“Miss Xu’s custom dress?”

“Running into Xu He’s temper is like stepping on a volcano.”

“Did you see how she was acting all high and mighty before? Now we’ll get a good show.”

…

These whispers echoed loudly in Ning Wen’s ears, making her flush with embarrassment. But her pride and ambition were fierce—she was determined to become a socialite, respected in high society. She couldn’t stand letting people look down on her like this.

Biting her lip, she looked at Xu He and said, “Yes, this dress cost 150,000 yuan for custom tailoring. But I don’t understand what Miss Xu means. The sales associate told me this was one-of-a-kind.”

Xu He raised her eyebrows, clearly not believing her.

Zheng Jiayue was also confused. She took another careful look at Ning Wen and noticed the limited-edition handbag she was carrying, one that cost well into six figures.

It was definitely not something she had gifted Ning Wen, nor something Ning Wen could afford herself.

Ning Wen quickly composed herself and offered Xu He a polite smile.

Xu He, her expression dark, turned away and made a call, likely to verify the situation.

As Zheng Jiayue’s gaze settled on Ning Wen, a curious look appeared in her eyes. She glanced around the room, then decisively turned and joined Ji Yang to greet the other guests. No matter the outcome, she wasn’t going to let herself become a spectacle.

---

“Goodbye, take care on the way home.”

“Goodnight, Mrs. Li.”

“We’ll definitely visit soon.”

…

Arm in arm with Ji Yang, Zheng Jiayue smiled and whispered, “My cheeks are about to freeze from smiling.”

Ji Yang chuckled softly, wrapping his arm around her waist to support most of her weight, letting her relax a bit.

“I’ve been in heels all day; my legs are killing me,” Zheng Jiayue leaned on him and glanced over at Xu He, who was still on the phone, while Ning Wen sipped her juice nearby. Her eyes flickered with thought, but she quickly hid it. Tilting her head up, she said, “A-Yang, the Ji family left so early today. I thought they might cause trouble.”

“Don’t bother with them,” Ji Yang replied calmly.

“Mm.” Zheng Jiayue nodded.

After a moment, Xu He hung up the phone, arched an eyebrow at Ning Wen, and announced, “The store manager told me that a new employee, who didn’t know better, rented my dress to you for 5,000 yuan a day.”

Ning Wen’s face went rigid, turning red with shame.

Her dress had indeed been rented for 5,000 yuan a day.

Zheng Jiayue hadn’t bought it for her, and she certainly couldn’t afford it herself. Not wanting to lose face, she had rented it, never expecting to be caught red-handed.

“So, it was rented?”

“And here she was, acting like she bought it herself. What a slap in the face!”

“That necklace is a fake, I knew it. I suspected it earlier but didn’t want to say anything. She was trying to fool us, huh?”

…

The girls started mocking her openly, and Ning Wen wished she could disappear into the ground. Her face, normally proud and vain, was now flushed with humiliation.

She stood frozen, her once arrogant demeanor shattered.

“This dress is indeed unique,” Xu He said, giving her a cool, disdainful look, “but it’s not your 5,000-yuan rental version. 150,000 isn’t expensive, but your attitude makes me not want it anymore.”

She dismissed Ning Wen with an indifferent glance, making it clear she wasn’t worth her time. Her lack of interest only added to Ning Wen’s humiliation.

People around them watched with amusement, making sarcastic remarks, unafraid of being overheard.

Ning Wen shrank back, not daring to utter a word in defense. She quickly retreated to the garden, only reappearing once the crowd had dispersed, unaware that her fiasco had already spread widely.

Seeing that Xu He and the other girls were gone, Ning Wen took her time strolling around. From a distance, she saw Zheng Jiayue leaning against Ji Yang, his jacket draped over her shoulders. Ning Wen composed herself and approached, speaking softly, “Jiayue, I won’t stay the night. I have work tomorrow.”

“Alright, take care on your way home,” Zheng Jiayue replied. Just then, her mother’s voice called from behind, and she turned to respond.

Seeing her chance, Ning Wen looked at Ji Yang, her eyes shyly affectionate, though wary of being gossiped about again, she quickly added, “I’ll be going now.”

“Mm.” Zheng Jiayue glanced back at her, nodding thoughtfully.

---

“This won’t work, General Manager, this plan just doesn’t make sense.”

“If it doesn’t make sense, then get back to work and make it make sense!” Ji Wei slammed the file onto his desk, roaring, “You’re all drawing big salaries, and yet you’re all deadweight? Useless?”

After Ji Yang’s resignation, Ji Wei had taken over his former position. He was determined to prove he could handle it just as well, if not better.

Given a few years, he was sure he’d achieve impressive results!

But with the current situation, he couldn’t even manage to finalize the next phase of the project Ji Yang had left behind.

“Yes, sir.” The project manager slunk out, looking defeated.

Almost immediately, complaints echoed from the hallway:

“Didn’t Ji Wei claim to be more capable than Ji Yang? Now he’s burdening us with the fallout?”

“Seriously, he was so confident, but he doesn’t even grasp the basics.”

“Let’s just get back to work. We’re the ones suffering, after all.”

…

Many began to think Ji’s father was out of his depth, while Ji Wei was a bumbling fool, contrasting starkly with Ji Yang’s capabilities. He seemed completely unaware of his own incompetence.

Recently, Ji Wei had grown increasingly agitated, resorting to smashing things on his desk in frustration. Just then, his phone rang.

“What do you want?” he snapped.

Hearing the irritation in his voice, Ning Wen wasted no time and got straight to the point. “I’m pregnant. I went to the hospital and confirmed it.”

This caught Ji Wei off guard, and he calmed down, a smile forming at the corners of his mouth. “So, your next step is to go find Ji Yang, right?”

“It is your child, after all, so you’ll be covering the prenatal expenses, won’t you?” Ning Wen replied.

She used to support herself through part-time work, but Ji Wei’s casual handouts now amounted to more than she could make in a year. This newfound wealth only fueled her laziness and greed.

“Of course,” Ji Wei answered, feeling quite pleased.

Satisfied, Ning Wen hung up. Just then, Zheng Jiayue entered the room. Since the banquet, her relationship with Ning Wen had noticeably cooled.

Zheng Jiayue opened a cabinet, then turned to Ning Wen. “Ning Wen, have you seen my black YT bag? It was in my cabinet.”

“Nope,” Ning Wen replied, distractedly glancing at the money Ji Wei had just transferred to her account, feeling quite pleased. “Your bag was in your cabinet, so if it’s missing, that’s not my problem.”

“And the red one? You borrowed it last time, didn’t you?” Zheng Jiayue scanned the shelves again, her tone growing colder.

“I returned that ages ago,” Ning Wen said impatiently, pulling a chair to sit down.

Zheng Jiayue’s face darkened as she continued checking and noticed a few pairs of shoes were also missing. She couldn’t be sure if some clothes were gone too.

“Next time, if you borrow something, let me know. And tell me when you return it as well!” Zheng Jiayue locked up a few valuable items, her expression stern.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Zheng Jiayue?” Ning Wen, feeling emboldened, stood up immediately. “What’s with that tone? If you think I’m poor, just say it outright—no need to insult me in such a roundabout way. If there’s no trust, why pretend we’re friends?”

“No, I don’t trust you,” Zheng Jiayue replied calmly, unfazed by her outburst. “You say you’re supporting yourself through part-time work, yet you’re walking around with bags worth tens of thousands and wearing expensive diamond bracelets. Why should I believe that?”

She had long suspected Ning Wen was using questionable means and, after staying at the dorm less frequently, had finally realized that these questionable methods were likely being directed at her.

“Oh, so only you’re allowed to wear nice things?” Ning Wen snapped back like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “Can’t my boyfriend buy me things? We’re graduating soon and about to get married—of course he’s allowed to buy me gifts! I thought you were my best friend, but clearly, you can’t stand seeing me happy!”

“Then I wish you happiness,” Zheng Jiayue replied, putting her firmly on her block list.

But Ning Wen wasn’t done. She continued dramatically, “Of course I’ll be happy! My boyfriend is a great guy, and we’re getting married soon and starting a family. There’s a woman trying to cling to him, but he finds her annoying. She just thinks she’s so special because she’s the only daughter of some big company. As if my boyfriend would be interested in her!”

She was setting the stage, hoping that when her relationship with Ji Yang was “exposed,” it would hit Zheng Jiayue hard.

Zheng Jiayue: “???” What did any of this have to do with her?

“He even said he hopes I’ll give him a child,” Ning Wen went on. “I’m still in college, but I’m seriously considering it. He’s such a wonderful man, so many people would be thrilled to be with him.”

Zheng Jiayue: “…”

Who was this bizarre guy? Did he have three heads and six arms or something?

“But he’s building his company from scratch, and it’s a tough time right now. I want to be there to support him through this,” Ning Wen added, voice resolute. “He’s working hard for our future child and me!”

Zheng Jiayue simply walked out.

Hearing the door shut loudly behind her, Ning Wen burst into laughter.

Finally, Zheng Jiayue must have realized something was up!

Soon, she’d go straight to Ji Yang, confront him, and if he confessed, that would be the end of their relationship. Then Ning Wen could swoop in, pregnancy and all, to win him over with her warmth, becoming his rightful partner. And if he denied it, then Zheng Jiayue would be left with lingering doubts—a perfect setup for a future explosion.

Her plan was flawless.

---

On the other end of things, Zheng Jiayue held her phone to her ear, the call still connected. “A-Yang?”

“Mhm,” Ji Yang’s deep voice came through, sounding particularly serious. “Jiayue, stay away from Ning Wen. I think something’s off with her.”

“I think so too. She was smiling at me in such a creepy way; it gave me the chills,” Zheng Jiayue replied, shivering at the memory of Ning Wen’s strange grin.

“Come stay at home,” he suggested.

“Alright.”

None of the events Ning Wen expected happened; Zheng Jiayue didn’t even think of confronting Ji Yang about it.

As for Ji Yang?

After ending the call, he sat at his desk, tapping it idly. This was getting interesting; he rather enjoyed watching people tumble from their imagined heights.

And when it’s that high, the fall is bound to be fatal.

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