Lin Zhen'er, are you investigating me?
When Jiang Chengjing appeared, Lin Zhener, who was five days away from her wedding, was in a dress shop finalizing the size of her wedding dress.
The staff member who was squatting beside her adjusting her skirt and her fiancé who was sitting on the sofa behind her, staring intently at her, both stood up at the sound of high heels clicking.
The smiling woman walked in with her head held high. The couple who were about to get married had no idea that this ruthless character would soon stir up a storm in their lives.
She recognized the woman from online celebrity news; she was the young mistress of a well-known conglomerate, frequently appearing at luxury brand events and shopping mall opening ceremonies. It seemed the Jiang family and the Jin family, into which she was about to marry, also had numerous business dealings.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Jiang Chengjing, who had taken the initiative to sit next to President Jin, looked at the bride in her welcoming dress and suddenly fired his first shot of the day:
"You have fair skin and a petite figure, so this light pink color looks great on you."
"But this skirt is a bit too puffy; it might be inconvenient for greeting guests and taking photos. I think a fishtail skirt would be much more elegant and dignified. What do you say, Yanzhi?"
The soft wedding dress that hugged her body shimmered brilliantly under the lights. The dress in the mirror was one of the few things Lin Zhen'er had actively requested in the various aspects of the wedding preparations.
She had wanted a dress like this since she was a child, but back then, she never dared to make such a "vain" request to her domineering mother. Later, as she grew up, went to school, worked, and saved some money, she no longer had the occasion to wear such clothes.
So on their very first day at the dress shop, this pink dress with its cloud-like skirt completely captured her attention. From the venue setup to the guest list and the menu, the bride had no objections, but she insisted on wearing this dress to greet the guests.
"I chose this one. I think Zhen'er looks absolutely gorgeous in it."
As for something as trivial as taking photos with guests, my wife, why should she need to accommodate others?
The man who had been sitting stood up after speaking, walked over, touched the somewhat bewildered face, handed the phone to the embarrassed Jiang Chengjing, and tried to get as close to his bride as possible.
"Take a picture of us."
In the following segment, the uninvited guest remained silent with a somber expression. Looking at herself in the mirror, Lin Zhen'er suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for the future. If someone would protect her like this in the future, then the wealthy family wouldn't be as terrifying as she had imagined.
Every dress that twirled in the mirror looked beautiful, and the pair of eyes that were always watching her in the mirror made it all even more perfect.
"I heard you were getting married, so I flew back immediately."
After getting off the plane, I went to the park to see if there was anything I could help with, and when I heard you were here, I rushed over immediately.
As the group walked out after trying on their wedding dresses, and they were almost at their cars, the woman who was reluctant to leave spoke first. The bride-to-be, arm in arm with her fiancé, didn't intend to reply. The other woman's intentions were already clear, and although she didn't need to offend her, she didn't want to feign politeness anymore.
"Actually, it's understandable that you're accompanying your child to study in the UK and don't have time to come back."
But now that we're back, we're very happy, and thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Jin Yanzhi's voice was full of detachment, and the other person's bright smile froze at the corners of their mouth, as expected, after being doused with cold water. After a moment of stunned silence, they finally tore off their mask, retorting with a forced, insincere smile:
"How could I not come back for your wedding? Besides, you've made such a big fuss over this beauty, I'd be in England, or even in Antarctica."
Even if you want to pretend you don't know, you can't escape the news.
These words were veiled and ambiguous, and everyone present understood what they meant. The wedding was just around the corner, and this was the first person to dare to speak so directly about the love-hate entanglements within the Jin family. Besides relying on their long-standing friendship, they probably also felt confident and unafraid of offending their powerful backers.
"You look at those things too? It seems life abroad is quite leisurely."
He held the car door open and helped his wife into the car first. Mr. Jin then politely nodded to the outside and rolled up the window.
Lin Zhen'er sat down and rubbed her sore calves, which had been standing for most of the day. She secretly admired his courage. This kind of domineering attitude—not bothering to deal with someone who was right in front of her, and not even eating with them when he was unhappy—was something she, who had learned to read people since childhood, didn't possess.
"I'll call a massage therapist to come to my house tonight to give you a massage and help you relax."
The wedding is in a few days. Are you sure we don't want to go back to your hometown to see your family?
Mr. Jin looked at the person who was intently staring at the phone screen, admiring their own photo, and after thinking it over, he finally voiced his question.
Her makeup was a bit heavier than usual today, with some glittery glitter at the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose. In the dim light inside the car, her face looked like it was sprinkled with shattered stars, making it hard for me to look away.
Everything has been going smoothly with the wedding preparations these past few days. Except for the future in-laws, who only appeared briefly when the two families met, there has been no further news. According to Pingyang custom, they should have invited the bride's relatives to a meal before the wedding, but the bride beside him didn't mention any of that.
"No need, they'll come to the wedding."
The person who was looking at the photos paused for a moment, gave a vague reply, and then stopped talking.
"Is the saltiness just right? Would you like some vinegar?"
Back in the old house, the man skillfully avoided the cardboard boxes of various sizes on the floor. These past few days, the man and his dog had started packing their belongings in preparation for moving, making the already small space feel even more cramped, but he had gotten used to coming here every night to spend some time.
Although the living room is small, stretching your legs out slightly forward for a while after sitting cross-legged for a long time makes it less uncomfortable than before. Tonight, his fiancée cooked wontons. There wasn't much left in the old refrigerator, and he was happy to eat whatever was available as long as he could come over for dinner.
"Our wedding was a bit rushed..."
If there's anything you haven't done well enough, and your parents aren't satisfied, you can tell me. Don't bottle it up inside. Marriage is a big deal, and everyone should be happy.
The contents of the bowl were quickly devoured, and Jin Yanzhi, who was holding the bowl to drink soup, carefully observed the emotions of the person opposite her.
"The Jin family of Pingyang is a prestigious family that many young ladies have refused to join."
What could they possibly be dissatisfied with? It's just that my family is from a small, ordinary background, and the recent news about me has caused quite a stir. My mother, a teacher from a small town who values her reputation, finds it hard to accept that I'm someone who would do anything to climb the social ladder.
It will be fine in a while.
Lin Zhen'er ate rather slowly today, her spoon idly stirring the wontons in her bowl. She looked up and chuckled, seemingly indifferent. But he knew that his beloved was not happy at this moment.
Although the matter of his fight with Jin Chaosheng was suppressed by public relations efforts, the news that they would be getting married in a few days was impossible to suppress. A girl who had changed boyfriends twice in just over ten days, and they were even the uncle and nephew of the Jin family, he knew with his toes what the media would write.
Ultimately, it was my own impulsiveness that led me to provoke my nephew, assert my dominance, and end up in a fight. Although it felt good in the moment, the long-term consequences will not dissipate in a short time.
Xijiang is just a small county town in the surrounding area, and my future mother-in-law is a primary school teacher in the town. In that small place, the streets are full of familiar faces of students and parents, so there must be a lot of gossip to come.
The person who got up to clear the dishes glanced back at his fiancée, who was curled up on the sofa watching TV, holding a puppy. The blue light reflected off her fair face, and her long eyelashes partially obscured her eyes, making it even harder to discern her emotions.
"It's my fault. I rushed things with the wedding and didn't wait for things to calm down."
But the feng shui master said that such auspicious days would be hard to come by again within five years.
The man who was lying and struggling with dish soap was incredibly grateful that the other guy wasn't next to him. He wasn't good at lying, and after just a few words, he was already blushing and even had the urge to burst out laughing.
There's no such thing as a once-in-five-years good day. If it weren't for the inability to plan the wedding in a shorter time, I would have loved to get married the day after I got her.
Good heavens, the scheming and deceit in the business world are nothing compared to standing in the kitchen right now, with my back to my beloved, trying to hide the stirrings of my heart. Jin Yanzhi finished washing the last bowl, and after a soft "hmm" came from behind him, he let out a long sigh of relief.
"Is Jiang Chengjing your ex-girlfriend? I don't think she likes me."
The person speaking was pressing the remote control in her hand. Her voice was flat, but her slightly pouting lips suggested that she was a little angry.
"How...how could that be? She and I are just old friends from our family when we were kids."
She's older than me, not even in the same class, and her child is already in kindergarten. I... I'm completely innocent.
Lin Zhen'er heard that familiar stuttering sound again. From his confession to his proposal, it seemed that every time he faced this kind of questioning from her, he would panic and become unable to speak. But she enjoyed these moments. The best hunters always appear as prey.
Their back-and-forth game of love left her unsure whether she was a hunter with a gun or a leopard pretending to drink water and lying by the stream.
She originally thought she didn't care about Mr. Jin's past, but she didn't expect that the socialite's open and covert attacks in the afternoon would still stir up quite a ripple in her heart.
That feeling must be the legendary possessiveness. It's so strange. I never had this feeling when my ex cheated and made headlines, but I suddenly felt it from a man who got married in a flash within a month and a half. It was so strong that I couldn't even control my emotions.
"Then tell me, if your ex-girlfriend isn't her, then who is she?"
Which of the female celebrities photographed in the news are actually real?
The woman, having put down the remote, leaned forward, bracing herself on the ground as she looked up at the man. At that distance, they could hear each other's breathing clearly. That familiar look in her eyes, full of ambition and allure, returned to her face.
"None of them are real. I'm busy with work all day. Those women first try to sneak into business dinners, and then have people squat downstairs to take pictures."
They framed me so many times; they're all utterly wicked.
The man's voice was slightly aggrieved and coquettish as he lowered his head and gently rubbed his nose against his fiancée's. Clearly, she hadn't expected this intimate gesture; she pulled back slightly, straightened up, and prepared to sit back down.
It was too late. The man's well-defined knuckles swiftly grabbed the kitten who was trying to escape, and his warm breath quickly crept up her fair ears.
"Lin Zhen'er, you're investigating me?"
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