"Miss Ye, you can't just accuse anyone without evidence! If you don't speak properly about my fiancée, we'll sue you for defamation."
Before Shi Nian could respond, Lu Yanchen had already confronted Ye Qing.
Ye Qing looked stunned, the man she had one-sidedly loved for years was threatening to sue her! He was standing up for another woman.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back and refused to let them fall.
"Brother Yanchen, Shi Nian was really with someone else the last time she was here!"
"They were very ambiguous, holding hands and hugging in public! Shi Ning, you were there too. Tell them!" Ye Qing bellowed.
Shi Ning wished she could walk out straightaway. But at this point, she needed to say something.
She bit her bottom lip, looking between Shi Nian and Lu Yanchen uneasily. As if worried about saying the wrong thing, she glanced at Ye Qing, who gave her an encouraging look. "Yes, Young Master Lu, Sister Nian was acting ambiguous with that man that night."
Ye Qing looked at the quiet Shi Nian triumphantly, waiting to see a defeated and dejected look. But she saw none.
Instead, Shi Nian's face was expressionless. The cold look in her eyes frightened Ye Qing.
It was this side of Shi Nian she hated that cold, aloof attitude.
I want to see you fall! Ye Qing felt nothing but hatred.
Having seen enough of the drama, Shi Nian finally opened her mouth to speak.
"Brother Youlin, it seems we are in a supposed ambiguous relationship," she said, turning toward Cheng Youlin, who had just walked out of one of the private rooms.
Noticing the man who appeared, Ye Qing was visibly elated.
"Brother Yanchen, that's the man! That's the man Shi Nian was with the other night!"
"See how familiar she is with him? She even called him brother endearingly. Their relationship isn't pure at first glance!" Ye Qing was uncontrollably excited.
She felt as if even the heavens were working in her favor. The adulterer had appeared in person!
Let's see how you walk away freely from this. She smiled smugly at Shi Nian.
In her excitement, she failed to notice the mockery on Lu Yanchen's face and missed the subtle hints from Shi Ning.
Lu Yanchen's presence already made Shi Ning timid, and Cheng Youlin's presence only made it worse. She was visibly nervous.
But Ye Qing assumed it was due to fear and worry for Shi Nian, thinking the cheating partner's presence made her uneasy.
Ye Qing held Shi Ning's hand in comfort, but Shi Ning shook her head in response still trying to warn her, but it was all to no avail.
"I didn't know my relationship with my sister was as tainted as you made it sound," Cheng Youlin said unhesitatingly.
"That's impossible! Shi Nian has no brothers. She's an only child!"
Cheng Youlin's words struck hard like a hammer. Ye Qing refused to believe it was true.
She was certain Shi Nian had no brothers, but the man's resolute tone made her quiver.
Not allowing Shi Nian speak, Cheng Youlin continued, "Miss Ye, you'll be hearing from my lawyers."
"You claim to be my cousin's friend, yet you don't even know her brothers."
Ending his words, he walked away with Shi Nian and Lu Yanchen.
Ye Qing staggered a little. The man she had wrongly accused was a member of the Cheng family, a powerful family far beyond her.
Now she would be sued by them, and since it all happened in public, her reputation in the socialites circle was already at stake.
He's Shi Nian's cousin?Then Shi Ning must have recognized him! Ye Qing instantly realized she had been used.
She thought back to meeting Cheng Youlin with Shi Nian the previous night, to Shi Ning's refusal to speak much earlier.
Ye Qing instantly turned toward Shi Ning's direction, only to find it empty.
Shi Ning had slipped away while Ye Qing was distracted during Cheng Youlin's confrontation.
This confirmed her suspicion Shi Ning had indeed recognized Cheng Youlin from the start.
That little scheming bitch! Ye Qing clenched her fists. I, Ye Qing, am no one's tool!
She stomped her heel against the floor and fled the scene in embarrassment.
She had planned to ruin Shi Nian's reputation in public only to end up ruining her own.
I'll never let these scheming sisters go! Ye Qing swore, not realizing she had always been the one scheming against Shi Nian.
…
After walking away, Shi Nian's trio finally reached the private room Lu Yanchen had booked.
"Nian Nian, leave this to me. I'll handle Ye Qing," Cheng Youlin assured.
Shi Nian smiled helplessly at him.
Earlier, she had already noticed Cheng Youlin's presence in the restaurant. She had sensed his aura and deliberately chosen to confront Ye Qing near his private room.
Her calmness and decision to walk away as if unbothered were simply to lead them toward him and as expected, Cheng Youlin had reacted to the noise and stepped out.
Shi Nian was a strategic thinker; she'd never waste her time on little mischievous girls like Ye Qing.
Indeed, in Shi Nian's eyes, Ye Qing was merely being childish.
An old soul like herself couldn't be bothered with such petty juniors.
Although Lu Yanchen was not much older than Cheng Youlin, they weren't friends just acquaintances through Cheng Youlin's older brother, Cheng Yan.
Cheng Youlin nodded politely at Lu Yanchen, then exchanged a few words with Shi Nian before leaving the private room.
He still had an urgent matter involving a celebrity scandal in his company to handle.
Shi Nian didn't miss the look of exhaustion on his face. Before he could leave, she called softly, "Brother Youlin, you have to care more about your health, or I'll worry."
Cheng Youlin gave a small smile, nodded, and walked out, closing the door behind him.
Lu Yanchen silently watched the interaction between the two.
Seeing how deeply Shi Nian cared about Cheng Youlin, he couldn't help but wonder why had she grown so cold toward him?
Was she upset because he left alone these past months?