Song Yu walked up to Jiang Li and tilted the wine glass in his hand slightly forward. "Sorry. I've been swamped with wedding arrangements and didn't have the chance."
He said it casually, yet there was more politeness and aloofness than before.
Jiang Li keenly sensed that something about him had changed.
"Jiang Li, are you now with Chen..."
"She's my fiancée." Chen Siqi took a step forward, his tone calm.
Song Yu was silent for a second, then smiled gently. "I see. I hope to hear the good news of your wedding soon."
"I have other guests to toast. Excuse me."
...
Even after Song Yu and Bai He had walked far away, Jiang Li still looked blank.
She always felt that Song Yu had suddenly become a stranger.
It seemed that the long separation or something else had created a rift between them. They couldn't even be called friends.
Maybe he didn't forget because he was busy. Maybe he simply didn't intend to send her an invitation.
Jiang Li lowered her head and forced a smile.
Chen Siqi noticed her low spirits and asked, "Upset?"
"No." She answered quickly.
What right did she have to be upset?
For these nobles and the powerful, making friends was all about mood. If they didn't take a fancy to someone, they didn't even need a reason.
Song Yu was still polite. At least his attitude towards her was gentle just now.
She was really tactless. She had even joked casually just now, but in fact, he didn't regard her as a friend anymore.
Who was she anyway?
Chen Siqi pursed his lips slightly. Looking at Jiang Li's slightly dejected profile, he hesitated to speak.
She might have misunderstood Song Yu.
...
Halfway through, Bai He said she was going to the restroom. Song Yu scanned the venue and walked in a certain direction.
"You're here. Why don't you go and say hello?" Song Yu asked with a smile as he handed over a glass of champagne.
Qiao Jinrun took it and clinked glasses with him. "Seeing is enough. Happy wedding."
"You don't mean seeing me, do you?"
Song Yu had the ability to see through people's hearts. He saw Qiao Jinrun's thoughts at a glance. "I asked you to take care of her for a few days. Did you develop feelings?"
Qiao Jinrun raised his eyelids and looked at him, his tone also calm. "Don't be so sour. As a married man, pay attention to your chastity."
Song Yu: "..."
"I've been very careful. I didn't even dare to say much to her just now."
At this point, both of them couldn't help but laugh at themselves.
How ironic.
Two men had fallen in love with the same woman.
But how ironic again.
Neither of them could have her.
So the two dejected men smoked for a while at the door. When the time was about right, Song Yu returned to the hall.
Qiao Jinrun called Jiang Li instead.
Qiao Jinrun: "Are you having a good time at the wedding?"
As he spoke, he was standing in an unnoticeable corner, looking up at Jiang Li in the distance.
She was sitting beside Chen Siqi, smiling gently and naturally, very graceful.
Jiang Li: "Dr. Qiao, are you here? Why haven't I seen you?"
Qiao Jinrun said calmly, "I'm on duty at the hospital today. I really can't spare the time. Please say hello to Song Yu for me."
He told the lie without batting an eyelid.
"I heard you're getting married soon?" Qiao Jinrun suddenly asked her, but his tone wasn't abrupt.
Jiang Li paused slightly before answering calmly, "Yes. It'll probably be in a few months. Will you come, Dr. Qiao?"
"That depends on whether you'll send me an invitation. As long as you need me, I'll definitely come." He said with a smile, but his tone was extremely serious.
It was like a promise.
As long as you need me, I'll definitely come.
...
The dinner lasted for more than two hours. When it ended, everyone left one after another, and there were hardly any people left in the hall.
Jiang Li had been sitting for the whole evening. Seeing that everyone had left, she wanted to go to the restroom and asked Chen Siqi to wait for her in the car.
After coming out of the restroom, she washed her hands at the sink.
Looking at the little lipstick left on her lips, which had been wiped off by the wine glass, she lowered her head and was about to take out her lipstick to touch up her makeup.
When she looked up, she saw a figure in the mirror.
Through the mirror, she and Xiao Yanzhi stared at each other, their gazes extremely calm.
She had anticipated meeting Xiao Yanzhi at Song Yu's wedding before coming, but she hadn't seen him the whole evening. She thought she had been overthinking.
Xiao Yanzhi stared at her. His gaze was as cold as snow and frost, piercing straight at her.
In contrast, Jiang Li was calm and composed. There was even a hint of humor in her words. "Mr. Xiao, are you here to use the women's restroom?"
Xiao Yanzhi: "..."
Xiao Yanzhi looked down at her from above, his voice slightly cold. "Why did you agree to Chen Siqi's proposal to get married?"
Jiang Li was stunned at first, then realized what he was asking.
Yes. With Xiao Yanzhi's ability, it was easy for him to find out something.
But he shouldn't have asked her.
What right did he have to question her choice?
"Since you know this proposal was made by Chen Siqi, you should know I have no reason to refuse."
Jiang Li breathed slowly, her tone deliberate. "He needs me to introduce him to Mr. Sheng, so he'll find ways to get involved with me."
Even if Jiang Li didn't agree to Chen Siqi, he would definitely use other means to create the illusion that the two of them had a special relationship for Mr. Sheng.
Just like the New Year's charity gala.
She couldn't outwit him.
"Rather than waiting to fall into his trap, it's better to obediently reach an agreement. At least I won't be stabbed in the back without knowing it."
"I can't afford to offend Mr. Chen. If I tear things up with him on the spot, I'll be the one who suffers in the end."
Good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil, but the powerful and the wealthy will never be punished.
The eternal truth - as long as you spend money, you can avoid disasters.
Xiao Yanzhi looked at her, noticing the calmness in her eyes. His heart tightened, and he suppressed his emotions and asked, "What's the difference between being with him and being with me?"
Jiang Li shifted her gaze.
"He can give me marriage. He can openly say that I'm his wife. He can let me live without the stigma of being a mistress - of course, I know in your eyes, there's no difference."
"But this is exactly what Mr. Xiao can't give, isn't it?" When she asked, there was a faint coolness on her lips.
It was like a question and also like a mockery.
The restroom was extremely quiet. Xiao Yanzhi looked at Jiang Li's calm face and felt irritated. "What about you? What conditions did you set?"
He knew her well. Since she had actively agreed to this agreement, she must have gained something from it.
No matter how soft she was, she wasn't a pushover. She wouldn't let others manipulate her.
Jiang Li straightened her back and tried to meet his gaze. She said brightly and casually, "What else? Of course, it's to get rid of you."