After Mistaking My Stepsister’s First Love - Chapter 71

Last time, due to the suddenness of the situation, Ye Wenjin only had time to briefly explain the circumstances to everyone. Shortly after, Jian Mo entered her estrus cycle, leaving Ye Wenjin with no opportunity to reconnect with Rong Yunshu and the others.

Now that the trio had returned, they were finally reunited. Even Ye Wenjin felt she had so much to say to them.

Fortunately, it was lunch break, so their arrival went largely unnoticed, sparing the office from any disruption.

Ye Wenjin turned to glance pleadingly at Jian Mo, who smiled and nodded. “Let’s go to the meeting room next door.”

Ye Wenjin obediently agreed and ushered the three of them to follow Jian Mo into the meeting room.

As Jian Mo had mentioned, the room was indeed small—more like a personal lounge than a formal meeting space. It was also conveniently close to Jian Mo’s office. Just as Ye Wenjin began to hesitate, Jian Mo reassured her, “This room is soundproof, so feel free to chat without worrying about disturbing anyone.”

Relieved, Ye Wenjin relaxed.

At this point, catching up was secondary—everyone was more concerned about Jian Mo’s condition. Fortunately, she seemed to be doing well, having safely navigated her estrus cycle. Seeing her in good spirits put everyone at ease.

Ye Wenjin and Jian Mo exchanged a glance, silently agreeing not to mention the newly triggered symptoms. Instead, they casually mentioned that since Jian Mo’s hormones were still stabilizing post-estrus, Ye Wenjin needed to stay close to provide comfort, hence accompanying her to work these days.

Chu Yunsheng’s ears perked up at the keyword, and a sudden realization struck her. “Wow, isn’t this just—”

Feeling the sudden intensity of Ye Wenjin’s glare, Chu Yunsheng slammed on the brakes, narrowly avoiding a social disaster.

Ye Wenjin exhaled in relief. Knowing Chu Yunsheng’s personality all too well, she had been on high alert the moment she heard the opening words. Thankfully, Chu Yunsheng stopped herself in time.

The tension visibly eased among the four.

Jian Mo arched a brow, smiling knowingly.

Seeing that everyone was comfortable, Jian Mo prepared to return to her office. Aware that her presence might make them self-conscious, she bid them farewell and left.

Ye Wenjin instinctively followed but was caught at the door.

“A-Jin? Why are you following me?” Jian Mo asked, surprised.

Ye Wenjin blinked. “Didn’t we agree I’d accompany you at work? So I—”

Jian Mo couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re just next door—it’s only a few steps away. Don’t worry. I know you want to chat with your friends. Go ahead, I’ll have some snacks sent over.”

Still hesitant, Ye Wenjin was gently turned around by Jian Mo. “Go on, it’s fine. You’re close by.”

Though Jian Mo preferred having Ye Wenjin within sight at all times, she also knew she might get bored. Having noticed Ye Wenjin’s restraint that morning, Jian Mo had invited Chu Yunsheng and the others over precisely so she wouldn’t feel lonely.

Reluctantly, Ye Wenjin nodded and returned to the meeting room.

No sooner had she sat back down than Chu Yunsheng eagerly pulled her into an excited conversation.

“Wenjin, you haven’t told us yet—was the charity gala fun? Did you meet any celebrities or famous people?”

At her question, Ye Wenjin’s interest was piqued as well. She began recalling and sharing gossip with the three of them.

Unexpected sightings of certain celebrities, rumored couples making appearances together, and even a few divorced ex-spouses spotted in the same room—all sorts of juicy tidbits were exchanged.

Then the topic shifted to the items auctioned off during the event.

It was only when this came up that Wenjin remembered—Jian Mo had actually won a necklace at the auction. She had nearly forgotten about it entirely. If not for this conversation, she might have completely overlooked the fact that they had even bought anything.

Noticing her sudden silence, Chu Yunsheng quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Did you think of something else?”

Ye Wenjin hesitated for a second. “Sister bought a necklace at the auction, but everything happened so suddenly back then that I forgot all about it.”

Chu Yunsheng and Rong Yunshu both perked up with interest.

“So where’s the necklace now?”

Ye Wenjin: “…I don’t know.”

The group exchanged glances. After a long pause, Chu Yunsheng finally said, “It should be fine. Since it was won, the item will definitely be delivered. Don’t worry.”

Ye Wenjin nodded hesitantly, deciding she would ask Jian Mo about it later.

Still, she had taken photos, so everyone got a look at it anyway.

Chu Yunsheng gasped in awe after seeing the pictures. “That’s no ordinary piece of jewelry—it’s worth a fortune! Wenjin, you better take good care of it.”

Unsurprisingly, the necklace was undoubtedly bought by Jian Mo for Ye Wenjin.

Chu Yunsheng waggled her eyebrows teasingly at Wenjin, her expression full of playful insinuation.

Ye Wenjin didn’t respond, but her lips curled into an irrepressible smile, her eyes brimming with tenderness.

Chu Yunsheng groaned dramatically, pretending to be overwhelmed by the sweetness as she downed a cup of tea to “wash away the sugar.”

Wenjin, amused by her reaction, felt a little embarrassed.

But the topic quickly shifted. The four of them, having not seen each other in so long, chatted endlessly, their conversation flowing nonstop. The words came so thick and fast that Chu Yunsheng and Rong Yunshu even bickered several times.

When friends gather, talk naturally drifts from one subject to another—whatever comes to mind.

Perhaps because she was too relaxed, Ye Wenjin even mentioned Guan You’s recent visit. The reactions from the other three were intense.

“Showing up out of nowhere like that—she’s definitely up to no good. Wenjin, you need to be careful.”

Rong Yunshu, as always, was blunt and to the point.

Ye Wenjin knew she meant well and wasn’t offended. Besides, she also felt that Guan You’s sudden appearance couldn’t be innocent.

She even suspected that Guan You’s visit might be connected to the plot against her sister.

But since Jian Mo had told her not to interfere, insisting she would handle it herself, Wenjin had no choice but to keep her doubts to herself.

Chu Yunsheng was also indignant, grumbling about it repeatedly.

Zhou Wuhua, her head lowered, murmured softly, “If you need someone to argue with her, you can call me.”

Shy and reserved—but ready to throw down if needed.

Ye Wenjin quickly reassured everyone, explaining that Guan You hadn’t shown up again recently, so it probably wasn’t a big deal.

“Don’t force yourself to handle things alone! If anything happens, just say the word—we’ll help however we can!”

Chu Yunsheng thumped her chest in a show of solidarity.

Ye Wenjin looked at the three of them, feeling nothing but warmth and security.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t give her my contact information. Besides, we haven’t been in touch for a long time. If she hadn’t suddenly appeared that day, I would have almost forgotten about her.”

For her, it was hard to say whether Ye Shuyao or Guan You was the better person.

Ye Wenjin realized she couldn’t compare the two. Even if Ye Shuyao had taken her away partly out of genuine concern that she wouldn’t fare well with Guan You, things had slowly morphed into what they were now.

Guan You, on the other hand, had never once considered taking her away because she already had a new family.

Now, Ye Wenjin had come to terms with it. She understood that her mother-daughter ties with both women had long since ended.

Even if Guan You reappeared, she wouldn’t offer her any help.

Some might say her heart had grown too hard, but Ye Wenjin wouldn’t care about such opinions.

Because if it were her sister, she would only say she had done well, that she was amazing—and that sister was Jian Mo.

Most of her confidence and strength came from Jian Mo. Ye Wenjin noticed the changes in herself but found nothing wrong with them.

So with each passing day, her reliance on Jian Mo grew a little deeper.

Ye Wenjin reveled in this feeling, in the sense of security Jian Mo gave her—it made her feel as though she, too, had found a place to belong.

The others saw her smiling softly and didn’t need to ask to know what she was thinking about.

Chu Yunsheng clicked her tongue twice. “Seriously, coming early just to be fed dog food. I don’t even need dinner now—I’m already stuffed.”

Rong Yunshu also wore a faint smile. She had let go during their travels, and now, seeing Ye Wenjin doing well, her heart was filled with nothing but relief.

At least Ye Wenjin had met the right person, and that person was far better than she had ever been.

Only Zhou Wuhua’s eyes held a trace of envy, though it was hidden behind her glasses, unnoticed by anyone.

They chatted and snacked, carrying on like this until the afternoon.

Ye Wenjin realized just how much they could talk, but at the same time, her mood was exceptionally bright.

However, when they arrived at the dinner venue that evening, her good mood came to an abrupt halt.

Whether it was fate’s cruel joke or not, as soon as they stepped into the restaurant, Ye Wenjin sensed something and immediately spotted Yin Yu and her two companions dining in the main hall.

Her steps faltered, and Jian Mo instantly noticed something was wrong. Following her gaze, Jian Mo’s expression hardened when she saw the trio.

“A-Jin, let’s go somewhere else.”

The sudden voice startled Ye Wenjin, but she quickly composed herself, tugging at Jian Mo’s sleeve and shaking her head. “It’s fine, let’s not bother. Besides, we’re in a private room—it’ll be okay.”

Jian Mo studied her, nodding only when she saw no trace of reluctance in her expression. “Alright, if you say so. Let’s go.”

Ye Wenjin quickly ushered Chu Yunsheng and the others into the private room, keeping a low profile.

What she didn’t know was that despite her efforts, Yin Feifei had still spotted her.

But Yin Feifei wasn’t entirely sure, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her, and fell into thought.

Yin Yu glanced up and noticed Yin Feifei’s distraction. “Yin Feifei, what are you spacing out for?”

Yin Feifei snapped back to reality, her expression uncertain. “I think… I just saw Ye Wenjin.”

Ye Shuyao paused, instinctively scanning the surroundings, but found no sign of Ye Wenjin. A pang of disappointment flickered through her.

Yin Yu’s eyes flickered slightly as she continued eating at a leisurely pace. “So Jian Mo is here too?”

Yin Feifei hesitated. “Probably? I didn’t get a clear look, just caught a glimpse of Ye Wenjin’s back.”

A trace of regret flashed in Yin Yu’s eyes. “They must have come together.”

She paused, glanced at Yin Feifei, and said slowly, “Feifei, you better behave yourself during this period. If the collaboration falls through because of you, you know the consequences.”

Yin Feifei’s scalp tightened instantly, and she hurriedly assured, “I understand, Mother. Don’t worry.”

Yin Yu gave her a warning look. “You better truly understand. I don’t want to see you acting on your own again.”

Yin Feifei stiffly nodded. “Yes.”

Their conversation wasn’t hidden from Ye Shuyao, but she was too distracted by Yin Feifei’s mention of seeing Ye Wenjin to pay attention to what they were saying.

Moreover… recently, Ye Shuyao had been feeling increasingly cold-shouldered by Yin Yu, and a sense of panic had taken root in her heart—as if she had already lost her value to Yin Yu.

Perhaps her intuition wasn’t wrong. After she exchanged compensation with Jian Mo for Yin Yu’s sake, she no longer held any worth.

So day by day, Ye Shuyao grew more silent, sometimes spacing out in her room for hours, unable to comprehend how she had ended up like this.

She had thought about seeking out Ye Wenjin, but every time the idea crossed her mind, the image of Ye Wenjin walking away in disappointment surfaced, stopping her in her tracks.

Thus, she cowardly remained as she was, too afraid to take action and even more terrified of provoking Yin Yu’s anger.

This rare outing for a meal together was only because Yin Yu had reportedly connected with a prominent family, and if nothing went wrong, they would secure a collaboration.

Ye Shuyao had heard Yin Yu mention that with this collaboration, the Yin family could rise to new heights.

The deal was practically set in stone, so Yin Yu was in a good mood and, for once, took them out to eat.

The restaurant was highly renowned, operating on a reservation system. However, reservations only secured seats in the open dining area—the private rooms were said to be reserved for VIP guests, available whenever they wished to dine.

The Yin family clearly didn’t meet the VIP standard, and since this was a spontaneous outing without a reservation, they had only managed to get in because Yin Yu had paid someone for a reserved spot.

Outside the restaurant, basking in the envious gazes of onlookers, Ye Shuyao felt her confidence swell for the first time in a long while, unconsciously straightening her posture.

But her good mood lasted only until Yin Feifei mentioned seeing Ye Wenjin.

If she had truly seen Ye Wenjin, yet they weren’t in the open dining area, there was only one possibility—

They were in a private room.

Ye Shuyao was lost in thought, her mind wandering throughout the meal.

Noticing her demeanor, Yin Yu’s eyes flashed with displeasure, but she said nothing. In contrast, Yin Feifei’s gaze at Ye Shuyao was full of mockery.

Unaware of the undercurrents among the three, Ye Wenjin had already forgotten about spotting Ye Shuyao and the others the moment she entered the private room.

Thanks to their previous travels together, the group now interacted more casually. When ordering, no one held back, each choosing their favorite dishes.

Zhou Wushang remained as shy as ever, but it didn’t matter—Chu Yunsheng ordered for her.

“I’ve been craving this for so long, but could never get a reservation. Only Sister Jian could pull this off, hahaha!”

Chu Yunsheng’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, her expression brimming with exaggerated gratitude.

Ye Wenjin shook her head with a smile, knowing Chu Yunsheng was being dramatic again—she always acted like this whenever Ye brought her food.

But there was no denying that Chu Yunsheng had a knack for delivering emotional satisfaction in spades.

The group happily began their meal, and the atmosphere at the table was lively and pleasant.

Had it not been for the sudden, ear-piercing scream—loud enough to be heard even inside their private room—the meal would have been absolutely perfect.

Jian Mo frowned almost imperceptibly at the unexpected disturbance but quickly composed herself.

With such a commotion outside, however, none of them could focus on eating anymore.

Chu Yunsheng kept glancing toward the door, her curiosity piqued, her mind no longer on the food.

She pricked up her ears. “What’s going on out there?”

Ye Wenjin shook her head, equally clueless.

Soon after, a server hurriedly knocked and entered, apologizing profusely for the disruption. She explained that there had been an unexpected incident and that it was being handled. To make amends, the restaurant even presented each of them with a complimentary gift box, hoping they wouldn’t mind the disturbance.

Jian Mo glanced at Ye Wenjin and the others, noticing that instead of annoyance, they were brimming with curiosity. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What exactly happened out there?”

The moment Jian Mo asked, the room seemed to grow quieter, as if everyone was holding their breath, their eyes fixed on the server, waiting for an answer.

Relieved that the esteemed guests weren’t angry, the server quickly replied, “Our restaurant operates on a reservation system, but today, one of the parties traded their reserved spot with another group. However, just now, two more people arrived, demanding to dine. When they found out their reservation had been taken, they got furious and ended up in a confrontation with the diners who had purchased the spot.”

She apologized again, “We’re truly sorry for disturbing you.”

Jian Mo nodded slightly, then, on a whim, asked, “Do you know which table was involved?”

The server thought for a moment. “The party who bought the reservation was a woman named Yin Yu.”

At this, everyone at the table looked surprised.

Noticing their reaction, the server perked up slightly and cautiously asked, “Do you know this lady?”

Jian Mo’s lips curved into a faint smile. “We do. But… only in passing.”

The server exhaled in relief.

She had initially thought the three might be close acquaintances of the guests—if so, the situation could have been resolved more easily. But now…

The server couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for those three.

The troublemakers were far from easygoing, and there seemed to be more to the reservation trade than met the eye. This was likely far from over.

Ye Wenjin’s expression turned odd—she hadn’t expected Yin Yu and her companions to land in such a mess.

But she quickly dismissed the thought. Whatever trouble they were in had nothing to do with her now. There was no point in dwelling on it.

With that, she calmly sat back down and resumed her meal.

Jian Mo, who had been observing her every move, smiled at the sight.

Her A-Jin had truly changed so much—but it was a change for the better.

Support