Chapter 37: Ruthlessly Tormenting Them
The shirt and black pants, made of high-quality and meticulously chosen fabric, accentuated Jin Shi Yue’s tall and upright figure as he stood in the warm light of the staircase.
Lian Li appeared very small in front of him, easily concealed by his presence.
The Jin Family had a vast background. As the Second Young Master Jin, Jin Shi Yue was born into a position unattainable by ordinary people, above all living beings, possessing unimaginable wealth and power.
He could not possibly understand how important one hundred yuan was to her at that time.
Lian Li did not want to explain to him, and said calmly, “You gave it back to me later, so I have no reason to resent you.”
Creating something out of nothing.
Jin Shi Yue lowered his eyelids, scrutinizing her expression. Although his gaze was casual, an oppressive aura that made it difficult to breathe normally emanated from him.
“Excuse me, please move aside.”
Lian Li pursed her lips. Her full cherry lips showed a rosy hue under the light, delicate and charming.
Jin Shi Yue glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his gaze lingering for a moment before he slowly moved aside, leaning his shoulder against the wall of the staircase.
He called her seriously, “Junior Sister, please go ahead.”
The man, who had been a roguish and wicked young master moments ago, now transformed into a graceful and distinguished gentleman.
The shift in persona was so seamless that it was impeccable.
Lian Li quickly glanced at Jin Shi Yue, unable to figure him out, so she decided not to ponder it. She stepped up the stairs and nimbly went upstairs.
The Western Suburbs were quite far from the city, making the journey long. Coupled with the heavy snow and wind that night, at the persuasion of Zhong Yang and Pei Qingji, Lian Li and Xue Shufan decided to stay at the villa for the night and return the next day.
Lian Li returned to the room arranged for her, unplugged her phone that was charging, and sent a message to Jin Yan Ting to inform him of her situation.
When Xue Shufan came out of the bathroom, she saw her Junior Sister curled up on the sofa, tapping incessantly on her mobile phone.
“Are you messaging President Jin?”
Lian Li looked up. A few strands of wet hair clung to Xue Shufan’s cheeks, and her nose bridge was dotted with tiny water droplets, clearly having just washed her face.
“Yes,” Lian Li nodded. “I’m not going back today, so I’m letting him know.”
Xue Shufan said, “Lili, you report your itinerary to him in meticulous detail, but has he ever actively told you about his own affairs?”
Lian Li’s fingertips froze. After a few seconds of thought, she said, “Yes.”
At Elder Mei’s birthday banquet last time, Jin Yan Ting had his driver tell her that he just needed to change his clothes because they were dirty.
As for reporting her itinerary…
“It’s not exactly meticulous detail, just that if I’m not going back or will be back late, I need to inform him, otherwise he’ll worry,” Lian Li said, looking down at her mobile phone. “It’s been like this for the past nine years.”
Before Lian Li came of age, Jin Yan Ting was her guardian. She did as he told her.
In the past, if she returned late without informing Jin Yan Ting in advance, he would meticulously inquire about the reason.
Later, Lian Li learned to proactively inform him of the reason before Jin Yan Ting asked.
She thought it would save Jin Yan Ting some trouble.
Xue Shufan took a tissue to wipe her forehead, looking at Lian Li thoughtfully.
Jin Yan Ting needed to know everything about his Junior Sister, yet he himself never thought of informing his Junior Sister about his own affairs, whether personal or official.
At Elder Mei’s birthday banquet, did Jin Yan Ting have his driver tell his Junior Sister that he and Duan Shiqing had not rekindled their old flame?
Xue Shufan shook her head.
It didn’t seem like Jin Yan Ting’s style of doing things.
Knock, knock, knock—
There was a knock at the door.
Lian Li dropped her mobile phone on the sofa and jumped up, putting on her slippers. “I’ll get it.”
Xue Shufan turned her head and watched her Junior Sister dart towards the door like a little squirrel.
As soon as the door opened, Zhong Yang was outside. Zhong Yang’s face lit up with a cheerful smile when he saw Lian Li. “It’s Sister Li.”
Lian Li’s lips curved into a joyful smile. “Brother Zhong Yang.”
Zhong Yang said, “The party has started, there’s a lot of delicious food and fun games. Why don’t you and Xue Shufan come down together?”
Lian Li was also hungry now, so she agreed. “We’ll be down in a bit.”
Zhong Yang, as a seasoned bachelor, understood the principle that you can’t rush a young lady. “Take your time, no rush.”
Lian Li closed the door and walked back inside.
Xue Shufan asked her, “Who was it?”
“Brother Zhong Yang, he said the party has started and invited us down to eat, drink, and have fun.”
Lian Li gathered her long, dark, and thick hair with both hands, preparing to tie it up. When she touched her wrist, it was bare. She raised her hand and looked at both sides, only finding her bracelet.
Where was her hair tie?
Lian Li recalled carefully and remembered that at the ski resort, Jin Shi Yue had pulled off her hair tie when he was helping her put on her helmet.
The poor hair tie was probably thrown into the trash can by the Eldest Young Master.
Without a hair tie, Lian Li simply went downstairs with her hair down.
The hall was spacious and bright, bustling with activity. Lavishly dressed young masters and ladies were everywhere, and a faint scent of perfume lingered in the air.
Lian Li and Xue Shufan chose a dining area, deciding to fill their stomachs first before considering entertainment.
“This villa is the largest in the Western Suburbs, with top-tier layout and facilities. Do you know whose it is?” Xue Shufan asked while peeling a lobster.
Lian Li took a bite of seafood pizza. “Whose is it?”
“Second Young Master Jin’s,” Xue Shufan replied.
Lian Li was not surprised. “Even if it wasn’t his, he’d probably snatch it up.”
Upon hearing this, Xue Shufan raised her heroic eyebrows. “Why do you seem to know him so well?”
“I don’t,” Lian Li countered. “Don’t you think he looks very domineering?”
“I think it’s more arrogance and presumptuousness,” Xue Shufan said after thinking for a moment. “The Second Young Master is quite cold and unapproachable.”
Lian Li nodded in agreement.
After they had eaten their fill, Zhong Yang called Lian Li over to play cards, while Xue Shufan went to sing and dance.
There were six people around the card table. Besides Zhong Yang, Lian Li only recognized Pei Qingji. Jin Shi Yue was not present.
“Although Sister Li has only learned dominoes once and played them once, don’t go easy on her,” Zhong Yang said proudly. “Otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll cry your eyes out when you lose!”
“Is she really that good? Brother Zhong isn’t bragging again, is he?” The brother on the next seat didn’t believe it, casting a disdainful and dismissive glance at Lian Li and Zhong Yang.
“Sister Lili, right? Don’t cry if you lose later, we brothers won’t go easy on you.”
Zhong Yang kicked the other person’s stool and then said good-naturedly to Lian Li, “Sister Li, go all out and crush them, crush them to death…”
Zhong Yang pointed at Pei Qingji and said, “Crush him to death, and you’re responsible.”
Pei Qingji smiled helplessly, not objecting.
Lian Li smiled and sat down to play cards. Zhong Yang sat behind her, observing the whole game.
Young Master Zhong wasn’t playing cards but instead acted as a companion, watching from the side. Everyone found it quite rare and came over to watch.
“Sister Li won!” Zhong Yang exclaimed joyfully.
The player on the upper hand said with a dark expression, “It was luck. Let’s play another round!”
“Sister Li won again!”
“Again!”
…
After four rounds, Zhong Yang’s smile never faded, while the others’ faces turned from dark to pale, then pale to red, looking at Lian Li in astonishment.
Where did Zhong Yang find this monster?
The next chapter is under review.
