Jiang Li blinked, her eyes involuntarily glancing at the phone screen, on which were real numbers.
She then looked up at the man's half - smiling face and suddenly made up her mind.
Chat then. It would be a waste not to.
Fifty thousand yuan! She could consider it extra income earned on her trip back to Beicheng.
"What shall we talk about?" She immediately put on her signature business smile, the curve of her lips just right. "Do you want to talk about the weather, daily life, or life itself? Xiaolili is here to serve you attentively."
"Let's talk about your court appearance tomorrow." He said in a deep voice, looking straight at her. "You're ready to testify against Jiang Yi in court tomorrow, aren't you?"
At these words, Jiang Li's smile froze instantly. It was no longer as natural as before. "Of course I'm ready. Why do you ask?"
Xiao Yanzhi tightened his lips. His eyes were fixed on her expression, not missing the slightest emotional fluctuation. "It seems you're not."
It was a statement.
Jiang Li was stunned. She blinked a few times. "This is my private matter. It has nothing to do with you, Mr. Xiao."
"This case essentially affects the interests of Jiang Entertainment. I have the right to know in advance how you'll perform in court tomorrow."
His voice was calm and steady, seemingly nonchalant but obviously a probe. "I don't want to hear that you'll change your testimony at the last minute and help Jiang Yi get a reduced sentence."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Li suddenly looked up and met his misty, black eyes.
He had seen through her.
She tried to control her racing heart, but it was in a complete mess. Her hands on her knees began to tremble.
He seemed to see through her hesitation and indecision at a glance.
"You've been threatened, haven't you?"
Jiang Li pinched her fingers and stubbornly denied at once. "No."
She didn't want to talk about her family affairs with anyone, especially not expose her wounds to Xiao Yanzhi.
She didn't want to admit that once she made a certain decision, she would lose her mother forever.
"You answered too quickly, and your eyes are evasive."
Xiao Yanzhi said firmly, seeing through her at a glance. "Why are you lying? Do you really plan to let Jiang Yi go scot - free? Jiang Li, do you owe him that much?"
Under this barrage of questions, Jiang Li lowered her eyelashes. Tears welled up and rolled down, hitting the back of her hand and burning it painfully.
"Why are you crying?" Xiao Yanzhi's voice was calm, but his tone wasn't cold. It was more like an inquiry. "Why are you crying? You wanted to be a savior. Isn't this self - inflicted?"
Jiang Li's eyes moved. She dug her nails into her palm desperately, trying to hold back her tears. "I'm not crying."
The atmosphere in the car was oppressive. The man in his plain black suit looked even more cold and aloof.
As cold as the biting wind.
"I've said that you should be more honest with me. I'll do everything I can to help you."
"I don't know if it still counts."
"It always does."
"How long is 'always'?"
Jiang Li sniffed and suddenly looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "You've said the same thing before. You've said 'in the future', 'forever', but there's no definite time limit. You can take it back whenever you want."
Xiao Yanzhi looked at her and reached out to wipe away her tears.
If no one had comforted her, she might not have broken down like this.
But at this moment, she was a mess, feeling wronged. Her words were jumbled. "Xiao Yanzhi, you shouldn't have offered me a shelter from the rain and invited me in."
"Because I'll think you're asking me if we can live together in the future."
She burst into loud sobs. "Xiao Yanzhi, if you have no such intention, just let me go freely when the rain stops."
She cried so hard that she almost fainted. She didn't know when she was pulled into his arms. His arms held her tightly, as if afraid she would leave. He lowered his head and gently kissed the tears at the corner of her eyes.
"Jiang Li, the rain won't stop."
"I mean, the hardships and sufferings in your life won't disappear just because I offer you a place to hide. You'll never be able to rest easy."
"You should have your own umbrella."
...
The next day.
In the courtroom, Jiang Li saw Jiang Yi standing in the defendant's dock.
He was in ragged clothes, his hair in a mess like a chicken coop. His eyes were empty and lifeless, but the moment he saw Jiang Li, they lit up. "Sister! You're finally here!"
Jiang Li took a deep breath. Her eyes were cold. She just glanced at him symbolically and then slowly shifted her gaze elsewhere.
Obviously, she didn't want to talk to him.
Seeing her aloof look, Jiang Yi's eyes flashed with disgust and annoyance, but he still pleaded in a soft voice. "Sister, we're family. Can't we talk about this in private?"
"Everyone in this courtroom is an outsider. They're not your relatives. They have no blood relation to you. Don't listen to their nonsense."
Half - way through his speech, he began to plead and apologize. "Sister, I really know I was wrong! I'll turn over a new leaf from now on. From now on, we siblings will live a good life. I'll never cause you any more trouble!"
Jiang Li closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, trying not to listen to Jiang Yi's pleas and confessions.
He wouldn't change.
If he could change, he would have changed four years ago when she paid off his first debt.
It was her indulgence, forgiveness, soft - heartedness, and nostalgia that made him step on her landmines again and again and break her bottom line bit by bit.
Just then, the judge walked in with a group of people and asked everyone to be quiet.
Since Jiang Li was an actress, there were no other people in the jury. Even Xiao Yanzhi walked in halfway and sat in the last row.
The judge first stated Jiang Yi's crimes, counted the total amount of money he had extorted from Jiang Li, and then re - enacted the scene of that night.
Finally, the judge looked at Jiang Li and asked seriously, "Plaintiff, are the above crimes of the defendant true? Do you have any corrections?"
At this moment, the courtroom was completely silent.
Everyone present knew very well that as long as Jiang Li changed a single sentence in her testimony, reduced the amount of extortion, or denied what had happened that night, the verdict would be completely different.
Everything was in her hands.
Jiang Yi was extremely anxious at this moment. His cuffed hands unconsciously tightened and rubbed against each other. There was almost fire in his eyes.
Speak up! As long as she said something in his favor, he wouldn't have to go to jail!
Under everyone's gaze, Jiang Li gently lifted her eyelashes and took a long, long look at Jiang Yi.
It was as if she was making a final farewell.
Just this one look made Jiang Yi's heart skip a beat. He suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Sister!" He suddenly shouted in panic. "Sister, you've already killed Dad. Are you going to do the same to me—"
"Silence!"