"What did she call you?" Xiao Yanzhi narrowed his eyes.
Qin Yaoyao couldn't wait to tell him about this, so she repeated the three insulting words exactly as they were.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Then came a brief and rapid voice, with a hint of deliberately suppressed low tone: "Got it."
After saying that, the call was cut off.
Qin Yaoyao thought Xiao Yanzhi would surely go after Jiang Li for her.
Little did she know that at this moment, in the office building of the skyscraper, the man actually had a faint smile on his face, which he couldn't hold back for even a second longer.
It was hard to imagine how that cold, beautiful and extremely elegant face of hers could utter those three words without batting an eyelid.
It must have been quite a struggle for her.
...
After hanging up the phone with Xiao Yanzhi, Qin Yaoyao's heart was still in turmoil.
Although he had said that as long as she behaved herself, he would continue to dote on her, that intimate photo still gave her a huge shock.
Actually, she had always been deeply vigilant against Jiang Li.
Before she entered Jiang Entertainment, she had heard how much Jiang Li had been favored before - the rumor of "spending a fortune to build an entertainment company just for one person" was really enviable.
It was just that after she entered Jiang Entertainment and was spotted by Xiao Yanzhi among many newbies at first sight, under his increasing favor, she thought those were just rumors spread by outsiders.
Even if it was true before, now the one being favored was her, Qin Yaoyao.
But now, she began to have doubts about her once confident self.
She couldn't wait to marry into the Xiao family and become Mrs. Xiao.
She was afraid that things might change if it was delayed.
Just then, the phone in her hand lit up again, and the words "Bai He" flashed on the screen.
Qin Yaoyao's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she answered the call. "Hehe, why did you just remember to call me?"
The girl's voice on the other end of the phone was clear and crisp: "I've been busy with my graduation design recently and haven't had time. I've got good news for you. I'm coming back to China next week."
"So soon!" Qin Yaoyao was very excited to hear this news. She also said in a brisk tone: "I also have good news to tell you, but I'll save it until you're back in China."
"Hey, are you getting married?"
Qin Yaoyao blushed and smiled shyly: "Shh, it's a secret."
Hearing her shyness, Bai He immediately understood. She said with a grin: "Then see you when I'm back in China. You have to tell me all about your love story then."
...
A few days later, when the car passed by the commercial building, the large - sized LED advertising screen was already rolling the candy commercial that Jiang Li had shot that day.
She was still wearing that sapphire blue dress. One hand gently covered her lips, her eyes were bright and lively, her hair was smooth and flowing. With the other hand, she hugged a huge candy bar and smiled under the giant Ferris wheel.
She looked so cute.
But only Xiao Yanzhi knew how charming she was when she leaned in his arms in that Ferris wheel that night.
How blurred and ambiguous those eyes were, almost sucking people in.
Getting deeply involved.
Xiao Yanzhi told the driver to stop the car. He stared up at the screen for a while, waiting until the whole commercial was over.
"Mr. Xiao really likes Miss Jiang." The driver, Lao Kang, was newly hired in Huacheng. After getting along with Xiao Yanzhi for a while, he could talk to him: "You really care about her."
Xiao Yanzhi tilted his face slightly and quietly watched the face on the screen gradually fade away and be replaced by another advertisement before turning his gaze back.
He was silent for a while. Lowering his eyes, he said emotionlessly: "She's just a star who knows how to make money."
"The way you look at Miss Jiang is not what you described."
"What kind of look is it?"
Lao Kang opened his mouth, but then felt that Xiao Yanzhi was asking knowingly, so he didn't answer.
Xiao Yanzhi didn't force him either. He just seemed to be lost in thought. On his always inscrutable face, there was a momentary trace of tenderness.
——
On this day, Jiang Li received a phone call from Zhou Ningyun in Beicheng.
Jiang Li suddenly remembered the incident of Jiang Yi being imprisoned. Thinking that she had to report it to her mother anyway, she pressed the answer button.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Ningyun got the news even faster. As soon as the call connected, she said aggressively: "Jiang Li, your younger brother is in prison?"
Jiang Li was stunned for a moment, then calmly replied: "He caused trouble maliciously some time ago. Coupled with the crimes of slander and malicious extortion, it's all his own doing."
"You really break my heart with your words. He's your younger brother!"
Zhou Ningyun brought out her old argument again and exhorted earnestly: "You're his elder sister. You know that Jiang Yi is not a bad - hearted child. He must not have provoked others for no reason."
"As his elder sister, you should go and find out who your younger brother has provoked and see if you can use some connections. If there's a need for money, tell mom. Mom will pay for it."
Jiang Li found it rather ridiculous: "How much money can you afford?"
Zhou Ningyun gritted her teeth and stamped her foot: "I can afford any amount, as long as I can get Jiang Yi out!"
Listening to her mother's words, Jiang Li no longer felt heart - broken. Her whole heart was numb.
She still remembered the last time when she summoned up the courage to ask Zhou Ningyun for a loan, but was rejected on the grounds that she was living under someone else's roof and had no money.
Now it seemed that Zhou Ningyun wasn't short of money.
She just didn't want to give it to her.
Jiang Li's smile gradually faded. Her tone was calm. "Mom, there's no need to pay. The person Jiang Yi provoked is me."
"When I was attending an event, he shouted in front of everyone that I got where I am by relying on a sugar daddy, that I'm a slut ridden by thousands of men, and that I abandoned my family, trying to ruin my reputation."
"He's not a kind - hearted person at all. I think his heart is extremely bad!"
There was a second of silence on the other end of the phone. Then she said hesitantly: "Jiang Yi is just a bit too straightforward with his words..."
Before Zhou Ningyun could finish her sentence, Jiang Li suddenly laughed. "So, you also think Jiang Yi didn't do anything wrong. He was just being straightforward?"
"Isn't that so?" Hearing her laughter, Zhou Ningyun just felt annoyed: "You can be a big star and earn so much money now. Isn't it because of your boss's help?"
Jiang Li finally understood why her younger brother would speak rudely to her.
It turned out that it wasn't just her brother.
Jiang Li held the phone in one hand. Her slender back gradually bent. She half - squatted on the ground. Her chest was so stuffy that it hurt, and her throat was churning with nausea.
The voice on the other end of the phone didn't stop. The tone was extremely natural: "Hurry up and go to the police station to withdraw the charges. Say that your younger brother is innocent and that you two want to reconcile privately."
"Both you and Jiang Yi are my children. It would be a joke if you two, siblings, have a conflict."
Jiang Li's body was stiff. She just twitched the corner of her mouth. She heard her own voice asking softly word by word: "Mom, actually you never wanted me as your daughter, right?"