LNTSWJLY Chapter 65

The villa was decorated with lanterns and colorful ornaments, and the entire place was brightly lit.

There was red wine and champagne, fine food and desserts — everything one could ask for.

Quite a few people had come to the banquet. Everyone was dressed impeccably, looking elegant and proper. Even the smiles on their faces seemed almost identical.

Yu Zhi stood on the staircase, one hand resting on the railing. He was dressed in an ordinary casual shirt, his posture relaxed as he looked down at the lively scene below.

He seemed completely out of place among them, as though he had no intention of going downstairs at all.

“Little Brother Yu, aren’t you going downstairs? There are quite a few girls your age here, and they’re all very nice. I think you might like them.”

At the very least, they were much better than that Yu Wenwen he had met last time.

Yu Zhi turned his head to look at him.

Lan Jingzhi was dressed in a burgundy suit, with carefully applied makeup, dazzling earrings and a sparkling brooch, along with an expensive wristwatch.

People often say that clothes make the man, but some people could put on the most gorgeous clothes and still look completely out of place.

Yet Lan Jingzhi looked perfectly at ease in his current attire.

It was as though he had been born to dress this way.

Someone who did not know him might even believe that he had been born a favored son of Heaven.

“They’re good girls, but they’re not meant for me.”

Yu Zhi withdrew his gaze from Lan Jingzhi and smiled.

He had no intention of doing anything offensive, nor did he plan to interfere with Lan Jingzhi while he went downstairs to spread his peacock feathers.

Yu Zhi knew that this was the glorious moment Lan Jingzhi had been looking forward to for a very long time and had finally managed to obtain.

If Yu Zhi interfered now, Lan Jingzhi would definitely remember it.

Some walls had to be run into before one could understand how much they hurt.

“Young Master Jingzhi, it’s starting downstairs. Sir and Madam asked you to come down.”

A servant came upstairs to call him.

When she saw Lan Jingzhi, she could not help blushing slightly.

Young Master Jingzhi was really handsome.

It was just a shame that the eldest young master had not woken up.

Then she noticed Yu Zhi standing nearby and could not help feeling a little surprised.

Was the Second Young Master not planning to go downstairs?

Lan Jingzhi was about to go downstairs. After taking two steps, he turned his head to look at Yu Zhi, who was still standing there, and asked curiously, “Little Brother Yu won’t let me open the gift, but really, can’t you tell me what it is now? If I knew what Little Brother Yu gave me, I’d definitely be even happier.”

Yu Zhi smiled gently, a hint of warmth appearing in his eyes.

Yet his answer remained firm.

“Trust me. When you see it tonight, you’ll be even happier than you are now.”

Lan Jingzhi was suspicious. He had no idea what this kid was trying to hide.

During the time he had been staying with the Yu family, he had already figured out Yu Zhi’s parents, and even most of the servants and household staff, more or less. But Yu Zhi was the only one he could not figure out.

Based on the psychological profile he had originally formed of Yu Zhi, he should have been a pitiful young man who had suffered from being neglected and mistreated by his parents and older brother; cold and indifferent on the outside, but fragile on the inside.

Yet after spending this much time with him, Lan Jingzhi discovered that Yu Zhi was completely different from what he had imagined.

How strange.

Yu Zhi watched as Lan Jingzhi went downstairs. He watched Yu Zhi’s parents pull him around and introduce him to various people, and watched him handle conversations with those distinguished guests with ease, never seeming the least bit uncomfortable.

The servant could not help asking, “Second Young Master, if you want to change clothes, there’s a dressing room upstairs.”

She was subtly suggesting that Yu Zhi could change into formal clothes and go downstairs to mingle with everyone.

Yu Zhi straightened up and said politely, “No need. You go ahead and get back to work.”

The servant went downstairs regretfully.

His phone rang.

Yu Zhi glanced at it, then walked over to the balcony before answering.

The voice on the other end was respectful and polite. “Mr. Yu, we can’t refuse your request. If everything is satisfactory to you, once the contract has been finalized, I’ll arrange a time for us to meet and sign it.”

Yu Zhi agreed readily. “All right. However, I would like the contract to be signed at your company. Just let me know when the time comes.”

“Of course. We look forward to meeting you.”

After hanging up, Yu Zhi put away his phone and returned to the top of the staircase.

The music in the banquet hall had already started.

In the middle of the dance floor, two people were dancing gracefully together.

The soothing music put people at ease, while the romantic waltz seemed to carry them into a beautiful, hazy dream.

And when the person dancing was elegant, breathtakingly beautiful, and graceful, that feeling was doubled.

Yu Zhi did not know the girl, yet at that moment, he felt a little envious of her.

But it lasted only for an instant.

He knew that no matter who that person danced with, he was still his.

In this life and in this world.

For all eternity, in every lifetime.

Yu Zhi went downstairs, but instead of entering the banquet hall, he went to the kitchen.

When they saw him arrive, the people busy in the kitchen all froze for a moment.

There were too many guests at the banquet for the household staff to handle everything on their own, so the Yu family had hired staff from a hotel to help.

Yu Zhi’s appearance caught them off guard for a moment.

However, these people had worked at large hotels and had seen plenty of good-looking people, so even though Yu Zhi was more handsome than anyone they had seen before, they recovered after only a moment of surprise.

“Sir, is there something you need?” one of them asked politely.

Even as he spoke, his eyes kept drifting toward Yu Zhi.

At the hotel, the people they usually saw were all elegantly dressed and well-groomed. Yet the man standing before them was wearing nothing more than ordinary clothes, and somehow he still made them look expensive and fashionable, as though he naturally carried an air of wealth and refinement.

“Second Young Master.”

One of the Yu family’s servants saw him and came over to greet him.

Yu Zhi said, “You all carry on with your work. I’m just going to get something to eat. I can handle it myself.”

Hearing this, the others went back to work as well, though they still stole glances at Yu Zhi whenever they had a moment.

So the Yu family had a Second Young Master?

He was even better-looking than his parents, and his bearing was even more impressive.

Meanwhile, in the banquet hall, Lan Jingzhi stood among the crowd, taking in the complicated looks directed at him.

There was envy, jealousy, mockery, and disdain.

His mood was excellent.

After he finished one dance, someone else invited him to dance.

It was a handsome young man.

Lan Jingzhi remembered him. He was the younger son of the Song family, which owned a building-materials company.

Among the people Yu parents had introduced to him earlier had been the head of the Song family and his eldest son.

But the person who had come to invite him now was the younger son.

Looking up, Lan Jingzhi met the other man’s eyes and immediately saw the calculation in them.

The man wanted to use him as a connection, to get on good terms with the Yu family through him, gain the Yu family’s support, and add another advantage to his competition with his older brother.

In an instant, Lan Jingzhi understood exactly what the man was thinking.

See?

How easy it was to see through people’s hearts.

It was not difficult to figure out what everyone present was thinking, especially when they looked down on him and had no reason to guard themselves around him.

So, knowing that these people did not take him seriously was simply too easy.

“I’m sorry, I’m a little tired. Second Young Master Song, please excuse me.”

Lan Jingzhi smiled, not even bothering to put on a polite front.

There was no particular reason.

He was simply fed up.

He was supposed to be the protagonist, yet how many people present had actually come for him?

After putting on an act and offering their congratulations, they immediately rushed to use the opportunity to meet and talk with other people.

He seemed to be surrounded by dazzling light, yet in reality, no one cared about him.

Lan Jingzhi was just about to get himself a glass of wine.

He had nothing in his hands and was standing stupidly in the middle of the crowd.

He looked awful.

With a glass of champagne in his hand, he took a small sip, his movements elegant and refined.

Suddenly, he felt an intense and complicated gaze.

He turned his head and saw a young man standing not far away.

The young man had delicate, attractive features.

His eyes were filled with complicated emotions and jealousy as he stared at Lan Jingzhi, as though he had many things he wanted to say but did not dare to speak.

When he noticed Lan Jingzhi looking at him, he became a little flustered and guiltily looked away. He lowered his head and pretended to eat the cake in his hand.

Unlike him, however, Lan Jingzhi’s eyes lit up when he saw the young man.

He actually walked straight toward him.

“Mr. Xia, long time no see!” Lan Jingzhi greeted him with a smile.

There was an old saying that you could not hit someone who was smiling at you, so Xia Ningyang could only force a smile in return.

“Mr. Lan.”

He did not want to talk to Lan Jingzhi.

During the few times they had met before, Mr. Lan had left a bad impression on him. Xia Ningyang was actually a little afraid of him.

However, Xia Ningyang wanted to leave, but Lan Jingzhi was unwilling to let him go.

It was not easy to run into someone he knew. More importantly, unlike the other guests, part of the reason Xia Ningyang had come was because of him.

Thinking of this, Lan Jingzhi found Xia Ningyang even more adorable.

“Mr. Xia doesn’t seem very happy. Have we failed to treat you properly?”

“I’m really sorry. Uncle and Auntie were busy introducing me to their elders and friends just now, so they overlooked you. Let me apologize to you on their behalf, Mr. Xia.”

Xia Ningyang felt uncomfortable.

He had known Yu Chen for many years and had visited the Yu family countless times in the past. Yet now, another person had stepped ahead of him and was receiving him like the host of the house.

“It’s fine. Mr. Lan, taking care of Brother Chen must be hard on you, too. It’s just a pity that Brother Chen doesn’t know about it.”

His words were subtle, but the jab was clear.

So what if Lan Jingzhi was the host?

Yu Chen was in vegetative state now. No matter how glorious Lan Jingzhi looked today, he would still have to spend the rest of his life as a ‘widow’.

Lan Jingzhi acted as though he had not heard the hidden insult. His smile remained sweet and obedient.

“It’s all right. As long as I can stay by Brother Yu Chen’s side, I’m happy. Even if he never wakes up, I can still look at him every day, keep him company, talk to him, and share all the little details of my life with him. And I believe that one day, he will wake up.”

After saying that, he suddenly changed the subject.

Looking at Xia Ningyang with confusion, he asked, “But, Mr. Xia… Yu Chen has been in an accident for so long now. Why haven’t you come to see him even once? You’re his best friend. If Brother Yu Chen knew that you hadn’t come to see him, he would definitely be very sad. And if Brother Yu Chen is sad, I’ll be sad too.”

“So, for Brother Yu Chen’s sake, could you please come and visit him, Mr. Xia?”

Xia Ningyang immediately shook his head guiltily, wanting to refuse.

Lan Jingzhi smiled sweetly and innocently.

“I know Mr. Xia has a kind heart. You certainly wouldn’t have the heart to watch Brother Yu Chen and me feel sad, so you must come, all right? Although Brother Yu Chen was seriously injured in the car accident and can only lie in bed in a vegetative state now, I’m sure he must be thinking about you and hoping that you’ll come see him.”

What was he supposed to go there for?

To have Yu Chen question him about why he had not called an ambulance?

Xia Ningyang felt both guilty and frightened.

For a moment, his mind was in such turmoil that he casually dropped the plate he was holding. He forced a smile and said, “I—I still have friends waiting for me… I won’t bother you anymore!”

He wanted to hide.

He wanted to run away.

Lan Jingzhi standing there represented more than just being Yu Chen’s boyfriend and fiancé.

He also seemed to know the truth behind Yu Chen’s car accident, making Xia Ningyang’s despicable and cowardly side impossible to hide.

Lan Jingzhi watched Xia Ningyang’s retreating figure as he fled in panic, and smiled happily.

He was in a very good mood.

Sure enough, his happiness really did have to be built on other people’s suffering.

Looking at Xia Ningyang’s pale little face, Lan Jingzhi felt as though he had just won a great victory. He almost wanted to do it a few more times.

Unfortunately, his good mood did not last very long.

There were too many people in the banquet hall. After coming out of the restroom, he went to the lounge area and found a corner to sit in.

He liked the feeling of being the center of attention, but he did not like being treated like a monkey on display.

“It’s such a shame that someone like Yu Chen ended up in a vegetative state.”

“Back then, my parents even considered having me marry Yu Chen for the sake of an alliance between our families. Fortunately, we didn’t agree.”

“Exactly. I wonder who the Yu family’s business will go to in the future. He doesn’t even have a child.”

“I heard the Yu family has a Second Young Master. Surely they won’t have no one to inherit the family business.”

“Forget it. I heard that Second Young Master Yu is hopeless. He didn’t even go to university. What could he possibly know about running a company? I think the Yu family is finished. See? In the end, you really have to have children. No matter how huge a family fortune is, it will eventually collapse if there’s no one to inherit it.”

“Listen to yourself. Even if Yu Chen weren’t in a vegetative state, he still doesn’t have any children. Didn’t you see that he has a boyfriend? Now they’re even engaged.”

“Don’t play dumb. Do you really think that if Yu Chen hadn’t gotten into that car accident, that person would have been able to get engaged to him? He’d have a better chance dreaming. He was just thinking about marrying into a wealthy family. If Yu Chen never wakes up, he’ll have to live as a widow for the rest of his life. And if Yu Chen wakes up, just wait and see whether the Yu family will kick him out.”

“Tsk, tsk. Sure enough, capitalists really have no conscience. At least they should give him some money.”

“Hahahaha…”

Lan Jingzhi smiled, but his smile seemed to carry flashes of swords and blades.

His deep eyes concealed countless sharp edges, as though countless hidden blades were ready to cut through anyone who dared approach.

The hand holding the wine glass endured and restrained itself with all its strength, barely managing not to crush the glass.

Under the lights, the champagne shimmered with a golden glow, its surface rippling gently.

Suddenly, he stood up abruptly and turned to face the group of pampered young ladies. None of them had expected there to be someone sitting in the corner. They were all startled.

“You— you are…” One of them had clearly recognized who he was, but she stammered and ultimately could not bring herself to say it.

Her face burned as though someone had stripped away her expensive, gorgeous dress and exposed the disgraceful ugliness underneath. She felt both guilty and humiliated.

“How can you eavesdrop on other people’s conversations?” someone accused him first, trying to put him on the defensive.

Lan Jingzhi looked at her innocently and aggrievedly.

“Miss Li, but I was sitting here first. How can you say I was eavesdropping? I know I don’t have much of a background or status, and I know you look down on me, but how can you insult my character like that?”

As he spoke, his eyes reddened, a watery sheen glistening in them.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Lan. Miss Li only spoke out of impulse. She didn’t really mean it. Mr. Lan, you’re a magnanimous person. Surely you wouldn’t hold it against a young girl.”

A woman in a white gown smiled at Lan Jingzhi as she spoke. She appeared to have the highest status among the group.

Lan Jingzhi took out a handkerchief and pretended to wipe away his tears. He forced a weak smile.

“I should be the one apologizing. Miss Li is still young and only said it casually. She’s still a child. I shouldn’t have taken it to heart.”

The phrase —“she’s still a child”— was something people had already developed an instinctive dislike for hearing in everyday life. Sure enough, several people frowned the moment he said it.

The woman who had just tried to smooth things over frowned slightly, then immediately relaxed her expression. She realized that Lan Jingzhi was not someone easy to deal with and decided to end the matter quickly.

“Since that’s the case, as long as you don’t mind, Mr. Lan. If we have the opportunity next time, we’ll send you a gift to apologize.”

Lan Jingzhi, however, said, “I mind.”

The group froze.

Their expressions immediately became guarded. They knew Lan Jingzhi had probably heard their entire conversation just now. However, they were all respectable people, and none of them would make a scene in public or let things become too ugly.

They had never expected Lan Jingzhi to be so unwilling to give them any face.

Did he really think the Yu family would take his side and go up against so many of their families just to stand up for him?

That was far too naive.

Sure enough, people from small, low-status families simply couldn’t fit in with respectable people.

Lan Jingzhi’s eyes filled with tears as he looked at them stubbornly.

“I know I come from a poor background. It’s only natural that you ladies look down on me. But how can you curse Brother Yu Chen to remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life, never to wake up?”

“I can endure your insults toward me, but I cannot stand hearing you speak about Brother Yu Chen like that!”

“Miss Li, you have a brother, and you have someone you love. Miss Wen, you also have someone you like. And Miss Hu, Miss Qian, Miss Xu… You have Mr. Yuan, Mr. Yue, Mr. Cen, and the others… Would you really be able to tolerate someone cursing them like this? I think you should be able to understand how I feel.”

The women’s expressions became extremely ugly, not because of Lan Jingzhi’s questioning, but because of the people he had just mentioned.

Among those he had named were their secret crushes, their affairs, and the men they secretly kept as lovers…

Every single one of those relationships was something that could never be made public.

But Lan Jingzhi knew!

The very person they considered too low-class to belong in their circle actually knew the secrets they had been hiding!

And he had even exposed them in public.

Was this a threat?

Or a warning?

How dare he…

Someone noticed that something was wrong and called Yu parents over.

“What happened, Jingzhi?” Father Yu asked.

When Lan Jingzhi saw them approaching, a tear from the corner of his right eye slipped unconsciously down his cheek. He hurriedly wiped it away.

“Auntie, it’s nothing.”

He forced a smile.

“It was just a misunderstanding. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

The woman in the white dress gave an awkward smile.

“It was just a small misunderstanding…”

Lan Jingzhi said, “Miss Wen is right. It was just a misunderstanding. The ladies were only chatting. They didn’t deliberately say that Brother Yu Chen would never wake up.”

The women: “…” Damn it!

Yu parents’ expressions immediately turned ugly.

They looked at the women with open displeasure.

The Yu couple valued profit above all else, but beyond profit, the person they valued most was Yu Chen.

Yet these women had actually cursed their son, saying he would never wake up.

Miss Wen could no longer even force a smile.

What the hell is this Lan Jingzhi?

“Uncle, Auntie, we apologize. We didn’t realize we had gone too far just now and said some things that caused Mr. Lan to misunderstand us. We’ll send over a gift later as an apology. Please don’t be angry.”

Lan Jingzhi added, “Uncle, Auntie, please forgive Miss Wen and the others. I know they only look down on me because of my background and think you have poor judgment for choosing me. But what they said about Brother Yu Chen never waking up must have just been a misunderstanding.”

Onlookers: “…”

Upstairs, Yu Zhi’s lips curled into a faint smile, and he finally relaxed.

Even when Lan Jingzhi was wronged, he would always get his revenge.

Knowing that Lan Jingzhi could handle the situation himself, Yu Zhi turned and left. He still had something to do tonight.

Miss Wen hurriedly tried to explain, but Yu couple had no desire to see them or listen to their so-called explanation.

They knew Lan Jingzhi certainly had not lied, but they also knew that Miss Wen and the others had not deliberately said those things to provoke him.

They had simply thought that way and happened to say it out loud.

To be honest, among everyone present, how many people did not think the same way?

Yu couple were simply too tired to stay angry.

They gave the women a lukewarm indication that they forgave their lack of judgment, comforted Lan Jingzhi with a few words, and then left, making it clear that they would no longer pay the women any attention.

Under the mocking looks of everyone at the banquet, the women were not actually thrown out, but they could no longer bear to stay. Feeling both wronged and angry, they left.

As Lan Jingzhi watched them go, he should have been happy.

Yet there was no movement in his heart.

He did not even feel relieved or vindicated.

There were only a few people. He could threaten them, mock them, target them, and drive them away.

But what about everyone else?

Did the others really think any differently?

No.

They simply had not said it aloud.

Even when he had dealt with those few women just now, he had relied on the backing of Father Yu, Mother Yu, and Yu Chen.

In these people’s eyes, Lan Jingzhi was nothing.

All his frantic efforts to build connections and establish himself had been nothing more than a joke.

A faintly mocking smile touched the corners of his lips. He no longer felt any attachment to the banquet. He turned and went upstairs without watching the banquet gradually come to an end, without watching the guests slowly leave. He only listened as the sound of cars came one after another from outside.

He took off his splendid clothes.

He knew the banquet was over.

He turned his head and saw that it was just past midnight.

Cinderella’s magic had worn off.

He had become Lan Jingzhi again — the Lan Jingzhi who had nothing.

He rubbed the space between his brows tiredly and turned to take a bath and go to sleep. But as he passed the sofa, he noticed the pile of gift boxes in the corner.

They had all been gifts for him. Yu couple would not stoop to keeping them for themselves, so they had all been sent to his room.

Lan Jingzhi gave a self-mocking smile.

Trying to find some amusement in his misery, he thought, I’m not exactly left with nothing, am I?

He paused as he passed by, suddenly remembering something.

He turned and went to the bedside, then picked up the small gift box he had deliberately placed there so he would remember to open it.

He untied the ribbon and lifted the lid of the gift box…

And then…

There was no “then.”

Lan Jingzhi stared expressionlessly at what was inside, a string of curses running through his mind.

Before opening it, Lan Jingzhi had guessed what might be inside.

Maybe a small accessory.

Maybe a watch.