Chapter 215: Chapter 213 The Si Family Carries Weight
Jian Mingcheng stood outside the restaurant waiting for Wan Yu.
Wan Yu hastened to apologize, "The traffic was so heavy, sorry, did you wait a long time?"
In reality, she was only three minutes late.
Tall and well-built, with a valiant and upright bearing, Jian Mingcheng drew many eyes standing there. The moment Wan Yu appeared, all the other women knew they had no chance.
A match of equals in talents and looks, Wan Yu possessed a unique aura. Vivacious and adorable, soft as a peach, she outshone even female celebrities; how could they possibly compete?
The two sat down, and the waiter began serving the dishes.
"Did I interrupt your work?" Jian Mingcheng asked, somewhat belatedly.
Wan Yu lied without even blinking, "I was just lounging at home, bored, when your call came. I was starving! Thanks for the meal – I won’t hold back today."
Jian Mingcheng took her at her word and was quite pleased. "If you’re hungry, order a few more of your favorite dishes. If you don’t have time for meals in the future, I can have someone deliver food to you. Girls should take care of their health."
Wan Yu pursed her lips, struggling to suppress a smile.
What is he implying!
"Xixi can’t take care of herself, so I arranged a nanny for her. You’re all still young, I..."
The more Wan Yu listened, the more something felt off. She looked up at him, her expression tinged with anger, her eyebrows knitted so tightly they could have crushed a fly. "So, in your eyes, I’m just a child?"
"Of course, you are..."
Before Jian Mingcheng could finish, Wan Yu made a gesture for him to stop. "My stomach suddenly hurts, so I won’t eat now."
With that, she left in a huff.
What kind of thing was that to say! She’s a child? Blockhead! Just a big lump of wood! It served her right for falling for such a man, pining away secretly for ten years; it truly hurt.
Jian Mingcheng was perplexed. "Everything was fine, so how did she suddenly get a stomachache? Are all girls this delicate?"
Wan Yu went home.
A delivery person knocked on her door. "Hello, Mr. Jian asked me to deliver a box of Stomach Comfort to you. Please sign for it."
Wan Yu signed her name through clenched teeth. Looking at the box of medicine, her heart gradually softened.
Another delivery person knocked on the door.
"Hello, are you Miss Wan Yu? Mr. Jian asked me to bring you some congee and side dishes. Enjoy your meal."
Before Wan Yu could close the door, there was another knock.
A nanny walked in. "Miss Jian, hello. I’m the nanny sent by the Eldest Young Master to attend to your dietary and daily needs. Please look after me in the future."
Before Wan Yu could respond, the woman entered and began swiftly and efficiently tidying up the room.
Wan Yu was left speechless.
This man’s brain, why is it sharp at times and completely short-circuited at others!
She couldn’t help but laugh.
「That evening, Jian Xi brought crayfish and skewers to Wan Yu’s apartment.」
Upon entering and seeing her own family’s nanny opening the door, Jian Xi momentarily doubted if she had come to the wrong place.
"What’s going on here?"
She hadn’t visited for a few days, and her best friend’s home had been turned upside down! The once-pigsty was suddenly clean, something she wasn’t used to. The air was so refreshingly clean.
"Well, I..." Wan Yu began, her face turning red before she could finish her explanation.
"My brother?"
She nodded.
Jian Xi couldn’t help but cover her mouth. The iron tree is really blooming.
In fact, she had long been aware of her best friend’s feelings. However, since the ’iron tree’ showed no signs of blooming, she hadn’t dared to play matchmaker, fearing it would only lead to false hope. So, she had merely been gently nudging things along, hoping everything would unfold naturally.
"Hmph!" Wan Yu sneered. "He’s just a blockhead. I bet this is all just his way of showing gratitude. He hasn’t thought deeply about it at all, and here I am, foolishly moved by it."
She opened a bottle of red wine, downed a large glass, and found herself caught in the complicated web of love.
Jian Xi could only keep her company with juice.
"Cheer up. When I get the chance, I’ll give him a nudge."
"Don’t! I’ll handle this myself. If you get involved, it’ll change the nature of things. I’ll truly regret baring my heart to you; it’s so embarrassing."
"Wow, even our ’queen of the sea’ gets shy?"
"What are you talking about! That was all just for show; I was never serious about any of them. You’re teasing me!"
「The press conference for Yue Enjoy’s new line and its fashion show were scheduled back-to-back.」
The morning press conference would announce all the runway pieces.
At half-past six in the evening, the runway show would officially begin.
Jiang Qimeng, with her newly established company, had been leveraging the nation’s best resources, running around tirelessly to cultivate connections. She was using every ounce of her strength to compete with Jian Xi.
Some were already celebrating. "Congratulations on securing such amazing designs! Perfectly fitting the ’future’ theme, Yue Enjoy will surely rise to new heights."
Most of these people had shown up merely out of respect for Director Si. Rumors were unreliable, and everyone had seen Jiang Qimeng make a comeback against the odds many times before. Making the trip didn’t cost them much.
"Why hasn’t Director Si arrived yet?" someone grew impatient and asked first.
Jiang Qimeng was anxious too. She had called Si Yuhuan many times and said countless pleasantries. For her final gamble, she believed Si Yuhuan would surely not disregard their past connection.
"What’s the rush? It’s not time for the main show yet, and Yuhan is very busy."
"True, no need to rush. Director Si is indeed busy."
They were also curious about the recent internal problems within the vast organization. Beijing was a massive commercial hub where every little tremor could affect everyone’s decisions.
They waited and waited.
After the press conference concluded, Jiang Qimeng went up and spoke extravagantly, eliciting thunderous applause, but Si Yuhuan still hadn’t arrived.
One of the more impatient attendees couldn’t sit still any longer and directly asked, "Miss Jiang, surely Director Si isn’t going to miss the entire show, is he?"
Jiang Qimeng awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Of course not. He promised me he would come."
In reality, she had sent many messages to Si Yuhuan, none of which he had answered.
"Alright then, we’ll wait a bit longer."
As time ticked by, the fashion show officially began.
Jiang Qimeng had completely copied the format of Jian Xi’s previous show. Models entered one by one, wearing the latest designer clothes. After parading around the venue, they gathered in the center for a collective exhibition. Then, each took their designated spot under the spotlights, which highlighted both the clothing and the video’s design aesthetic.
Soon, it was time for the bidding phase.
Jiang Qimeng could almost see orders and money waving at her. Clenching her fists in excitement, she nearly forgot that Si Yuhuan hadn’t shown up that evening.
Her secretary reminded her, "Boss, should you try inviting Director Si again?"
Without Si Yuhuan there to lend his presence, she truly feared the event would be a flop.
A wave of cold water seemed to douse Jiang Qimeng’s enthusiasm. Her face fell. Before she could utter a word of reprimand, Si Junyan stepped out and slapped the secretary across the cheek. "Is Director Si the only Director Si you have eyes for?"
The secretary, feeling wronged by the slap, lowered her head, her eyes red. "I’m sorry, Second Young Master, I..."
"You what? Your professional skills are hardly outstanding, yet you excel at opportunism. With me here, let’s see who dares utter a single disparaging word against Sister Qimeng."
Jiang Qimeng looked at him, pleasantly surprised. "You finally made it."
He was her last trump card. Even if Si Yuhuan couldn’t come, Si Junyan’s presence was good enough. After all, any member of the Si Family, no matter who, carried weight just by being in the audience.