Chapter 95 Yong, marry me, and I'll be all yours.
Cui Yiluo almost thought she had misheard.
Jiang Yunjin had already begun introducing herself to the people around her as the young lady of the Cui Group. They were all surprised for a moment, but then they began to flatter her, saying that she and Jiang Yunjin were a perfect match, both talented and beautiful.
Lan Hui composed herself, but her smile was forced: "Shenzhi, when did you and Yiluo... start dating?"
Lan Yi then came to her senses, her bright eyes crinkling with laughter. She said in a complaining tone, "Yi Luo, you really are something. Why didn't you tell your mother about something so important?"
But her tone was clearly joyful. After speaking, Lan Yi noticed that Madam Yuan's expression was obviously not good, so she smiled apologetically and said that she had only just found out herself.
Everyone's attention followed the two's words and focused on Cui Yiluo and Jiang Yunjin, who was affectionately embracing her.
Cui Yiluo struggled again, wanting to deny that she and he had absolutely no relationship, and even if they had before, it was all over now. But he held her tightly, and she couldn't move.
Noticing her struggling movements, Jiang Yunjin held her even tighter and turned his head slightly to the side.
He spoke softly in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.
"A-Luo probably doesn't want her aunt to know what we've been doing these past two years."
Cui Yiluo felt a breath catch in her throat, staring at him in disbelief as his dark eyes were filled with overwhelming pressure.
The Jiang Yunjin standing before her was not the gentle and polite cousin she used to know. No, or rather, he hadn't been the same person she remembered since the last time she went to move her luggage and he pinned her against the wall.
The couple's subtle actions appeared to everyone as intimate moments between lovers. Their interactions seemed so familiar and genuine that they didn't appear fake. The noble ladies and women who had initially harbored some doubts about the relationship had no choice but to believe in their connection and abandon their ulterior motives.
Jiang Yunjin turned to look at Lan Hui, his posture returning to its former respectful and polite manner. He apologized solemnly, "Yi Luo and I have been together for over a year. I was afraid that our relationship would be unstable, so I didn't let Yi Luo tell you. It was my fault, and I apologize to Yi Luo for causing her distress. If I do anything wrong in the future, you can punish me directly."
Lan Yi felt a little embarrassed. She quickly adjusted her expression based on her years of experience in the world of fame and fortune, but she was both embarrassed and resentful. She was Cui Yiluo's biological mother, but Jiang Yunjin said such things to Lan Hui as if Cui Yiluo's mother was not her but Lan Hui. How was this any different from directly slapping her in the face?
Jiang Yunjin spoke solemnly, and although Lan Hui was flattered, her previously strained expression improved somewhat. "Why are you saying such harsh words to a family? You and Yiluo grew up together, and your aunt doesn't distrust you."
To outsiders, Jiang Yunjin was not only outstanding but also upright and honest. Therefore, before today, Cui Yiluo never expected that he would lie and threaten her in front of everyone.
“Hey, Mr. Jiang’s ring is quite unique,” Yuan Ling suddenly remarked.
It was only then that Cui Yilu noticed the ring he was wearing on the middle finger of his left hand.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunjin slightly raised his hand and twirled the ring with his thumb. "Engagement ring."
Seeing him lie so calmly, as if it were the truth, Cui Yiluo felt a lump in her throat again. He had clearly come prepared tonight, even having prepared all the props.
Yuan Ling smiled meaningfully, his gaze falling on the gemstone ring on Cui Yiluo's index finger. "Why isn't Miss Cui wearing an engagement ring?"
The eyes of everyone around her immediately fell on her hands, their expressions varied.
Cui Yiluo chuckled inwardly and glanced at Jiang Yunjin. They weren't really engaged, so of course she didn't have a ring. Jiang Yunjin tried to silence her with a sachet, but others noticed something amiss. If he couldn't handle the situation, she couldn't be blamed.
But the handsome man showed no panic. Instead, he took out a folded handkerchief from his pocket, unfolded it, and revealed an exquisite diamond ring. Under the illumination of the crystal chandelier in the hall, it shone brightly and captivated everyone's attention.
Yuan Ling's face darkened.
Some knowledgeable people immediately recognized it: "Isn't this the pink diamond that was auctioned for 200 million a few months ago? It turns out it was President Jiang who bought it."
At that auction, several people fought tooth and nail for the pink diamond, and in the end, someone won it with an overwhelmingly high price. The story spread throughout the industry, but no one knew which person had spent so much money.
It turned out to be Jiang Yunjin.
Those present had heard rumors to some extent, and their gazes towards Cui Yiluo were a mixture of amazement and envy. At this point, everyone believed that the two truly had a deep relationship. Given Jiang Yunjin's nature of never having had a woman in his life, the fact that he would one day spend 200 million to bid on a pink diamond for his girlfriend's engagement ring, and that the craftsmanship of the ring clearly indicated it was designed and crafted by a renowned artist, likely costing a considerable sum, was quite remarkable.
The pink diamond ring lay quietly on the handkerchief in his palm, and Cui Yiluo was stunned. She had naturally heard a few rumors, but she never expected that she would become the person in those rumors today.
Her fingers were suddenly grasped, and she instinctively struggled, looking up to meet the man's deep and solemn gaze.
Jiang Yunjin held her hand and slowly put the ring on her finger. It was just the right size, encircling her middle finger perfectly. He looked down, focused and serious, as if he were performing a solemn ceremony.
Cui Yiluo forgot to dodge, looking at him with surprise and complicated expression. By the time she realized what was happening, he had already put on the ring and took her hand in his palm, holding it tightly. She didn't even have a chance to take it off.
"Don't forget the ring next time."
Those around suddenly realized. It turned out that Cui Yiluo wasn't wearing her ring because she had accidentally left it behind.
Cui Yiluo's mind went blank for a while, her heart feeling as if it had been battered by waves. He was still holding her hand, and he was handling the situation with ease. Only today did Cui Yiluo see what kind of image he had in the business world: calm, composed, and powerful.
After Jiang Yunjin dealt with the people around him who were trying to get close to him, Cui Yiluo immediately said to Lan Hui, "I have something I want to talk to my cousin about."
Lan Hui was clearly caught off guard by this sudden public announcement and hadn't fully recovered. Seeing that she and Jiang Yunjin, the couple, wanted to talk alone, she didn't think much of it and nodded.
Cui Yiluo nodded and smiled at Madam Yuan and several other ladies she knew, then pulled Jiang Yunjin and turned to leave, but was stopped by Lan Yi.
"Yi Luo, you haven't stayed at Mom's house in a long time. Should I send someone to pick you up tomorrow?"
Lan Yi's attitude suddenly became warm and friendly, and the reason was obvious.
Cui Yilu smiled faintly, but her eyes were cold: "It has indeed been a long time, but there's no need."
She had no interest in dealing with Lan Yi, and left after finishing her sentence.
Lan Yi's face immediately turned purplish-blue, looking extremely ugly. The mocking gazes from the noble ladies and wives around her felt like thorns pricking her skin.
He used to neglect his daughter, but now that he sees she has some use, he's rushing to repair the relationship. What a joke!
-
People were gathered in the hall, but there was no one in the corridor. Cui Yiluo immediately tried to shake his hand off, but he didn't budge. She gave a mocking laugh: "There's no one here, so there's no need to act anymore."
Jiang Yunjin took her hand without a second thought. He had been led out by her, and now he walked up to her and pulled her forward.
Just as Cui Yiluo was about to struggle, she heard him say, "Didn't you want to talk to me alone? There's a pavilion up ahead, but no one's there."
Cui Yiluo then stopped struggling.
Jiang Yunjin had obviously been to this place before for a social engagement, and he led her to the pavilion with ease. Pale purple wisteria vines twined around the pavilion pillars, hanging down and swaying gently in the evening breeze, their subtle fragrance filling the air, creating a tranquil and beautiful scene.
The tranquility and peace of the surroundings were shattered with a "snap".
Jiang Yunjin turned his face to the side after being hit, and a few red marks appeared on his pale face. He was not surprised, and he chuckled softly, pressing his tongue lightly against the spot where he had been hit.
Then he grabbed her hand, trying to open her palm, and asked, "Does your hand hurt?"
Cui Yiluo incredulously shook off his hand, took a step back, and her voice trembled with anger and shock: "Jiang Yunjin, are you crazy? What makes you think I'm your fiancée? Are you joking about marriage? Do you even know what you've been doing tonight?!"
Jiang Yunjin's lips curled into a mocking smile. His gaze darkened and locked onto her, his expression obsessive and domineering. His gentle facade completely crumbled, and he said earnestly, word by word, "I know very well what I'm doing. Besides, have I said anything wrong? We've been together for over a year."
Cui Yiluo's chest heaved with anger. "Didn't we explain things clearly? It was a misunderstanding!"
"But in my eyes, we've always been together. You erased our past in front of everyone. Am I really that bad? That unlikable to you? That inferior to those people you're interested in? They even have the reputation of being in contact with you, while what about me? I'm just a cousin you have no connection with?"
Cui Yiluo's eyes widened slightly, her breathing became rapid, and she suddenly couldn't utter a word.
It took her several seconds to regain her senses. "Jiang Yunjin, what happened back then was just a mistake. The day I left your house, our relationship ended! And we haven't been in contact for two weeks. Why did you say I was your fiancée in front of so many people tonight? Why did you threaten me with my aunt to put on this act with you? You knew that everyone would be saying we were engaged tomorrow, why did you do that?"
"A mistake? Is our relationship just a mistake in your eyes?"
Jiang Yunjin's tone suddenly turned cold as he stared intently at her. Cui Yiluo braced herself and met his gaze: "Otherwise what? It was my fault back then. I was drunk, which led to this mistake."
If she hadn't drunk too much and hadn't kissed him first, none of this would have happened. But she had no idea then that things would turn out this way. She just wanted to kiss him, so she did it.
Jiang Yunjin's face was cold, his eyes dark and unfathomable. He suddenly changed the subject and asked her, "Are you bothered that I haven't contacted you for the past two weeks?"
Cui Yiluo froze. "I didn't."
She instinctively retorted, but it only made things worse. Jiang Yunjin kept a keen eye on her, as if trying to catch every flaw in her expression, which made her feel uneasy.
She was about to say more when he interrupted her, "Because I was waiting for you to contact me, but I didn't expect that you really don't miss me at all."
His words were so blunt, something was about to be revealed, and under his oppressive gaze, Cui Yiluo took another step back.
But Jiang Yunjin wouldn't let her go. As she retreated, he moved closer, pressing her tightly and not allowing her any room to back down. "A'Luo, tell me why?"
Cui Yiluo's breath caught in her throat, and she could only stubbornly try to look back at him.
He clearly shared her thoughts, his slender fingers climbing up her like vines, grasping her fingers, and gently caressing the pink diamond ring.
This pink diamond was purchased a few months ago. At that time, he didn't know that she only saw him as a casual sex partner and thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Why did she take the picture? It couldn't be more obvious, so obvious that Cui Yiluo couldn't find an excuse to cover it up, let alone escape it.
"Because I like you, Aro."
Jiang Yunjin calmly pierced through all the pretense between the two of them, leaving Cui Yiluo momentarily blank.
She had always thought that his insistence on calling them boyfriend and girlfriend was simply because he was a very upright person and couldn't accept the fact that they had slept together but ended up as friends with benefits. That's why he treated the relationship as a romantic one, giving himself a legitimate reason. Or perhaps they were just physically compatible, and that's why he wanted to continue the relationship.
Regardless, she never felt that Jiang Yunjin liked her. But tonight he showed up, said she was his fiancée, and confirmed their relationship in front of everyone.
Yes, besides liking her and wanting to marry her, what other reason could he spend 200 million to buy a diamond to make a ring and then give it to her?
"But I never agreed to that, and I don't like you! How dare you say I'm your fiancée in front of everyone?"
After tonight, these things will spread throughout the circles of City A. Even if they say it's over in the future, it can only be called a "breakup," and the fact that they had a relationship can't be erased in everyone's eyes.
She spoke rapidly in anger, almost without pausing. When she stopped, the pavilion was silent for a few seconds, eerily so. Cui Yiluo looked at Jiang Yunjin's face, half-lit and half-shadowed in the night, unable to guess what he was thinking, before Jiang Yunjin finally spoke.
His smile faded, and his voice deepened: "Then I'd like to ask you, you say you don't accept their arrangements, yet you've been looking at Yuan Ling. What were you talking about with him before I came tonight? If you need to handle your family's arrangements, or a marriage alliance, why not choose me? Am I not suitable enough? I've been with you for over a year, and the Jiang family is stronger than the Yuan family. In every aspect, I'm more suitable than him!"
His gaze suddenly flashed sharp, his intent barely concealed. "Or do you prefer him?"
Cui Yiluo couldn't understand: "Why do I have to choose someone? Just because you're suitable doesn't mean I have to marry you. Besides, I've already made it clear to you that we were just in that kind of relationship before! I've never considered you my boyfriend."
She tried to calm herself down and discussed it with him: "I understand that you are upset about this misunderstanding. It's already happened tonight, but in a few days, we should tell your aunt and the others that we have broken up."
Jiang Yunjin's eyes stung as he sneered, "Break up? I won't break up with you. That night you got drunk, I did drink, but not to the point of getting drunk, A'Luo, you know my alcohol tolerance."
Cui Yiluo's expression went blank for a moment, "What did you say?"
"I've liked you for a long time. I always thought that when you hugged and kissed me, it was because you liked me. Even if I was drunk, I wouldn't sleep with anyone but you."
A hint of bitterness crept into the smile on his lips, as if he had to accept reality after his dream had been shattered.
"But you didn't like me. But you like my face, my body, right? Marry me, and I'll be all yours."
He grabbed her hand and pulled it towards his waist and abdomen. Before Cui Yilu could react, she touched his abdominal muscles through her clothes. The warm and firm touch made her palm burn.
Author's Note: Utterly insane and lawless [doge emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
