Ji Yan expressionlessly pried her mother’s fingers off one by one. She showed no mercy and no pity, acting with such ruthlessness that it seemed she might snap the woman’s knuckles if she didn’t let go. After all, Xiao Lin had done the same to her before.
Xiao Lin looked at Ji Yan with the terror of someone seeing a stranger for the first time. “Ji Yan!”
Both the Ji father and son spoke up at once to reprimand her.
A dark shadow deepened in Ji Yan’s cold eyes. “If you have time to lecture me, you should spend it taking her back home.”
The implication of her words made the two men, who had been targeting her just moments ago, turn pale. They couldn’t care less about Ji Yan now; they were only terrified that Xiao Lin would have an episode and hurt someone in the middle of the Capital’s most prestigious social event.
As Lu Zhou stood beside Ji Yan, she happened to notice something. On Ji Yan’s pale, almost translucent wrist and fingertips, there was a terrifying patch of red hives.
It was the skin Xiao Lin had just touched.
“Germaphobia?”
Lu Zhou was stunned. In the past, the only person Ji Yan didn’t mind touching was Xiao Lin.
This meant everything had changed.
If Ji Yan’s initial attraction to Xu Yinian was a substitute for her mother—drawn to that similar “fragile vine” aura and the motherly instinct she occasionally triggered—then now, the girl was undeniably unique.
Niannian was no longer a shadow or a replacement for anyone. Ji Yan was obsessed with her, and her alone.
Xiao Lin couldn’t handle such a massive fall from grace. It was no wonder she had suddenly lost her mind to such a degree…
“Your mother…” Lu Zhou began, her voice trailing off. It was clear she meant that the woman wouldn’t let things slide.
Having grown up with Ji Yan, Lu Zhou knew the situation all too well. A mentally ill person wouldn’t even be held legally responsible for murder, let alone a household name, a superstar, and the one and only Madam of the Ji family.
Whether for the sake of reputation or profit, the Ji family would always ensure Xiao Lin remained “well.” It was just like the several times she had nearly killed Ji Yan; by the next event, they would attend a banquet like this one as if nothing had happened, performing their roles as mother and daughter perfectly.
If Xu Yinian caught Xiao Lin’s eye, the consequences would be even more dire than falling into Shen Yi’s hands.
“The Shen family is full of lunatics, and Bai Ran is one too. It’s anyone’s guess who would end up killing whom,” Ji Yan sneered.
Even during her lucid moments, Xiao Lin’s outings and social activities were strictly monitored. She had no way of discovering Xu Yinian’s existence. Besides, the two decoys—Shen Ruoshuang and Bai Ran—would be enough to make her life difficult.
If Xiao Lin, relying on the Ji family’s power and her talent for playing the frail victim, could somehow hinder those two obsessive, crazy women, she might actually be of some use.
Xu Yinian’s face went pale as she looked at the newcomers. She had never imagined she would run into her uncle and aunt here… especially after the grudge they had formed the previous night.
Her fear was so palpable that the warm, affectionate expressions on the Qin family’s faces hardened into a protective, stern vigilance. Even Qin Jiayan, who usually remained indifferent to everything, raised her listless gaze to stare at the pair.
“Niannian, are these your friends?” Chang Dai asked, her smile appearing exceptionally kind and enthusiastic. “Your mother called us yesterday to ask if you’d made any new friends. It seems we don’t need to worry after all.”
Ma… Mama?
There had clearly been no phone call yesterday. No matter how slow Xu Yinian was, she immediately understood the threat. They were telling her that if she didn’t obey them, they would tell her mother everything about today.
The entanglement with these powerful darlings of fortune, the repeated trysts with Shen Yi, and her presence in a den of vanity like this…
If Mama found out about any of it…
Xu Yinian couldn’t stop herself from trembling. She looked up, her almond eyes misting over as she looked at her aunt with a silent, pleading gaze.
This lowly, begging posture only served to make the villains more arrogant and carried away.
Jiang Rui was suddenly reminded of how the once-proud Xu Yihe, who refused to bow her head to anyone, had looked when she came to beg him for medical fees. That humble, pathetic look—it had been the most satisfying moment of his life.
Before Chang Dai could say anything else, he cut in: “No wonder you said you didn’t need to borrow money from me. It seems times have changed. I suppose I was worrying for nothing.”
Chang Dai’s heart skipped a beat. Didn’t I tell him not to speak first? Every word out of his mouth was hopelessly stupid.
In the past, Xu Yinian would have been overwhelmed with shame by this mention of “borrowing money.” But just last night, Jiang Ke had told her the truth: her mother had given the money to Jiang Rui long ago.
Xu Yinian’s plea hardened slightly in the face of such shamelessness.
“Ah, we are this child’s uncle and aunt,” Chang Dai said to the group. “Her family has had a hard time. Her father was sick before, and now we’re the ones lending her money for university and living expenses.”
She made no mention of the fact that both the favors and the money had long been repaid.
“Isn’t that right, Niannian?” Chang Dai asked, her smile a chilling threat.
“…It’s… all thanks to Uncle and Aunt.” Xu Yinian forced a strained smile onto her lips.
Even though she knew they were driven by greed and intended to use her, she had to comply for the sake of her mother.
“What a good child.”
The Qins were no fools. They clearly saw the terror and trembling the young girl exhibited the moment these “relatives” arrived. Moreover, the couple was publicly tearing open her wounds, implying in front of everyone at this high-society banquet that she came from a poor background and was climbing the social ladder for money.
They weren’t benefactors. They were blackmailers!
However, the Qins had to be careful not to act too rashly, fearing the couple truly held some leverage over Xu Yinian that could ruin her.
While the others were weighing their options, Qin Jiashu suddenly smiled.
“Uncle, Auntie, I think you’ve misunderstood. I’m just Xu Yinian’s Senior Sister. My friend had an emergency today, and I needed someone to help me keep an eye on my dress’s train so I wouldn’t trip.”
