Ji Yunhuan's heart choked. She felt as if someone had slapped her face, the pain stinging sharply. She began to regret her confident attitude downstairs and also regretted putting so much trust in Gu Yubai.
She naively thought that in this family, Gu Yubai was different towards her. However, she never expected that he would turn out to be the one who hated her the most.
Mrs. Gu looked at Ji Yunhuan with contempt, "Have you given up yet? Did you still think I was lying to you earlier?"
Her heart pounded. Ji Yunhuan furrowed her brows. Seeing her like this, Mrs. Gu rarely showed some sympathy, "If you think fifty thousand isn't enough, I can give you a little more. But you must promise never to appear at the Gu Family Residence again! You were young before, so I didn't say it. Now you are an adult, you should know. Our Yubai has a limitless future, and you... You are just living on part-time jobs for daily expenses. You two are no longer in the same world!"
"..."
"Housekeeper, take her downstairs, and give her another twenty thousand..."
"No need!" Coldly interrupted Mrs. Gu, Ji Yunhuan's face showed no expression. The kraft paper bag she had just brought up from downstairs was thrown to the ground, "I'll return these to you too!"
This was the money the Gu Family used to buy freedom for Gu Yubai. If she truly took it, then she was only fulfilling these people's wishes.
Mrs. Gu was startled, taking several steps back and nearly falling. The housekeeper who came with her caught her just in time.
"Madam, are you alright?"
Mrs. Gu, covering her chest with fear, though she was used to the world, knew that the former Ji Yunhuan was arrogant and domineering. Although changed by circumstances, Ji Yunhuan had restrained herself a lot in the past few days. But her icy gaze still frightened Mrs. Gu.
She would never allow such a woman to marry into the Gu Family!
If she did, Mrs. Gu would be at her mercy in the future.
With her father shielding her, Ji Yunhuan could be arrogant before. But times had changed. Without her father's support, no one would indulge her anymore.
Mrs. Gu coldly smiled, "Very well. You don't want money, you have some backbone. I thought too much to pity you. You, Ms. Ji, surely don't need anyone's pity. How could fifty thousand be enough for you?"
Fifty thousand was just a drop in the bucket for the well-off Gu Family, but Mrs. Gu had no intention of giving it to this beggar-like Ji Yunhuan.
She instructed the housekeeper, "Please see Ms. Ji out. There are many guests here today. We don't want her embarrassing Yubai."
Everyone knew Ji Yunhuan was Gu Yubai's fiancée. That was something the Gu Family had spread themselves.
At that time, they feared Mr. Ji would regret. Now, Mrs. Gu regretted it deeply.
Hearing the commotion, Gu Yubai and Ouyang Fei came out, seeing Ji Yunhuan; Gu Yubai frowned, "What happened?"
Ji Yunhuan turned back, throwing a cold glance at Gu Yubai.
Her eyes were like unmelting ice, the coldness piercing. Gu Yubai felt a bit guilty, and with concern, he asked, "Yunhuan, why are you here? Didn't you say you were busy today?"
For her brother, she spent almost every day earning money and had no time to waste.
Ji Yunhuan chuckled softly; her voice remained cold, "What, am I disturbing your good time?"
Her icy gaze swept over Ouyang Fei, who was taken aback, "Sister Yunhuan, I...I..."
Although she was already a broadcaster, appearing on TV every day before many viewers, facing Ji Yunhuan made her feel immensely guilty.
Ji Yunhuan had been the shadow in her life for more than twenty years.
Ouyang Fei's guilt amused Ji Yunhuan, "Don't call me that. I can't bear it. My mother only gave birth to my brother and me. No other sisters..."
Just an unremarkable little girl from her memory, now able to steal Ji Yunhuan's fiancé. Heh, the world is indeed full of surprises every day; you never know what turn your life will take next moment.
Ouyang Fei broke free from Gu Yubai and walked over, "I'm sorry, I know I angered you. I shouldn't have been with Brother Yubai..."
"If you knew it was wrong, why were you still seducing him just now?" The thing Ji Yunhuan hated the most was someone who dared to act but not to take responsibility, posing as a saint after being a whore. Yet Ouyang Fei's eyes remained exceptionally sincere, pitiful—she truly feared Ji Yunhuan, though Ji Yunhuan never realized she feared her this much.
Seeing Ji Yunhuan coldly glaring at her, Ouyang Fei felt incredibly guilty. But she knew well, if she didn't stand up today, she would always remain useless in front of Ji Yunhuan. Gritting her courage, she said, "I just love Brother Yubai too much. Anyway, many people love you, and you don't need this one. Please, let us be together!"
Many indeed loved Ji Yunhuan, but that was before. Now, with the Ji Family in decline, there was no one, aside from perhaps those who merely wanted to keep her as a mistress.
Ouyang Fei's words made Gu Yubai's face a bit embarrassed. Nonetheless, he felt somewhat guilty about this version of Ji Yunhuan, so he could sympathize with Ouyang Fei's feelings.
Knowing Ji Yunhuan had seen everything earlier, there was no point in hiding. He said, "Yes, I'm with Feifei. Ji Yunhuan, I never liked you. I was only good to you because of the engagement... Since you saw it, let's annul our engagement! I will not marry you."
The point was, what did Ji Yunhuan look like now?
She was no longer the Ms. Ji, unworthy of Gu Yubai's status. Even if he wanted to take her out, he had to consider whether her shabby appearance would be embarrassing.
Though...
Her natural elegance made ordinary clothes look special on her, but elegance couldn't feed people.
Even more irritating, she sold the upscale clothes he gave her to pay for her brother's medical bills.
Such a woman was no longer the goddess Ji Yunhuan of the past, merely a fallen Cinderella.
Ji Yunhuan coldly replied, "I don't want to marry a hypocritical liar like you either!"
Mrs. Gu felt a wave of joy in her heart, "So you are agreeing to annul the engagement with our Yubai?"
"Annul?" Ji Yunhuan coldly laughed, "Aunt Gu, are you dreaming too beautifully! This engagement was initially announced by you. Now you want me to cancel it, sever ties with your Gu Family, so you can save face? I'm not that stupid! From now on, I won't take a penny from your Gu Family. But don't think I will annul the engagement either! I just want your Gu Family branded as treacherous, and you, Ouyang Fei, I guess being the other woman must taste good. Enjoy it, please!"
"You..." Trembling with anger, Mrs. Gu pointed at her, "Such a self-destructive act only someone like you would do!"
Ji Yunhuan mocked, "Yes, such a woman like me, you were the ones begging to settle the engagement back then."