“You’re here,” Jiang Fei said, twirling an empty wine glass in his hand as he looked at Ye Yuanyuan.
Ye Yuanyuan nodded, a rare hint of apology in her expression. “I was supposed to meet you downstairs, but I got caught up helping Mangguo pick out her outfit. It took longer than expected, so I’m late.”
“How do you know them?” Ye Yuanyuan asked coldly, glancing at the seductive woman, Wu Xue, and the strikingly handsome long-haired man, Jing Ran. Her gaze lingered on Wu Xue, carrying a chill that made the already furious woman sober up a bit and ease her aggressive stance.
Ye Yuanyuan’s reputation in their social circle was formidable. Few dared to provoke this “female demon.” She had been practicing Wing Chun since childhood and had over a decade of experience. When it came to fighting, even most men couldn’t hold their ground against her.
As for her family background, although the Ye family seemed to be on a decline, as long as the family’s patriarch, the unshakable “pillar” of the Ye family, was still alive, no one in Jincheng dared to truly underestimate them.
Of course, Wu Xue didn’t want to provoke Ye Yuanyuan, but she wasn’t exactly afraid of her either. She angrily demanded, “Why shouldn’t he apologize to me?”
Ye Yuanyuan gave her a cold look and replied indifferently, “Because he didn’t say anything wrong.”
“…!” Wu Xue felt as if she had been stabbed in the chest.
Earlier, Jiang Fei, this unknown doctor, had touched on her biggest taboo, sending her into a rage. Now, Ye Yuanyuan was deliberately rubbing salt in the wound!
“You… you… you…” Wu Xue’s voluptuous body trembled with anger, her lips quivering, and her teeth clenched so tightly they made a grinding sound. She was furious beyond words. “Ye Yuanyuan! Others might fear you, but I, Wu Xue, don’t! Don’t push me too far!”
Ye Yuanyuan crossed her arms and sneered, “So what if you’re not afraid of me? I said you’ve had plastic surgery. Do you dare hit me?”
She emphasized the words “plastic surgery,” deliberately provoking Wu Xue, whose nerves were already on the verge of snapping. Jiang Fei couldn’t help but glance at Ye Yuanyuan in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to be so sharp-tongued. Aside from being cold and domineering, she was also quite skilled in verbal sparring.
Well, she is a woman after all, he thought.
Wu Xue naturally didn’t dare to hit Ye Yuanyuan. As long as she wasn’t completely foolish, she wouldn’t do something so reckless. Ye Yuanyuan was a notorious fighter in their circle, and Wu Xue, with her delicate and seductive physique, would only be asking for trouble if she tried to take her on.
Just as Wu Xue wasn’t afraid of Ye Yuanyuan, Ye Yuanyuan wasn’t intimidated by Wu Xue’s family background either. If one of them lost control and struck first, the other would have no qualms about retaliating.
So, all Wu Xue could do was stand her ground and argue with Ye Yuanyuan, knowing that Ye Yuanyuan wouldn’t dare to physically attack her first.
But now, the situation was that Wu Xue was the one who wanted to throw the first punch!
Jing Ran, caught in the middle, wore a bitter smile on his handsome face. He glanced at Ye Yuanyuan, who had come to Jiang Fei’s defense, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
This Jiang Fei really isn’t simple, he thought. Just as Mangguo said, he’s close to Ye Yuanyuan. She’s usually domineering, but it’s rare for her to go out of her way to defend someone, especially a man. At the very least, Jiang Fei must be important to her.
“It seems the rumors are true,” Jing Ran mused. “Old Master Ye’s legs weren’t healed by some famous doctor from the Chinese Medical Association, but by a folk healer.”
With Ye Yuanyuan stepping in to back Jiang Fei, Jing Ran naturally didn’t dare to push for an apology anymore. If he did, he’d only be inviting trouble.
He raised his hands in a calming gesture, addressing both Ye Yuanyuan and Wu Xue. “This is just a small misunderstanding. Why make such a big deal out of it? Today is Mangguo’s birthday party, and we’re all guests here. Let’s not ruin the mood. How about we all take a step back and let this go?”
Instead of calming down, Ye Yuanyuan seemed even more incensed. Her beautiful, expressive eyes turned icy as she asked, “You know it’s Mangguo’s birthday, yet you’re still hanging around with this woman?”
“Uh…” Jing Ran’s expression stiffened. He had tried to mediate, only to have Ye Yuanyuan turn her anger toward him.
“Ye Yuanyuan!” Wu Xue shouted through gritted teeth, her voice filled with rage. “Why is it ‘hanging around’ if Jing Ran is with me?”
They were all part of the same social circle, and their statuses were more or less equal. It was normal for them to spend time together. Jing Ran was famously charming and had a natural appeal to women. It was only natural for women to enjoy his company. What was so strange about that?
“Hey, what’s going on here? What are you all talking about?” Mangguo, dressed in a elegant purple evening gown and high heels, hurried over.
Bai Mangguo wasn’t exactly a lady-like figure. She was slightly plump, and her hurried steps in high heels made a loud clacking sound on the floor.
Of course, Mangguo wasn’t a beauty like Qiao Yiyi or even Ye Yuanyuan. She was rather plain in appearance, but her personality and demeanor could be described as “cute.”
Seeing Mangguo approach, everyone quickly suppressed their displeasure, though they still shot each other hostile glances. Wu Xue snorted coldly and turned to leave. Her two friends, after greeting Mangguo, followed suit.
Before leaving, the three women glanced longingly at Jing Ran, clearly hoping he would join them. However, Jing Ran, for reasons unknown, simply patted Wu Xue’s shoulder in consolation and stayed behind.
The other two women didn’t seem too bothered, but Wu Xue’s face was filled with disappointment when she realized Jing Ran wasn’t coming with her. Meanwhile, Mangguo, in her purple gown, beamed with joy. She stood close to Jing Ran, her eyes filled with admiration, her cheeks flushed even though she hadn’t had a drop of alcohol.
It was the look of a woman smitten with the man she loved.
Seeing this, Jiang Fei finally understood the root of the conflict.
So that’s what this is about, he thought. I didn’t do anything out of line, and I don’t have some kind of hate aura around me. No wonder Wu Xue was so hostile toward me.
It turned out that Wu Xue and Mangguo were rivals in love!
Both women were infatuated with the handsome Jing Ran, and their competition had been ongoing. When Jiang Fei brought Qiao Yiyi to Mangguo’s birthday party, it boosted Mangguo’s status, which naturally made Wu Xue unhappy and eager to pick a fight.
This woman owes me an apology, Jiang Fei thought, feeling a bit annoyed.
“Mangguo, happy birthday,” Jing Ran said with a charming smile.
His smile was even more dazzling than his usual handsome appearance, instantly drawing the attention of many women nearby. Mangguo, standing in front of him, looked as if stars were about to pop out of her eyes.
Jiang Fei discreetly glanced at the two women beside him—Qiao Yiyi and Ye Yuanyuan. Neither of them seemed affected by Jing Ran’s charm. Their attention remained mostly on him.
It seems that the more beautiful and sophisticated a woman is, the better her taste in men, Jiang Fei thought to himself.
Because… both women’s attention was mostly focused on him!
“I prepared a birthday gift for you. I figured I’d give it to you now before the crowd starts,” Jing Ran said, reaching into his suit pocket. He pulled out a wooden box that exuded a refreshing, fragrant scent, clearly made from rare and expensive wood.
The box alone hinted at the value of the gift inside.
Jing Ran handed the box directly to Mangguo, who was clearly mesmerized by his charm.
“Thank you!” Mangguo’s eyes were filled with even more affection, almost to the point of overflowing.
Jing Ran smiled encouragingly. “Open it and see if you like it.”
“I’ll love anything you give me, Jing Ran!” Mangguo said, though her excitement was palpable. She carefully opened the box, her chubby cheeks flushed, and a thin layer of sweat forming on her nose.
“Wow…”
As soon as the box was opened, the onlookers gasped in admiration. Mangguo covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at Jing Ran.
Inside the box was a necklace made from a single, flawless gemstone.
The gem was transparent, free of any impurities, and its cut and quality were impeccable. Even someone with no knowledge of gemstones could tell it was a priceless piece.
Jing Ran gently took the necklace out of the box and, without hesitation, placed it around Mangguo’s neck.
“I know you love jade, so I went to Yunling recently and specially picked this gemstone to make into a necklace for you. Do you like it?” Jing Ran asked, his smile as dazzling as ever.
“Yes! Yes!” Mangguo nodded eagerly, tears in her eyes.
“What a show-off,” Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan muttered in unison, their lips curling in identical expressions of disdain.
