Jiang Ning froze mid-motion, her towel still in her hair.

What made her heart stop was what Yaoyao said next: “She went looking for the Young Master!”

“How is that possible? How could she know we’re dating… Quick, let me see. Let me see it.”

Jiang Ning’s face was already deathly pale.

She couldn’t bear to imagine what someone with Jiang Ruxue’s personality might do to harm Chen Yuan. It didn’t matter how the two sisters fought with their mother; their greatest shared vulnerability was Chen Yuan.

She snatched the phone and read for a long moment, not missing a single word.

She paid no mind to the water dripping from her hair.

A few heart-stopping minutes passed.

“You scared me to death!” Jiang Ning scolded. “What do you mean she went looking for Chen Yuan? They just ran into each other. Chen Yuan just happened to be in Lanjing on business today.”

“Really?”

“You mean you didn’t even read it properly?”

Jiang Ning was speechless.

She had been so careful to keep her relationship with Chen Yuan a secret. Jiang Ruxue was all the way in Mingzhu City; how could her reach extend this far?

“If she wasn’t looking for Chen Yuan, then what was she doing in Lanjing? No wonder she hasn’t come back yet. I thought she was at the office… Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!”

“I think she probably went to our apartment to mess with something. It’s one of her usual tricks.”

Jiang Ning was sharp as a tack. She immediately smelled a scheme. It wasn’t like their mother hadn’t pulled this kind of stunt when they were children.

Thank god it was just a chance encounter in the elevator.

That was a lucky break, all things considered.

As she dried her hair, she mulled over Jiang Ruxue’s possible motives.

…

“Alright, this is as far as I go,” Chen Yuan said, taking a step back. “I have to get back, someone’s waiting for me. I’m afraid I’ll be late.”

“Fine,” Jiang Ruxue said, giving him a captivating glance. “But wait a moment. I have something for you. Consider it… a gift for protecting me in the elevator and for chasing off that creep tonight.”

Jiang Ruxue had changed her mind.

Initially, she had just wanted to have a little fun, toss him some money, and tell the kid to get lost.

But after interacting with him, Jiang Ruxue found her interest piqued.

She decided that kind of arrangement was too boring.

She’d rather take this opportunity to get to know him a little better.

The area beneath the hotel was empty and silent. Gusts of cold wind swept past, tousling Jiang Ruxue’s wavy hair. The flush had faded slightly from her fair cheeks, and her sophisticated allure was enough to make anyone pause and stare.

Her trench coat swayed, leaving her face half-hidden in shadow, half-exposed to the light.

Naive and inexperienced, Chen Yuan had no idea just how skilled a schemer like Jiang Ruxue was at seduction. He just felt himself zone out for a few seconds.

Then, with a newfound spring in her step, Jiang Ruxue was already ascending the hotel stairs.

“Wait for me, okay?”

From a distance, she turned, gave a slight bow with a smile, and her voice drifted back to him.

She didn’t even give him a chance to refuse.

She was just that good.

Chen Yuan sighed. While waiting downstairs, he pulled out his phone and looked at the messages from the two sisters. The string of question marks made his head spin.

There was also:

“She didn’t say anything to you, did she?”

“I didn’t know Mom was going to Lanjing.”

“Anyway, don’t get too close to her. My mom has a very strange personality. She’s completely unpredictable!”

“She’s a little crazy! I get it from her!”

Chen Yuan finally finished reading. He was just about to reply, “I ran into her again tonight,” when the sound of high heels clicking on the pavement returned.

He looked up.

Jiang Ruxue was walking toward him, holding a small, exquisite gift box.

“For you.”

“You really don’t have to…”

“Take it… I’m going.”

Jiang Ruxue forcefully pressed it into his hand, then turned and left.

Chen Yuan watched her retreating figure disappear. With a sigh, he opened the box. His eyes fell not on some exquisite, expensive gift… but on a pair of worn black silk stockings… and a card.

He was horrified!

The box flew from his grasp as if it were a hot potato.

‘Oh, hell.’

No matter how dense he was, at this very moment, he understood exactly what his future mother-in-law was implying!!!

“Not this?!? Ugh! What is all this crap!”

He had the sudden urge to rush over and explain who he was. If he had just explained things clearly, none of this would have happened! How was he ever going to face Jiangg now?!

Chen Yuan stood there, dumbfounded. His whole world felt like it was shattering.

A moment later, a look of profound disgust spread across his face. He felt utterly humiliated. Whatever positive feelings he might have had toward Jiang Ruxue… were now completely gone.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep