The Ex-Wife Of A Wealthy/Powerful Family Tempts Me To Treat Her Badly/Betray Her - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Getting Closer

It had been raining in Li City these past few days, and the sky remained perpetually overcast.

Jiang Yu had returned to her usual busy state.

The conversation with the mixed-race beauty felt like a tropical cyclone that had just passed: intense but quickly gone, leaving behind a trace of its presence.

Time flew by, and soon it was the day of the TWF (The Fashion) Gala dinner.

The event venue was bustling with activity, drawing together many celebrities and industry leaders.

The red carpet segment was always the same: flashing lights, media, nothing particularly exciting.

More important to industry insiders than the TWF dinner itself was the after-party held afterward.

This was because the after-party was an undeniable social crucible where heirs of old-money families and more distinguished fashion figures would appear.

“When we go in later, Ador, you go find the editor-in-chief of Eager.”

“The other two, follow me and Boss Lu, and act according to the situation.”

Jiang Yu gave her usual instructions before going inside.

Jiang Yu had been tense on the red carpet and felt a bit tired now, so she stretched her neck.

Her clutch vibrated. As Jiang Yu walked into the estate, she took out her phone.

After a long time, she received a message from the mixed-race beauty again. Her words were still direct.

【I have something to attend to right now, I’ll probably be a little late.】

【Where should we meet?】

Jiang Yu scanned her surroundings.

The after-party was being held in an estate in the suburbs of Li City, surrounded by lavender, giving it a strong Provence feel. She noticed a small gazebo in her line of sight.

Jiang Yu raised her hand, took a picture, and sent it: 【Here, let me know when you arrive.】

The message thread went silent. Jiang Yu put away her phone, entered the estate, and got into work mode.

…

It was over half an hour later when Jiang Yu finished her socializing.

She left a brief message for Lu Linqiao, excused herself from the banquet hall, and headed toward the gazebo.

Five minutes earlier, the woman had messaged her, saying she would arrive soon.

As Jiang Yu got closer to the gazebo, she messaged the woman.

【I’m here.】

Jiang Yu put away her phone and stood on the platform. As she looked around, her phone vibrated just as she spotted the woman.

Today, she was also dressed in white. The style of the gown was still simple and elegant, with only the bustier area inlaid with pristine pearls. The fabric of the skirt looked rich and heavy, perfectly complementing her gentle and composed temperament.

She wore no superfluous accessories, yet she appeared supremely graceful, especially standing under the moonlight, like a deity stepping out of ancient Greek mythology.

Jiang Yu walked up to the woman, stopped, and quietly looked at her.

They hadn’t seen each other for over a week.

This beautiful face could still easily make her feel utterly captivated.

Jiang Yu smiled, simply gazing at her in silence.

Suddenly, the light in front of her dimmed, and a familiar scent of oud and agarwood wafted into her nostrils.

Her cheek suddenly registered a soft touch.

Jiang Yu instantly understood what the woman was doing.

—The bise (cheek kiss), a very normal French social custom.

But the woman’s hair was half-up, and the strands on her forehead slipped down. Her light blonde hair felt like the lightest of feathers, brushing against her neck. The composed scent on her body seemed to be inhaled directly into her lungs, creating a subtle sense of dizziness.

It felt as long as a century.

The bise finished, and Rong Wei stepped back, separating their distance.

The temperature of the summer evening breeze was gentle. Jiang Yu saw the woman smile and speak: “Long time no see. Why meet here?”

“The reception has too many eyes. It’s not good for either of us if too many people see us.”

Jiang Yu didn’t see any issue and explained casually.

She heard the woman’s light reply: “Mhm, we should be more careful.”

The moonlight was thick. Standing here, especially late at night, looking at the brightly lit manor in the distance, gave off a strange, inexplicable feeling.

“How about we find somewhere to talk? There are annoying mosquitoes outside,” Jiang Yu suggested after looking around.

Rong Wei agreed without hesitation: “Sure. My car is parked outside. Shall we talk in the car first?”

Jiang Yu glanced at Rong Wei, and after a moment, smiled and nodded.

This time, it was a very comfortable executive van. After they got in, the driver naturally raised the partition, leaving only the two of them in the spacious back seat.

The enclosed setting made the atmosphere subtle.

Jiang Yu liked fruity and woody perfumes. Mixed with the woman’s deep, slightly bitter scent of oud and agarwood, it surprisingly created a kind of harmony.

The car drove into the night. Jiang Yu turned slightly, looking at Rong Wei’s face.

“Where are we going?”

The night was still long, so Jiang Yu wasn’t in a hurry to find the answer immediately and chose a softer topic to ask.

But Rong Wei didn’t respond to her question. She looked at her, her ice-blue pupils appearing even more captivating in the darkness: “Actually, I didn’t make things very clear the other day.”

“I am married, but the nature of this marriage is special.”

“We are in a contract marriage, with no deep feelings. In fact, my wife has even forgotten what I look like, and we are now preparing for a divorce.”

Jiang Yu was slightly stunned and taken aback.

She hadn’t expected the woman’s marriage to be in such a state.

So, even wealthy families like hers sometimes have these low-probability contract marriages.

What was the appearance of her contract marriage partner?

Was it for family interests, or for something else?

Jiang Yu thought briefly but didn’t dwell on it too much.

After all, she wouldn’t interfere with the woman’s affairs.

But all in all, she was satisfied with this answer. The woman being so direct helped to avoid unnecessary complications and detours.

Jiang Yu also explained her own situation: “Coincidentally, I am in the same state.”

“However, we both got what we needed. I needed the marriage to deal with my family, and for her…”

Jiang Yu thought back carefully, her wife’s face becoming even more blurred in her memory.

“She probably needed money.”

“In any case, we once fulfilled each other’s needs, but this relationship likely won’t continue.

“Soon, I’ll be completely free and unattached.”

From beside her, she heard a faint chuckle from Rong Wei. She commented nonchalantly: “What a coincidence then.”

“Since that’s the case, let’s formally introduce ourselves. What is your name?”

“You’re only thinking of asking for my name now?”

“Because it would be quite disappointing to know someone’s name but be unable to form a close relationship with them,” Jiang Yu answered without any reservation.

A smile spilled from Rong Wei’s lips. She replied gently: “Of course, but before that, I hope you can answer a few questions for me.”

Jiang Yu looked at Rong Wei.

Inside the car, Rong Wei moved closer to her. In a daze, Jiang Yu thought back to the warmth of the bise moment ago.

Warm, moist, intense, like the passage of a tropical cyclone.

She seemed to have shed her usual gentleness, becoming sharp at this moment, radiating an almost imperceptible pressure.

“How many times have we met?”