Chapter 274 The Feast at Hongmen

Upon hearing this, An Li frowned. Although she was arrogant and domineering, she also knew how to assess the situation. The Si family's businesses were spread all over the world and they were leading enterprises in China, so she could not be offended easily.

Thinking of this, An Li's eyes sharpened, and she said in a deep voice, "How did you manage to offend that plague god?" "Although I deliberately targeted Jiang Ran before, it was because Si Yanxiao's attitude towards her was no secret in our circle. Without the protection of the Si family, what is she?"

"But Si Yanxiao is different. He is the only heir of the Si family, and his methods are ruthless. How dare you provoke him?"

There was also a hint of accusation in his words.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ziyi's expression changed slightly, and he quickly explained, "I have always advocated settling things peacefully. If they hadn't gone too far, why would I have gone to provoke them?"

As she spoke, she lowered her gaze slightly, deliberately putting on an extremely aggrieved expression, and continued, "If it weren't for Jiang Ran's malicious mockery, why would I have taken such a risk and resorted to such a desperate measure?"

"I was beaten up like this entirely because of her!"

Lu Ziyi seized upon An Li's blind affection for him and shifted all the blame onto Jiang Ran.

After all, involving Si Yanxiao at this point would be pointless. An Li avoids him like the plague and would never easily provoke him.

But Jiang Ran was different. In An Li's eyes, Jiang Ran was only infatuated with her and her methods were extremely despicable. She treated Jiang Ran like a soft persimmon to be manipulated.

As expected, An Li's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and she coldly retorted, "What?!"

When Lu Ziyi first returned covered in injuries, she felt heartbroken. She asked him several times who it was, but he always made excuses by saying he didn't know.

I never expected it to be Jiang Ran!

Thinking of this, An Li's brows immediately furrowed with malice.

She had warned her to distance herself from Lu Ziyi long ago, but she didn't expect him to turn a deaf ear and even dare to take action.

This was undoubtedly a veiled provocation, which made him look displeased and filled with anger.

Lu Ziyi carefully observed An Li's expression from the side. Seeing a flash of anger on her face, he then took the opportunity to speak, adding fuel to the fire as he continued to tell his story.

"She dares to be so reckless because she knows Si Yanxiao is backing her up!"

"It's obvious she's still resentful about me abandoning her, and she's holding a grudge!"

Her words directly portrayed Jiang Ran as a jealous woman. An Li's eyes were filled with coldness, and her brows were furrowed, clearly indicating that she had taken Lu Ziyi's accusations to heart.

What is that?!

Who dares to covet her?!

An Li was instantly enraged and, disregarding any pretense of propriety, coldly retorted, "She's courting death!"

After saying that, his eyes sharpened, and he looked up at Lu Ziyi with a serious expression. He said in a deep voice, "Given the current situation, I'm afraid you can't appear in public anymore. Si Yanxiao is vengeful, not to mention that you've injured him."

"Let's go hide outside for a while and come back after this period of time has passed."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ziyi pursed his lips slightly, his eyes dimmed somewhat, and replied in a low voice, "But where can I hide by myself? With Si Yanxiao's power, finding me would be a piece of cake."

The words subtly put pressure on An Li. Hearing his concerns, An Li lowered her eyes slightly, thought for a moment, and then reassured him, "I'll handle this. You go and pack your luggage first."

Lu Ziyi listened and repeatedly agreed, then turned and walked towards the room.

Anli looked up at his departing figure, her eyes thoughtful and unreadable.

The thought that the two of them now had to be separated, and that he even had to hide and live a life of secrecy, all because of Jiang Ran's behind-the-scenes manipulation, made his eyes suddenly turn cold.

His expression also became obscure.

Resentment welled up in his heart, but a flash of inspiration struck him, and a plan instantly came to mind.

————

On the other side, after Jiang Ran took Si Yanxiao to the hospital, she learned that it was a minor fracture, and she felt even more guilty.

As a result, Si Yanxiao was forced to "wear a bruise" and have his hair put in a cast.

Jiang Ran, feeling guilty, took good care of him by his side. Si Yanxiao sensed that her attitude had obviously improved, and a strange feeling arose in his heart.

Suddenly, I felt that my injury was worth it; the unexpected self-inflicted injury had inadvertently eased the tension between the two of us.

That day, after bandaging his wound, Si Yanxiao called Gu Nan directly and asked him to keep an eye on Lu Ziyi.

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor.

I can't let this injury have gone unpunished.

After listening to his explanation, Gu Nan went to investigate Lu Ziyi's location.

Following the phone's IP address, they eventually located it in a hotel, but upon further investigation, they found it completely deserted.

Gu Nan's expression suddenly turned sharp. Realizing that he had already guessed that something would happen, his face darkened, and he coldly rebuked the person beside him: "Investigate!"

The subordinates received the order and immediately began to investigate, returning with the news shortly afterward.

Lu Ziyi seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

When Si Yanxiao learned of this news, his face darkened, his lips curled slightly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. Then he suddenly let out a cold sneer.

"Interesting! If you're so capable, then hide in the shadows like a coward for the rest of your life and never come out!"

Gu Nan listened to his sarcasm, her eyes flickered slightly, but she did not respond.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran's gaze darkened slightly, and a mocking smile flashed across her face.

Lu Ziyi running away was within her expectations, after all, he has always been one to do things but not to take responsibility, especially since he had a direct confrontation with Si Yanxiao.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ran said coldly from the side, "He will naturally come out after this storm has passed."

Upon hearing this, Si Yanxiao turned and looked down at her, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Jiang Ran noticed the gazes fixed on her, a slight smirk playing on her lips. She explained softly, "He and An Li have an complicated relationship. They can't stay 'secret lovers' forever. I'm afraid even if he were willing, An Li wouldn't agree."

Si Yanxiao listened to her analysis, raised an eyebrow slightly, and replied in a deep voice, "You see things very clearly."

For some reason, Jiang Ran sensed a wave of mockery from them. Just as she was about to ask, she saw Si Yanxiao's eyes sharpen and he walked out on his own.

Seeing this, Jiang Ran looked puzzled and quickly followed.

The next day, Jiang Ran received a banquet invitation from An Li early in the morning. She raised her eyebrows slightly and a look of surprise flashed across her face.

Si Yanxiao coldly glanced at the invitation, his eyes narrowing slightly, his face showing disdain: "Heh... what is she planning?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran's expression turned slightly cold, a hint of sinister intent flashing between her brows. She scoffed coldly, "I have absolutely no connection with her. What else could she be but someone who wants to watch the show?"

She paused slightly, a mocking look on her face, before continuing, "Since she's here, she might as well stay. I want to see what kind of 'justice' she can get for Lu Ziyi!"

An Li's intentions are as clear as day; everyone knows it.

Lu Ziyi had just committed a crime the day before, and the very next day he came to deliver an invitation. He had no other intentions than to have ill intentions.

Seeing that she showed no fear on her face, but instead looked eager to try, Si Yanxiao raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but feel curious about her again.

She's not afraid of trouble, which really reflects her personality.

Jiang Ran turned around and prepared her dress and such. Si Yanxiao looked down at her back as she went upstairs, his eyes dark and a mysterious emotion flashing across his face.

As night fell, Jiang Ran arrived at the banquet hall on time.

The hall was brightly lit and magnificent, exuding an atmosphere of luxury.

She was dressed in a black evening gown, with a diamond-encrusted necklace around her neck, holding a champagne glass, and walking with a light step.

Everyone turned to look at her, their attention drawn to her as if she were the star of the banquet.

An Li was chatting and laughing with someone when she suddenly noticed that the noisy noise had instantly quieted down. Following everyone's gaze, she saw Jiang Ran standing in the center, with delicate features and exquisite clothes, looking like a princess.

Seeing this, An Li's eyes suddenly darkened. She felt that her spotlight had been stolen in an instant, even though it was her home turf, especially by her enemy!

He was instantly furious, his face turning cold and stern, but only for a moment before he reverted to a fake smile.

He walked slowly toward Jiang Ran, then suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Oh, Mrs. Si, what a distinguished guest!"

Jiang Ran looked down and saw that her smiling face was full of hypocrisy.

Knowing full well that this was a trap, yet having no choice but to come, he narrowed his eyes slightly and replied softly, "We are all equal; there is no distinction between honored guests."