After Trying To Pursue The Cold, Elegant Beauty. I Ended Up Being Flirted With Instead - Chapter 34

She doesn’t want to choose any of them.

Yan Tingyu’s fingers were scalding to the touch.

“Wen Zhu, I really like you. Pei Xiubai can’t see your good qualities, but I can.”

Pei Xiubai always brought Wen Zhu to banquets. Every time, Yan Tingyu would see Wen Zhu in a black professional suit, standing behind Pei Xiubai, feigning sophistication with her pure eyes, like a little rabbit who had stumbled into the adults’ game of fame and fortune.

She was so focused, so earnest. The looks of the people around her were as if they wanted to devour her.

Yan Tingyu smiled, “But you didn’t notice at all. Your eyes were only on Pei Xiubai.”

Wen Zhu’s body stiffened she wanted to step back.

But Yan Tingyu’s other hand was already wrapped around her waist.

“Later I learned that it wasn’t that you didn’t notice those people’s gazes. You just didn’t care.”

“Because you never live for yourself.”

Yan Tingyu’s eyes deepened, “Wen Zhu, do you know? I’ve also drunk the rock sugar pear soup you cooked.”

Wen Zhu was stunned.

“That time Pei Xiubai was sick, you delivered a pot of soup to the company. She drank half, and the rest she shared with me.”

“I remember that taste. Sweet but not cloying, warm and delicate.”

Yan Tingyu leaned in closer.

“Just like you.”

Her face was very close to Wen Zhu’s.

Close enough for Wen Zhu to clearly see the emotion in her eyes.

It was a very complicated thing.

There was desire, possession, and a kind of gentle obsession.

Yan Tingyu was very beautiful.

The typical look of a rich heiress: delicate and alluring, with a natural charm in her eyes and brows.

When a woman like this looked at you in this way, it was indeed easy to be moved.

Easy to fall into the trap she wove.

But Wen Zhu wouldn’t.

She thought back to her youth, when she was still in college and followed Pei Xiubai to a party.

Yan Tingyu had just returned from abroad and was surrounded by people showering her with compliments.

Wen Zhu passed by with a drink and accidentally bumped into her.

Yan Tingyu’s expression instantly changed, and she sneered at Pei Xiubai, “Hey, why do you bring just anyone in front of me?”

In fact, the expression wasn’t overtly malicious, but what left a deep impression on Wen Zhu was the condescending arrogance in her eyes.

A person like this wouldn’t bow her head for love.

Wen Zhu’s fingers tightened.

She looked up at Yan Tingyu, “President Yan.”

Her voice was overly calm, “Thank you for your kindness. But I cannot accept.”

Yan Tingyu’s smile froze on her face.

She hadn’t expected Wen Zhu to refuse so bluntly, “Why?”

Yan Tingyu’s voice carried a hint of hurt, “Was my confession not sincere enough? I will treat you well, truly.”

She suddenly embraced Wen Zhu.

Wen Zhu subconsciously tried to pull away.

But Yan Tingyu held her tightly, “Don’t be like this, Wen Zhu.”

Her voice lowered, “Since you rejected me, let me properly comfort my wounded heart. Just one hug, just one.”

Wen Zhu was completely stiff.

She didn’t know what to do.

Just then.

“Heh.” Yan Tingyu suddenly chuckled softly near her ear.

The laugh was meaningful, carrying a sense of triumphant delight.

The next moment.

A huge force struck from the side, and Yan Tingyu was violently thrown away.

Bang!

Her body crashed heavily into the champagne tower.

Glass cups shattered everywhere. Golden wine mixed with broken glass, splattering all over Yan Tingyu.

“Ah!!!” The surrounding screams instantly erupted, and guests nervously backed away.

A figure rushed forward, grabbing Yan Tingyu’s collar and lifting her from the floor.

“What are you doing?”

Pei Xiubai’s voice was practically squeezed out through gritted teeth. “Don’t you know, she is mine!”

Wen Zhu’s heart skipped a beat.

She mechanically turned her head. Pei Xiubai was standing there.

Black trench coat, cold, pale face, with an almost solid anger in her eyes.

Yan Tingyu was being held by her collar, but there was no fear in her eyes; instead, there was complete provocation.

“Can’t you tell? Pei Xiubai, I’m pursuing Wen Zhu.”

She looked directly into Pei Xiubai’s eyes, “I like her.”

She said it candidly, with righteous conviction!

Pei Xiubai’s face instantly darkened to the extreme.

Her hand gripping Yan Tingyu’s collar tightened violently. “Who gave you the guts!”

Her other hand raised, ready to strike Yan Tingyu’s face.

But Yan Tingyu didn’t dodge.

Instead, she raised her head and leaned closer, “What are you pretending for, Pei Xiubai?”

Yan Tingyu’s tone was laced with sarcasm, “Wen Zhu is your woman? What right do you have to forbid it? How dare you say such a thing?”

“Have you confessed to her, or proposed to her?”

“You haven’t done anything, and now you still dare to hug another woman while delusionally trying to bind her with the meager kindness of raising Wen Zhu in your family?”

These words made Pei Xiubai’s suspended hand freeze in the air.

Jiang Xinxin, who had followed her, also turned deathly pale upon hearing this.

Even Wen Zhu, who was about to step in to mediate, was stunned by the remark.

Pei Xiubai glared at Yan Tingyu, her eyes practically tearing the woman apart, “That is no reason for you to seduce Wen Zhu behind my back!”

She completely lost her mind, raising her hand to strike Yan Tingyu.

Wen Zhu suddenly snapped back to her senses. She rushed over and supported Yan Tingyu.

“Enough!” Wen Zhu’s voice was loud. She looked at Pei Xiubai, her eyes calm, “President Pei, calm down.”

Pei Xiubai couldn’t believe Wen Zhu was supporting Yan Tingyu.

Her mind buzzed, “Wen Zhu, are you crazy too?”

Seeing Wen Zhu step in, Jiang Xinxin also hurried over, trying to restrain Pei Xiubai, “President Pei, don’t do this…”

Pei Xiubai, blinded by fury, violently shook off Jiang Xinxin.

“Get lost!”

Jiang Xinxin was shoved to the ground, eyes wide, sitting stunned for a long while before recovering.

The entire venue completely erupted in chaos.

The host of the cocktail party, upon hearing the news, almost sprinted over.

Seeing the scene before her, her face instantly turned ashen.

Two prominent business talents from well-established families had nearly fought on her turf.

If word got out, how could she ever hold her head up in the circle again?

“President Pei, President Yan, please calm down.”

The host offered a placating smile, trying to smooth things over, “Let’s discuss things properly, don’t let it ruin the harmony.”

After much persuasion, Pei Xiubai finally released Yan Tingyu’s collar.

Her chest was heaving violently, the anger in her eyes not yet completely gone.

Yan Tingyu stumbled, almost falling.

Her carefully done hair was now a mess, a few strands sticking to her cheeks.

Her dress was stained with champagne and broken glass shards, making her look extremely disheveled.

But her gaze remained provocative, a faint smile even playing on her lips.

Everyone was a mess, except for Wen Zhu.

Wen Zhu quickly walked to the nearby cloakroom and retrieved a suit jacket.

“President Yan, please put this on first.”

Yan Tingyu accepted the jacket, her eyes, however, remaining fixed on Wen Zhu’s face, “Thank you, Xiao Zhu.”

Wen Zhu then called over a maid, asking her to bring a first-aid kit to treat Yan Tingyu’s wounds.

On the other side of the sofa, Jiang Xinxin was distractedly helped up.

Her face was pale, her eyes unfocused, seemingly still reeling from the shock of the incident.

Pei Xiubai stood rooted, her gaze following Wen Zhu’s figure.

She watched Wen Zhu tending to Yan Tingyu, a complex emotion surging within her.

Anger, grievance.

And a pain akin to betrayal.

Her fingers trembled slightly.

“Qingqing,” Pei Xiubai suddenly spoke.

The voice wasn’t loud, but it brought the entire banquet hall to silence.

Wen Zhu’s movements halted.

She didn’t turn around, just stood rigidly in place.

Pei Xiubai looked at Wen Zhu’s back, her throat tight, “Qingqing, I’m hurting too…”

A hint of grievance crept into her voice.

Like a neglected child.

The people around looked at Pei Xiubai in astonishment.

This usually cold and dominating eldest daughter of the Pei family, speaking in such a tone?

Pei Xiubai felt a pang of discomfort.

Because she was angry, Wen Zhu actually used her childhood friend to provoke her.

But she knew Wen Zhu too well.

She knew where Wen Zhu’s weakness lay.

If she showed even a little vulnerability, Wen Zhu would surely turn back.

For over a decade, she had never failed.

Yet this time, Wen Zhu simply clenched the cuff of her sleeve.

Then she turned back and asked Yan Tingyu, “President Yan, is there anywhere else you’re uncomfortable?”

Pei Xiubai’s expression instantly became ugly.

Seeing Pei Xiubai’s crestfallen look, a feeling of immense satisfaction welled up in Yan Tingyu’s heart.

Even the pain from her injuries lessened.

She chuckled softly, and right in front of Pei Xiubai, she grasped Wen Zhu’s wrist, “Xiao Zhu, thank you.”

She then waved her hand, dismissing the maid who was applying the medicine, and said to Wen Zhu, “Apologies, bringing you tonight was inappropriate. I’ll take you back now.”

Wen Zhu felt the warmth around her wrist, thinking, Where was it inappropriate?

Didn’t Yan Tingyu deliberately bring me here to provoke Pei Xiubai?

She was pulled by Yan Tingyu and took two steps towards the exit.

Suddenly, her other hand was also seized.

Wen Zhu turned back.

Pei Xiubai’s eyes were bloodshot, she hadn’t noticed when.

She glared intensely at Wen Zhu, her voice filled with suppressed anger, “Wen Zhu, you need to think carefully.”

“If you really leave with Yan Tingyu, don’t ever think about returning to the Pei family.”

Her tone grew sharp, “Do you really think Yan Tingyu genuinely likes you? Do you think you’re that great, that beautiful enough for everyone to fall for you? She’s merely using you to spite me.”

“Wake up!”

If Pei Xiubai was still deceiving herself before, now, she finally had to admit it.

Her Qingqing was truly angry.

So much so that she was losing all sense of reason, believing that someone would genuinely like a lonely girl like her.

She had to make Wen Zhu wake up.

Both her left and right hands were grasped. The force wasn’t brutal, but it felt like two iron shackles, trapping Wen Zhu in place.

An inexplicable sense of powerlessness crept up from her wrists, tightening around her chest.

At the same time, she felt wronged and furious.

Why?

She had nothing, so why did these people still insist on dragging her into their conflict?

Was it precisely because she had nothing that she could become a bargaining chip in their struggles, a tool to be summoned and dismissed at will?

If she could, she truly wanted to turn around and run away, as far as possible, never to see these two people again.

She didn’t want to choose any of them!

In fact, now, not only Pei Xiubai, but even Yan Tingyu, evoked a feeling of revulsion in her.

Like two flames soaring in her heart, there was a moment when she even wanted to throw caution to the wind, violently shaking both their hands off…

But as soon as the thought emerged, a faint scent of pear blossom wafted in from her side, fresh and gentle, like the wind skimming over a lake in spring.

The next second, a pair of warm hands lightly covered her wrists. The grip wasn’t heavy, yet it carried an undeniable certainty, drawing her into an embrace.

Neither Yan Tingyu nor Pei Xiubai had time to react, and they watched as Wen Zhu’s hands were pulled free from their grasp.

Seeing the newcomer, Pei Xiubai frowned deeply, “Why are you here too?”

Li Zhiyun’s hand on Wen Zhu’s shoulder tightened slightly

She only had to glance down to notice Wen Zhu’s reddened wrists.

At this moment, Li Zhiyun suddenly felt a pang of hatred.

She hated herself for having retreated back then, leaving Wen Zhu to a woman like this.

The corners of her eyes subtly lowered, the coldness in her gaze like a lake frozen over in the depths of winter. Even the air seemed to be about to freeze.

The next instant, her eyes fell upon Pei Xiubai and Yan Tingyu, and a cold, heavy sentence rolled from her throat:

“What do you take her for?”

Beneath the calm, the love and jealousy, buried for years and deeply ingrained, finally broke through the soil.