Jin Ye pinned Su Ding on the bed, gazing at her with a frown. He noticed scratch marks on her arms and face.
Her hair was disheveled.
Her clothes smelled foul, as if she had rolled around in garbage.
Tears welled in Su Ding’s eyes, and she glared at Jin Ye, her eyes filled with anger and grievance.
“Don’t cry, it was my bad attitude,” Jin Ye softened his voice, squatting down in front of Su Ding and gently wiping her tears.
Su Ding turned her head away, her voice choked with a hint of mockery.
“Why pretend? You didn’t even know I was almost killed last night!”
Her words carried a tinge of petulance, but a chill of fear ran down her spine when she thought about it.
If that man from last night had truly intended to kill her, she wouldn't have stood a chance.
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Jin Ye frowned, clearly sensing something was wrong with Su Ding.
He held her ice-cold hand. “What exactly happened? I was drunk when I left last night, and you didn’t answer my calls…”
“So you just slept soundly? You can sleep when I’m missing?”
Su Ding flung his hand away, refusing his comfort.
She remembered sleeping in an alley last night. If some scoundrel had dragged her away, she wouldn't have known what to do, while her man slept soundly in a luxurious suite just a stone's throw away!
She had never taken her anger out on others like this before, but now she clearly saw Jin Ye as her closest confidant.
Jin Ye rubbed his aching temples, his expression apologetic.
“I’m sorry, I was indeed too drunk last night.”
He looked contrite, but it was indeed his oversight. What he didn't tell Su Ding was that he had been so intoxicated he was barely conscious, not even remembering how he got into his room.
Seeing him like this, Su Ding’s anger gradually subsided.
She just couldn’t control her sense of grievance!
But she also knew that the situation was beyond Jin Ye’s control, nor was it his intention.
She raised her arm and wiped the tears from her lashes, her voice still tinged with residual anger and hurt…
“Someone attacked me last night.”
Su Ding’s voice was hoarse, her eyes red, and her head lowered.
“What?!” Jin Ye exclaimed, his brow furrowing deeply, his voice rising several decibels. “Who?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Su Ding clenched her fists tightly, her voice raspy. “While you were on your business trip, someone left a box at my doorstep…”
As she slowly recounted the events, Jin Ye’s frown deepened.
His face darkened completely, and his voice turned cold and stern. “Why didn’t you tell me about something like this?”
“You weren’t answering my calls then…”
Su Ding lifted her pale face, her tear-filled eyes filled with reproach, her voice thick with a stuffy nose, making her look utterly pitiful.
A pang hit Jin Ye’s chest, and he embraced her. “I’m sorry…”
He knew these three words were useless to Su Ding, yet he said them, perhaps to alleviate his own guilt.
To let her bear a threat to her life alone.
His past promise to love and protect her seemed like a joke.
“What did the person who attacked you look like? What did he say to you?” Jin Ye gently wiped her tears, cradling her face and asking softly.
“A middle-aged man with a scar on his face. I’d never seen him before.”
Su Ding frowned as she recalled. “He seemed to be acting under someone’s orders. He also threatened to harm Xiao Rui.” At this, she suddenly clutched Jin Ye’s clothes tightly. “You absolutely must protect our daughter!”
Jin Ye’s hands clenched until his knuckles turned white. His face was incredibly grim. Someone dared to lay a hand on his people right under his nose? Did they really think his years of effort were for nothing?
“Don’t worry, I’ll arrange it immediately.” He tried to soften his voice.
Immediately after, Jin Ye made a phone call.
Su Ding, while washing up in the bathroom, heard his furious, scolding voice uttering the word “useless.”
This was the first time she had ever heard him curse since she knew him.
“You’re done?” Jin Ye hung up his phone and came forward to ruffle Su Ding’s hair. “We’re moving today. The villa over there is almost finished with renovations.”
“Okay.”
Su Ding had no intention of questioning his arrangements. If anyone could protect her and their daughter now, it was undoubtedly Jin Ye.
The two drove back home, and the moving company was already busy at work.
Xiao Yuan and Su Xiao Rui were sitting in the room, whispering to each other.
Jin Ye was discussing matters with the boss of the moving company, while Su Ding knocked on Su Xiao Rui’s door.
“What are you two chatting about?” Su Ding asked playfully.
“Nothing, just asking how the little one’s studies are going,” Xiao Yuan replied casually.
Su Xiao Rui giggled, clearly hiding some small secret from her.
Su Ding didn't press further. Children had their privacy, and besides, she had known Xiao Yuan for so many years; there was nothing to worry about.
…
The Jiang Family Villa.
Jiang Jiayi leaned against the sofa, smoking a cigarette and dialing a number.
“Did you find out?”
“Yes, Jin Xiao Xi and Su Xiao Rui are twins, the children of Jin Ye and Su Ding.”
Jiang Jiayi’s face appeared somewhat hazy in the swirling smoke…
Her voice was clear and cold, devoid of the sunny enthusiasm she displayed during the day, instead carrying a hint of darkness.
“Continue.”
“Su Ding’s original name was Shao Xu. Five years ago, she had an accidental encounter with Mr. Jin at Shengtian Hotel…”
Jiang Jiayi curled her lips and hung up the phone.
Shao Lin was truly a fool!
Holding Jin Ye’s flesh and blood, and she couldn’t win him over for five whole years!
She narrowed her eyes, watching the flickering ashes fall. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes held a determination to succeed.
What Jiang Jiayi wanted, she had never failed to obtain!