“President Lu, do you know who Qi Yue likes?” Shen Zhiyi suddenly asked.
Just as she was about to continue, her phone rang.
After hanging up, she headed out but paused and glanced back as if remembering something.
“Oh, by the way, no need to wait for me to have dinner together tonight. Someone invited me out.”
Shen Zhiyi left.
Lu Junyue remained behind, frowning deeply, lost in thought.
He turned to Han Ming. “What did she mean by that? Why would she mention Qi Yue having someone he likes to me?”
Han Ming speculated, “Madam brought it up, which suggests the person Qi Yue likes is connected to either you or her.”
Lu Junyue’s expression grew even more serious.
Could it be…?
“Find out who Shen Zhiyi is having dinner with tonight.”
“Yes, President Lu.”
At the Michelin-starred restaurant, the VIP rooftop served only one client per day.
The elevator ascended directly to the top floor.
Five attendants stood ready by the table, and the rooftop even featured a private kitchen and chef exclusively for top-tier guests.
Ultimate luxury.
Shen Zhiyi took her seat and finally got a clear look at the woman opposite her.
Dressed in a custom-made gown worth seven figures, adorned with jewelry valued at eight figures, and carrying a globally limited-edition Hermès bag.
She had the refined appearance of an aristocratic young lady, meticulous down to every strand of hair.
Ye Jiayi took a sip of red wine.
“Serve the dishes.”
As she spoke, a waiter approached Shen Zhiyi with a tray, lifting the lid to reveal not food, but a bank card.
Ye Jiayi’s tone was haughty.
“This card holds three million. Take the money, leave the capital, and stay away from Ji Yanli.”
The system promptly provided Shen Zhiyi with an explanation.
System: [Host dear, this is Ji Yanli’s childhood friend, Ye Jiayi, the only daughter of the Jewelry Family Ye. She’s extremely wealthy!]
Shen Zhiyi, who had been about to flip the table, stopped and withdrew her hand with a smile.
Her initially cold eyes shifted back to a $$ shape upon hearing “extremely wealthy.”
System: [But how could she insult you like this? What an impolite little girl! Three million? That’s like tossing coins to a beggar! Our host is a rich lady carrying an 800-million betrothal gift!]
Shen Zhiyi mentally scolded the clueless system.
Shen Zhiyi: [How can you call her impolite? She invited me to this meal and even offered money to take out the trash (Ji Yanli). That’s not impolite—it’s downright courteous!]
Ye Jiayi frowned at Shen Zhiyi’s persistent smile.
“What? Not enough?”
She raised her hand again.
Another waiter brought over a tray.
This time, it was a platinum bank card.
Ye Jiayi: “This one has ten million. Enough now?”
Shen Zhiyi blinked. “Miss Ye, is Ji Yanli only worth ten million in your eyes?”
Ye Jiayi snorted coldly. “You’re just like Shen Yanyan, after all.”
Back then, she hadn’t wanted to let go.
But seeing how deeply Ji Yanli loved his White Moonlight, Shen Yanyan, and deceived by Shen Yanyan’s gentle facade, she had stepped aside and wished them well.
Then, the wedding turned into such a disgrace.
Witnessing Ji Yanli’s heartbreak now, she deeply regretted her decision.
This time, she wouldn’t allow those materialistic women from the Shen family to hurt Ji Yanli again.
Shen Zhiyi felt a bit offended. “Why the insult?”
Ye Jiayi couldn’t be bothered with small talk. “Just tell me, how much do you want to leave Ji Yanli?”
Shen Zhiyi didn’t hold back either, stating directly: “Five hundred million. Give me five hundred million, and I’ll disappear from Ji Yanli’s side immediately and completely.”
Ye Jiayi choked on her red wine: “Five hundred million!? Shen Zhiyi, you really dare to ask for that much!”
Shen Zhiyi looked innocent. “Didn’t you ask?”
Ye Jiayi was so angry she could barely breathe. “Then you really dare to make such an outrageous demand!”
“Well, I’ve been bold since I was little.”
“…”
Ye Jiayi put down her wine and drank several sips of water to calm herself.
“Five hundred million isn’t a small amount. I can’t come up with that much all at once.”
“Then how much can you give me right now?”
“One hundred million.”
“Fine, then you can write me an IOU for the remaining four hundred million.”
“?”
“You see, we’re making a deal, right? Five hundred million to buy my departure from Ji Yanli. Since you can’t pay that much now, doesn’t that mean you owe me that amount?”
Shen Zhiyi spoke one sentence after another.
Ye Jiayi seemed to be getting tangled in her logic and nodded along. “Well, it does seem like I owe you money.”
Shen Zhiyi continued her earnest persuasion: “Right, so writing an IOU is perfectly reasonable, isn’t it?”
Ye Jiayi remembered her father’s words: one must be honest in life, as it’s the foundation for doing business in the future.
“Alright, then I’ll write you an IOU.”
A few minutes later.
Shen Zhiyi received a transfer of one hundred million, along with a handwritten IOU for four hundred million from the Ye family’s young lady.
Ye Jiayi: “I’ll transfer the rest to your account gradually in the future. When do you plan to leave the capital?”
As long as Shen Zhiyi left, Ji Yanli would definitely marry her.
Shen Zhiyi put away the IOU and looked at her in confusion.
“What do you mean, leave the capital?”
“I’m giving you five hundred million, and you leave Ji Yanli and the capital. Isn’t that the deal we made?”
“Did we?”
“Shen Zhiyi!”
Ye Jiayi was furious, slapping the table as she stood up.
“It’s clearly written in black and white! Are you trying to go back on your word?”
Shen Zhiyi took out the IOU. “But what’s written here is that I agreed to leave Ji Yanli. It doesn’t say anything about leaving the capital.”
Ye Jiayi read the IOU three times, her brain freezing for a few seconds.
This was a play on words—she had been tricked.
“You dare mess with me! Someone, throw her off the rooftop—”
She pointed at Shen Zhiyi, but before she could finish, her finger was grasped.
Shen Zhiyi was still quite gentle with her benefactor, speaking softly.
“Don’t get angry. Anger causes wrinkles, you know.”
Ye Jiayi pulled her hand back. “If you dare trick me once, you’ll do it again. You’re just like Shen Yanyan—full of schemes and malice!”
“You definitely won’t leave Ji Yanli!”
Shen Zhiyi sighed helplessly. “I really don’t like picking up trash.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“…I’m married.”
To placate her benefactor, Shen Zhiyi revealed her secret.
After all, Lu Junyue had said himself that the rules of their hidden marriage were void.
Ye Jiayi was stunned for a moment, her gaze falling on Shen Zhiyi’s bare hands.
“You’re still lying to me! You say you’re married, but you don’t even have a diamond ring or wedding band—your hands are completely empty, and you claim you’re married!”
“…”
“Someone, throw her off the building.”
“Wait!”
Shen Zhiyi looked helplessly at the approaching bodyguards.
“How about this—I’ll bring my husband out for you to see?”
“Fine, call him over.”
Ye Jiayi finally relented.
To prevent her four hundred million from going down the drain, Shen Zhiyi took out her phone and dialed Lu Junyue’s number.
He didn’t answer.
She called three times, but he still didn’t pick up.
Ye Jiayi said, “Shen Zhiyi, I’m really going to throw you off the building this time.”
Just then.
A figure limped in abruptly and grabbed Shen Zhiyi’s hand.
“Zhiyi, your father is dying! Quick, come back with me to see your father one last time.”
He Ying had barged in with a knife, and the Ye family’s people hadn’t been able to stop her.
Shen Zhiyi stared straight at He Ying.
He Ying felt somewhat guilty under her gaze, but the next second, she saw Shen Zhiyi smile and nod.
“Alright, I’ll go back with you.”
Ye Jiayi frowned. “I’m coming too.”
Shen Zhiyi looked at her. “What are you going to do there?”
Ye Jiayi was equally direct. “After you’ve seen your father for the last time, I’m going to throw you off the building.”
Shen Zhiyi: “…” Couldn’t she use different words?
“I advise you not to follow.”
Ye Jiayi: “Why should I listen to you?”
As the old saying goes, those who heed advice will never go hungry.
Ye Jiayi really wanted to slap her rebellious self from an hour ago.
In the Shen family’s old house.
Shen Zhiyi saw Shen Yanyan and Shen Yong, who was spitting and cursing.
Standing beside them were over a dozen fierce-looking, fully tattooed thugs.
The thugs were holding various weapons.
He Ying tremblingly returned to Shen Yong’s side.
“I… I’ve lured her back for you.”