After Teasing the Crazy Mermaid, He Actually Deceived Me into Marriage - Chapter 74

For a moment, Si Tang actually felt too intimidated to meet the fiery intensity in those eyes.

She lowered her gaze and hesitated before saying, “I haven’t really thought about that yet. Right now, I just want to reclaim the Si family as quickly as possible. As for the future, maybe I’ll understand it better then.”

Si Tang gave him an honest answer. “I do have feelings for you. But I want us to get to know each other a little more.”

After everything she had been through with He Moheng, Si Tang was long past the age of believing in sweet words of love. Moreover, she always felt that there was an elusive layer of mystery surrounding Fan Yi something she just couldn’t quite see through.

The answer wasn’t too bad, after all.

The corners of Fan Yi’s lips lifted almost imperceptibly.

“I’ll give you time, Tangtang,” he said, maintaining a safe distance to give her enough space to breathe.

After all, by human standards, with the marriage certificate in hand, she was already his.

The restlessness and gloom stirred up by He Chenzhou eased somewhat.

Si Tang gave him a soft smile one that was pure and untainted. For some reason, it reminded Fan Yi of the way she had looked when watching butterflies on the island.

“Fan Yi, we have plenty of time ahead of us,” Si Tang said softly.

Even after Si Tang had gone upstairs, Fan Yi remained in a state that felt both dreamlike and real.

She was finally starting to like him a little.

Even so, late that night, Fan Yi couldn’t resist sneaking into Si Tang’s bedroom.

“Tangtang.”

He held her boldly in his arms, kissing her again and again, his eyes red-rimmed and filled with an obsessive, possessive love.

“You are mine.”

“And I am yours.”

Since that night when she and Fan Yi had laid their cards on the table, the atmosphere between them had grown even more ambiguous.

Si Tang also began deliberately avoiding He Chenzhou, ignoring his invitations to dinner.

Truthfully, she was a little confused. If He Chenzhou really had feelings for her, then what was the deal with the so-called “fiancée” in the rumors?

She didn’t understand, and she didn’t dwell on it further.

In her office, just as Si Tang finished organizing the video evidence of Si Xi stealing design drafts, she received a message on her phone.

“Miss Si, I’ve captured everything you asked for. I’m uploading it to you now.”

Si Tang replied with an acknowledgment and transferred five million to the sender.

As she watched the video that was sent over, a cold smirk flickered in her eyes.

Just then, there was a knock on her office door. “Come in,” Si Tang said.

Her assistant entered and handed her an invitation.

“The Si family is hosting a grand birthday banquet for Second Miss Si. Will you be attending, Vice President Si?”

Si Tang took the invitation, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

“Of course I’ll go. How could I not?”

The meticulously prepared gift she had been working on was finally ready to be presented.

For Si Xi’s 21st birthday, Si Chenfeng, wanting to save face, had gone all out to make it a grand affair.

He had booked a luxurious banquet hall, where an ivory-white staircase spiraled downward, lined with fresh roses flown in from Italy. An indoor fountain stood magnificently to the side. Si Chenfeng had invited numerous elites and celebrities from wealthy families, making the scene truly spectacular.

The scale of the event was no less extravagant than what had been arranged for Si Tang’s own birthday. When Si Tang arrived fashionably late, arm in arm with Fan Yi, she saw Si Xi standing between Si Chenfeng and Chen Yue, dressed in a white ruffled gown and surrounded by admirers like the moon among stars. Si Xi was also holding onto He Moheng’s arm, as though she had everything in the world.

Si Xi hesitated for a long moment. When she noticed Fan Yi by Si Tang’s side, she decided against walking over to mock Si Tang directly. Instead, she shot a scornful, boastful look from across the room.

Faced with the distant provocation, Si Tang’s eyes showed no emotion as she chose to ignore it.

However, she couldn’t understand why this white lotus hadn’t brought a crowd to cause trouble.

Today, Si Tang was wearing a custom-made ice-blue mermaid gown that accentuated her perfect figure. Every move she made was captivating.

Fan Yi tightened his grip on her hand, secretly eyeing the men who were coveting her from the shadows. Xiao Liu stood beside the two of them, looking somewhat preoccupied. He was actually worried about whether the planned exposure today would go smoothly.

Suddenly, the carved doors of the banquet hall stirred with commotion, as if some important figure had arrived. Si Tang couldn’t help but glance in that direction.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

“So handsome! Why is he here?”

“Who is he? Why such a grand entrance?”

“That’s probably because you’ve never seen him before. He’s He Chenzhou, the CEO of the He Corporation. He rarely attends events like this. I never expected, the Si family has such influence to invite him?”

Si Tang raised an eyebrow in surprise, and the next moment, she saw He Chenzhou appear at the entrance of the banquet hall.

The man wore an impeccably tailored custom suit, the black color accentuating his composed and dignified demeanor. His strikingly handsome face remained calm and collected, as if he could handle anything with ease. On the ring finger of his left hand, which lightly adjusted his cuff, a plain band gleamed coldly.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but it seemed his gaze lingered on her for three seconds.

Si Tang turned her face away, feeling somewhat awkward. After all, she had twice declined his dinner invitations and once outright ignored him.

Fortunately, he didn’t approach her directly but instead headed straight for the corner of the second floor.

Only then did Fan Yi retract his vigilant gaze.

Si Chenfeng, who had been preparing to step forward and greet him with an ingratiating smile, watched as He Chenzhou walked past him without even a glance.

The smile on his face stiffened, and his already somewhat haggard expression twisted even further. But, being extremely concerned with saving face, he could only suppress his frustration and pretend as if nothing had happened.

He Moheng, standing nearby, frowned deeply. He felt that the appearance of his nominal half-brother here was anything but simple.

Several others who tried to approach and curry favor were promptly turned away. He Chenzhou acted as if he owned the place, yet no one dared to say a word. No one knew why he had come today.

Si Tang’s attention, however, was not on He Chenzhou. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and focused on the main hall, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

“Is everything arranged?” Fan Yi whispered softly in her ear.

Si Tang nodded. “Just wait for the show to begin.”

Long before this, she had hired a private investigator to secretly gather video evidence of He Moheng colluding with Si Xi in an attempt to seize her shares.

In addition, there was evidence of Si Xi stealing her design drafts some time ago.

This time, she was confident she could ruin both of them and make them despised by everyone.

Finally, a spotlight shone on the stage, and the screen lit up with a video carefully prepared by the birthday celebration team. Surprisingly, it even included a montage of the love story between He Moheng and Si Xi.

Si Tang felt nauseated just watching it and immediately pressed a button on her phone, ordering her people to switch the screen early.

Suddenly, with a “thud,” the entire hall went dark, plunging into darkness.

The crowd was still bewildered and unsure of what was happening when, the next moment, the large screen abruptly lit up, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.

On the screen, a couple was nestled together on the sofa clearly the figures of Si Xi and He Moheng.

“Now that Sister has broken up with you, your plan to seize her shares must be useless, right? Brother Moheng, what are you going to do now?”

“Hmph, she’s lucky to have caught on. Once I achieve success, I’ll make sure she regrets it!”

“Does Sister still not know that the incident where you saved her back then was also orchestrated by you?”

“That’s right. But that kidnapping ended up involving you and frightening you, Xiao Xi.”

The crowd buzzed with discussion, shocked that He Moheng and the Second Miss Si were colluding in such a despicable and shameless manner.

Si Xi, her face pale, stared at the large screen in panic and tugged at He Moheng, whose expression was equally grim. “Quick, make them turn it off!”

The scene shifted to surveillance footage showing someone sneaking around and stealing design drafts from an office.

The next moment, as the camera was about to zoom in and reveal the appearance of those design drafts, Si Xi’s vision went black. She felt as though her life was surely over.

If the earlier scene had subjected her to moral condemnation, the evidence of these plagiarized design drafts would mean criminal charges! No, she didn’t want to go to prison!