"Oh dear, Ah Zhen, why are you saying so much to someone from the countryside?"
The girl named Min Min blushed for a moment, then shook her wine glass in a slightly coquettish tone, "She probably doesn't even know how to drink, how would she know what a marriage alliance means?"
She glanced at Shen Zhiyi from head to toe, a smile playing on her lips, but her eyes filled with disdain.
"I don't understand." Shen Zhiyi tilted her head slightly, looking at her with clear eyes.
"What does my return have to do with your marriage alliance with your brother?"
“I still call him brother, and he’s still a member of the Shen family that Dad approves of. If you truly like him, how can a marriage alliance not be possible?”
She blinked, puzzled.
Then, with a sudden realization, she said "Oh," and drew out the last syllable: "Could it be that you want to marry my money, not your brother?"
Her clear eyes, like a mirror, reflected Min Min's cracked and distorted face.
"What nonsense are you spouting?!" After a moment of stunned silence, her face flushed red and then paled, before she snapped angrily, "Don't think that just because you're back, everything in the Shen family is yours!"
"Let me tell you, you're not worthy of your position; even if I gave it to you, you wouldn't be able to hold onto it!"
"Isn't it still up to Brother Lianzhou to manage this!"
Shen Zhiyi stood up, looked at her calmly, and gently raised her lips, "You know that's our Shen family's."
"No matter what, it has nothing to do with you, surnamed Min."
She walked past her and went on.
As they brushed past each other, Min Min's eyes darted around, and suddenly she cried out "Ouch!" and staggered back.
The champagne in her hand spilled straight onto the hem of her skirt.
The expensive dress was instantly soaked with a large wet patch.
Min Min pointed at Shen Zhiyi with her finger and cried "Stop thief!" as if she were the thief herself: "Why did you push me? And you even threw wine at me!"
She lifted the hem of her skirt, her voice trembling with tears, "I specially picked this out to see Brother Lianzhou, and now you've ruined it all..."
"People from the countryside have no manners!" Ah Zhen chimed in, "Min Min's dress is a limited edition, worth six figures!"
"Now that you've gotten it wet, you have to pay for it!"
She stared at the rose gold watch on Shen Zhiyi's wrist, "If you can't come up with the money, then use this watch on your wrist as collateral!"
Shen Zhiyi watched them direct and act out their own performance and suddenly found it somewhat amusing.
She forced a smile and raised her wrist.
You mean this watch?
Her eyes were calm. "There aren't many of these watches left in production now. Last year at an overseas auction, the same model sold for about seven million RMB."
"Are you sure you want to use this to offset the price of this out-of-season limited edition dress you're wearing?"
“If that’s the case, you’re suspected of extortion. I can call the police right now and have you arrested.”
She lowered her wrist, her tone calm and composed.
Minmin and Azhen were both stunned.
"You, you country bumpkin, how would you know these things?!" Ah Zhen exclaimed in surprise.
She not only knows how to read a watch, but she also knows that Minmin's dress is out of season!
Min Min was embarrassed.
"Don't think we'll be afraid of you just because you mention the police."
"I don't care what kind of watch it is! You have to pay for my skirt!"
Shen Zhiyi caught a glimpse of a tall, imposing figure in the distance.
Gu Lianzhou appeared to be talking to someone, but in reality, he had already noticed the commotion over here.
A cold gaze swept over, intentionally or unintentionally, with a scrutinizing quality.
Shen Zhiyi's eyes flickered.
The composure on his face crumbled instantly, his sharp edge vanished, replaced by utter helplessness and panic.
"I...I don't have any money..." she stammered. "Sister Minmin, how about I wash your dress for you?"
"I will definitely wash it clean and return it to you."
Her eyes were slightly red, a stark contrast to her appearance just moments before.
Min Min was stunned for a moment.
Just as she was starting to find Shen Zhiyi a bit strange, Ah Zhen and the onlookers who were gradually gathering around burst into laughter.
"Wash it clean?!"
Ah Zhen seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. "A country bumpkin is indeed a country bumpkin. He has no knowledge at all."
“I would never wear this kind of dress again, let alone Minmin.”
"You'd better just obediently pay up!"
Shen Zhiyi clutched her wrist, tightly protecting her watch, her eyes welling with tears, her voice choked with sobs, "No... this watch was given to me by my brother... I can't give it to you..."
"Did Brother Lianzhou give it to you?" Ah Zhen said. "Then you should apologize to Min Min even more!"
Amidst the laughter of the crowd, she felt she had the upper hand and reached out to grab Chen Zhiyi's wrist.
"Give it to me!"
"Let go! Let go!" Shen Zhiyi struggled, her steps gradually retreating towards the viewing pool behind her.
During the shoving, she suddenly twisted her ankle, cried out in surprise, and fell backward!
"ah--!"
A strong, powerful arm caught her waist just in time and pulled her back sharply.
I nestled securely into an embrace that exuded a cool, pine-like atmosphere.
“Brother…” Shen Zhiyi looked up blankly at Gu Lianzhou’s cold, hard jaw.
Ah Zhen lost her balance the moment she passed by, and fell into the water with a splash!
She screamed and struggled awkwardly out of the low-lying pool.
Makeup and hair completely ruined.
Gu Lianzhou's expression was calm, but displeasure surged in his dark eyes. He lowered his gaze to look at Shen Zhiyi in his arms.
Her eyes were red-rimmed and her hair was disheveled.
He was still tightly protecting his watch with one hand.
He paused, then said in a deep voice, "It's just a watch, not worth letting others bully you."
Shen Zhiyi seemed extremely aggrieved, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she lowered her eyes.
"But...this was put on me by my brother..."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
