Chapter 549: The Confrontation Between Ji Xiaolin and Zhou Luyao!
"Shen Anyu, that guy has a girlfriend? Didn't he say he didn't have a fiancée?"
Inside the taxi, Ji Xiaolin ground her silver teeth, practically wanting to bite someone. Seeing Shen Anyu driving around with a beautiful woman whose back view was quite graceful, she couldn't describe how depressed she felt.
Originally, her entire plan had been to have a proper conversation with Shen Anyu. Of course, the mortifying details of what happened between them couldn't be brought up directly, but other forms of interaction were certainly possible. She had developed a genuinely good impression of him, and more importantly, the most precious part of herself had already been given to him. If they could just fall into a relationship naturally, nothing would be better.
However, Ji Xiaolin's personality was a thorny mix of pride and a quirky, almost stubborn awkwardness—a classic tsundere. She simply couldn't bring herself to voice her feelings, always hoping, praying, that Shen Anyu would be the one to take the initiative. But the Young Master remained completely unresponsive, a wall of infuriating indifference. His silence left Ji Xiaolin stewing in a state of extreme frustration, forcing her, against every fiber of her being, to be more proactive.
In this moment, a wave of profound regret washed over her. Why had she cast that memory-confusing spell? Why had she made him believe that their intensely real, earth-shattering encounter was nothing more than a fleeting dream? She could still feel the phantom heat, the shameful, exhilarating loss of control. The spell had been a desperate act of self-preservation, a shield against the sheer embarrassment of her own uninhibited response. But now, that shield had become a cage, leaving the entire situation a tangled, unresolved mess.
Worse still, she had never imagined that Shen Anyu already had other women in his life. The graceful silhouette in the passenger seat of that ridiculously expensive car was proof. A cold knot of betrayal tightened in her stomach. 'Was Shen Anyu lying to me?' The question echoed in her mind, sharp and painful.
The taxi driver, a cheerful middle-aged man, caught her simmering expression in the rearview mirror and chuckled. "Miss, a fiancée and a girlfriend aren't the same thing, are they?"
Ji Xiaolin's cheeks flushed. "…"
'That just makes me even angrier, doesn't it?!'
"No," she muttered, her resolve hardening into jagged ice. Her gaze locked onto the sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom gliding through the Hangzhou traffic ahead. "No matter what, Shen Anyu must give me an explanation. He has to take responsibility."
Her eyes, usually so bright and full of life, were now burning with a resentful fire.
"Huh? Wait…"
Just then, the woman in the passenger seat turned her head slightly to look out the window. The ambient city light caught her profile, revealing a face that was a stunning blend of exquisite beauty and delicate purity. It was a face Ji Xiaolin recognized instantly.
It was Zhou Luyao, her former classmate.
"Shen Anyu's… classmate… is Zhou Luyao?" The words came out as a stunned whisper.
Ji Xiaolin wasn't particularly close with Zhou Luyao back in school, but she remembered the rumors. Zhou Luyao was known for being incredibly materialistic, always chasing after the next luxury brand. She even had a long-term, hopelessly devoted simp named Tang Kun trailing after her like a lost puppy. A sudden, cynical thought took root in Ji Xiaolin's mind. 'Could it be because of money? Did Zhou Luyao get with Shen Anyu for his wealth?' That had to be it. The prestigious Shen Family of Yanxia would never, ever allow a woman from a common background like Zhou Luyao's to become the Young Master's wife.
Thinking this, an inexplicable wave of relief washed over Ji Xiaolin. The suffocating pressure in her chest eased, and she felt herself breathe a little easier.
The taxi trailed the Rolls-Royce Phantom, finally stopping as it pulled into the valet lane of a famous high-end restaurant, its entrance an ostentatious display of wealth and exclusivity. She watched as Shen Anyu got out, said something to Zhou Luyao, and then headed off, seemingly towards the restroom.
This was her chance.
Without a second thought, Ji Xiaolin paid her fare, flung the taxi door open, and strode purposefully towards the restaurant entrance. Her primary goal was to catch Zhou Luyao alone. Her secondary, and far more important goal, was to probe the situation and find out exactly what was going on.
"Zhou Luyao," Ji Xiaolin called out, her voice smooth but firm. "Do you still recognize me? Ji Xiaolin. We were classmates."
"Oh, Ji Xiaolin?" Zhou Luyao turned, her eyes widening in genuine surprise. It had been years since they'd seen each other. Ji Xiaolin hadn't even shown up to the last university reunion. Though they both lived in Hangzhou, it was a sprawling new first-tier city with a population of over ten million; a chance encounter like this was highly improbable.
The two women stood facing each other, a silent storm gathering at the restaurant's grand entrance. Ji Xiaolin was a vision in a fiery red, high-waisted long skirt that showcased her impossibly long, straight legs, making them seem at least 1.2 meters. Perched atop a pair of sharp high heels and clearly having dressed up with care, she radiated a brilliant, almost defiant confidence.
Zhou Luyao, however, was not to be outdone. She was the picture of elegance in a classic Chanel white long dress, a portrait of purity contrasted by the alluring sheer black stockings that hugged her slender legs. A pair of Dior gold-trimmed high heels completed the look, creating an intoxicating mix of innocence and seduction.
They were two absolutely stunning beauties, with flawless faces and figures that commanded attention—one a blazing red rose, the other a pristine white one. In an instant, they became the epicenter of the restaurant's entrance, drawing countless fervent gazes. Conversations faltered. The low hum of activity seemed to dip as heads turned. Even men accompanied by their partners couldn't resist staring, their gazes lingering so long that their arms were pinched black and blue by indignant girlfriends and wives.
Ji Xiaolin ignored the audience, her sharp eyes appraising Zhou Luyao from head to toe. She could tell at a glance that every piece of Zhou Luyao's outfit was astronomically expensive, far beyond what her family could ever afford. 'Shen Anyu bought it all,' she concluded, and a bitter, resentful feeling clawed its way up her throat. Forcing a warm, teasing tone that felt like swallowing glass, she said, "It's me, Ji Xiaolin. Long time no see, old classmate. Have you struck it rich?"
Hearing this, Zhou Luyao's pretty face bloomed with a happy, sweet smile. A hint of pride danced in her eyes. "Not rich at all," she said, her voice dripping with saccharine modesty. "But I did find a very, very good boyfriend. He bought all these for me; I couldn't even say no. He's just too good to me."
For some women, flexing about their romantic partners—whether through genuine praise or feigned complaints—was as natural as breathing. In Zhou Luyao's mind, having a boyfriend as wonderful as Shen Anyu and not showing him off was like wearing a couture gown in the dead of night. If she wasn't afraid Shen Anyu would dislike the attention, her social media—Moments, Weibo, Xiaohongshu—would already be flooded with pictures. Now, standing before an old female classmate, she could finally indulge herself.
She held up her hand, casually flashing a massive diamond ring. "Look, a pink diamond as big as a pigeon's egg. It's so heavy! I really didn't want to wear it, but he insisted."
She then glanced at her wrist. "And this watch, a limited edition Patek Philippe. When he bought it, my man actually told the staff he wanted to buy everything in the store except the things I didn't like."
She let out a delicate sigh, a masterpiece of humblebragging. "My man is perfect in every way. His only flaw is that he spoils me too much. He's spoiled me rotten~"
Listening to Zhou Luyao's incessant, cloying display, Ji Xiaolin's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. In her bright, beautiful eyes, resentment and annoyance swirled into a vortex of pure acid. She had a sudden, violent urge to march over to Shen Anyu and punch him squarely in his handsome, smiling face.
It wasn't that she cared about material things; a pink diamond the size of a pigeon's egg meant nothing to her. What twisted the knife in her heart was Shen Anyu's doting behavior and the disgustingly genuine happiness radiating from Zhou Luyao. The sight of it made Ji Xiaolin's heart ache with a pain so sharp it felt physical, as if she had just chugged an entire gallon of aged vinegar. Her jealousy skyrocketed, threatening to consume her. If not for a stubborn, lingering sense of unwillingness to surrender, she would have turned on her heel and walked away right then.
But could she really just leave? Could she pretend that nothing had ever happened between them?
"Oh, right, Xiao Lin, do you have a boyfriend now?" Zhou Luyao, having shown off to her satisfaction, was in a great mood. Although Ji Xiaolin hadn't exactly played along, the act of flexing itself was deeply gratifying. With a magnanimous air, she shifted the topic to her old classmate's current situation.
"No." Ji Xiaolin's eyes flickered with a dangerous light. She bit the corner of her lower lip with her silver teeth, her voice laced with venom. "I just got deceived by a scoundrel."
"What? You were deceived by a man?" Zhou Luyao's jaw dropped in genuine shock.
In her memory, Ji Xiaolin was famously formidable. She was the one who made others suffer, never the other way around. She vividly remembered an incident in college when a burly Taekwondo instructor had been harassing the girls in their class. Ji Xiaolin, filled with righteous indignation, had stepped in to uphold justice and sent the man flying five or six meters with a single, brutal kick.
That heroic, unbelievably capable girl was actually deceived by some scoundrel?
"Xiao Lin, didn't you beat that scoundrel to a pulp?" Zhou Luyao asked, her voice a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"I'm really thinking about it now," Ji Xiaolin snorted lightly. Her gaze drifted past Zhou Luyao, locking onto a figure who had just finished parking the car and was now walking towards them.
Looking at the handsome, refined, and jade-like Shen Anyu approaching, Ji Xiaolin's emotions surged—a chaotic torrent of bitterness, unwillingness, and a deep, aching regret.
"Yaoyao, we… hey, Ji Xiaolin, why are you here too?" Shen Anyu feigned surprise, as if he had just noticed Ji Xiaolin, and asked.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]