The Vicious, Vain Stepsister (Seventeen)

Before long, the day of the engagement ceremony arrived.

Jiang Xuefu wore a white strapless evening gown. Braids from either side of her long hair swept back into a princess bun, tied with a white lace ribbon studded with tiny diamonds. Her earrings and necklace were jewels that had been passed down through the Lu family for over a century, priceless treasures unavailable on the market. Yet, rather than stealing the show, they made her look even more breathtakingly beautiful.

Tan Shu watched from a distance for a long while before strolling over, wineglass in hand. "Nice going, brother. You got engaged to the goddess without breathing a word."

Tan Shu had once had feelings for Jiang Xuefu himself, but after learning that she was with his brother, those feelings had gradually faded. Later, Lu Zhiyan took Jiang Xuefu to Country Y, while Tan Shu went to Country M, leaving more than half the world between them.

A faint smile curved Lu Zhiyan's cool lips. His hand remained firmly at Jiang Xuefu's waist, displaying his affection and possessiveness at every moment. "When are you going to find someone? Aunt Tan came by the house a few days ago and specifically brought it up."

Back then, Tan Shu had dated one girlfriend after another. Later, for some reason, he had suddenly started keeping himself pure, and even now, no one had heard of any woman at his side.

Tan Shu's mother had worried herself sick. When he had girlfriends, she worried that his fooling around would make his future wife look down on him. Now that he had none, she still worried. She had even wondered if he had damaged his health by dating too much before, often leaving Tan Shu caught between laughter and tears.

Tan Shu smiled indifferently. "That sort of thing depends on fate. You can't force it. Not everyone has such good luck."

As he mentioned good luck, Tan Shu cast a discreet sidelong glance at the woman beside Lu Zhiyan, whose radiant smile was so alluring, and silently pressed down the bitterness spreading through his heart.

Perhaps, once he had seen the most beautiful scenery in the world, he could no longer see anything else.

Though it was only an engagement, the groom-to-be was the heir to the Lu family, so the venue was still packed with influential figures. Faces normally seen only on the news or in financial magazines could be found everywhere. Jiang Sheng also took the opportunity to use his status as the Lu Group heir's future father-in-law to make the acquaintance of several prominent people.

The once gentle and refined man had, at some unknown point, acquired an edge. The calculations concealed deep in his eyes for years had now risen to the surface.

In a corner, Su Jing stood alone with a glass of wine, watching quietly. No one knew what she was thinking.

But when her gaze accidentally fell on Jiang Sheng, she immediately turned away in disgust. Ever since gaining power, Jiang Sheng had failed to escape men's base instincts and kept several mistresses on the side. By now, staying away from home had become the norm.

It was not that she had never considered divorce, but Jiang Sheng had never agreed. While they were together, Jiang Sheng had at least a legitimate reason to control Su Corporation, even though everyone understood certain things perfectly well. But once they divorced, wouldn't that expose his status as a phoenix man for all to see?

And to think she had once believed Jiang Sheng's nonsense about not caring about face. Now it was clear that it wasn't that he didn't want to care; he simply didn't dare and couldn't afford to care.

Su Jing gave a self-mocking smile and turned toward an empty balcony.

It was September, the hottest and most stifling time of year in North City, and no one wanted to stay outside. That suited Su Jing just fine.

The glass door shut out the bustle and clamor inside. With both hands braced on the railing, she quietly admired the full moon hanging high in the night sky.

Suddenly, several strange moans from a man and a woman seemed to drift up from a corner of the garden below, followed by the rustling of flowers and plants being brushed against and pressed down.

Su Jing frowned deeply. Young people these days were outrageous, fooling around no matter the occasion.

The mood she had only just managed to recover was completely ruined. She tipped her head back and drained the champagne in her hand. Just as she was about to go back inside, something caught the corner of her eye, and by the bright moonlight, Su Jing finally saw the man and woman embracing in the garden below.

She knew the man: a notorious playboy in their circle who changed girlfriends more often than clothes. She knew the woman too-she was all too familiar with her.

Su Jiu! Her precious daughter! Her clothes half off, she was nestled in the man's arms, obediently accepting his kisses.

Su Jing stared with her eyes nearly splitting, her breathing rapid. She couldn't understand where things had gone wrong!

Only minutes ago, her daughter had messaged her to say she was stuck in traffic and would be a little late. Yet now she was in the garden, behaving so, so shamelessly!

Down below, Su Jiu had just finished a deep kiss. She panted softly, her head resting in the crook of the man's neck, an occasional flicker of confusion passing through her dazed eyes.

The Lu family's garden was enormous, and the guests were all on the second floor. It was dark and hard to see, and the flowers and plants provided cover, so neither of them thought they would be discovered.

Chen Xi helped Su Jiu fasten the buttons on the front of her clothes one by one, then leaned down and spoke suggestively in her ear. "Baby, how about coming to my place tonight?"

What going to his place meant went without saying.

Su Jiu tended to be conservative about sex. Rather than vaguely giving herself to someone she wasn't sure about during a relationship, she hoped that moment would come on her wedding day.

Even during the three years she had been with Jiang Huaiyu, the most they had done was kiss. On the occasional times he lost control, Jiang Huaiyu had still respected her wishes.

But now, she hesitated for a long while. Remembering Jiang Xuefu's usual wanton, seductive manner, she gritted her teeth and nodded.

If I became like Jiang Xuefu too, would someone like me?

Both of her relationships had been snatched away by the same woman. Su Jiu, who had never been confident to begin with, doubted herself even more now.

Am I really not as good as Jiang Xuefu? Is that why Mom, Lu Zhiyan, and Jiang Huaiyu all like her?

Seeing Su Jiu nod, Chen Xi was delighted. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her several more times. "Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, I like you so much."

He had spent days coaxing her, and today Su Jiu had finally agreed. How could he not be happy?

Hearing the excitement in his voice, Su Jiu couldn't help smiling too.

She had met Chen Xi half a month ago at a party Jiang Xuefu held.

The two had become close a week ago.

At the time, Jiang Xuefu had sent her to fetch something from a place over thirty kilometers away. It had been late at night, and the place was remote. Su Jiu had finally managed to get the item, only to find she couldn't get a ride back.

Just as she was at her wits' end, Chen Xi had slowly pulled up beside her in his luxury car.

Su Jiu had always been practically invisible in the Su family, and she was never invited to gatherings in their circle, so she didn't know that the man before her was a notorious womanizer.

Under those circumstances, she had thought that they at least knew each other, and that running into Chen Xi was better than being unable to get a ride or meeting a swindler. So she had gratefully gotten into his car.

Later, under Chen Xi's relentless pursuit and the influence of her own subconscious imitation of Jiang Xuefu's manner, she had agreed to go out with him in a daze.

This was only their third day together.

"Xiao Jiu, let's leave now, okay? I don't want you to go back inside. I want to spend every minute and every second by your side." Chen Xi knew what she liked to hear, and tailored everything he said to her tastes.

Sure enough, the smile on Su Jiu's face grew a little more genuine. She reached out to touch his cheek and said soothingly, "Okay, whatever you say."

She didn't like Chen Xi, but she liked the way others couldn't bear to be without her. The clingier, the better-the kind who would go mad and die without her. Just as Jiang Xuefu was to Lu Zhiyan.

It was the happiness of being deeply needed and loved, something she had never experienced with Jiang Huaiyu.

Hearing her answer, Chen Xi couldn't wait to scoop her into his arms. His impatient, monkey-like eagerness spoiled some of his handsome good looks, but unfortunately, Su Jiu, lost in what she believed was happiness, didn't notice.