A phone call interrupted Shen Zhiyi’s train of thought.
It was from the hospital.
“Miss Shen, your mother’s hospital fees haven’t been paid for a long time. We’re giving you three more days. If the fees aren’t paid by then, we’ll have no choice but to discharge your mother from the hospital.”
“No need for three days. Just kick her out right away.”
Just as Shen Zhiyi hung up, Lu Junyue emerged dressed in a tailored suit.
Han Ming followed behind him: “President Lu, the representative from MK Group has arrived in the capital. For tonight’s dinner, besides our Lu Corporation, he’s also invited Ji Yanli.”
Lu Junyue paused his steps.
The domestic market was almost entirely monopolized by the Lu and Ji corporations, and naturally, they both wanted to compete for the international market as well.
Both the Lu and Ji corporations were determined to secure the cooperation with MK Group.
“Shen Zhiyi will accompany me to tonight’s engagement.”
“?”
Shen Zhiyi looked up, silently grumbling to herself.
[He’s definitely up to no good.]
Hearing her thoughts, Lu Junyue raised an eyebrow slightly.
She knew him quite well.
Evening, banquet hall.
Ji Yanli was distracted, frequently checking his phone.
Shen Zhiyi hadn’t called or texted him once these past few days.
The last message on WeChat was from a week ago.
Shen Zhiyi had sent him many messages.
[President Ji, the temperature has been dropping lately, please remember to dress warmly]
[President Ji, your stomach isn’t good, try to eat less raw and cold food and drink less alcohol lately]
…
Many caring messages, none of which he had replied to.
Until the last one—
[Ji Yanli, I don’t love you anymore]
When he saw that message at the time, he didn’t pay it much mind, thinking it was just Shen Zhiyi’s way of trying to get his attention.
What had he been doing then? Yanyan had a high fever, and he had stayed by her side all night taking care of her.
But since that message, Shen Zhiyi seemed like a different person…
Staring at the words ‘I don’t love you anymore’ on his phone, Ji Yanli felt dazed.
Did Shen Zhiyi really not love him anymore?
How was that possible? She had been by his side for eight years, willingly staying as a Substitute just to remain with him. How could she not love him anymore?
“Brother Yanli.”..” Shen Yanyan beside him clung to his arm.
Noticing him staring at his chat history with Shen Zhiyi, she looked displeased.
Lately, Ji Yanli had been constantly distracted, even mistakenly calling her Shen Zhiyi several times.
Just then, the private room door was pushed open.
Ji Yanli looked up and saw Shen Zhiyi.
She was wearing an elegant red satin evening gown that highlighted her slender waist and graceful figure.
Her long curls were styled up, with dangling ruby earrings reflecting a pearlescent glow, accentuating her already exquisite and noble face.
Like a red rose blooming in the snow, beautiful and dazzling.
Ji Yanli had never seen Shen Zhiyi like this before and was momentarily stunned.
But soon, his sharp eyes noticed the bite mark on Shen Zhiyi’s neck.
A man’s intuition told him that mark came from another man.
“Shen Zhiyi!”
Ji Yanli stood up abruptly, grabbing Shen Zhiyi’s wrist and demanding, “Who did this?”
But the next second, his own wrist was seized.
Lu Junyue’s cold, aristocratic face appeared, his chin slightly raised as he deliberately revealed the extensive kiss marks on his neck.
“Does President Ji live by the sea? Since when do you meddle in my secretary’s private life?”
He emphasized the words “private life” deliberately.
Including showing the kiss marks—it was all intentional.
Ji Yanli’s eyes stung, and he felt like he was going insane.
Hickeys and bite marks—what these implied, as a man, how could he not understand?
“Brother Yanli.”” Shen Yanyan tried to pull him back.
But the man stood immovable like a stone.
The atmosphere instantly grew tense with hostility.
It wasn’t until Charlie stood up that the nearly explosive stalemate was interrupted.
“President Lu, President Ji, please take your seats.”
The discussion at the table turned to business cooperation.
Ji Yanli had no mind to listen, his brows tightly furrowed as he stared at Shen Zhiyi.
Lu Junyue also paid no attention, watching Ji Yanli with a faint, mocking smile.
Shen Yanyan was even less interested, gritting her teeth as she glared venomously at Shen Zhiyi.
Shen Zhiyi, the person at the center of it all: “…”
She could sense that Lu Junyue harbored hatred toward Ji Yanli.
So, the relationship between Lu Junyue and Ji Yanli was far more complicated than that of ordinary rivals.
“I’m going to the restroom.”
Shen Zhiyi pushed herself up from the table, catching in her peripheral vision the deep, meaningful glance the blond middle-aged man Charlie cast her way.
She turned on the faucet, rinsing her hands while staring into the mirror, seemingly lost in thought.
Something felt off.
Just as she was about to summon her system to inquire, suddenly, Ji Yanli appeared reflected in the mirror.
Shen Zhiyi’s wrist was grabbed, and she was pinned against the edge of the sink.
The faucet still running, amid the sound of flowing water, she saw Ji Yanli’s red-rimmed eyes as he demanded, “Shen Zhiyi, what is your relationship with Lu Junyue?”
“What does it have to do with you?”
“I…”
Ji Yanli’s voice abruptly halted.
She had been his secretary before, but she had resigned several days ago.
Now, he no longer had any right to question her.
Shen Zhiyi shook off his hand. “I heard you’re about to get engaged to Shen Yanyan? On your engagement day, I’ll send you both a grand gift.”
Ji Yanli wore a look of understanding.
“All this talk—you’re just jealous, aren’t you? Shen Zhiyi, I told you from the beginning when I kept you by my side: you were only ever Shen Yanyan’s substitute.”
“Why would you degrade yourself for my sake and get involved with Lu Junyue?”
Shen Zhiyi found it laughable. She looked up at the top of Ji Yanli’s head, counting something with her fingers.
Ji Yanli was puzzled. “What are you counting?”
Shen Zhiyi was blunt. “Counting the green hats on your head.”
“?”
“When Shen Yanyan went abroad, she claimed it was for further studies. In truth, she just looked down on you for being an illegitimate son cast aside by your family.”
Shen Zhiyi sneered. “You sought a substitute here, preserving your chastity for Shen Yanyan. But what was Shen Yanyan doing all that time?”
“She was out there fishing for wealthy suitors, getting passed around until she was practically worn out. Then she saw the news—the illegitimate son she once scorned had become the Ji family heir. So, what does she do? She comes running back to you, her dear Yanli brother, bringing a stack of green hats with her.”
She laughed delightedly, but Ji Yanli’s expression turned grim.
“Stop slandering her! Yanyan isn’t that kind of person! Unlike you, who’d stoop so low just to get my attention, degrading yourself to become Lu Junyue’s plaything! Do you even know why Lu Junyue brought you here today—”
“Don’t flatter yourself, you dog. About one thing, you’re half right. Lu Junyue—he is my plaything.”
Shen Zhiyi curled her red lips into a smile.
That Living Yama of the capital, Lord Lu, had been subjected to her forced affections not once, but twice, utterly defenseless against her.
And she? Well-fed and thoroughly satisfied, she was thriving.
The crimson in Ji Yanli’s eyes spread as he lost control, grabbing Shen Zhiyi as she tried to leave and pressing her against the mirror, attempting to force a kiss on her!
System: [Detected that Lu Junyue is secretly watching from the shadows. Host, don’t resist! Wait for Lu Junyue to play the hero and save the beauty!]
Hero save the beauty?
Lu Junyue is a crazy villain—things like conscience and a sense of justice simply don’t exist for him.
Slap—
A crisp slap sent Ji Yanli’s face jerking to the side.
“Disgusting.”
“……”
Ji Yanli’s eyes darkened as he watched Shen Zhiyi’s retreating figure. A surge of impulse rushed to his head.
Tonight, he would have her—he would take her!
He had barely taken two steps in pursuit when a figure emerged casually from the shadows, blocking Ji Yanli’s path.
It was Lu Junyue.
“Ji Yanli, do you not understand human language? She said you’re disgusting. So, get lost.”
“She’s just throwing a tantrum with me. How could you possibly think that the few days you’ve known her could compare to the eight years I’ve spent with her?”
“Because she—likes my body.”
A faint smile curled Lu Junyue’s thin lips, the large patches of kiss marks on his neck gleaming like medals.
Ji Yanli was left speechless, his fists clenched so tightly they seemed on the verge of shattering.