Chapter 14 Self-Deception

Chapter 14 Self-Deception

“Miss Song’s real boyfriend and I are old acquaintances. He had an emergency tonight and couldn’t make it, so he asked me to deliver this to her as a gift for the banquet.”

After a pause, Jiang Wang added, "There was a traffic jam on the way, so I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting."

Upon hearing this, Si Yuan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly settled, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on her back.

She glanced at Jiang Wang secretly, only to see him raise an eyebrow at her, a mischievous smile hidden in his eyes.

Everyone seemed to believe it without a doubt.

After all, Jiang Wang really has no connection with Si Yuan.

However, judging from this necklace, it must be worth at least ten million, and the fact that Jiang Wang personally delivered it suggests that Si Yuan's boyfriend is no ordinary person.

Song's mother smiled even more brightly.

It seems that Si Yuan does indeed have a boyfriend.

Song Yan stopped in his tracks.

He seemed to suddenly come to his senses, and belatedly replied to Lin Shuangyu's question.

"Jiang Wang, the only son of the Jiang family in the capital."

Lin Shuangyu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She had heard of the Jiang family.

That has even less to do with Si Yuan.

Does she deserve it?

"So it was just a delivery." Lin Shuangyu chuckled.

Song Yan's gaze remained calm: "Yes, delivering something."

The banquet proceeded as scheduled.

The eye of the typhoon has become Jiang Wang.

The people here, more or less, all want to get involved with the Jiang family.

The younger generation were all near the wine table.

Jiang Wang sat in the middle of the sofa, lit a cigarette, and casually replied to the people next to him.

The only one I'm somewhat familiar with is Song Yan.

Si Yuan was on the balcony. She opened the box, glanced at the necklace, and then closed it again.

Jiang Wang isn't that bad today.

She thought to herself.

——

Song Yan doesn't like drinking much.

But today, he absentmindedly drank two more glasses.

"What kind of person is Xiaoyuan's boyfriend?"

Jiang Wang casually fiddled with the lighter in his hand. Upon hearing this, the metal casing spun half a circle on his fingertip and then stopped with a "click".

He looked up at Song Yan, a casual smile playing on his lips, and asked, puffing on his cigarette, "As the older brother, are you curious about your future brother-in-law?"

Song Yan tightened his grip on the wine glass.

He avoided Jiang Wang's gaze, his voice slightly deep: "Xiao Yuan is simple-minded and has never experienced the complexities of human nature. I'm afraid she'll be bullied."

"Being bullied?" Jiang Wang seemed to have heard something amusing, and scoffed without batting an eye, then extinguished his cigarette.

"It's not like she hasn't been bullied before."

These words were like a fine needle, gently pricking Song Yan's heart.

Jiang Wang is a cold-hearted and ruthless man, known for his ruthless methods in the business world. But his words sound like he is standing up for someone else.

Song Yan couldn't help but glance at Jiang Wang again.

Song Yan asked with some curiosity, "I thought that when you transferred here back then, you didn't care about these things."

At that time, the Jiang family had just experienced a change of fortune, and Jiang Wang was sent to Haicheng by his grandfather. There were many children of powerful and wealthy families in his class, but no one was as aloof as him, so everyone thought that Jiang Wang was pretentious.

After they found out his background, they all flocked to him to curry favor.

Those little things, no one would probably tell Jiang Wang on purpose.

Jiang Wang didn't speak, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold lighter casing, his gaze fixed on the balcony not far away, as if he hadn't heard Song Yan's words.

The lights were bright, but the balcony was dim, with the warm yellow light cut off by the heavy curtains, creating a distinct line.

The girl stood in the shadows, clutching a velvet box, lost in thought.

The evening breeze outside the window carried the scent of gardenias, ruffling her long hair and revealing a beautiful, porcelain-white jawline.

Those eyes always seemed shrouded in sadness, like the moon dampened by rain—bright, but devoid of warmth.

Song Yan did not notice that Jiang Wang was looking at Si Yuan.

Perhaps Jiang Wang really did know.

However, the isolation and harassment during high school were just minor squabbles among girls, and in the world of privileged children, they didn't even carry any weight.

Jiang Wang was a loner back then, so why would he meddle in other people's business?

So Song Yan didn't seem to think anything of it, and said frankly, "Back then, we were all young and didn't know any better. Later, Xiao Yuan talked to me and said that she had long forgotten about those things and didn't take them to heart."

Jiang Wang then slowly turned his head, his eyes no longer showing the indifference they had before, but instead revealing a hint of coldness.

"Forgot?"

The lighter suddenly went off, and the flame suddenly lit up, illuminating the contempt and ruthlessness in Jiang Wang's eyes.

But it vanished in an instant.

Song Yan thought it was an illusion.

"She's soft-hearted and lives under someone else's roof, so she can't hold a grudge. You, as her older brother, are just deceiving yourself too?"

Song Yan's hand holding the wine glass suddenly stiffened.

He confirmed that what he had just experienced was not an illusion.

After all, Song Yan was the pride of Haicheng since childhood, and it was inevitable that he would feel unhappy to be treated like this.

He said, "I know my sister well; she never gets stuck on things."

Jiang Wang smiled but didn't say anything.

Song Yan took a sip of his drink and continued, "You don't understand her."

Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow and casually replied, "Yes, I don't know."

On that sweltering summer night when they were eighteen, the whole city lost power, the hotel's air conditioning broke down, and the two of them lay on the bed, their bodies damp and hot.

Jiang Wang ran his fingertips along the light pink burn scar on her back.

Si Yuan suddenly raised her hand, took the cigarette from between his fingers, and awkwardly took a puff.

In an instant, I was choked so badly that my eyes turned red.

He frowned and said, "It's not good to smoke," but the next second he put the cigarette butt in his mouth again.

He knew then that she didn't want to smoke; she was heartbroken.

Song Yan said, "Do you understand Si Yuan?"

Jiang wanted to laugh.

——

As the banquet drew to a close, the elders began to leave.

The younger members who stayed behind gathered together and started teasing each other, saying they wanted to go to a nightclub to continue having fun.

Song Yan was already out of sorts and was about to refuse when Lin Shuangyu tugged at his arm, her eyes shining: "I want to go! I heard the atmosphere at that newly opened place is really great!"

She always loved lively gatherings, and Song Yan couldn't resist her persistent pleading, so he had no choice but to agree.

Lin Shuangyu then turned to look at Si Yuan not far away, her smile deliberately sweet: "Xiao Yuan, why don't you come too? It'll be more lively with more people."

Song Yan knew that Si Yuan disliked such extravagant and decadent occasions, but he was still moved.

Perhaps this will allow Si Yuan and Lin Shuangyu to have more contact and gradually let go of their previous grudges.

He then followed up by saying, "It would be nice to go out and have some fun together. I'll go home with you later."

Si Yuan was still clutching the velvet box, her fingertips glistening with white.

She had just had a couple more drinks on the balcony; her cheeks were flushed, but her mind was perfectly clear.

Lin Shuangyu was in Song Yan's car; if she got in, she would clearly be an unnecessary third wheel.

Just as Si Yuan was about to make an excuse that she wasn't feeling well, Lin Shuangyu stepped forward and blocked her way.

"Does Xiaoyuan not want to go?"

Lin Shuangyu smiled, his tone deliberately affectionate, and half-jokingly said, "Or are you afraid of getting jealous if you see me monopolizing your brother?"

Upon hearing this, several younger people who were watching the commotion laughed, their eyes darting back and forth across Si Yuan's face.

Lin Shuangyu was clearly trying to cause trouble. If she really said she wouldn't go, it would seem like she had some ulterior motive.

Some of these people were originally members of the bullying group. If this matter is blown up, Song's mother will probably overthink it.

She looked up at Jiang Wang, only to see him leaning against the door frame, a cigarette between his fingers, his gaze fixed on her, without saying a word.

Si Yuan took a deep breath, suppressed her grievances, and forced a faint smile: "No need to trouble Miss Lin, I'll just go with Brother Jiang Wang."

As soon as he said that, the surroundings fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Jiang Wang.

He extinguished his cigarette, the smoke swirling around his eyes and brows, and everyone assumed he would refuse outright.

Song Yan also frowned.

"Xiao Yuan, Jiang Wang might not be available..."

But before he could finish speaking, Jiang Wang slowly raised his eyes, tapped the cigarette between his fingers, and let some fine ash fall.

He looked at Si Yuan and smiled slightly: "It would be impolite to refuse."