Chapter 214: Chapter 214

Xu Jingyi was wearing a white princess dress, sitting in the middle of the booth. On either side of her were girls of the same age, some of whom were her good friends, while others came after hearing the news to join the party. Chapters first released on novel[f]ire.net

"Yiyi, to be honest, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the newspaper. I had to read it several times to confirm it was you."

"Why call her Yiyi? I think it’s time to change that to Young Madam Fu!"

"That’s the Fu Family we’re talking about, and Fu Jichen is the most capable among the younger generation. I’ve often heard my grandpa and dad praising how skillful he is, not to mention how handsome he is. Our Yiyi is truly blessed, marrying into the Fu Family makes her the president’s wife at Jun Mountain."

"That’s not entirely fair to say. Even without the Fu Family, Yiyi’s family background is nothing short of remarkable."

"Yes, yes, it’s my fault for saying that. Yiyi, please don’t take offense."

"Have you set the wedding date? I wonder if I’ll have the honor to attend Yiyi’s wedding. I’d love to experience the so-called wedding of the century."

Xu Jingyi wasn’t oblivious to their flattery, but she chose not to expose it. Besides, she greatly enjoyed being surrounded and praised.

"Don’t worry," she said with a charming smile, lifting her cocktail slightly, "I can’t guarantee for others, but everyone present here will definitely have a place."

"Yiyi, you’re so generous!" A girl sitting next to Xu Jingyi leaned her head on her shoulder with a radiant smile, "Promise me, even as the Fu Family’s Young Madam, you’ll still keep in touch with us sisters. No shutting yourself away."

Another girl chimed in, "That depends on whether Fu Jichen agrees or not. What if he keeps Yiyi under strict watch?"

Xu Jingyi blushed, "Stop joking around."

She said this without any hint of anger. Everyone laughed, saying Yiyi was already shy. What would she do after actually getting married?

No one dared to bring up that Fu Jichen almost became Xu Jingyi’s brother-in-law, to avoid displeasing Xu Jingyi.

Xu Jingyi was happy to play dumb, pretending that the engagement between Fu Jichen and Xu Youxuan never existed, as if from the beginning, this man was meant for her.

Back then, when Xu Youxuan insisted on breaking off the engagement with the Fu Family, Xu Jingyi couldn’t understand why her sister would not want such an excellent man and instead be with someone from an ordinary family.

Perhaps she hadn’t realized that besides confusion, there was a trace of jealousy in her heart. As both were daughters of the Xu Family, her sister was able to secure an engagement with the Fu Family’s eldest grandson, while she wasn’t as fortunate.

Now that her sister was married with a child, and this marriage fell on her, she didn’t feel the arranged marriage by her parents was an injustice. Instead, she was grateful it was her marrying Fu Jichen, not anyone else.

Just thinking about that man, whom countless socialites dreamed of, becoming her husband made her smile even in her dreams.

Engrossed in her beautiful fantasy, Xu Jingyi didn’t notice Fu Yuling passing by with a cold face at a quick pace.

After finishing in the restroom, Fu Yuling stood in front of the sink washing her hands, lifted her head to look at herself in the mirror, and pulled out a sarcastic smile at the corner of her mouth.

She hadn’t even entered the Fu Family yet, and that woman was already referring to herself as the "Young Madam Fu" in front of outsiders. Clearly, she couldn’t wait to marry Fu Jichen.

The second Miss Xu, right? Soon, she will become the joke of the Xu Family.

She’s still too naive to compete with her.

Shortly after Fu Yuling left the restroom, Xu Jingyi’s group of friends was joined by a group of unfamiliar men and women, all around the same age, who loved to play around. They approached, saying they lacked enough people to play games and humbly invited this group of pretty girls, hoping they would do them the honor.

Among them was a handsome man, exuding a clean aura, dressed refreshingly, different from those who were drunk and chatting up randomly. His voice was gentle and magnetic, speaking with great tact, easily charming all the girls present.

During the game session, Xu Jingyi was unlucky and frequently got caught, being penalized with drinks.

But she was in good spirits that day, and even the penalties didn’t upset her, as she drank one glass after another, her cheeks becoming rosier and her gaze gradually dazed.

"I’ll drink this one for her. It’s not good for a young lady to drink too much."

At some point, the handsome man had moved to Xu Jingyi’s right side. Seeing her lose another round and about to drink, he reached over and took her drink away.

The square glass was full of whiskey, and the man tilted his head back to drink it all, his sexy Adam’s apple bobbing lightly.

Everyone cheered and applauded, saying Xu Jingyi had such charisma, that even a handsome guy was willing to do her bidding, which utterly flattered her.

After the party ended after one in the morning, everyone had had some drinks. Some called for designated drivers, others phoned their family’s drivers to pick them up.

Xu Jingyi had her own place nearby at Silver Bay, a place her mother bought for her after she graduated from college. Knowing her current state wasn’t suitable for going home and risking a reprimand from her elders, she decided to crash outside for the night, having previously told her mother she’d be staying over at a friend’s place.

She didn’t fancy going to her friends’ places, as they all lived with their parents.

Xu Jingyi’s steps were unsteady, and she almost stumbled as she walked out of the bar. A hand holding a burning warmth grasped her exposed arm.

"Let me take you home, you’ve had a bit too much to drink."

It was the man she’d been playing games with earlier, his voice mellowed by alcohol.

Xu Jingyi looked at the man’s handsome features, remembering how he had helped her drink away quite a few penalty shots in the game, she didn’t utter words of refusal.

The designated driver was driving the man’s car, leaving from the bar entrance.

The two sat in the backseat, the man twisted open a bottle of purified water for Xu Jingyi: "Would you like some water?"

Xu Jingyi’s mouth was dry, she took it and drank a few swigs, feeling much better. After a while, she felt more thirsty and drank most of the bottle intermittently.

The car stopped at Silver Bay, Xu Jingyi’s drunkenness intensified, making it difficult to walk after getting out.

The man took her bag and slung it over his neck, holding her arm with one hand, his other arm around her back, half carrying her into the elevator and asking about her floor.

Silver Bay is a high-end community, designed with one apartment per lift, and the hallway was wide enough to serve as a racetrack, ending at a black entrance door.

Xu Jingyi used her fingerprint to unlock the door, staggered inside, kicked off her high heels, barefoot on the floor, hurried to the fridge for water, not noticing that the man had followed her in.

She opened the fridge door and pulled out a bottle of purified water, but couldn’t open the cap.

The man’s arm encircled her from behind, gripping the bottle, easily opened the cap and held it to her lips. After she drank a sip, that hand lifted her chin and turned her towards him, he lowered his head to kiss her flushed lips.

A deep, enticing man’s voice whispered in Xu Jingyi’s ear: "Has anyone ever told you, you’re the most beautiful girl in the world? I’ve noticed you for a long time."

The signals from Xu Jingyi’s brain were of rejection, yet her body instinctively leaned closer.

Fu Jichen also sat in the bar for a long time that evening, it was a tastefully decorated quiet bar, on the stage a girl wearing a white dress was playing the piano.

Lu Yanzhi came to Beicheng on business, invited him out for a gathering, thus they came here, not speaking much, but drinking quite a lot.

Fu Jichen wasn’t someone fond of alcohol, tonight he was clearly intent on getting drunk.

When he asked for the bartender to open the third bottle of red wine, Lu Yanzhi reached out to stop him, advising: "That’s enough, planning not to go to the office tomorrow?"

Fu Jichen, with his watch-adorned hand rested on the glass table, began talking about visiting the temple on the mountain today: "The abbot at Tanfu Temple gave me four words."

Lu Yanzhi’s curiosity was piqued, he asked: "Which four words?"

"Wait peacefully for good news." Fu Jichen’s voice was clear, not sounding like someone who had drunk two bottles of red wine, "Does he know what I’m seeking?"

Wait for good news, can he wait for her reply?

Fu Jichen needed someone to answer him, even if it was just idle talk, it would give him confidence: "Yanzhi, do you think I can find her?"

Just now Lu Yanzhi had advised Fu Jichen not to drink too much, yet he couldn’t resist opening that bottle of red wine, pouring half a glass to drink.

Fu Jichen’s desire was clear to him, as someone who witnessed the whole thing back then.

Three years ago on that night, he accompanied Fu Jichen flying to Jiang City, watching him confirm the body at the funeral home with his own eyes, then to the police station to inquire about Shen Jianian’s whereabouts, learning that she had an accident falling into the Songli River, spent a fortune to hire a salvage team to search the river, yet only salvaged Shen Jianian’s belongings.

He probably can never forget the sight of Fu Jichen holding Shen Jianian’s belongings and weeping.

Besides, Fu Jichen’s leg was now disabled, also because of Shen Jianian, rushing to confirm whether the woman who somewhat resembled her was indeed her.

When Fu Jichen had surgery, he received a call from Song Fang and rushed to the hospital, watching him being pushed out of the operating room, the first thing he said was to ask him to get the surveillance footage from the traffic division.

He thought it was to hold the driver accountable, the result was to find her.

For these three years, he knew Fu Jichen hadn’t given up searching for Shen Jianian. Every time there was some news, he went to verify it himself, igniting hope each time, only to end in disappointment.

Looking for someone who doesn’t exist in this world, it will drive one mad over time.

Now, listening to Fu Jichen’s question, Lu Yanzhi couldn’t give an appropriate answer, should he persuade him to accept the reality that Shen Jianian wasn’t alive? He wouldn’t listen.