Chapter 3

Ji Jinsi took a look at her outfit and seemed quite satisfied, with a hint of joy between his eyebrows: "Why are you standing there like an idiot? Get in the car."

Ye Qingli said "oh", lifted her skirt and got into the car.

She was wearing a black silk long skirt today with a high slit on the side, revealing her slender white long legs as she walked, and the off-shoulder design further revealed her seductive shoulder and neck line.

Ye Qingli vaguely felt that Ji Jinsi seemed to be particularly fond of her shoulders and neck, and often asked her to wear off-shoulder clothes.

Ji Jinsi moved closer, held her left hand, and caressed her delicate skin carelessly: "What did you do today?"

"I didn't do anything. I was just reading a book at home." Ye Qingli seemed to be able to feel the body temperature of the person next to him, and couldn't help blushing.

In fact, she was learning how to make perfume in her room today. Her mother was born into a family of perfumers, so she also learned the skill of making perfume from her mother. It’s just that she hasn’t been in touch with it for too long, and she is still in the familiarization stage.

However, she would not tell Ji Jinsi about this, as he would only hope that she would have ordinary hobbies like reading and shopping.

Ye Qingli was daydreaming when she suddenly felt her earlobe getting warm. It turned out that Ji Jinsi had pushed the hair aside from her ear and was gently rubbing her earlobe with his hand.

"What's wrong? Your ears are so red?"

Ji Jinsi's voice rang right beside his ears, and Ye Qingli felt as if his heart was burned, with heat uncontrollably rising to his cheeks.

"No, nothing, maybe it's too hot." Ye Qingli stuttered.

Ji Jinsi let out a soft laugh and then put his lips close to Ye Qingli's neck: "Come to my place tonight."

Ye Qingli's body was stiff, and she felt his breath on her neck, which gave her an indescribable numbness.

What's going on with Ji Jinsi? We just met yesterday, so why is he...

Ye Qingli felt like he was about to be cooked, his rationality had flown away, and only an empty shell was left.

"Don't kiss me, my foundation will come off." Ye Qingli heard himself whispering.

Ah! What did she say? Ye Qingli screamed inwardly as his rationality returned.

Ji Jinsi chuckled softly and left her neck: "Well, I didn't think it through."

Ye Qingli frantically tried to explain: "Um, it's just that when girls put on makeup, they usually apply powder on their necks to match their skin tone. I didn't mean to stop you from kissing me..."

The more he talked, the stranger it became, and Ye Qingli gave up struggling.

"It's okay, I can stay until tonight." Ji Jinsi suppressed his laughter and played with her fingers again.

Ye Qingli decided not to speak anymore.

Soon, they arrived at the venue. Ji Jinsi got out of the car first, opened the door for her like a gentleman, and gestured for her to hold his hand.

Ye Qingli was a little surprised. In the past, she always entered the venue separately from Ji Jinsi. Why today?

Ji Jinsi's recent abnormal behavior made her unable to help but have an unrealistic delusion in her heart. Could it be that Ji Jinsi also liked her a little bit?

Yes, for so many years, I am the only woman around Ji Jinsi. She must be special in his heart.

As soon as this thought appeared, it took root in Ye Qingli's heart. She smiled faintly and held Ji Jinsi's arm tighter.

As soon as the two entered the venue, they attracted everyone's attention.

Ji Jinsi was originally a favored child in the circle, and he was a shining presence wherever he went. What's more, today, he appeared with Ye Qingli.

Ye Zuxing was standing in the corner. When he saw Ye Qingli and Ji Jinsi appear together, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Brother Ye, the one next to Mr. Ji is your daughter, right?" asked a friend nearby.

Ye Zuxing smiled and nodded: "It's my daughter Ye Qingli."

"Oh, I didn't expect Qingli to become so beautiful after not seeing her for a few years. Brother Ye is so lucky."

"That's fine, it all depends on her luck."

"Then I'll wait to attend the wedding banquet of the Ji and Ye families!" said the friend, raising his glass.

Ye Zuxing clinked his glasses with a look of pride in his eyes and drank the wine in the glass.

Bringing Ye Qingli from the countryside was a really good deal that would make a lot of money. If he became Ji Jinsi's father-in-law, it would mean that he would have a relationship with the Ji family. Then in the business world, who would dare to disobey him in the future!

After entering the venue, Ji Jinsi went to communicate with those business people, while Ye Qingli looked around, trying to find a quiet corner.

She has never been used to such occasions and would avoid them whenever possible.

There was a small terrace outside the venue, which looked like a good place to hide away, so Ye Qingli went straight there.

As soon as she stepped onto the terrace, she saw the person she didn't want to see - Zhao Yanran.

Zhao Yanran seemed to have just finished a phone call with someone. She put away her phone and turned around to see Ye Qingli standing there in a daze.

Zhao Yanran was wearing a pure white satin dress today, her black hair was tied up in an elegant bun, a sparkling diamond necklace was worn around her slender neck, and her face was delicately made up, making her look like a pampered young lady.

Ye Qingli subconsciously lowered his head, hoping that Zhao Yanran didn't recognize him, but unfortunately, things did not go as he wished.

"Are you, Ye Qingli?" Zhao Yanran looked at Ye Qingli and asked.

Ye Qingli sighed softly in her heart, raised her head, and showed a decent smile: "Yes, Miss Zhao."

Zhao Yanran crossed her arms across her chest. Even in the dim environment, Ye Qingli could still clearly see the ridicule and disgust on her face.

"I never thought that the unknown village girl back then has become a decent person now. It's really amazing."

Ye Qingli was surprised that Zhao Yanran still remembered him, and even more surprised that she would say such words. Zhao Yanran was famous for her gentleness and kindness in school back then.

Seeing that Ye Qingli didn't say anything, Zhao Yanran thought that her words had hit the nail on the head, and she couldn't help but look down on Ye Qingli even more.

"I didn't expect you to do something like this. Why, pretending to be me to get close to Jinsi, aren't you ashamed?"

"I didn't." Ye Qingli denied it subconsciously. She didn't deliberately pretend to be Zhao Yanran to get close to Ji Jinsi.

"Whether you have or not, you know it in your heart, but let me tell you, in terms of family background, looks, and the relationship with Jinsi, you will never be able to compare to me. Do you think Jinsi will still be interested in you after I come back?"

Zhao Yanran walked out with a smug smile. When she passed by Ye Qingli, she said softly, "I forgot to tell you that Jinsi and I will be engaged soon. I advise you to be sensible and leave on your own. Otherwise, don't blame me for disregarding our former friendship."

After saying this, Zhao Yanran chuckled and left, leaving Ye Qingli standing on the dim terrace.

The anxious speculations of the past have finally become reality. Every word of Zhao Yanran's is like a slap in the face, waking him up from his unrealistic dream.

But now, her dream has come to an end. Her family background is completely incomparable to Zhao Yanran's. Ji Jinsi will only choose Zhao Yanran instead of her.

The most important thing is that Zhao Yanran is Ji Jinsi's white moonlight and the joy of his youth, while he is just a fake, a spectator standing in the corner watching their happy love.

Ye Qingli looked at the flickering lights in the distance, took a deep breath, and suppressed the tears in her eyes.

Why can’t this beautiful dream last a little longer?

She stood in the night wind for a long time, until her legs became numb and her arms became cold, before she gradually came to her senses.

The noise in the banquet hall had died down a lot, and the banquet was nearing its end.

Ye Qingli rubbed her cold arms and planned to return to the banquet hall. Perhaps Ji Jinsi was looking for her.

Ye Qingli stopped in her tracks. Would he really look for her?

She smiled self-deprecatingly, Ye Qingli, when did you become so worried and anxious? This is not like you.

Walking out of the terrace, she suddenly heard Zhao Yanran's voice coming from the left.

"...Jinsi, my mother wants to invite you to dinner at our house tomorrow night. Are you free?" Zhao Yanran sat on the chair, her voice gentle, her expression soothing, and her cheeks slightly flushed. She was completely different from the Zhao Yanran who was just on the terrace.

"Well, I'll go there tomorrow." Ji Jinsi sat with his back to Ye Qingli, his voice as calm as ever.

When Zhao Yanran saw Ye Qingli, there was a look in her eyes that Ye Qingli could not understand.

She smiled gently, a hint of loneliness in her eyes, and asked softly, "Jinsi, I heard you have a girlfriend named Ye. Will you marry her? Do you love her very much?"

Ye Qingli knew that she should leave now. Eavesdropping on other people's conversations was impolite, and she subconsciously felt that what Ji Jinsi would say next would definitely not be what she wanted to hear.

But she couldn't move at all, and her feet felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

"Don't think too much. I'll ask the driver to take you back."

Ye Qingli felt that all the voices had disappeared at this moment, leaving only Ji Jinsi's words "Don't think too much".

The uncontrollable sadness surged like a tide, and Ye Qingli felt as if his heart was being grabbed by an invisible hand.

Yes, Ji Jinsi doesn't love her.

The tenderness of these days is like a reward for an obedient pet, and there is never any love.

"Ding ding ding dang dang..." The sudden ring of the phone broke the silence at the moment, and Ye Qingli's cell phone rang.

She opened her eyes wide and watched Ji Jinsi turn around because of the ringing.

Seeing Ye Qingli standing there, there was no tension or panic in Ji Jinsi's eyes, only the same calmness as before, like a king who had everything under control.

Ye Qingli quickly lowered his head and took out his cell phone, gave the two of them a smile that was uglier than crying, picked up the phone, turned around and walked out of the venue.

"Hello." Ye Qingli suppressed the trembling in his voice, but big tears flowed from his eyes like pearls from a broken string.

"Is this Miss Ye? Little Cunxi is missing! Please come to the hospital quickly!" Doctor Zhang's anxious voice came.

"What? How could that be? Okay, I'll be right there!"

Ye Qingli was panicked. She wiped her tears and trotted out of the venue.

Seeing Ye Qingli running out of the venue, Zhao Yanran's eyes flashed with pride, and then she pretended to be sad and asked, "Jinsi, is that your girlfriend? What should we do? She must have heard what we said just now. Go chase her."

Ji Jinsi sighed, pinched his brows and said, "Auntie just sent me a message asking about your whereabouts. I'll take you to the car first."

"Okay...Jinsi, there's something I'm not sure if I should tell you. Some time ago, when I went to the hospital to visit a friend, I seemed to run into your girlfriend in the pediatric department. Others called her Cunxi's mother..."