Chapter 55: I Have Nothing to Be Proud Of

Shen Qing took out his phone, and the call connected quickly.

“Open the door.”

On the other end, Shen Ting sounded a bit bewildered. “Brother? Was it you banging on the door?”

“Enough talk, just open the door.”

Shen Ting let out a light laugh and continued, “Hold on, I’m drying my hair. You show up whenever you want and make such a racket—I thought someone was trying to rob me.”

Shen Qing didn’t answer, simply hung up.

Sure enough, soon there was the sound of the lock turning, and the door swung open.

“Brother?”

Shen Ting’s cheerful voice came from within, but before she could see anyone, she was startled by someone forcefully squeezing past her into the apartment.

Ruan Mianmian blocked the doorway, her face stormy. She barged in first, and with a thud, the door slammed behind her, leaving the other three outside.

“Shen Ting,” Ruan Mianmian called out, furious.

Shen Ting was shocked at first, and now, coming to her senses, she was angry as well. “Ruan Mianmian, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing?” Ruan Mianmian glanced down, fiddling with her fingers. “I’ve come to settle accounts with you, of course.”

The more dazzling Ruan Mianmian’s smile became, the more panic crept into Shen Ting’s heart. She took two steps back, eyes wary. “What do you want? You know it’s illegal to break into someone’s home!”

“So you do know it’s illegal,” Ruan Mianmian’s voice rose sharply. “Yet you sent people sneaking into my room, planted a USB drive, and pinned all your misdeeds on me—did you not think that was a crime?”

At the mention of the USB drive, Shen Ting suddenly sneered. “You prepared the evidence, so what does it have to do with me? I told you before, you brought this on yourself!”

Ruan Mianmian pressed her lips together. “Yes, I prepared it, but I had the right to decide what to do with it. Not only did you steal from me, you spread it around as you pleased. Tell me, how should I deal with you?”

“Deal with me?” Shen Ting retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Ruan Mianmian, are you out of your mind? If it weren’t for me, how could you have become Director Ruan today? Really, you should be thanking me!”

“Thank you? You think I care about being director?” Ruan Mianmian’s voice trembled with anger. All she ever wanted was to stay by Jiang Ce’s side; she never coveted the director’s seat.

“Whether you care or not is your business,” Shen Ting cut her off coldly. “Now I’m asking you to leave my home. Otherwise, I really will call the police. This isn’t the company, and it’s certainly not a place where you can do as you please!”

“Heh—” Ruan Mianmian sneered, stepping forward. “I never realized there was anywhere I couldn’t do as I please.”

Shen Ting saw her expression and panic flashed across her face; she stumbled back, alarmed. “What do you want?”

Ruan Mianmian didn’t answer. She strode up, grabbed Shen Ting’s arm with her left hand, then raised her right and slapped her twice across the face.

Shen Ting was stunned, collapsing to the ground with her hands pressed to her cheeks.

“You? You actually dare hit me?”

“Yes! I dare!” Ruan Mianmian crouched down, making Shen Ting shrink back in fright.

“Shen Ting, let me tell you—this is just a small lesson. If you cross me again, you’ll learn what I’m really capable of.”

Shen Ting clutched her face, hatred burning in her eyes. “Ruan Mianmian, I won’t let you get away with this!”

Ruan Mianmian dusted off her hands, rising with a slow, contemptuous smile. “As it happens, neither will I.”

Before, even though she knew Shen Ting was behind everything, she’d held back because the email Shen Ting sent Jian Yanzhi was incomplete. She thought Shen Ting was holding something back as leverage, keeping evidence for future threats.

But now she realized things were entirely different.

Shen Ting was Shen Qing’s sister, and she was Jiang Ce’s agent within Hanhai Group—in other words, she belonged to Jiang Ce.

All those times Ruan Mianmian lost out to Shen Ting, it was simply because Shen Ting disliked her from the start. Not for any other reason, but because of Jiang Ce.

So Ruan Mianmian could no longer endure it. She knew that even if she tore things open with Shen Ting, the rest of the USB’s content would never end up in Jian Yanzhi’s inbox. Because all of this was just Shen Ting’s way of forcing her away from Jiang Ce.

No wonder, apart from the information about the Jiangcheng New District, the other contents of the email were useless to Jian Yanzhi.

Ruan Mianmian let out a cold laugh, turning her gaze back to Shen Ting.

“In the future, if you have a problem, come at me directly. Don’t bother with your sly little tricks. If you have the guts, face me head-on.”

The scorn in Ruan Mianmian’s eyes cut Shen Ting to the quick. Shen Ting scrambled to her feet and shot back, “What do you have to be so proud of?”

“I’m not proud of anything,” Ruan Mianmian replied, a smile blooming on her face, bright and lovely. “It’s just that I happened to win Jiang Ce’s heart.”

Shen Ting’s expression froze in an instant. She stared at Ruan Mianmian in shock and jealousy, as if she’d just heard something fantastical.

But Ruan Mianmian knew that Shen Ting had understood every word.

Without lingering, she turned and pulled open the door, walking straight out.

Shen Qing rushed in first, frantic. “Tingting?”

Whatever was said after that, Ruan Mianmian didn’t hear.

She glanced at Jiang Ce, then stepped into the elevator, leaving him and Jian Yanzhi behind as she descended in silence.

Just moments ago, a scene from later in the book had flashed through her mind.

Later, Jiang Ce would have a capable female assistant by his side. She managed his work and personal affairs with meticulous care, accompanying him everywhere. To outsiders, she looked just like his wife.

So that was Shen Ting.

Gritting her teeth, Ruan Mianmian fought to keep her emotions in check as she got into her car. After starting the engine and turning the vehicle around, she suddenly saw a figure stumbling out of the apartment building.

His face was full of confusion and loss, and he chased after her car for a long distance.

Seeing Jiang Ce like this, Ruan Mianmian unexpectedly burst into tears.

She knew that, in truth, none of this was his fault.

Pressing the brakes, she quietly pulled over.

Jiang Ce caught up, out of breath, his eyes smoldering like a volcano about to erupt and consume her.

He knocked on the window, his voice colder than she’d ever heard. “Get out of the car!”

Ruan Mianmian remained unmoved.

Jiang Ce gripped his head in frustration, his voice breaking. “Get! Out!”

Ruan Mianmian rubbed her eyes, took a deep breath, then lowered the window, slumping against it, listless.

“Jiang Ce, I’m tired. Take me home.”

Jiang Ce bit down so hard he tasted blood, but hearing her gentle words, it was as if his fists had landed on cotton, his anger instantly deflated.

He reached over, opened the car door himself, and lifted Ruan Mianmian up, carrying her to the passenger seat.

Only then did Jian Yanzhi slowly exit the building.