The patriarch of the Ji family gave a speech on the high platform, briefly announcing the engagement of Ji Tianle, the youngest son of the Ji family, to Lin Shuangshuang. He also announced the full transfer of several companies to Ji Tianle's hands, followed by pleasantries welcoming guests from all walks of life to take time out of their busy schedules to attend and wishing everyone a good time.
Lin Shuangshuang stood on the stage, feeling a little nervous. Below, people of all kinds stood, raising their glasses simultaneously to offer blessings to the engaged couple.
Among them, although wearing heavy makeup and a mask, Lin Shuangshuang recognized Jiang Yiyi at a glance.
Ji Tianle firmly held Lin Shuangshuang's hand and squeezed it, quietly telling her not to be nervous.
Lin Shuangshuang took a deep breath, refocused, and turned her head to look at the person in front of her, who always put her feelings first.
Unconsciously, the two looked into each other's eyes affectionately.
Below the stage, whether their blessings were sincere or feigned, everyone offered them with smiles.
After going through the basic procedures of the banquet, Ji Tianle carefully led his beloved fiancée off the stage, introducing her to the people present who were familiar and important to him.
Ji Tianle and Lin Shuangshuang had just met a highly respected elder. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ji Tianle excitedly pulled Lin Shuangshuang to go towards his friends.
He was eager to introduce his fiancée to all his good friends and, at the same time, to boast that he was the first to officially be off the market.
Ji Tianle's friends stood together, and one of them happened to look over, raising his glass in greeting, waiting for them to approach.
The two needed to pass through the crowd, a distance of only ten meters.
As they passed, they were blocked by a woman.
Ji Tianle instinctively shielded Lin Shuangshuang. He was fully aware of what this woman had done to Shuangshuang and knew exactly how much the other party disliked his fiancée.
Unexpectedly, the woman ignored his defensive stance and merely raised her wine glass slightly. "You two might not believe me, but I fell ill and forgot some things. However, I've heard about what happened before. I don't know why I did those things. I truly bear no ill will towards Miss Lin now. I am just here to congratulate you both."
As she raised her hand holding the wine glass, a ribbon with a pattern the same color as her long dress fluttered gently with her movement.
Ji Tianle felt his sleeve being tugged. Then, Lin Shuangshuang stepped out from the side, raised her glass, and gently clinked it with Jiang Yiyi's. She smiled and said, "Miss Jiang, thank you for your blessing."
Ji Tianle did not relax. He defensively clinked glasses with Jiang Yiyi and, visibly protecting his fiancée, walked away.
A female companion beside Jiang Yiyi asked, "Do you know them?"
Jiang Yiyi pursed her fiery red lips and sipped the liquid in her glass, replying, "I suppose so."
Her cool gaze drifted aimlessly towards the direction where the two had left.
-
A stir went through the crowd as a man, out of place, barged into the event.
This was because everyone in the banquet hall was dressed in suits and elegant attire, all wearing exquisitely designed masks.
Suddenly, a man in casual T-shirt, rushing in without looking, stumbled and almost fell. Gasps of surprise arose from the ladies.
Yu Yang, the intruder, naturally became the focus of attention.
When Yu Yang woke up, he found himself in a new location, this time in a car.
Perhaps the captor was overconfident; this time, he wasn't even tied up.
There was someone next to him, though, who was not as fortunate, with their hands bound together with some kind of cloth.
Fortunately, the person in the front seat was dozing, and there was only one person in the back. As that person got out to make a phone call, Yu Yang quickly and quietly opened the car door on the other side.
The person beside him, whose hands were bound, kept reaching out. Fearing they would call for help, Yu Yang swiftly untied the cloth from their hands.
Then, he pushed the door open and slipped out of the car.
Suddenly, he realized his strength had returned.
He saw a few scattered people heading in one direction and immediately followed them.
However, after only a few steps, the person who came out behind made too much noise and was discovered.
He ran with the small group of people, glancing back. The large men behind no longer bothered with the other person but pointed at him and chased him with all their might.
He ran around a corner of the building, intending to shake off the pursuers. Someone at the entrance tried to stop him, but he didn't stop, and before he knew it, he had run inside.
It seemed like some kind of banquet was being held here. He realized he was like an anomaly.
However, he recognized Lin Shuangshuang, who was wearing a half-face veil, at a glance.
She also looked over, her expression one of surprise.
Recalling the wedding photos he had inexplicably received, a trace of strangeness flickered through Yu Yang's heart.
-
Su Ying, who was looking for Wen Bai, frowned intensely upon seeing the person who had barged into the banquet.
This person was precisely Yu Yang, the male protagonist, who should have been lying unconscious in the basement at this moment.
Security guards entered in orderly fashion.
Su Ying walked towards the direction where the security guards had entered.
In the banquet hall, Jiang Dalei also noticed the situation unfolding.
A subordinate next to him was reporting to his boss and froze when he saw the person run in.
This was convenient; the person had practically run right up to them.
Their men, who had followed in from the side door, stopped at the entrance, hesitating whether to enter.
The subordinate's eyes widened. "He... he's not even awake yet."
Jiang Dalei, however, remained as steady as Mount Tai. He looked in one direction and leisurely picked up his cup, not saying a word.
He watched Jiang Yiyi, who stood holding her cup. Despite numerous men trying to strike up a conversation, she had not succeeded and still lingered, surrounded by several men.
A person's preferences, in a way, are specific.
Things one likes, in a sense, inevitably share commonalities, and people one likes must possess a certain trait simultaneously.
"Tell me," Jiang Dalei asked, "can a person meet the same individual at different times and in different places, and then fall in love with them again?"
The subordinate dared not answer.
-
Jiang Yiyi had no interest in the men chatting with her.
Having already congratulated the engaged couple, she didn't want to waste her time in such a place. She still had matters to attend to at the company.
Regarding the projects she had previously transferred, she had poured so much effort into them that she naturally needed to regain control.
She didn't know why she had been hospitalized before, which had wasted a lot of time. She raised her hand and glanced at the expensive and exquisite watch face on her left wrist.
Then, she gently tidied her stray hair, deciding to leave in another ten minutes.
Just then, a man entered her line of sight.
She didn't know this man, yet for some inexplicable reason, she found him very much to her liking and felt a strong, unbidden sense of attraction.
However, the proud woman made no move.
She placed her wine glass down, her fair, delicate fingertips slowly tracing the surface of the bottom of the wine glass on the table.
She slightly raised her chin and asked the person next to her, "Who is that man?"