Chapter 30: She Could Stand Up for Herself
Jin Shi Yue’s gaze swept across half the hall, pausing briefly.
The girl, as calm and composed as a clear spring before him, broke into a smile when facing Jin Yan Ting, as if she had endless things to say.
Lian Li was rather insensitive to gazes, yet she sensed someone was staring at her.
She turned her head to look and saw Jin Shi Yue.
The man was wearing a tailored, casual dark suit today, with broad shoulders and long legs. The noble and cold aura of a young master emanated from him with a hint of roguishness, making him quite eye-catching in the crowd.
His long fingers held a glass of whiskey, and he seemed to be chatting and laughing with the beauty in a champagne-colored dress beside him.
Other young masters were with them, but the beauty’s eyes were fixed solely on Jin Shi Yue.
Jin Shi Yue’s sharply defined profile looked somewhat uninterested, and his full face was not visible… likely showing a charming smile.
“Are you alright?” Jin Yan Ting looked down at her and asked.
Lian Li retracted her gaze, looked at Jin Yan Ting, and shook her head: “I’m fine.”
As Jin Yan Ting’s deep gaze appraised her, a haughty female voice came from behind: “Brother Yan Ting!”
Chen Wei Qi walked over, holding up her skirt. She quickened her pace joyfully, causing the other two to lag a step behind her.
Upon seeing the person to Chen Wei Qi’s left, Lian Li’s eyes flickered.
Duan Shiqing was wearing a simple and elegant knit dress. The form-fitting fabric outlined her figure, making her both sexy and elegant.
“Big cousin, why are you only arriving now? We’ve been looking for you for a long time.” Chen Wei Qi had been teased by Jin Shi Yue often since she was young, so she naturally preferred Jin Yan Ting, who was steady and relatively gentle and refined.
Jin Yan Ting’s gaze swept lightly over the three of them without lingering.
Meeting an old lover, Duan Shiqing showed no awkwardness and took the initiative to extend her hand to greet Jin Yan Ting: “Yan Ting, long time no see.”
Jin Yan Ting was never impolite. He reached out and shook her hand, as if they were just ordinary friends: “Long time no see.”
Duan Shiqing’s gaze shifted to Lian Li’s face beside him, her eyes showing surprise.
Her flawless features were exceptionally delicate, not aggressive, yet stunning at first glance.
It was that glib-tongued girl.
The eldest young master of the Tang family saw Jin Yan Ting and came over to talk with him.
Duan Shiqing glanced at them and said to Lian Li, “We meet again. Last time, there was an unpleasant incident, and it was my fault as an elder sister for not disciplining them properly. May I know how to address you?”
Xue Shufan was solely responsible for the subsequent apologies and compensation, and Lian Li had not seen them again.
The party at fault was on their side. Lu Wei Qi had not revealed Lian Li’s identity last time because she didn’t want to lose before the battle.
But this time was different!
“Oh, Sister Shiqing, you don’t know yet? This Lian Li is the famous top scholar of Jing University!”
Chen Wei Qi adopted a coy and affected tone, then, perhaps disgusted with herself, returned to her normal voice, “She’s much more accomplished than Tao Yuan Ming, after all, Tao Yuan Ming wouldn’t bend for a fifty percent discount on rice.”
Bending for a fifty percent discount on rice was a veiled insult, implying Lian Li was selling herself as a canary.
Duan Shiqing understood. She first looked at Jin Yan Ting, then at Lian Li, and finally her gaze returned to Jin Yan Ting.
Lian Li glanced sideways at Chen Wei Qi and calmly stated:
“Jing University is full of top scholars; no one cares about that title. Since you like it so much, I’ll give my title to you.”
Give it to her?
Chen Wei Qi was stunned. When she realized what Lian Li meant, she glared at Lian Li resentfully.
Those words clearly implied that she was not a top scholar!
Lian Li disliked conflict when she was young because she didn’t want to cause trouble for Lian Jingcheng.
As she grew older, she tried to avoid conflict because no one supported her.
But now, she could support herself.
She didn’t care about others’ opinions, but that didn’t mean others could come and act wild in front of her anytime they pleased.
Once her bottom line was crossed, Lian Li wouldn’t stay silent.
Just like Zhao Lizheng, she would kick him away.
Chen Wei Qi wanted to retort to Lian Li, saying that Miss Chen’s family background was immense and she didn’t need these superficial false titles. But with Jin Yan Ting present, she still didn’t dare to be presumptuous.
She could only link arms with Duan Xingyu and pinch her.
Duan Xingyu, who was daydreaming, was suddenly pinched and inexplicably asked, “Why are you pinching me!”
Lian Li shifted her gaze to Duan Xingyu. The latter, unlike the drunken, mad person from that night, was silently spacing out as if her soul had been drawn out.
A huge contrast.
“Lian Li, right? Let me introduce myself. I am Duan Shiqing.”
Duan Shiqing extended her hand to Lian Li.
Lian Li reciprocated, shaking her hand: “Miss Duan.”
“No need to be so formal. Zhong Yang mentions you often, saying Li Mei is Yan Ting’s sister. You can call me Sister Shiqing like them.”
Lian Li smiled brightly, “Miss Chen is famously a sister complex enthusiast. If I call you sister, she’ll probably skin me alive.”
Duan Shiqing looked at Lian Li, who was elegant and graceful under the light. Although she was smiling, there was a hidden sharpness in the corners of her eyes, her gaze almost tangible.
Chen Wei Qi, suddenly addressed, looked confused.
Skin her alive?
The sister complex comment was accurate, but how could she be so vicious!!
Thus, Duan Xingyu, who was staging a play in her mind, was inexplicably pinched again.
“You’re pinching me again!”
Duan Xingyu became annoyed, shook off Chen Wei Qi, and angrily walked towards the sofa area.
Chen Wei Qi looked at Duan Xingyu, then at Lian Li and Duan Shiqing, and decided to run over to appease her.
Duan Shiqing was about to say that Chen Wei Qi wasn’t that kind of person and wouldn’t mind, but before she could speak, Chen Wei Qi had already run off.
Duan Shiqing said to Lian Li with a hint of apology, “The two of them were spoiled and pampered since childhood. Even in their twenties, they’re like children. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t. They are quite fortunate,” Lian Li’s voice was clear and pleasant, as calm and unruffled as clear water.
Within Sijiucheng, among the influential families, although the Jin Family occupied the top of the pyramid with absolute strength, the Duan Family was not to be underestimated.
Someone came to socialize with the eldest daughter of the Duan family: “You’re finally back in the country. I haven’t seen you since high school graduation. You remember me, right?”
“How could I not remember? We were roommates in the diplomatic dormitory back then,” Duan Shiqing replied smoothly.
“Speaking of those times, the eldest young master Jin often sent things to the dormitory, all sorts of things, it was so romantic.”
Upon hearing this, Duan Shiqing glanced to the other side.
Lian Li followed her gaze.
Three men in suits surrounded Jin Yan Ting, all of them elites. Jin Yan Ting spoke from time to time.
Perhaps sensing something, Jin Yan Ting turned his head and his gaze met Duan Shiqing’s.
Duan Shiqing’s friend exclaimed excitedly, “President Jin is looking at you! When are you two getting married? He’s coming over, he’s coming…”
Lian Li tightened her grip on the champagne glass, turned, and was about to head towards a waiter holding a wine tray when someone suddenly blocked her path.
One more chapter, expected to be updated at 11 PM.
