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墨書 Inktalez
She sometimes thought about how nice it would be if her mother were still around. Even if life was tough, at least she would be happy. In this lavish yet cold home, she had almost forgotten what a genuine smile felt like.
When she woke up, it was already afternoon. Ye Ya recalled the evening banquet and raised an eyebrow slightly. Just then, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Ye Ya, hurry up and get ready. Don't keep us waiting; the car will be here to pick us up in an hour."
Zhao Meiqin was too lazy to waste more words with her; any further conversation seemed to show impatience. She quickly returned to her room to check on Ye Qi's preparations.
"Okay, got it," Ye Ya replied, thinking there wasn't much point in dressing up. The Jing Family was only interested in her current status within the Ye Family. She wondered if things would have been different had she never joined the Ye Family—perhaps she wouldn’t feel so helpless now.
She let out a bitter smile; even if she weren’t in the Ye Family, they would likely arrange another marriage for her. The Ye Family never kept someone without any value.
Setting aside those annoying thoughts, Ye Ya treated this as just another business social event. She opened her wardrobe and chose a white off-shoulder dress adorned with some rhinestones on the shoulder, with a tassel-like design extending to the wrists. It was simple yet elegant, and she looked quite good in it.
Her long black hair was natural and unstyled, untouched by dye or perming. Usually, she would simply tie it up, which made her appear older than her actual age. For tonight's banquet, with her grandfather insisting on perfection, she had to put in some effort to style her hair, leaving a few strands loose. This gave her a touch of femininity, complemented by a crystal hairpin encrusted with rhinestones. She believed this look wouldn’t embarrass the Ye Family.
Once Ye Ya finished getting ready and stepped out of her room, she saw two people coming out of Ye Qi's room, each carrying a makeup case. It seemed they had hired professionals for styling, and Ye Qi followed closely behind them.
Looking at the meticulously dressed Ye Qi and Zhao Meiqin, Ye Ya felt they were the real stars of the evening. Zhao Meiqin scoffed slightly, "What’s wrong? Can’t stand that Qi Qi is prettier than you?"
Ye Qi wore a delicate pink dress that accentuated her figure, and her long sandy waves made her look like a charming doll.
"Qi Qi is beautiful," Ye Ya genuinely complimented.
Ye Qi smiled lightly and replied dismissively, "Of course! There’s nothing I can do about it; good genes run in the family. Can someone like your mother from the countryside compare to my mom’s beauty?"
With that, Ye Qi linked arms with Zhao Meiqin and headed downstairs. Zhao Meiqin felt particularly pleased by those words; her daughter was indeed more beautiful than that woman’s daughter.
Ye Ya let out a gentle sigh, reminding herself not to stoop to their level. After all, if a dog bites a person, one cannot retaliate by biting back, because she is human, not a dog.
Before heading downstairs, Ye Zhen glanced at them in the living room. Upon seeing Ye Ya, she couldn't help but scold her, "Did I not tell you to dress up a bit? Why are you wearing such plain clothes? Gui Sao, go to my study and bring out that Angel's Tear for her. Don't embarrass me."
Zhao Meiqin shot Ye Ya a disdainful look upon hearing this. The Angel's Tear was part of her mother-in-law's dowry and was worth a fortune. She had never had the chance to wear it herself, yet this little wretch was getting the opportunity. However, she dared not voice her thoughts in front of Ye Zhen.
Facing such a valuable necklace, Ye Ya felt a bit nervous. She thought to herself that if she broke it, would Grandpa kick her out of the Ye Family?
The car was a stretched Lamborghini, making Zhao Meiqin feel quite grand for the evening. The Jing Family resided in an independent European-style mansion that rivaled the Ye Family's. When they arrived, Jing Huaisheng came out with Jing Hao to greet them, showing proper respect to the Ye Family.
"Xiao Ya, you finally made it! Jing Hao, you can spend some time with Xiao Ya tonight and get to know your relatives better. You two are about to get married," Jing Huaisheng instructed his somewhat irresponsible son with concern.
"Dad, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Xiao Ya," Jing Hao replied as he extended his hand. Ye Ya had no choice but to take his arm. She thought that tonight she needed to find an opportunity to have a serious talk with this second-generation heir. She didn’t expect much from their married life; how he mixed with others outside didn’t concern her either—she just hoped he wouldn’t disrupt her own life.
Such gatherings among the upper class were usually like this. Although Jing Hao didn’t like Ye Ya, he still had to put on a show in front of others. With his arm around her, he lowered his voice and said, "Ye Ya, you'd better not embarrass me; otherwise, I’ll make sure you can’t enter the Ye Family."
Ye Ya's lips curled slightly upward. "Jing Hao, if you have the ability to resist your parents, why even attend this matchmaking banquet? And you’d better be polite to me; for your Jing Family, I’m still a pawn of value. Isn’t it true that you want to leverage the Ye Family’s wealth? Don’t act like I’m someone you can’t live without."
With that said, Ye Ya withdrew her hand and looked at Jing Hao as if he had just been struck by lightning.
Jing Hao had to admit that what she said made some sense. His father was threatening him by freezing his accounts and forcing him into marrying this woman.
"Fine, let me make this clear: our marriage is one of convenience; after we’re married, we’ll go our separate ways. Don’t think you can control me. In front of others, we need to put on a good act together. Ye Ya, let me say this upfront—don’t fall in love with me," Jing Hao began to feel that he could communicate with this foolish woman after all.
"Deal." Ye Ya extended her hand, and the two of them seemed to have reached a mutual understanding, ready to welcome their guests. Their cooperation was seamless, and anyone who saw them would think they were deeply in love.
Ye Ya couldn't help but sigh; perhaps those living in wealthy families had all learned to act.
"My cousin is coming, Ye Ya. Let's go greet him. My cousin is the heir of the Lu Family, just returned from abroad not long ago." Listening to Jing Hao's words, Ye Ya raised an eyebrow slightly. The Lu Family was a leading force in Ning Cheng, involved in numerous industries. From any perspective, the Lu Family was a company with substantial strength, which explained why the Jing Family mentioned that there would be distinguished guests tonight.
Almost all the guests were lined up to welcome the arrival. Ye Ya stood behind Jing Hao, while Jing Huaisheng and Du Qiuru stood in front. Before long, a brightly dressed noblewoman entered first.
"Sister, you finally made it! Is that Lu Tianyang? It's been almost two years since we last met; he has become even more handsome," Du Qiuru immediately complimented Du Huihong.
Du Huihong and Du Qiuru were distant cousins. The current Jing Family and Lu Family were incomparable. "Qiu Ru, your Jing Hao isn't bad either; he's about to get married," was a remark anyone could make in such a setting.
At that moment, Ye Qi, who had been standing behind Ye Ya, began to shine with excitement. She couldn't help but whisper, "Mom, is that Lu Tianyang? I heard he has started taking over the Lu Family; he looks really handsome."
Zhao Meiqin nodded in agreement and gently patted Ye Qi's hand. "Qi Qi, try to find an opportunity to get to know him later."
Listening to Zhao Meiqin and Ye Qi's conversation, Ye Ya initially didn't pay much attention. However, she couldn't help but look up at the man who had caught Ye Qi's eye. In an instant, it felt as if a thunderclap had struck her; she stood frozen like a statue, her mind going blank.
As if sensing something, Lu Tianyang immediately spotted the woman standing behind Jing Hao and a knowing smile crept onto his lips.
What does it mean to search high and low for something only to find it unexpectedly? What does it mean when enemies meet and feel an immediate tension? He had intended to confront this woman eventually but hadn't expected to run into her tonight.
At that moment, Ye Ya felt her palms grow cold with sweat. Her hands instinctively clenched tightly together. How could this man be here? Wasn't he supposed to be the Niulang in the dazzling world of wealth? Would he expose what happened between them last night right here? If he did reveal it, tonight would mark the end for her—Ye Ya would have nowhere to hide.
Lu Tianyang noticed that Ye Ya's face had turned slightly pale. Although she tried to remain calm, her tightly clenched fists betrayed her.
"Jing Hao, who is this beautiful lady behind you? Why not introduce her?" Lu Tianyang said with a playful glint in his eyes, locking onto Ye Ya like a sniper targeting his prey.
Jing Hao pulled Ye Ya forward. "Cousin, this is my fiancée, Ye Ya. Xiao Ya, this is my cousin, Lu Tianyang. He just returned from abroad not long ago, and from now on, we’ll all be family."
As Jing Hao introduced her, Lu Tianyang's expression darkened slightly, a mysterious depth flickering in his eyes. "Hello, Miss Ye."
Ye Ya nodded. Seeing that he had no intention of bringing up what happened last night, she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. "Hello."
At that moment, Ye Qi seized the opportunity to step forward. "Hello, I'm her sister, Ye Qi. It's a pleasure to meet you."
From the first moment she laid eyes on Lu Tianyang, Ye Qi was captivated by his charisma. More importantly, his status as the Young Master of the Lu Family made him the dream of every woman in Ning Cheng.
"Hello," Lu Tianyang replied politely, causing Ye Qi's heart to flutter even more.
The banquet officially began shortly after. In truth, most banquets were similar in nature; they were merely opportunities for the wealthy to network and facilitate future collaborations.
Ye Ya finally found a chance to escape from the place where she had been forcing a smile. The more terrifying presence was that guy named Lu Tianyang; every time she caught his gaze, she felt like a little rabbit caught in a hunter's trap.
She needed to calm down; this guy's sudden appearance had thrown her nerves into disarray.
The night breeze gently swept away the day's heat as she slipped into the garden behind the Jing Family's estate. At this moment, everyone was in the front yard mingling with masks on, leaving no one to notice her retreating to such a secluded spot.
She walked over to a nearby pavilion and sat down. The summer night sky was exceptionally clear, with countless stars scattered across the dark expanse, twinkling like countless bright eyes.
She felt a mix of annoyance and confusion. She couldn't understand why Lu Tianyang was the "Cowherd" at the nightclub. Considering he had just returned from abroad, could it be that he had become so accustomed to indulgence overseas that such behavior seemed trivial to him?
As Ye Ya pondered these questions, a pair of Italian handmade leather shoes suddenly appeared in her line of sight. Looking up, she was startled and nearly fell out of the pavilion.
"Are you here for something?" Ye Ya thought innocently, perhaps he had forgotten about last night and didn't even remember who she was.
However, reality often proved cruel. Lu Tianyang said with a half-smile, "How could you forget me so quickly?"
It seemed this man had no intention of letting her off the hook. Ye Ya steeled herself, deciding to go all in; if she was going to face trouble, she might as well do it boldly.
"Lu Tianyang, don't worry. I won't spill any secrets about your peculiar interests. But what exactly do you want? Is it that you think I’m not worth enough money?" Ye Ya stood up from the pavilion. She was 165 centimeters tall and had worn nearly ten-centimeter heels for this damned banquet. In terms of presence, she believed she wouldn't lose much ground.
Facing such a villain, she couldn't afford to lose her composure. She straightened her back like a warrior preparing for battle.
Lu Tianyang's expression darkened further, especially upon hearing her question about money. He felt an overwhelming urge to throw this woman into the nearby pool.
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