Chapter 2 Chapter 2 This bastard!
Chapter 2
After a sudden rainstorm, the stuffy heat was temporarily dispelled.
After Lu Peishi answered the call from his assistant, he remembered that the documents he brought back last night seemed to have been left in the car, so he lowered his head and pressed the phone while slowly walking outside.
After replying to the message, I arrived at the door.
When I looked up, I saw people standing outside the Ruan Mansion next door.
She is the youngest daughter of the Ruan family, Ruan Yan.
Although the older generations of the two families had a good relationship, Lu Peishi was not very familiar with Ruan Yan, especially after he was taken to another city by his mother to live. In the past ten years, he had basically had no interaction with her.
So that night when he found Ruan Yan, a disheveled woman, at his doorstep on a rainy night, he didn't recognize her immediately, and it almost led to a misunderstanding...
Thinking of what happened that night, Lu Peishi couldn't help but frown.
He walked to the driver's seat without looking around, found the lost documents, and prepared to walk into the house.
But when he turned his gaze, he found that Ruan Yan was already standing facing him.
The mottled light and shadow falling from the gaps between the leaves of the tall trees inside the wall fell on the girl's fair cheeks.
Those black eyes, as transparent as glass beads, were staring at him without blinking.
Lu Peishi has always kept his distance from those awkward and stiff polite greetings, and also to avoid wasting his time on ineffective social interactions.
It was the same now. His gaze stayed on Ruan Yan's face for only a second before he looked away as if he hadn't seen her.
But I didn't expect that just as I took a step forward, I heard an extremely enthusiastic and tactless voice in my ears: "Brother Pei Shi——"
“…”
Ruan Yan trotted over and said, "Brother Pei Shi, are you coming out to get something?"
Lu Peishi hummed lightly.
"Have you gotten used to living here? I don't see you out much. Are you usually very busy?"
The people around him chattered non-stop, seemingly unaware that he didn't want to communicate at all at the moment.
"Brother Pei Shi, thank you for saving me last time. If it weren't for you, I don't know how long I would have lay in the rain in such a cold night."
Lu Peishi just wanted to end this boring conversation quickly: "You're welcome, it's just a small favor."
Ruan Yan continued with an innocent look on her face: "Brother Pei Shi, you just moved in. Does anyone cook for you? Why don't you come to my house for dinner? My auntie cooks delicious food. Just think of it as my thanks for helping me that day..."
"No need," Lu Peishi interrupted her directly without giving her any face, "I'm not used to being with strangers."
In one sentence, two meanings were mercilessly thrown out.
It seems that he disliked me...
Well, the initial plan to get close to each other ended in failure.
"I'm sorry, I was rude..." Ruan Yan stopped talking, the curve of her sweet smile remained unchanged.
"However, if there's anything I can help you with in the future, please feel free to ask, Brother Pei Shi. Don't hesitate to ask."
Lu Peishi still had that cold poker face. He hummed vaguely in his throat and said nothing more.
Ruan Yan slowly stopped and stood at the gate of the Lu family tactfully.
The smile was a little stiff from the sun.
She tugged at her clothes, wondering if she had been too stupid just now. She hadn't quite adapted to this new Green Tea character yet, and sometimes it was easy to overdo it if she wasn't careful.
It seems I have to be more restrained next time.
But... looking at Lu Peishi's cold back as he walked into the oak door without looking back, Ruan Yan couldn't help but frown.
Wow, so cool.
Does he think he is the domineering president described in those street literatures?
Jia Yanyuan and Qiao Qianqian's two little fans really should be shown what kind of awesome character this business tycoon they imagine is. This is too...
Ruan Yan paused, then squinted her eyes, standing in the sun, looking thoughtful.
*
At eight o'clock in the evening, Wen Ying came back.
Ruan Yan was sitting on the sofa in the living room. When she saw her, she stood up happily.
"Sister, are you back?"
Wen Ying has neat shoulder-length hair, sharp eyebrows and eyes, and is tall. She wears a smart and steady professional suit, which further highlights her powerful aura.
She and her younger sister have always been at odds with each other. They have always had conflicts of varying sizes. Whenever they meet, they are always at loggerheads and start arguing without saying a word.
Especially after Ruan's father passed away three years ago and Wen Ying temporarily took over the power of the Ruan family, Ruan Yan's hostility towards her became even deeper.
But Wen Ying didn't expect that Ruan Yan, who had been missing for more than a year, had undergone a drastic change in her temperament since she came back.
Although she had adapted to it for several days, Wen Ying still felt a little uncomfortable when she saw Ruan Yan's enthusiastic smile.
"Well," she couldn't help but reveal a hint of courtesy and unfamiliarity in her tone, "Did you take your medicine on time?"
"I took it, but the medicine tastes so bitter. Sister, can you ask the doctor not to prescribe so many medicines for me? I feel like my body has almost recovered..."
Ruan Yan complained to her like a child, and it sounded like she was acting coquettishly.
"That won't do. The doctor has the final say on your body's recovery. You have to listen to the doctor about what medicine to take." Wen Ying said without any emotion.
Ruan Yan pouted and complained a few more times, then changed the subject and naturally reached out to hug her intimately.
"Sister, are you tired from working today? Aunt Wang made fish soup tonight, it's so delicious, do you want some too?"
Wen Ying's gaze hesitantly moved down to the hand that was holding her.
Facing such enthusiasm from Ruan Yan, she was really not used to it, and even her expression became awkward: "It's okay... I'm not hungry."
The two of them walked upstairs together, and Ruan Yan, like she had done in the past few days, kept telling her about the trivial things that had happened that day.
"Brother Ayan and Sister Qianqian came to see me this afternoon and chatted with me for a long time. They also mentioned the opening reception at WAN Plaza in the East District next month. It sounded very interesting..."
At this point, Ruan Yan paused and casually asked, "By the way, sister, have we been invited to the opening reception?"
The Ruan and Lu families have always had a good personal relationship, and their companies also have business dealings, so they were naturally among the invited guests this time.
"Really?" Ruan Yan looked very happy. "Then can I go with you?"
Wen Ying was a little hesitant. This was a business cocktail party, different from those entertainment occasions. Ruan Yan, who always loved to dress up and attend various luxurious parties in the past, had no interest at all.
"Just take me with you, okay?" Ruan Yan pleaded.
"But your body..."
Ruan Yan said hurriedly, "I promise, I will behave myself and will not drink or eat anything. I will go home as soon as the event is over."
Seeing that Wen Ying's expression seemed to have relaxed, Ruan Yan pressed the issue, "I'm almost going moldy from being cooped up at home every day. Going to the party and meeting some people might help me regain my memory!"
Wen Ying thought for a while and finally agreed: "Okay then."
"Thank you, sister." Ruan Yan smiled sweetly.
*
Because there was some difficult problem at the branch office, Wen Ying took a plane to deal with it last night, so she did not come to the cocktail party with Ruan Yan today.
Before leaving, she specifically told Jia Yanyuan to take good care of Ruan Yan.
"Xiaoyan, are you tired? Do you want to go over there and rest for a while?"
The person speaking was Qiao Qianqian.
This afternoon, Jia Yanyuan came to Ruan Yan's house to pick her up. When she got into the car, she found that Qiao Qianqian was there too.
Qiao Qianqian went there as Jia Yanyuan's female companion.
Jia Yanyuan explained, "Xiaoyan, Qianqian is preparing for her interview at Wanlai. She wants to come to the cocktail party today to get a feel for the atmosphere. This might help with her future work."
What a lame and ridiculous excuse.
But Ruan Yan's face showed no emotion.
Qiao Qianqian, who was behind him, also spoke up: "Xiaoyan, don't blame Ayan. I didn't know you would be going today. If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered Ayan."
Ruan Yan shrugged: "It's okay, it's lively when there are more people. I was afraid of being bored, and it just so happens that you can chat with me at the party, Sister Qianqian."
Qiao Qianqian smiled faintly, and if you didn't look closely, it would be hard to notice the hint of sarcasm hidden in the corners of her eyes.
"Well, don't worry, I'll be with you later, don't be afraid."
The cocktail party was held at a five-star hotel under the Wanlai Group.
Ruan Yan walked into the venue on a soft Persian handmade carpet and caught sight of the three-dimensional gold foil ceiling and the giant Swarovski crystal chandelier hanging from it.
The walls are covered with gilded reliefs diffracted by holographic projections, the several-meter-long champagne bar is inlaid with amber crystals, and tulip-shaped crystal glasses are stacked layer by layer to form a tower.
Bone china plates and silver cutlery were neatly arranged on the long table covered with white velvet, and gorgeous champagne roses were piled on the corners of the table.
In the corner, the violinists played with great enthusiasm. The melodies were sometimes melodious and soothing, sometimes light and lively, embellishing the background sound of people's conversations.
The entire cocktail party was decorated in an extravagant yet noble and elegant manner.
Since arriving at the cocktail party, Qiao Qianqian has been following Jia Yanyuan closely.
She was dressed very formally today, in a formal gown, a complete set of makeup and hair, and some particularly eye-catching luxury jewelry.
Compared to Qiao Qianqian, Ruan Yan's outfit was much more low-key, quite different from her previous extravagant and flamboyant style.
A black velvet A-line dress with a body-hugging design outlines her slender waist and straight, long legs.
Although she only wore light makeup, her lips were red, her skin was fair, her facial features were overly delicate, and her long seaweed-like hair leaned on her snow-white shoulders. She looked like an elf wandering between charm and purity, her beauty making it hard not to take a second look.
Jia Yanyuan was captivated by her from the first moment he saw her. His eyes were glued to her from beginning to end, and he was reluctant to look away.
This caused Qiao Qianqian to be very dissatisfied.
The three of them walked around the venue, and Qiao Qianqian seemed to ask Ruan Yan with concern whether she was tired and wanted to rest.
Ruan Yan thought for a moment and nodded: "Yeah, it seems a little."
Then, Ruan Yan turned to look at Jia Yanyuan: "Brother Yan, can you accompany me to rest over there for a while?"
In the past, Ruan Yan always used imperative sentences to him, acting as if it was her right and domineering. Over time, Jia Yanyuan gradually became more and more impatient.
Now, her soft and coquettish tone made him very happy, so he said without hesitation: "Of course, let's go."
"..." Qiao Qianqian followed them to the rest area over there in a depressed mood.
After the three of them sat down, Jia Yanyuan considerately asked Ruan Yan, "What would you like to eat? I'll go get it for you."
Ruan Yan smiled sweetly: "I can do anything, thank you, Brother Ayan."
Jia Yanyuan asked Qiao Qianqian again. Qiao Qianqian temporarily suppressed her unhappiness and smiled slightly: "I'm fine with that, too."
Jia Yanyuan left, and there was a brief silence between the two remaining people.
Ruan Yan was the first to break the deadlock: "Sister Qianqian, you are dressed so beautifully today."
"Really? Thank you. You're not bad either."
Qiao Qianqian fiddled with her hair and looked around, as if she was looking for something.
It was obvious that Qiao Qianqian didn't really want to chat with her.
Ruan Yan was too lazy to speak, her eyes wandering around idly.
In the middle of the hall, several elite-looking men in suits and ties were holding goblets in their hands, surrounding one person and talking about something.
The man surrounded by the crowd was tall and strong, with a crisp shirt and dark trousers that set off his figure to perfection.
In the snow-white and transparent light, his deep facial features were as handsome as if carved by a knife or an axe, his eyebrows were long and thick, his brows were cold, his eyes were full of his usual arrogance, and his every move revealed a sense of noble class that ordinary people could hardly surpass.
The people around him had obvious flattery on their faces, and they kept smiling while lowering their wine glasses, but Lu Peishi's unapproachable expression remained unchanged.
Ruan Yan raised her eyebrows. Oh, he's really arrogant.
Ruan Yan didn't know when it started, but she heard a rustling sound coming from behind her.
"...Lu Peishi is over there! Brother Jie, can you take me over to take a photo with him later?" A slightly younger female voice said in an excited tone.
The man next to him, known as Brother Jie, lowered his voice and replied, "Why haven't you given up yet? I told you a long time ago that Lu Peishi's standards are extremely high. Not to mention you, he doesn't even care about Huaqi's daughter. He pursued her for half a year and she ignored him. He is famous for his difficulty and strange temper. I advise you to give up as soon as possible."
The girl's voice was a little embarrassed, and she retorted weakly: "I, I didn't say I wanted to do anything with him..."
The man chuckled as if he saw through something. "Stop watching those brainless idol drama girls. Those stories about overbearing CEOs and little white rabbits are impossible to happen in real life."
The girl retorted in a low voice, shy and powerless: "Brother Jie, what are you talking about? How could I..."
The man then continued, "Do you know how many media outlets have been desperately trying to dig up dirt on him? But after all this time, there hasn't been a single sliver of gossip about him. He's usually so discreet and low-key, even solo photos rarely leak online. And with so many reporters here today, he'll be even more careful than usual about keeping his distance from the opposite sex."
"What if he was photographed in an ambiguous frame with a girl?" the girl asked curiously.
"That's unbearable! Those hungry paparazzi will be so excited that their eyes will be glowing red. They'll start writing short essays from the beginning of time, and they'll be eager to dig up every scandal since kindergarten and tell it all about her, and put it on the front page to dominate the charts..."
Gossipy Ruan Yan was secretly eavesdropping on other people's gossip, but she didn't know that her own gossip was also coming to her door -
"You are Miss Ruan Yan from Ruan Enterprise, right?"
A sudden voice from the side interrupted Ruan Yan's thoughts.
When I turned my gaze back, there were already several unfamiliar faces standing in front of me.
"Hello, Miss Ruan Yan. The Ruan family previously responded that you were injured in a landslide accident during your disappearance over a year ago. Are you feeling better now?"
"Ms. Ruan Yan, I heard that you lost your memory because of this accident. Is that true?"
"Ms. Ruan Yan, do you really not remember anything now? Then why didn't Ms. Wen Ying accompany you today and let you attend the event on your own?"
…
Several people from an unknown media outlet surrounded Ruan Yan with a barrage of questions.
Ruan Yan took a step back, a helpless expression on her face: "Uh... I..."
In the interval, she tried to look for help at Qiao Qianqian next to her, but Qiao Qianqian pretended not to see it. Her slightly raised eyebrows clearly showed that she was enjoying the show.
"What are you doing?"
Jia Yanyuan's deep voice sounded from behind.
He walked quickly to Ruan Yan and put her behind him with full boyfriend strength.
"I'm sorry, Xiaoyan hasn't fully recovered yet, so it's not convenient for me to answer your questions."
Seeing Jia Yanyuan appear, instead of showing any sign of restraint, the few people became even more excited.
Even others nearby heard the noise and rushed over, excitedly turning their attention to him: "Boss Jia, how do you feel about Miss Ruan Yan's amnesia?"
"Can you tell me when you and Miss Ruan Yan are planning to get married?"
"During Miss Ruan Yan's convalescence, were you with her?"
…
After all, Jia Yanyuan had seen all kinds of situations and was quite experienced in dealing with their barrage of questions. He calmly and calmly answered them one by one.
Until he heard a malicious voice from one of them say——
"Mr. Jia, there have been rumors that Miss Ruan Yan's accident was mainly due to a huge rift in your relationship during that time. You often argued and even threatened to break up, which is why she went on a trip alone to relax. And the reason you are in a relationship crisis is because you fell in love with someone else and she discovered your unclear relationship with another woman. Is this true?"
Such a sensitive and sharp question made Jia Yanyuan panic instantly.
Ruan Yan didn't show any strange expression on her face, but she sneered in her heart, mockingly looking forward to how Jia Yanyuan would respond to their "difficulties" next.
They were indeed well-informed. At that time, Ruan Yan and Jia Yanyuan were preparing to discuss their marriage with their families. She was immersed in the joy of sweetness and happiness every day, but she was smashed to pieces after accidentally receiving an anonymous express delivery.
A thick stack of photos and a USB flash drive fell out of the opened package.
Ruan Yan picked up the photo and took a look at it, her mind going blank instantly.
Then, she secretly followed Jia Yanyuan and personally confirmed the contents of the photos and the USB flash drive.
She went mad and found Jia Yanyuan, who initially tried to make amends, but by the end, both of them were red-faced with anxiety, and he blurted out in desperation, "Even though Qianqian and I were an accident that night, she gave me her virginity! How could I be so cruel as to not take responsibility for her?"
Ruan Yan felt as if she had been hit on the head with a stick. She stood there in a daze, unable to utter a single syllable, no matter how the man, realizing that he had said something wrong, apologized and repented.
I don’t have the energy to get angry or speak anymore, and I can’t get out of this terrible state.
Sadness at its most extreme, perhaps this is what it feels like.
Each of his words was like the sharp point of a spike, piercing into the most vulnerable part of her heart, and then pulling it out with flesh and blood, leaving her no face at all.
…
At this moment, facing the reporter's tricky question, Jia Yanyuan's composure disappeared. He subconsciously glanced at Ruan Yan who was looking at him blankly, and quickly pretended to be calm, adjusting his expression and darkening his face.
"That's not true at all. This kind of groundless rumor is completely fabricated," Jia Yanyuan gently put his arm around Ruan Yan's shoulders and said seriously, "Xiaoyan and I have always had a stable relationship. I love her very much, and she loves me too. I hope the outside world will stop making malicious speculations that alienate our relationship. Thank you."
Jia Yanyuan's tone was very sincere, so sincere that Ruan Yan seemed to believe these disgusting and beautiful words.
At the same time, she glanced to the other side intentionally or unintentionally.
As expected, Qiao Qianqian, who was left out in the corner by everyone, looked very unhappy, especially after Jia Yanyuan made that "true confession", the expression on Qiao Qianqian's face was gloomy and heavy.
Ruan Yan seemed to be able to see a crackling invisible flame rising from the top of her head.
But, who cares?
Ruan Yan continued to cooperate with Jia Yanyuan, acting very affectionate to everyone present.
Although everyone looked skeptical, they still raised their cameras to give them face and started taking pictures.
"Are you preparing for the engagement now?"
"Could you two tell us when the engagement date is?"
Faced with this question, Jia Yanyuan still didn't dare to be too casual. After all, with their family status, the marriage involved the interests of both families, and every word of the response had to be carefully considered.
Besides, he was still somewhat wary of Wen Ying, the current head of the Ruan family.
As the youngest female entrepreneur in City C today, Wen Ying inherited Mr. Ruan's temperament. She is capable, decisive and bold in her work. When she first took over Ruan Group, she was able to make everyone in the company obey her. One has to admire her courage and means.
Although he knew that Wen Ying and Ruan Yan's relationship was not harmonious, and sometimes could even be described as incompatible, they were sisters after all. No matter what happened in the future, they were currently a community of interests.
He turned his head and looked at Ruan Yan, wanting to confirm her attitude first.
Ruan Yan was also considering how to answer appropriately. When she was hesitating, a muffled sound suddenly came from the other end.
When I looked over, I saw Qiao Qianqian lying on the ground, holding her abdomen.
Before Ruan Yan could react, Jia Yanyuan rushed to help her.
"Qianqian, are you okay? Qianqian..."
His anxious tone was full of worry.
Wen Ying, family interests, etc. were all forgotten.
Qiao Qianqian's pale face shook slightly, and her voice was extremely weak: "I'm fine, it's just... an old illness."
When he heard the words "old problem", Jia Yanyuan subconsciously glanced at her lower abdomen, and his expression was filled with a bit of heartache.
Ruan Yan: “…”
Oh, what a well-timed tactical fall.
In the end, she underestimated Qiao Qianqian's skills and overestimated Jia Yanyuan's character.
"Xiaoyan," Jia Yanyuan turned around and said apologetically, "I'll take Qianqian to rest for a while and will be back soon."
Are men always so stupid and blind? Qiao Qianqian's acting is so poor, but he can't notice it at all.
Without waiting for Ruan Yan to reply, he considerately helped Qiao Qianqian up, and the two of them slowly walked towards the door together.
“…”
This bastard! He actually just left her like that and made a fool of herself.
The incident happened suddenly, and everyone was stunned for a moment before gradually recovering.
The media reporters present at the scene astutely smelled some clues. They were just worried that they had not found any valuable clues, but now they are delivered to their doorstep.
The future fiancé who was showing off their affection the moment before cruelly abandoned her the next second, and left with another woman in his arms lovingly and intimately - look, what a great space to play with, what great news material!
So, unlike the sporadic sounds just now, at this time the sounds of various shutter clicks came one after another continuously.
The cheerful BGM sounded like a drum beat to liven up Ruan Yan's embarrassing and shameful drama.
"Ms. Ruan, do you have anything to say about Mr. Jia's behavior?"
"Has Mr. Jia and Miss Qiao always had such a close relationship?"
"Boss Jia just left you like that. How do you feel now?"
…
Ruan Yan: “…”
She had a lot of MMPs in her mind but she didn't know whether to say them or not...
Looking at the backs of the sweet couple leaving mercilessly, Ruan Yan really wanted to punch the scumbag Jia in the head.
What a love story, where we love each other so much, we share weal and woe, and even if you act like a fool, I will risk my life to protect you, completely disregarding the lives of others.
What? Why don’t you celebrate tomorrow?
Even if you don’t make it, I still have to make it!
Ruan Yan thought with gritted teeth, but she didn't know that on the other side, a pair of dark and quiet eyes were looking at her with a frown.
Originally, the opening of WAN shopping mall was the main theme today, but who knew that these few people would inexplicably steal the spotlight and grab the attention.
Lu Peishi looked over there with dissatisfaction. The other two people had already walked out of the venue, leaving only a lonely figure standing there blankly.
Is this... Ruan Yan, the youngest daughter of the Ruan family?
Lu Peishi glanced at her lightly. She was surrounded by a group of media, looking dull and lonely.
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