Chapter 4 Rose Garden If I have done something to wrong you, I…
An hour later, the banquet was still noisy. The wealthy and famous people of Beijing were all immersed in the social scene, and no one noticed that the bride had not appeared for a long time.
Only Ling Xinyao muttered to herself, "Strange, where did it go?"
To get revenge for the three plates of durian she had just eaten, she deliberately brought two glasses of wine, intending to get Ling Shu drunk and make her look foolish at the wedding banquet.
She wandered around the banquet hall for half an hour but couldn't find Ling Shu.
If you ask the servants in the Sheng family, they will only shake their heads and say they don't know.
They're all useless trash.
Sheng Zhujun was busy with something, and her phone was unreachable.
Jian Yicheng stayed by her side the whole time. Now that no one was around, he didn't hide his feelings. His voice was so soft it was almost dripping with tenderness: "Xinyao, if you can't find her, then forget it. Your relationship with that sister of yours wasn't very good to begin with. She's not worth all this trouble."
Ling Xinyao looked back tenderly: "Brother Yicheng, you really care about me and are so good to me."
Her tone was shy, revealing just the right amount of gratitude and dependence.
Jane sighed contentedly, "Only when you are well can I be well."
Ling Xinyao lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and shook her head sadly: "Brother Yicheng, you...you shouldn't have said these things to me. You should be good to Junjun...after all, you two are the ones who..."
She bit her lip, seemingly finding it difficult to speak, "...a perfectly legitimate couple."
When Sheng Zhujun was mentioned, Jian Yicheng frowned slightly, and a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes.
He lowered his voice: "Sheng Yun Shen is clearly not going to wake up. Without him, we don't know how long the Sheng family can hold on. Xin Yao, you... just wait a little longer, just wait a little longer."
Originally, he planned to stay in the Sheng family, marry Sheng Zhujun, and gradually get closer to the center of power.
But Sheng Yun Shen just had an accident, and it's unknown how long the Sheng family's big ship can hold on; it might sink at any time.
A good bird chooses its tree to perch on, so naturally he would look for a better place.
Moreover, compared to Sheng Zhujun's introverted and uninteresting personality, Ling Xinyao, who is knowledgeable, charming, and knows how to flirt, is more likely to ignite his inner desire to conquer.
Jian Yicheng, her heart wavering, promised: "Xinyao, you're the only one in my heart, you know that."
Ling Xinyao smiled but did not give a direct response.
Jian Yicheng's words were interrupted by the sudden ringing of his cell phone.
He stopped speaking, picked up his phone to check the messages, and his expression darkened slightly: "Sheng Zhujun suddenly asked me to go to the Rose Garden. What trick is she up to now?"
The Sheng family manor has a famous rose garden, filled with all kinds of roses, monthly roses, and wild roses, which are breathtakingly beautiful when in bloom. Logically, a girlfriend's sudden invitation should have been a romantic date, but unfortunately, Jian Yicheng's feelings had changed, and he only felt impatient.
Ling Xinyao's eyes flickered slightly, and she was about to say something sarcastic when her phone rang.
It was a message from Sheng Zhujun.
"Xinyao, I know you like the earrings I'm wearing. Come to the Rose Garden, I have a surprise for you."
Ling Xinyao was secretly delighted.
Has Sheng Zhujun come to her senses? Is she willing to give him the limited edition earrings?
She rolled her eyes and gave a kind smile: "Brother Yicheng, Yunyun also invited me. She said there's a surprise. Let's go and see."
She absolutely has to get those earrings today!
Jian Yicheng pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Okay. Let's go together, then I won't be bored." The two left the noisy banquet hall side by side and walked deeper into the manor. The rose garden was located in a secluded corner of the Sheng family manor, quite far from the banquet hall, taking more than ten minutes to walk there.
The journey was quiet, with few guests and only the low chirping of insects. Occasionally, a servant would pass by, bowing respectfully.
They had only gone halfway when they suddenly heard a chaotic sound of running ahead. Several servants came running from a distance in a panic, muttering something to themselves, looking very frightened.
The two stopped in their tracks, puzzled.
Jian Yicheng frowned, stretched out his arm, and stopped a male servant who was about to run past him: "What happened?"
The Sheng family is a long-established wealthy family, and the servants working in the Sheng family are all employed for life and have a high level of professionalism. Jian Yicheng has been here so many times, and he has never seen the servants so flustered as they are now.
Upon recognizing Jian Yicheng, the maid hurriedly stopped, forcing a stiff smile onto her pale face, and bowed deeply: "Mr. Jian, please, please don't worry... it's nothing serious... it's just... a few stray dogs somehow got into the yard, and we've already arranged for people to catch them..."
"Stray dog?"
Jian Yicheng raised his voice, his suspicious gaze sweeping over the maid's face.
It's just a few stray dogs, why are you so panicked?
Wait a minute, the Sheng family manor has tight security, and there are electric fences installed on the walls. Even bad guys would have a hard time getting in. How could a stray dog have gotten in?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, and he pressed, "What's wrong with the Sheng family? Even dogs can get in?"
The maid gave a wry smile, her forehead covered in cold sweat: "Mr. Jian, things have been so chaotic at the Sheng family lately, we don't know what's going on. Um... I need to go get my tools, Mr. Jian, I'll take my leave now."
After saying this, he bowed quickly again, turned aside to avoid Jian Yicheng's hand blocking his way, and stumbled as he continued running into the distance, soon disappearing into the night.
Jian Yicheng turned to watch the male servant's retreating figure, feeling something was off.
If Sheng Yun Shen hadn't gotten into trouble, how could the Sheng family have caused such a mess?
It seems that with Sheng Yun Shen gone, the Sheng family is not far from its demise.
Thinking of this, Jian Yicheng was even less inclined to see Sheng Zhujun. He was going to confront her soon anyway, so why waste his time trying to appease her?
He hesitated and stopped.
"Brother Yicheng?" Ling Xinyao saw that he didn't move, so she gently tugged at his sleeve, her tone puzzled.
Jian Yicheng explained, "How about we go back to the banquet hall? There are stray dogs in the garden; it's not safe."
Ling Xinyao shook her head: "I'm not afraid of dogs. Besides, the Sheng family has so many servants. A few dogs will be caught very quickly."
She didn't take the male servant's words to heart.
Besides, Sheng Zhujun had finally agreed to give her the limited edition earrings, so she had to take this opportunity to get them before she could feel completely at ease.
Those are limited edition jewelry pieces, of which only three exist in China. They are extremely difficult to buy!
Thinking of this, Ling Xinyao gently shook Jian Yicheng's arm: "Brother Yicheng, just think of it as coming with me."
She used her charm, her voice soft and gentle, with a slight tremor at the end.
Jian Yicheng was most susceptible to this kind of thing, and his tone immediately softened: "Okay, okay, let's go."
The two continued walking towards the rose garden.
At first, Jian Yicheng was a little worried, keeping his eyes and ears open, afraid of running into a stray dog. Fortunately, it was very quiet along the way, which put his mind at ease.
It was just a few dogs; the servants have probably already dealt with them.
He was overthinking it.
As they approached the Rose Garden, Jian Yicheng saw Sheng Zhujun waiting at the entrance.
Sheng Zhujun stood with her back to them beside a doorpost covered in blooming roses, her hands elegantly folded behind her back, her head slightly tilted back, as if gazing at the starry sky. In the dim light, her profile silhouette was exceptionally beautiful.
Jian Yicheng's eyes darkened, a complex and indescribable sense of regret flashing through his mind.
To be fair, Sheng Zhujun was quite a good person. When they first got together, he genuinely liked her. Unfortunately, people's hearts change, and a man as outstanding as him was destined not to stay with just one woman.
Ling Xinyao's thinking was simpler. She stared intently at Sheng Zhujun's ears, wishing she could rush up and rip off those limited-edition earrings immediately.
Hearing their footsteps, Sheng Zhujun turned around and smiled at them: "Yicheng, Xinyao, you've arrived."
As she spoke, she started walking into the rose garden. "The surprise is inside, come with me."
Without suspicion, the two followed her through the gates of the rose garden.
The rose garden is surrounded by flower walls, filled with climbing roses, and can only be entered through the gate. Inside the garden, roses and other flowering plants of various colors bloom in full glory under carefully arranged lighting, their rich, sweet fragrance silently flowing in the air.
In the pavilion in the middle of the garden, a table of exquisite French cuisine was set out. The warm yellow candlelight cast a golden glow on the dishes, making them look even more delicious.
Sheng Zhujun walked to the table and sat down first. She took out a bottle of red wine and showed it to the two of them: "This is a 2015 Liberté that I secretly took out from my mother's private collection. It's the best wine to accompany a meal. Come and have a taste."
"Libert?"
Ling Xinyao's eyes lit up instantly. She knew that Liberty's wines were famous for their limited production, and could be considered limited editions among top-tier wines.
It's a limited edition, I have to try it no matter what.
She walked over in a few steps, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Jian Yicheng frowned, feeling a strange, inexplicable feeling. However, since both ladies were already seated, he naturally wouldn't spoil the mood and followed them to sit down.
Sheng Zhujun chuckled softly, took out a corkscrew, and prepared to open the red wine.
Jian Yicheng felt something was even more amiss and asked, "Where's the maid? How could they let you open the wine yourself?"
Sheng Zhujun's smile remained unchanged: "I wanted to give you two a surprise, so I specifically told the servants to leave."
I see.
Jian Yicheng frowned secretly and took the bottle opener from Sheng Zhujun's hand: "Zhunjun, let me do it."
The title of "Top Ten Best Boyfriend" is well-deserved. As long as the two don't have a falling out and break up, he won't let Sheng Zhujun notice anything unusual.
After opening the red wine, Jian Yicheng poured a glass for each of the three of them.
As he opened the wine, Sheng Zhujun watched with a smile, admiring his efficient movements, her eyes sparkling. Once the wine was poured, she stood up, glass in hand, and spoke first: "Come on, let's toast to our love and friendship!"
"cheers."
Forget about being reserved, she took a few more small sips.
Jian Yicheng also praised the wine highly: "It lives up to its reputation as a winery that dares to call itself the God of Wine. The taste is superb."
Sheng Zhujun lowered her eyes, picked up her cup, and tried to hide the twitching at the corner of her mouth.
What a joke! There are only a little over two hundred bottles of Liberty wine from 2015, and it's priceless. Although the Sheng family does have a few bottles in their wine cellar, she's reluctant to take them out.
This bottle of red wine is a counterfeit. I bought it on Pinduoduo and even had it delivered by a courier service. It was just delivered to the Sheng family manor.
The idea that it tastes amazing is all in your head...
After only a few sips of wine, Ling Xinyao couldn't wait to get to the point. Her gaze lingered on Sheng Zhujun's earlobes, and she asked directly, "Zhujun, was the message you sent me earlier true? You're going to give me these earrings?"
Sheng Zhujun raised her hand and touched her earlobe, her smile unchanged. She looked at Ling Xinyao, her gaze clear, as if she could see right through Ling Xinyao's heart.
Ling Xinyao was stunned for a moment, wondering why Sheng Zhujun would ask such a question at this time.
However, she quickly realized her mistake and replied earnestly and firmly, "Of course, always!"
Even if it's just for limited edition earrings, it has to be!
"I……"
She glanced at Sheng Zhujun's earlobes again, her voice lower, "Is it because I like these earrings that you're unhappy?"
It seems that Sheng Zhujun's attitude started to become strange from the moment she asked Sheng Zhujun for the earrings.
Sheng Zhujun didn't answer, but Jian Yicheng spoke first.
His face clearly showed his disapproval: "Xinyao, how can you talk like that? She has always cherished you as her best friend. Whatever you want, she'll give it to you without hesitation. When has she ever gotten angry about something like this?"
Sheng Zhujun turned to look at him.
It sounded like Jian Yicheng was speaking up for her, but in reality, he was putting her on a very high pedestal, leaving her no room to refuse.
She pressed further, "Yicheng, do you think I should give these earrings to Junjun?"
Jian Yicheng smiled and replied casually, "You two are good sisters, it's normal for you to exchange gifts."
He looked at Ling Xinyao with a smile on his lips, "Besides, I think Xinyao seems to like it quite a bit. Junjun, why don't you give it to her?"
Sheng Zhujun's gaze grew increasingly cold.
She put down her wine glass and chuckled softly, "But, Ling Xinyao, you haven't answered my question yet."
Ling Xinyao bit her lower lip and quickly replied, "Of course not! You're my best friend, how could I possibly do anything to betray you?"
As if to convince Sheng Zhujun, she even raised her hand and swore, "If I have done anything to betray you, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"
Hearing this clear vow, Jian Yicheng's eyes flashed with tenderness. He turned to look at Sheng Zhujun: "Zhunjun, what's wrong with you today? I feel like you're acting a little strange?"
In the past, before Ling Xinyao could even finish her vow, Sheng Zhujun would have covered her mouth and forbade her to say anything more.
What exactly happened to Sheng Zhujun today?
When Ling Xinyao made her vow, she not only didn't stop her, but seemed to listen quite attentively.
Ling Xinyao also frowned secretly, carefully examining Sheng Zhujun.
Meeting their questioning gazes, Sheng Zhujun shrugged: "Nothing much, I was probably just drunk?"
She lowered her hand and, in a corner where no one could see, gently made a gesture.
There's no need to continue this conversation now.
Either Ling Shu is right, or Jian Yicheng and Ling Xinyao are both very scheming and are treating her like a fool.
Either Ling Shu is wrong, or both of them are truly sincere towards her.
Let's wait and see what happens next to verify all of this.
Suddenly, several exclamations came from outside the rose garden.
Sheng Zhujun immediately turned her head to look in the direction from which the sound came: "What sound was that?"
Jian Yicheng and Ling Xinyao also looked over.
At the entrance to the rose garden, a woman dressed as a maid was rushing over in a panic. She looked extremely disheveled; her hair, as if ravaged by a storm, was scattered messily on both sides of her face, and a few strands of hair were stuck to her pale face with sweat. Her steps were also very unsteady, as if she might fall at any moment.
Her eyes were filled with fear, as if some terrifying monster was chasing her. She ran, panting heavily, her rapid breathing unusually clear in the quiet garden.
When she saw the three people in the middle of the garden, her previously dim and desperate eyes instantly lit up, as if she had seen the dawn in the darkness.
The woman raised her arm and waved it violently, her voice shrill and piercing: "Help! Help me!"
"What happened?"
Sheng Zhujun frowned deeply, her eyes filled with worry. Without hesitation, she lifted her foot, wanting to go over and check the situation.
Just as she took a step, Ling Xinyao suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm.
Ling Xinyao's eyes widened, her lips trembled slightly, and her voice was filled with terror: "Don't go! Look behind her!"
As she spoke, her finger trembled as she pointed behind the woman who had run towards her in a panic.
Sheng Zhujun looked in the direction she pointed and saw several dark figures rapidly approaching from behind the woman.
Those dark figures were ghostly apparitions emerging from the night, appearing especially eerie in the afterglow of the setting sun. Their outlines were indistinct, only their rapidly moving forms were visible, like a black whirlwind, seemingly about to catch up with the woman.
Jian Yicheng quickly stood up from his seat, his voice changing, filled with shock: "What is that?"
Before they could even figure out what was happening, several dark figures had already caught up with the running woman. The woman screamed and fell to the ground, rolling around in agony, but she couldn't escape the attacks of these dark figures.
A note from the author:
Welcome the canine actors! [heart emoji]
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