No reconciliation, no forgiveness! Mr. Pei leaves with nothing.

Xie Huai was about to pay the bill when he found that it had already been settled.

Upon entering the private room, a bizarre scene unfolded.

That ominous aura emanated from Jiang Hua.

"What's wrong?" Shen Yebai asked tentatively.

Jiang Hua pretended to be nonchalant and stood up. "It's nothing. Take me to the Kyoto Grand Hotel."

Xie Huai stood at the door of the private room, hesitant to go in, until Jiang Hua came out and bumped into him. Xie Huai could only humbly step back and make way.

Shen Yebai knew Jiang Hua's personality; something must have happened.

It was snowing heavily outside, but the wind wasn't strong, and the car's heater was on full blast.

It's less than a fifteen-minute drive from here, and there's no traffic right now.

When Jiang Hua got out of the car with her bag, the car door slammed shut.

Xie Huai turned to look at Shen Yebai behind him: "What's wrong with Miss? Should we go and see her?"

"Wait a minute." Through the car window, the heavy snow made her silhouette appear somewhat unreal. Only after that flamboyant and bright figure had left did Shen Yebai withdraw her gaze and close her eyes to rest.

Xie Huai didn't understand either, what else was there to wait for?

"Good evening, Ms. Jiang. Do you have any reservations?"

Jiang Hua: "Don't worry about me."

Wearing black high-heeled boots, Jiang Hua walked with a confident and imposing gait. She pressed the elevator button and got in.

Zuo Xiangnan glanced at the time; there were still 45 minutes until the 9:30 curfew. Just as he was about to enter the private room to remind them, he suddenly saw that ancestor.

"Miss, I'm sorry, Mr. Pei is still out entertaining clients, you can't go in yet."

"Something you can't show to others?"

"No."

"If that's not true, I can't go in. What else could it be but something shameful!" Jiang Hua kicked open the door to the private room, feeling like she had caught someone in the act.

Most of the people who come here are there for business dinners, and the conversations are about trade secrets that could affect the market economy. The doors here are all heavy soundproof doors, so you can't hear a thing outside.

The loud noise attracted everyone inside, and all eyes turned to the doorway.

Eight people were sitting at a round table, and their conversation abruptly stopped.

Jiang Hua: Song Qingran isn't here?

The others are all perceptive people.

Seeing the stiff and frozen atmosphere, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties immediately noticed something was wrong and joked to melt the tension, "It seems that the position of the Chamber of Commerce president is not easy to hold. Since Mrs. Pei has come looking for us, we shouldn't disturb the harmony of your family."

"It's really, really late today, so... let's call it a night."

Pei Zhan stubbed out the cigarette he had just lit. "My family is very strict. I'm sorry, but next time I'll treat everyone alone."

When Pei Zhan said this, the others just smiled and didn't dare to say anything.

After everyone left.

Zuo Xiangnan saw them off.

"You're here?" Pei Zhan had probably drunk quite a bit; several empty liquor glasses were in front of him. He leaned back in his chair without any decorum, probably because he was too drunk. As soon as he left, he immediately revealed his true colors in front of her. He loosened his tie, and several buttons on his black shirt were undone. His once serious demeanor now looked like that of a thug. "It's rare to see Mrs. Pei checking up on things."

"Come and see if your foot hurts."

Jiang Hua's kick just now was quite powerful, and it's likely that her ankle was injured.

Jiang Hua stepped forward and looked around. The private room wasn't very big. Besides the bar, there was a separate restroom, but the door was open, and the inside was completely exposed. She frowned and kicked Pei Zhan in the leg. Her foot was wet, and a shoe print was left on the man's trouser leg. "Are you alone?"

Pei Zhan disagreed, "Otherwise, would Mrs. Pei think there's anyone else here?"

"Hold him down?"

The ventilation in the room was on, and the smell of smoke and alcohol quickly dissipated. However, the scent on Pei Zhan, the incense on his suit mixed with the smell of alcohol, created a faint, pleasant fragrance.

"Pei Zhan, would it kill you to tell me the truth?"

"You know I don't like it when you lie to me, so I'm giving you one last chance."

Jiang Hua's tone suggested she was already serious, and he didn't like that look in her eyes. This side of Jiang Hua made Pei Zhan feel insecure and unable to hold onto her. The man held Jiang Hua's hand and gently pulled her into his arms.

"what are you doing!"

"Let me check my feet."

Jiang Hua looked at him angrily, "Stop changing the subject."

The two were pressed close together, with Jiang Hua sitting on his lap, making the scent even stronger.

Pei Zhan took off her boots and soon saw her fair, delicate feet. Her slender ankles were slightly swollen. "Xiang Nan."

Zuo Xiangnan immediately walked in from outside, "President Pei, what are your instructions?"

"Bring over a bottle of safflower oil, and bring the person with you while you're at it."

Zuo Xiangnan nodded: "Yes."

Zuo Xiangnan clearly prioritized the task, bringing out the safflower oil first.

Pei Zhan carried her to the seat he had been sitting in, then dragged out another chair and sat down next to her, letting Jiang Hua put her feet on his lap. He rubbed safflower oil in his palm and gently applied it to the injured area.

"Hmph, pretentious." Jiang Hua stepped on the man's chest, resisting his touch. "What did you promise me before?"

"If Bao'er hadn't tipped me off, would we have gone to a hotel next?"

However, just then, Zuo Xiangnan arrived with his men. Upon seeing the scene in the private room, he coughed lightly, his fist half-clenched to his lips, "Ahem, Mr. Pei, Madam. The person has been brought."

"Now you can say whatever you want to say."

Jiang Hua looked towards the area outside the private room, where three people were shivering from the cold, including Song Qingran.

Xue Ruyao: "I knew it! He was here! Why did you say he wasn't here!"

They were forced to wait outside for over three hours, shivering from the cold. They couldn't even get in; they were told they weren't members and therefore not qualified.

...

Two hours ago

After Song Qingran made a phone call to Pei Zhan, he hung up immediately.

For the sake of the studio, Song Qingran inquired from various sources to find out Pei Zhan's schedule.

However, only members or people with special status can enter, and they are just students.

They called again and again, but no one answered. With no other option, they could only wait outside the door for the person inside to come out.

"Qingran, why don't we ask Madam Bai? After all, she's your godmother. She won't abandon you in your time of need. As long as I can get Yuehua, our studio can reopen."

“Yes, Qingran. Back then, Madam Bai helped our studio and the association a lot. With her status, even if we didn't approach Pei Zhan, maybe... Pei Zhan would have given Yuehua to us himself. As long as we restore our studio's reputation, we can forgo the repair costs and transfer them all to the Jiang family. No matter what, they won't lose out, right? Besides, it's just a diamond; it's nothing to the Jiang family.”

“Look, the snow is getting heavier and heavier. We can’t just keep waiting here.” Xue Ruyao looked up at the sky, rubbed her arms, and said through gritted teeth, “If he changes his mind, Qingran, you must not forgive him easily. He has to get past us first. What we have suffered now, we will have to repay him a thousandfold.”

Song Qingran's heart skipped a beat. "He and Jiang Hua have already chosen to get married and are even wearing wedding rings. I'm so happy that Pei Zhan has found someone he loves. Ayao, Xiaoyu, please don't say these things anymore; it'll cause misunderstandings. I'm engaged too..."

"The call has been connected."

The other party: "Hello, who is this?"

"It's me, Qingran! Sister-in-law, is Aunt Bai there? I...I have some..." Before Song Qingran could finish speaking, the other party interrupted her, "Miss Song? Madam is already asleep at this hour. Let's talk about it tomorrow." With that, the other party hung up the phone.

"What is this! We went to the Bai family once or twice before and they weren't there, and that was fine. But now they're even giving us such perfunctory answers on the phone, as if they're afraid we'll become their crony."

"Qingran, is she really your godmother? Wasn't she very nice to you before? Why has she changed like this now?"

Song Qingran's face was expressionless, her voice was faint but she could not hide the loneliness in her eyes as she said, "Forget it, it is indeed very late at this time."

"This is trouble we brought upon ourselves. They have no obligation to help us again and again. Ah Yao... this is truly the last time."

Xue Ruyao: "How could you say that? Do you think this studio is just for my sake? Qingran... ask yourself honestly, when you were being bullied, did we stand up for you? The three of us are a team... helping us was for your sake too, how could you say such a thing!"

Song Qingran didn't say a word, her weak appearance standing in the cold wind, as if she could collapse at any moment.

"Alright, Yao... stop talking. Qingran has already helped us a lot. If it weren't for the three million she advanced, we probably would have gone to jail. Let's wait a little longer... maybe we'll be out soon."

...

Song Qingran watched this scene. They had been through something similar before. Back then... because of his domineering and unreasonable behavior, his insistence on keeping her at home and not letting him go out, she really hated and loathed him during that time...

She hated it even more when he touched her.

She jumped out of the window to escape, but when she did, she twisted her ankle. He would apply medicine to it for her that night.

Pei Zhan, focused, picked up the restless foot pressed against his chest and reapplied the medicine. "Five minutes..."

Zuo Xiangnan, standing to the other side, raised his wrist, staring intently at the time, and reminded them, "There are still four minutes left."

Song Qingran forgot about the cold and focused her gaze on the man until she met another intense and undeniable gaze. As if caught red-handed, Song Qingran quickly looked away, her expression guilty as if she had done something wrong.

"Qingran... say something!" Little Fish, standing nearby, nudged the dazed person and said anxiously.

"There's nothing more to say, let's... go back." Her voice was soft, her hands gripping the hem of her dress tightly at her sides.

At this moment, Jiang Hua suddenly laughed out loud, "Wait, we've waited so long, and since we're already here, why not just say everything we have to say at once?"

"It also saves the trouble of trying to get my husband to come out alone next time."

"You saw me come, but you didn't say anything?"

Xue Ruyao: "Jiang Hua, what's there to be proud of? You stole Qingran's boyfriend."

"Some people are blind; they'll take anyone, and they're not afraid of anything being unclean!"

He thought this would anger Jiang Hua, but to his surprise, Jiang Hua didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled and said, "Did I steal it?"

"Song Qingran, is that so?"

"Didn't someone keep saying they would never fall for Pei Zhan? Now... could they be regretting it now?"

Zuo Xiangnan reminded him again, "There are two minutes left."

Song Qingran finally couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up. She mustered her courage and looked at the man's retreating figure with pitiful eyes, "Mr. Pei, I rarely ask you for anything, but could you please help me this time? I really need your help..."

"Could you give us the Starry Moon Emblem? That lady said she would take it no matter the price. If we can repair this set of jewelry and allow us to reopen our studio, I swear... from now on, I will never bother you again."

Jiang Hua didn't speak, but looked at him with a playful gaze, nudging his lower abdomen with her toe. "Hey, Mr. Pei. Your former lover is asking you a question!"

Pei Zhan: "My wife's meaning is my meaning."

"...I am a businessman, not a philanthropist."

“If there are no tangible results, the Jiang family is not a poverty alleviation organization.”

"Do what you're supposed to do."

Zuo Xiangnan: "It's time. The three of you, please leave."

Upon hearing the rejection, Xue Ruyao unleashed all the anger she had been suppressing for so long, directing it at Jiang Hua. "Jiang Hua! You're nothing but a homewrecker. What makes you so great? Let me tell you... bad deeds will always have consequences. You'd better not let us find any fault with you, or... I will ruin your reputation."

Jiang Hua didn't bother arguing with them at all, calling them "idiots."

Unexpectedly, they actually dared to try to use Pei Zhan as a starting point to get Song Qingran to beg Xingchen Yuehua, hoping to use this opportunity to restart the studio.

Song Qingran: "Mr. Pei..."

In the past, Pei Zhan would have been melted by his current pleading expression.

Let alone the stars and moon, even the entire Jiang clan.

Why am I thinking about all this nonsense again...?

Seeing that face that would soften any man's heart, Jiang Hua felt a sudden, inexplicable panic...

Is she scared?

I'm afraid... Pei Zhan will be moved again because of Song Qingran?

"...You take so long to put on your shoes, what use are you, you piece of trash."

Xiao Yu, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. How dare Jiang Hua scold him like that?

No matter what, Pei Zhan is still the president of the Jiang Group!

Jiang Hua put on her shoes, stood up and was about to leave when the man grabbed her wrist. "From now on, the Jiang family will no longer grant you any authority or supply of jewelry materials."

"The Jiang family...never supports useless people!"