Xia Duoduo’s expression clearly froze for a moment, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "No, he’s just my agent."
As she spoke, her gaze faltered slightly, lowering her eyes to stare at the champagne in front of her.
The two had been best friends for years—how could Ji Wei not see through her thoughts?
Encouragingly, Ji Wei held Xia Duoduo’s hand and said, "Duoduo, if you like him, then go for it. Don’t let those scumbags from your past affect you."
The Duoduo she knew had always been someone who loved and hated boldly.
Xia Duoduo looked at her and smiled. "Thank you, Little Wei."
"Since when did we become the kind of friends who needed to say thank you? Silly girl." Ji Wei reached out and hugged her.
By now, the guests at the cruise’s gala dinner had all arrived. The host from the business association was delivering a speech on stage, filled with nothing more than some polite welcoming remarks.
Ji Wei nibbled on the delicate pastries from her plate, listening indifferently and only sporadically paying attention.
Xia Duoduo left for the restroom, and Ji Wei saw that Gu Moqian was still being surrounded by several business titans from Rongcheng, so she decided not to bother him.
After the speeches concluded, the gala dinner officially began.
Melodious waltz music drifted through the venue as some guests raised their glasses and chatted, while others paired up with dance partners, moving gracefully to the tunes.
Feeling bored after finishing the champagne in front of her, Ji Wei decided to head to the deck for some fresh ocean air. The nighttime sea must have its own special charm.
She had just gotten up and walked a short distance when a young woman came up to her.
"Miss Ji, please come with me to the top floor," the woman said arrogantly, lifting her chin.
"Do I know you? And why should I go with you?" Ji Wei responded with a mocking smile.
The woman frowned and strained to hold back her anger. "You don’t know me, fine. But you surely know Sister Xuan—Jin Xuan’er. She’s the one who sent me to find you."
Earlier, Ji Wei had glanced around the main hall upon arriving and hadn’t seen Jin Xuan’er. She had assumed Jin Xuan’er had given up after failing to secure Ye Cheng’s company, but it turned out Jin Xuan’er was hiding in one of the cruise ship’s rooms.
"Why didn’t she come herself?" Ji Wei countered.
"Sister Xuan is a big star. She prefers to keep a low profile and doesn’t want to attract a crowd or cause a commotion. It’s better if Miss Ji comes along."
"Sorry, I’m not interested."
Why meet Jin Xuan’er? It was obvious she wanted to make things difficult—only an idiot would fall for that.
With that, Ji Wei turned and walked away without hesitation. Unexpectedly, the woman suddenly grabbed her arm roughly.
"You’re just the Ji family’s daughter! What’s with the attitude? I came to invite you because I was being generous. Don’t get too full of yourself! Didn’t your mom ever teach you basic manners when you were a child?—Ah!"
The woman’s sharp words were cut off by a sudden yelp.
"Y-You... You actually splashed wine on me!"
The woman pointed a trembling finger at Ji Wei, furious and exasperated. Champagne streamed down her hair, dripping incessantly and smudging the heavily layered makeup on her face.
Ji Wei raised her eyebrows and slowly placed the empty wine glass back onto a waiter’s tray, her eyes gleaming coldly.
"You’ve infuriated me! This dress—it’s brand new, just bought from abroad! You have to compensate me!"
Seeing the stain spreading on her expensive dress from the dripping champagne, the woman’s face turned red, and her indignation grew even stronger.
As she shouted, she reached out to grab Ji Wei’s dress, but Ji Wei noticed her move in advance and deftly dodged her attack.
The woman, gnashing her teeth, refused to give up and lunged at her again. But suddenly, she was pulled back by a force from behind, making her stumble to a halt.
The woman turned around and, upon seeing the newcomer, immediately adopted a whiny tone. "Sister Xuan, you’re here! That vile woman actually splashed me with wine—you have to help me get justice!"