microphone to Shen Zhiyi.
With Grandma Lu presiding over the scene, no one in the entire venue dared to stop Shen Zhiyi.
Even the most gossip-loving guests in the audience didn’t dare whisper a single word about her.
The hall fell completely silent, with only the sound of Shen Zhiyi’s high heels clicking against the floor audible.
By the time Lu Junyue arrived, Shen Zhiyi had already taken the stage.
“Grandma, don’t you like her very much? Aren’t you afraid she’ll run off with Ji Yanli if you bring her here?”
Grandma Lu looked up confidently at her dear Zhiyi, her eyes full of admiration.
“She won’t.”
Her dear Zhiyi was a red rose blooming in the barren desert—an ambitious red rose.
Such an ambitious young woman would never stoop to wanting Ji Yanli.
Ji Yanli took a deep breath, as if lamenting Shen Zhiyi’s untimely arrival.
“Shen Zhiyi, you’re too late. I’ve already decided to marry Shen Yanyan.”
If only she had come earlier, he might have left with her.
Shen Zhiyi didn’t even glance at him, treating him as if he were thin air.
“Today, I’m delighted to attend this wedding. As the bride’s elder sister, I’ve prepared a special wedding gift for the newlyweds.”
She turned and smiled sweetly at Shen Yanyan.
“My dear sister spent eight years abroad without accomplishing much in her studies, but she made plenty of friends. You have no idea how much your old friends miss you.”
Before Shen Yanyan could react, the large screen behind her—which had been displaying her wedding photos with Ji Yanli—suddenly went black.
When it lit up again, it was scrolling through countless explicit photos, along with videos and scandalous audio clips!
The guests below the stage buzzed with discussion.
Madam Ji’s face turned grim.
Lu Junyue and Grandma Lu sat back, enjoying the drama as if eating watermelon.
Ji Yanli stood frozen in place.
He remembered what Shen Zhiyi had told him outside the restroom—’Ji Yanli, I’m counting the green hats on your head.Shen Yanyan’s bouquet fell to the ground as she screamed in despair, “Turn it off!” Turn it all off!”
Trembling, she grabbed Ji Yanli’s hand. “Don’t believe any of that! Shen Zhiyi had it all AI-generated! That’s not me!”
“Shen Zhiyi, why are you trying to ruin me?” Shen Yanyan shrieked, her eyes bloodshot.
Shen Zhiyi: “This is just the appetizer.”
She curled her lips and picked up the microphone.
“Now, let’s give a warm welcome to all of our bride’s flings as they make their grand entrance!”