Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Person One Should Not Approach

“I found it in your room,” A-Kuan said coldly, his gaze fixed on Ruan Mianmian.

“In my bag? How could that be?”

Ruan Mianmian’s mind spun in confusion. The flash drive was clearly in Shen Ting’s hands—how could it possibly turn up in her room?

There had to be a reason behind this!

Suddenly, she remembered the strange waiter from the afternoon. He had come with a message, saying Yan Jiaxu was looking for her, but when she’d gone downstairs, there was no sign of Yan Jiaxu.

So… had that waiter done something?

Ruan Mianmian turned to Jiang Ce. “No, someone deliberately put it in my room. This afternoon, a strange man told me to go downstairs…”

“You’re not trying to say you’ve been framed, are you?” Jiang Ce’s expression was icy as he interrupted.

Gritting her teeth, Ruan Mianmian nodded stubbornly.

Jiang Ce’s eyes narrowed. He stepped closer, leaning down so their eyes met. In his gaze, she saw a cruelty that was both unfamiliar and chilling.

“So you’re claiming this isn’t yours?”

Faced with his question, Ruan Mianmian abruptly fell silent.

How could she explain? Should she say she wasn’t the original Ruan Mianmian? That these things were prepared by someone else, and had nothing to do with her?

There was no way to make sense of it.

Jiang Ce’s gaze swept over her tightly pressed lips, his eyes growing colder.

“Ruan Mianmian, you truly haven’t disappointed me.”

It was clear this was sarcasm. She could hear the bottomless disappointment in his voice.

Jiang Ce said nothing more, brushing past her and striding ahead. Ruan Mianmian hurried to catch up, grabbing his arm.

Her eyes were rimmed red as she pleaded in a low voice, “You have to believe me. I never betrayed you.”

Jiang Ce didn’t spare her a glance. He shook off her hands and walked away, as if fleeing.

Ruan Mianmian nearly lost her balance and fell, but managed to steady herself. Just then, A-Kuan stepped forward.

He looked down at her—heartbroken and crouched on the ground—and for the first time, sneered.

“Miss Ruan, you truly are…”—so heartless, so ungrateful.

“Forget it. In the future, please stay away from our boss. You’re not worthy of him.”

With that, A-Kuan turned and hurried after Jiang Ce, not casting another look her way.

“I didn’t!” Ruan Mianmian stubbornly repeated, but no one was left to listen to her.

She still didn’t understand what had happened. She’d been looking forward to Jiang Ce’s return for dinner together, yet now everything had collapsed.

She’d tried so hard to stay by his side, even distancing herself from Jian Yanzhi, but events still unfolded in the same absurd way as in the original novel.

What was she supposed to do now?

Slowly, Ruan Mianmian stood up. She had to get to the bottom of this—she couldn’t let herself be falsely accused. Even if the plot followed the original story, she had to find out what had really happened.

She wanted to look for Jiang Ce, but was refused entry. She knew he wouldn’t see her now.

“Fine. I’ll go ask Shen Ting. She must be involved in this!”

Resolute, Ruan Mianmian pulled out her phone and called Shen Ting.

As soon as the call connected, her voice was cold. “Where’s the flash drive?”

A mocking laugh came from the other end. “Ruan Mianmian, you’re as gullible as ever. Why do you believe everything I say?”

Ruan Mianmian gritted her teeth. “What do you mean? What have you done?”

“To be honest, I’ve never liked you,” Shen Ting said, her tone frosty. “At first, I was going to settle everything for ten million. But then I changed my mind. I made a copy of the flash drive and sent it anonymously to President Jian’s email.”

“You!” Ruan Mianmian was livid, but she hadn’t lost her senses.

“Shen Ting, was that waiter your doing? Did you put the flash drive in my room?”

Shen Ting didn’t bother to feign innocence. “That’s right. So you really are stupid. You couldn’t even see through such a simple trick. You deserve to be misunderstood.

“Besides, this was all your doing to begin with. You’re reaping what you sowed.”

“Why are you doing this?” Ruan Mianmian found Shen Ting’s actions incomprehensible.

But Shen Ting’s voice suddenly turned icy. “I told you, I don’t like you. You’d better learn your place. Don’t mess with people you shouldn’t go near!”

With that, she hung up. Ruan Mianmian tried to call again, but Shen Ting had already switched off her phone.

“Damn it! Lunatic!” Ruan Mianmian cursed, remembering what Shen Ting had done.

A few passersby glanced her way, making her only more agitated. She knew she couldn’t stay here any longer.

She glanced at the elevator, her expression conflicted. She’d originally wanted to chase after Jiang Ce, to explain everything as she always had.

But the memory of his cold, final look made her lose all will to go back.

What if, from now on, he wanted nothing to do with her? If the plot couldn’t be changed, what good would all her efforts do?

A wave of hopelessness washed over her. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the exit.

Night had fully fallen, but the city lights were bright and dazzling, turning the street into a river of colors.

She found a quiet spot by the roadside and crouched down. Her stomach rumbled with hunger, but she’d lost her appetite, her strength sapped.

“No wonder Jian Yanzhi said all those strange things. So this is why,” she murmured.

He must have thought she’d sent that email. After all, besides her, who else would have the will or the means to investigate for him?

The flash drive contained contact details and price lists for all of Morningstar Group’s business partners and suppliers. If Hanhai Group intercepted these clients, it would be a devastating blow for Morningstar.

Ruan Mianmian knew how important that information was. If this came to light, Jiang Ce would never forgive her.

In the original story, this was how things unfolded. The details differed, but the outcome was the same.

She was cast aside by Jiang Ce, losing the only person in the book who truly cared for her.

“So what? If the plot keeps advancing, maybe once it’s over, I’ll be able to go back.”

Her eyes stung, vision blurring with tears. She knew this hope was nothing but self-comfort.

But aside from Jiang Ce, it was all she had left.

“Go back to River City. Find Jian Yanzhi,” she told herself.

Ruan Mianmian stood up, wiping away the tears. She cast a final, indifferent glance at the grand, moonlit manor behind her.

Even so, remembering Jiang Ce’s utter indifference, her heart still ached unbearably.