"But... why do I seem to recall stumbling into you at the company... this morning?" Chen Yi's smile pierced Jing Cuifen.
Jing Cuifen's eyebrows furrowed. She seemed to have recalled something, maybe it was when she went out on Chen Ying directions to check on how Qin Chanpu handled Chen Yi.
But she had been discretive. For Chen Yi to have spotted her, Chen Yi wasn't as naive as she appeared.
Her lips stretched into a thin line, Jing Cuifen looked at Chen Yi as if she were a stain not easy to remove. But her expression was cold. How could she still be the proud most sought-after Manager in Fu Entertainment if such a little setback make her lose her composure?
"What are you even implying? We have never met before today. Isn't it clear, if you have happened to spot me, you must have mistaken someone else for me?" At first, Jing Cuifen reasoned with an even tone. Then rather aggressively, she said. "I just don't understand your intentions. If not for me, Ms. Chen's words can be taken as a guarantee that we were both at the Mall. I understand you have been unable to prepare a better gift. But to put down others to make yourself better, that's repulsive."
After being humiliated into silence, Fu Jianguo was not reconciled. He was just in wait for an opportunity to vent his frustration. "Now what do you want to get at with this?" He glared at Chen Yi. She was clearly looking for conflict with those words. If she assumed she could attack his fiance because she had him silenced once, she was mistaken. She would still have to get past him first.
Chen Yi treated Fu Jianguo's anger as air.
"I am just curious... Never knew that a brand of the big name as Zabwa would still sell last year's collections on their busy day... And a lady from the elite class would fight you for the last years' things? Then maybe... it's my understanding that is lacking."
"Chen Yi, you are exceeding your limits!" Fu Jianguo cut her off
"I'm merely curious, why are you being so defensive?" Chen Yi rolled her eyes.
Chen Ying had not spoken a word until now. Her fingernails had dug into the skin of her palm.
"Brother Fu, " With a sweet smile, she pleaded Fu Jianguo. "Let's not delve into this. I don't care what others think. Fu Liling is getting discharged today, let's not spoil the atmosphere. Today's is for her, not for us."
"Ying'er, last time I misunderstood you, I had promised myself never to let you be wronged again." The gentle expression Chen Ying put over her face evoked an even greater urge in Fu Jiangou's heart. An urge to crush all the pathetic lies attempting to taint her name.
A streak of panic appeared rippled her heart for the first time. "Brother Fu, there's no—"
Fu Jianguo lurched forward, his hands holding onto the bag and swiftly getting rid of Fu Liling's grip. Flipping it around, it was brought in front of everyone's eyes.
The year of manufacture was clear to the sight.
...
Chen Ying's nerves eased.
The date on the dress code coincided with the current date; Jing Cuifen had been smart enough to change the tags.
"Still got something to say?" Fu Jianguo was gratified for baring Chen Yi's true face before everyone, particularly his Mother.
Much to his dissatisfaction, there wasn't an ounce of embarrassment in Chen Yi's expression. It was as if she hadn't been exposed for baseless slandering.
Xu Yuyan had been so silent, it was as if she was not even there. But little did Chen Ying know, she was watching and she was having a deep understanding of everything.
"Heh, now you are stripped of excuses—"
"I would really love to stay for this engaging chit chat but I am falling short on time. I have an audition." Chen Yi bowed to Xu Yuyan. After giving Fu Liling a hug, she walked away in swift steps.
Fu Jianguo, stuck with the vigorous insults in his throat, cursed.
"So disrespectful" Jing Cuifen retracted her gaze from the receding figure of Chen Yi. "Even though she has personal issues with CEO Fu, he is still the CEO of the company she works under. She must show some humility." This was Jing Cuifen's first time observing a behavior like this.
"Manager Jing, don't blame her. Little cousin is just a little...she can't find herself to let go of the past." Chen Ying appeared as if it was the greatest regret of her life.
After a casual talk, Chen Ying offered the ride back home.
Chen Ying failed to observe an oddity. Xu Yuyan had been keeping herself distant. Occasionally, her eyes would wander to Chen Ying, a question lingering in her mind, distrust emerging in her heart
When they were back at home, Xu Yuyan instructed their maids to take proper care of her daughter.
In this condition, Xu Yuyan would have never left her daughter alone. But she did. Because strange anxiety had been nibbling at her heart. She went back into her room and closed the door.
After that, she paced into her room, up and down, caught into an internal conflict.
Should she trust? Or should she clear the doubts in her heart?
The meaningful look Chen Yi had cast her back at the hospital strengthened her doubts.
Chen Yi must have had a precise guess at Xu Yuyan psyche.
Because, in the end, Xu Yuyan could not stop herself.
She picked up her phone and called a certain friend of hers.
"Yes, this is me. Xu Xyuyan, the mother of Fu Liling. There's nothing much. I just wanted to ask if a woman named Chen Ying bought a dress from your place this morning?"
The owner had been good friends with Xu Yuyan. Furthermore, Xu Yuyan was their major customer. So the worker didn't feel reluctant to breach some customer privacy for her sake.
"Sorry mam, there has been no lady by this name." The woman told her after running a quick search through the records.
"Are you...sure? What about a woman named Jing Cuifen?"
"Wait a sec." The other woman went into a detailed search. After a long pause, she said. "No, mam. There's been no one of that name too. Before you ask, I am certain. I checked twice."
When no response came from Xu Yuyan's side, the woman was confused. "Hello...? Are you still here?"
"Yes. And thanks...for letting me know."
"No problem. The Mall's owner has specifically instructed us to fulfill any request from Madam Xu." As the woman put down the phone, she felt an inexplicable chill.
There had been something very odd about Madam Xu's tone just now.
...
When Chen Yi came back to her car, Zhang Yufan had been obediently sitting in the front.
It looked like the poor man had not even moved a bit.
Satisfied with his compliance, Chen Yi got in and directed him to drive towards the audition venue.
On her way, she received a message from Fu Liling.
"Yi'er! What did you do? My mom was really angry at Chen Ying. She stormed right into my room, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her out of our home."
Signs of a smile revealed at the corner of her lips. "Chen Ying didn't try to hurt you, right?" She asked at once.
Fu Liling: "No, she didn't have a chance. Mother was literally fuming fire. I have never seen her this angry. You know my Mother is a mild woman. She rarely gets this angry. Just...what did you do?!?!"
Chen Yi: "I let her find the truth by herself."