Jian Yujie refused to listen to Ji Ming's slander about his sister, no matter what he said. Jian Yiling stood behind him, her heart warmed and even slightly flushed. This was the first time someone stood in front of her like that, ready to defend her.
Ji Ming was at a loss for words, realizing that arguing with a love-struck brother like Jian Yujie was futile. "Fine, fine, I won't argue with you. Your selective hearing and blindness are your own problems. Just wait until you get caught in your own trap!" he spat out, trying to dismiss the issue.
"You don't need to remind me! Just apologize to my sister!" Jian Yujie insisted, unwavering in his stance.
"Apologize for what? I stepped on her foot; she stepped on mine. Why should I apologize?" Ji Ming countered, his tone escalating as the two continued to bicker heatedly.
It was at this moment that Yu Xi appeared, cutting through their argument. "What are you two fighting about? Are you trying to ruin my party?" he asked, his voice laced with authority. This was a party hosted by the Yu family, and he intended to keep things in order.
Ji Ming quickly turned to Yu Xi, trying to explain. "Bro, it's not that I want to argue. Jian Yujie is insisting that I apologize to his sister. It was just a small incident; it shouldn't have blown up like this. I have no choice if he won't let it go!"
Yu Xi glanced over at Jian Yujie and the protected Jian Yiling before turning back to Ji Ming. "If you don't apologize, and this escalates to Sheng Ye, I won't be responsible for the consequences."
"Bro, it's not just my issue; they're involved too. I didn't do anything to provoke them…" Ji Ming tried to reason with Yu Xi, hoping to make him see that the fault didn't lie with him.
"Keep arguing if you want, but I'm stepping back to avoid getting dragged into this mess," Yu Xi stated flatly, backing away a few steps to signal his intent to distance himself from the conflict.
His intention to disassociate himself was unmistakable. Ji Ming felt frustrated; how could all the blame fall on him? It was clearly Jian Yujie who was being unreasonable.
Looking over at Yu Xi, Ji Ming recalled his father's words from earlier that morning, reminding him to behave well at the party. He was supposed to make connections with Sheng Ye if possible, but at the very least, he shouldn't provoke him and create trouble for the Ji family.
Initially, Ji Ming had just wanted to annoy Jian Yiling a little on Qiu Yizhen's behalf, but now things had spiraled out of control.
"Alright, alright, I apologize. It was my fault for stepping on your foot, Yiling. I admit my mistake. Is that okay now?" Ji Ming conceded, glancing at Yu Xi for approval.
"Don't look at me; you're not apologizing to me," Yu Xi said bluntly.
Reluctantly, Ji Ming turned back to Jian Yujie and Jian Yiling. "I've apologized. What else do you want from me?"
"Nothing more," Jian Yujie shot him a glare filled with disdain before turning to lead Jian Yiling away.
They found a relatively quieter corner of the venue, where Jian Yujie gestured for Jian Yiling to sit down on a sofa. "What do you want to eat? I'll go get it for you," he offered, eager to take care of her.
Jian Yiling hadn't had lunch yet, so she was likely hungry by this point. "Anything is fine," she replied, not picky about food.
"Okay, I'll grab a few things for you," Jian Yujie replied, his tone brightening as he made his way toward the dessert table.
He quickly grabbed a selection: lychee rose raspberry tart, sea salt caramel puffs, strawberry Napoleon, and a fruit yogurt. Jian Yujie knew his sister wasn't picky but had a particular fondness for sweets.
After collecting the treats, he hurried back, anxious that if he took too long, some unsavory characters might approach Jian Yiling again.
Jian Yiling was focused on her food, enjoying the sweet treats. Meanwhile, Jian Yujie animatedly shared some of his recent interesting experiences with her, eager to keep her entertained.
As the two siblings concentrated on their snacks, the rest of the partygoers' attention was primarily on the mysterious figure of Sheng Ye, who had yet to make an appearance.
Feeling bold due to her good relationship with the Yu family, Qiu Yizhen made her way over to Yu Xi and asked, "Hey, Yu Xi, where's Sheng Ye?"