"Yes, Master, it was indeed my fault today; I apologize to Yuran and elder sister,"
Bai Yan said, submissive and agreeable, then sneakily pinched Yang Fei's hand to stop her from continuing to argue and make a scene.
"Auntie can be humble or haughty, act or deceive; she truly is a good, virtuous partner. My mom indeed falls short in this respect,"
Yang Yuran delivered the backhanded compliment just before Mr. Yang could puff up in anger, quickly finding an excuse that would defuse his temper, "My mom and I will see Yuanyuan off."
Not waiting for a response, she linked arms with one person and headed towards the door.
She forcefully dragged Mrs. Yang to the garage, drove away in her big G, and left that upsetting place together with Zhou Yuanyuan's car.
The three of them found a comfortable environment in a restaurant and had a hearty meal first. Zhou Yuanyuan, delighted, had a bottle of Remy Martin delivered, filled Yang Yuran's cup, and cheered, blurting out all that she had been holding in all night.
"That was so freaking satisfying."
Yang Yuran, joining in, tilted her head back and drank several cups in quick succession. Because of drinking too quickly, she felt a bit dizzy and, bolstered by the alcohol, said, "Yuanyuan, I'll need you to help me find out tomorrow where Yang Fei's birthday celebration has been moved to."
Zhou Yuanyuan sensed trouble, her smile fading as she asked with irritation, "What are you planning to do there?"
"As the legitimate eldest daughter of the Yang Family, it's only right for me to go, both emotionally and rationally. After today's events, Yang Fei probably won't dare to make a big deal of it. However, I think that with Li Shuo's return, she will definitely have a small celebration and invite friends she's close with. The Hen Family has broken off the engagement, and Yang Fei will want to seize this opportunity to push herself to the forefront."
Yang Yuran knew that her father had spoken up for her mother earlier mostly because Zhou Yuanyuan was present, his love for appearances fearing their dirty laundry being aired. Seizing this, she must make an appearance tomorrow; she also had to verify the outcome of something else, and furthermore, bring her strategic moves into the open.
Zhou Yuanyuan shook her head like a rattle drum, firmly opposed, "Don't go. Why would you want to put yourself into that mess? You did the right thing pulling your aunt out tonight; it can awaken your father's ability to think. Moreover, if your dad learns that you attended Yang Fei's birthday, he'll be convinced you're deliberately causing trouble."
"I stopped caring about what he thinks of me a long time ago; I just want to complete what I have planned. Although the Hen Family has called off the marriage, Hen Ningyue's feelings for Li Shuo are real. Tomorrow, I must ensure she also attends, to witness together with me Yang Fei's declaration of love."
Yang Yuran picked up the crystal glass and swirled the wine inside, sipping it—her lips tinted with the pale orange liquid became even more lusciously tempting, but the smile on her lips held not a trace of joy, filled instead with bitterness.
Zhou Yuanyuan looked on with heartache, the most likely outcome of the entire affair slowly materializing in her mind. She shivered, the fear sobering her up quite a bit.
Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine; there was no way she could let her best friend put herself in harm's way. She quickly intervened, "Yang Fei alone is trouble enough, and now you want to drag Hen Ningyue into this? Don't be crazy. They're both love-struck, and I'm afraid if they get jealous of each other, it could end up hurting you."
Yang Yuran stubbornly insisted, "Yuanyuan, I have to go."
Zhou Yuanyuan, catching a glimpse of Mrs. Yang's similarly anxious face, quickly rallied her ally, "Auntie, let's try to talk some sense into Yuran together."
"Thank you, Yuanyuan, for being such a good friend to Ranran,"
After finishing her heavy thanks, Mrs. Yang looked at her daughter, her resolute eyes meeting her daughter's determined gaze, and without a word being asked, she already had her answer.
Turning her head away helplessly, Mrs. Yang sighed deeply, her daughter always had a firm resolve.
Mrs. Yang's silent attitude declared her support for Yang Yuran, and it seemed as if both mother and daughter had hearts as firm as iron weights. Zhou Yuanyuan had no choice but to persuade from another angle, "There's no need for this; it feels like a trap. Yuanyuan and I waited in the apartment for 2 hours, then it took half an hour to drive here. Amidst all the arguing and commotion, it's impossible that it didn't settle down within three hours. The manipulative mother and daughter intentionally made a scene to last until Mr. Yang got home; they calculated you would take the bait, and now you're like a turtle caught in a jar."
"We'll see who is the turtle tomorrow."
Yang Yuran's left hand gently brushed over the diamond bracelet on her right wrist, pressed the clasp, took it off, and carefully tucked it into her pocket.
The very next morning, after receiving the specific address, Yang Yuran got a new phone number and used it to send He Ningyue a message containing two pieces of information.
1. A photo of Yang Fei and her birthday: April 19, 1997, which is today.
This piece of information might seem superfluous at first glance, but when considered together with what follows, it was sure to trigger any woman's innate suspicions.
2. Li Shuo had chosen to return to the country today and had his afternoon to evening schedule fully booked.
With these two pieces of information, she believed that He Ningyue would definitely investigate where Li Shuo went first after returning to the country without Yang Yuran needing to say more. Given that He Ningyue had made a scene at Yang Yuran's school and Yang Yuran had not confronted her directly, but instead cut off all contact with Li Shuo, the emergence of a woman resembling her was not something He Ningyue would calmly ignore.
He Ningyue's fiery response came faster than Yang Yuran had anticipated. Just five minutes after sending the message, her phone rang.
Yang Yuran dismissed the call, and the other party seemed determined, calling over and over again, so she dismissed each one accordingly.
Eventually, she decided to switch her phone off completely and logged into the online service center to apply for a monthly basic fee suspension to maintain the phone number.
Enjoying the breakfast made with love by Mrs. Yang, even if the taste left much to be desired, Yang Yuran's mood was still fantastic, feeling the joy of early morning good news.
After filling her stomach and repeatedly telling Mrs. Yang not to go back today, only leaving upon receiving a nod, Yang Yuran headed out from the apartment to Jiade Media.
The real drama was set to start in the evening, but before that, it was time to meet with the stubborn little brother.
Zhou Yuanyuan had someone arrange an office for her on the fourth floor, which, because of the unlucky room number 404, had always been left empty as a temporary storage room.
Having witnessed the faces of Bai Yan and her daughter far too often, the ghosts and deities couldn't scare her anymore. If she were to wait for the company's official procedure approval, she'd need to share an office with Zhou Yuanyuan for about a week.
She was willing, but she feared Mr. Zhou might have something to say about the two spending work hours idly messing around and playing.
Sitting in her own office, Yang Yuran took out her laptop and a lucky pig mascot, placing them in pleasing spots.
There was a knock on the door. Out of habit, Yang Yuran stood up, took a couple of steps, then remembered there was a remote door-opening button on her desk.
She turned back, pressed the button, and the door automatically opened. He Qian entered awkwardly, accompanied by Lin Zitong and Zhou Yuanyuan.
Lin Zitong must have been sent by Mr. Zhou to keep an eye on how things unfolded, while Zhou Yuanyuan was purely there for the excitement.
Zhou Yuanyuan swiftly jogged to Yang Yuran's side and pulled up a chair to sit down.
Looking at He Qian, who stood as if he were punished, Yang Yuran asked with a smile, "Have you thought it through?"
"Yeah, I've thought it through."
He Qian had intended to keep up his disgruntled demeanor, but when he raised his eyes and saw Yang Yuran's sincerely smiling face, he found it hard to maintain his facade.
His arrogance dissipated significantly, and he said in a low voice, "I need you to sign an assurance document for me."