My Queen, My Rules - 38
Pitiful
Cen Sen sat there with an expression of utter calm. His gaze rested on Yan Yuexing for less than three seconds before shifting away, his mood impossible to read.
The producer’s heart gave an uneasy thump. He hurriedly rose to refill Cen Sen’s glass, then swiftly changed the subject. “President Cen, I’m not sure how often you visit Xingcheng, but the crab at Yaoyue Pavilion is truly the city’s finest. You must try it when it’s served!”
Although unsure which remark had misfired, the producer could tell their benefactor was not pleased.
His heart hammered nervously as he pinned all his hopes on the boss’s magnanimity, praying he wouldn’t hold it against them. Even better would be if the boss would follow his lead and let the matter slide.
Unfortunately, Cen Sen did not take the offered route. He stood up and walked out without a word, not even offering a cursory “excuse me.”
Just then, waiters arrived with the food. In the spacious private room, the guest of honor was walking out, the host was chasing after him with frantic cries of “President Cen!”, and the remaining guests were left exchanging bewildered glances. The scene instantly became extremely awkward.
“What happened? Why did he leave so suddenly?”
“No idea. Bizarre.”
“That’s really not giving Old Yang any face…”
“Since when does Old Yang have that kind of face?”
Inside the room, whispers and speculation swirled. Outside, the night wind was chilly.
Zhou Jiaheng followed behind Cen Sen, holding out his overcoat as they walked.
After putting it on, Cen Sen slightly raised his hand to adjust his collar. From start to finish, he didn't grant the producer so much as a glance.
Frantic, the producer didn’t dare lay a hand on Cen Sen. He could only latch desperately onto Zhou Jiaheng, demanding an explanation.
Having worked with Cen Sen for years, Zhou Jiaheng had grown imperturbable. He easily pried the producer’s fingers loose. Before getting into the car, he said coldly, “Producer Yang, you’d do well to engage in less gossip.”
“…?”
Gossip? Weren’t they just praising the two designers Junyi was promoting?
Producer Yang was genuinely baffled now. He could only watch helplessly as Cen Sen’s car reversed out of the parking spot and sped off down the main road, his mind screaming a single frantic thought: It’s over, it’s over. Is the sponsorship going to fall through?
In the car, without needing instruction, Zhou Jiaheng ascertained Ji Mingshu's whereabouts and reported them one by one to Cen Sen.
Cen Sen gave a noncommittal "Hmm," looking out the window, seemingly in a poor mood.
He knew Ji Mingshu had many flaws, but that didn't mean he enjoyed hearing others criticize his wife.
Seeing this, Zhou Jiaheng promptly admitted his fault. “My apologies, President Cen. This was my oversight.”
The only reason Cen Sen would deign to attend a wrap-party banquet like this was Ji Mingshu.
Yet he, as the personal assistant, hadn’t even ascertained the basic fact that Ji Mingshu had returned to the capital that afternoon. A clear dereliction of duty.
An even greater dereliction was allowing those blind fools to discuss Ji Mingshu right in front of Cen Sen, walking straight into the line of fire…
“Don’t bother collecting your year-end bonus this year.”
Cen Sen looked out the window, not even lifting his eyes.
Zhou Jiaheng felt a pang of financial pain. He knew it was misplaced anger, but he didn’t argue.
The sponsorship for Designer’s Abode had already been disbursed, and filming was complete. Canceling cooperation now over a moment’s displeasure was clearly unrealistic.
But if anyone who had criticized Ji Mingshu today ever appeared in another Junyi investment project in the future, he might as well pack his bags and leave his post as chief assistant.
His only prayer now was that Designer’s Abode would broadcast smoothly and not conjure up any more trouble related to the boss’s wife.
---
Cen Sen’s abrupt departure sent waves of anxiety through the production team. Over in her corner of the world, Ji Mingshu had just finished her hot spring soak and saw the WeChat message from the staff member.
She checked the time and replied, “Sorry, I’m not in Xingcheng,” then paid it no further mind.
All her mental energy was currently focused on one pressing matter: how to utterly outshine Li Wenyin tomorrow.
The tangled enmity between Ji Mingshu and Li Wenyin stretched back over twenty years, known to everyone in their old compound.
The root of their feud traced back to first grade.
Back then, Ji Mingshu had given candy she brought from abroad to the cutest boy in class. The boy accepted it, only to turn around and give it to Li Wenyin. Li Wenyin, knowing the candy was from Ji Mingshu, made a point of sucking on it proudly in front of her. Furious, Ji Mingshu had fought her.
It seemed the magnetic field between people was preordained. From that year on, Ji Mingshu and Li Wenyin were always at odds. Over the years, the rift only deepened, with no possibility of reconciliation.
---
The following afternoon, the C-brand cocktail party was held at the Obe Art Center.
Ji Mingshu only realized upon checking the invitation that the dress code keyword was “casual.” Her original plan to crush Li Wenyin with a stunning haute couture gown was suddenly useless.
After much deliberation, she finally chose a burgundy knee-length strapless dress. It was neither overly formal nor too casual, and it accentuated her slender, shapely figure perfectly. Paired with a pearl-white clutch, it was stunning!
Unfortunately, as fate would have it, Li Wenyin showed up in a pearl-white strapless jumpsuit, carrying a burgundy clutch.
Arm in arm with an investor, she smiled and socialized, her every gesture overflowing with a quiet, bookish elegance.
A circle of socialites, with Ji Mingshu at the center, observed her from a distance, picking her apart with muttered comments.
“Mingshu, your outfits today are a bit like the red rose and the white rose, huh?” someone teased.
Someone else immediately retorted, "The white rose? Is she worthy?”
“Seriously, watch your mouth. Hey, didn’t you know her mom used to be the Ji family’s housekeeper?”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah. It was only out of the Ji family’s kindness that they took in the mother and daughter. And look how the daughter has opposed Mingshu since they were kids. She should know her place.” The girl’s voice was gentle, but it did nothing to mask the scorn.
Jiang Chun, standing beside Ji Mingshu, thought, Holy shit. She suddenly had the strange feeling that Li Wenyin was living out a Cinderella revenge story, and their whole group was cast as the wicked supporting characters.
Jiang Chun wasn’t the only one with this feeling. Ji Mingshu had carried the thorn of “Li Wenyin, the flawless female lead” in her heart since childhood.
Even now, years later, the thorn remained, flaring up from time to time, tormenting her with the urge to cut it out, flesh and bone.
Unlike these wealthy socialites with nothing better to do than critique others at a party, Li Wenyin had a purpose. She was there to get an introduction to a famed film director through a contact, hoping to secure him as executive producer for her screen debut and ensure its smooth sailing.
She had naturally spotted Ji Mingshu, but she had never held Ji Mingshu in any regard over the years. Her posture remained aloof as ever; she didn’t deign to spare her so much as an extra glance.
This attitude was a clear declaration of disregard. It pissed Ji Mingshu off, but she couldn't very well charge over and pick a fight for no reason.
She downed a glass of red wine to suppress her irritation, then pretended nonchalance as she watched the stage performance with Jiang Chun.
Jiang Chun lowered her voice. “You’re not planning a direct battle?”
Ji Mingshu: “How would that work?”
Jiang Chun: “Didn’t you come specifically to outshine her and warn her off making that stupid movie? Then you need at least a scene where you exchange threats or throw red wine in her face or something.”
Ji Mingshu: “You’ve read too many novels. Throwing wine…”
Munching on cake, Jiang Chun muttered under her breath, imparting various surefire techniques for battling romantic rivals.
Ji Mingshu, being a veteran novel reader herself, found Jiang Chun's advice increasingly off-key. The strategies Jiang Chun suggested sounded exactly like the stupid moves only a foolish supporting character would make, simply beneath her.
Jiang Chun was mid-sentence when she suddenly stopped. “She’s going to the bathroom. Quick, go after her!”
She even gave Ji Mingshu a push. “You could lock her in a stall with a broom, or splash water on her!”
Are you insane? What kind of place is this? How could there be a broom in the restroom?
Pushed to her feet, Ji Mingshu’s mind raced even as her feet carried her involuntarily toward the restroom.
The art center’s restroom was suitably artistic.
If not for the clear “Women” sign on the door, one might mistake it for a high-end dressing room upon entering.
Ji Mingshu absentmindedly touched up her makeup at the sink, her eyes fixed on the mirror, monitoring the activity in the stalls behind her.
About three minutes later, Li Wenyin finally emerged.
Seeing Ji Mingshu at the vanity, she paused briefly but showed no particular surprise.
Ji Mingshu patted powder onto her face for a second time. As Li Wenyin walked to the sink beside her to wash her hands, Ji Mingshu said with feigned nonchalance, “What a coincidence.”
Li Wenyin gave a soft laugh without looking up. “I see no coincidence here.”
Ji Mingshu: “…”
After washing her hands, Li Wenyin pulled a paper towel and looked at Ji Mingshu in the mirror as she dried them, her tone knowing. “After all these years, I never thought you’d still be so childish.”
“What? Who’s childish?”
Ji Mingshu instantly switched to combat mode.
“Ji Mingshu, you have money and time. Wouldn’t it be better to do something meaningful? We’re all adults now. Stop playing these childish games.”
Li Wenyin took out her lipstick and calmly applied a light layer.
Ji Mingshu stared for three full seconds, then let out a sudden, angry laugh, her voice rising several notches. “We’re all foxes from the same mountain, so drop the act. Don’t play innocent about who’s been scheming in the shadows. You can’t even manage to be a quiet, shut-up ex-girlfriend, and you have the nerve to put on this intellectual, elegant act in front of me?”
“You know I’m making a movie?” Li Wenyin paused for a few seconds, then finally looked at her. “Did Cen Sen tell you?”
What did Cen Sen have to do with this?
Seeing her expression, Li Wenyin let out a light laugh. “I bet Cen Sen definitely didn’t tell you about Junyi investing in my film. But if he doesn’t mind, why do you? You’ve liked him for so many years, even used tricks to marry him as you wished. And you still haven’t won his heart?”
She had finished tidying up and prepared to leave. As she brushed past Ji Mingshu, as if struck by another thought, she leaned in and whispered lightly by her ear, “How pathetic.”
That single word, “pathetic,” carried the unresolved resentment that had been branded onto Ji Mingshu’s heart since their school days. It seized her heart with a sudden, suffocating tightness.
The click-clack of Li Wenyin's high heels faded into the distance.
The psychological defenses Ji Mingshu had built up over days collapsed under Li Wenyin’s bland, cutting words. She could only brace herself against the vanity, forcing herself to remain standing.
---
Cen Sen was playing golf with Jiang Che at his course when Ji Mingshu’s call came through. Shu Yang and Zhao Yang were also there.
The four men were standing close together.
Seeing it was Ji Mingshu calling, Shu Yang teased mischievously, "Oh ho, is Little Shushu checking up on you?"
This was the first call from Ji Mingshu after days of stalemate. Cen Sen ignored him and answered directly.
Perhaps his phone was malfunctioning. He hadn’t put it on speaker, but the volume was loud enough for all three men nearby to hear clearly.
Ji Mingshu’s voice on the other end trembled slightly, laced with a deliberately suppressed yet unmistakable hysteria.
“Do you remember what I told you?! Do you remember what you promised me?! What do you mean, investing in Li Wenyin’s film to commemorate your love?! Do you want to slap me in the face and show the whole world how ridiculous I am?!”
A few seconds later, her voice calmed slightly, turning flat and cold. “I have nothing left to say to you. When are you coming back? We’re getting a divorce.”
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