The Infatuated Cannon Fodder Has Completely Moved On - Chapter 4

“Our Ayin is a bit timid; she cannot handle a scare from the second Jin miss.”

The Jin family was large, and their disputes were even larger. If one traced back the history, everyone had a score to settle.

In the past, Jin Yuzhen had struggled to control her temper, but after years of Cen Shu’s persuasion, she had long since stopped embarrassing anyone to their face. However, today, she was like a demon whose seal had been broken, her true nature fully exposed.

Ning Fang sat at the elders’ table, adding salt and vinegar to her retelling of what had just happened. Everyone felt it was high time this junior was taught a lesson; thus, they briefly set aside their personal feuds to present a united front.

Although the Jin matriarch had never explicitly granted power to Jin Yuzhen, all the potential heirs secretly viewed her as their greatest obstacle. Regarding this, many remained puzzled.

On the phone, Feng Hui asked nervously, “If Cen Shu continues to act up, I am afraid she will find it difficult to keep her title as a rising star. Manman, I am so panicked. Should we just keep following Jin Yuzhen?”

Cui Man checked to ensure no one was around before criticizing her sharply. “Do you have eyes? So many people in the Jin family cannot stand Jin Yuzhen. Do you expect to live the high life by following a lone, incompetent fool?”

Intimidated, Feng Hui wavered. “Why does the Jin family reject her so much? Honestly, she is not entirely useless, is she?”

To make her more obedient, Cui Man lowered her voice to a whisper and revealed some inside information. “Do you know Jin Bing?”

“Jin Yuzhen’s father?” Feng Hui had a basic grasp of the family tree.

Cui Man said slowly, “While the Jin family looks dignified in Taozhou, Jin Bing is still off chewing betel nuts in Myanmar. I will not say more, but just keep your wits about you. Do not truly take Jin Yuzhen for a fool.”

Feng Hui seemed to have an epiphany. Is this matter related to Jin Yuzhen? Could it be her doing?

Perhaps it was not that the family rejected the second miss, but rather that they feared her.

Jin Yuzhen arrived at the elders’ table with a smiling face. She greeted everyone and took her seat alongside Lu Wenqi.

With Ning Fang’s previous encounter as a warning, no one dared to mention Cen Shu. This meant one less knife was available to wound Jin Yuzhen, and it happened to be the sharpest one. They felt a sense of regret but could not show it, leaving them feeling stifled.

Amidst a chorus of fake cheer, the eldest uncle of the Jin family asked, “Zhenzhen, what have you been busy with lately? We have not heard any news.”

Jin Yuzhen replied humbly, “What could I be busy with? Just tinkering with some antique collections. And you, Uncle? You did not come to the last family banquet. I was very concerned about you.”

Ning Fang raised an eyebrow. “Big Brother has been attending business school.”

The eldest uncle waved his hand, also acting humble. “I am old. I cannot keep up with the thoughts of you young people, so I must learn. Our Jin family business philosophy is to be engaged with the world; one must never stop progressing.”

The table began to shower him with compliments.

Jin Yuzhen, however, knit her brows in curiosity. “Uncle, at your age, what kind of schooling are you entering? You should enter a hospital immediately. Senior obesity must be taken seriously. Your belly is rounder than the head of the stone lion at the front gate. Stop talking about engaging with the world. If you do not get treatment, you will be engaging with the earth soon.”

Everyone’s tongues went numb. They did not know what to say.

The atmosphere froze. The eldest uncle gripped the cane in his palm, forcing a smile to save face. “Zhenzhen, you are too good at joking.”

Jin Yuzhen replied with a sincere expression, “I am not joking.”

Upon hearing this, the uncle began to cough violently. His secretary, seeing the signal from afar, hurried over to bail him out. “Mr. Jin, it is time for your medication.”

Ning Fang and the others solicitously saw off the eldest member at the table.

Lu Wenqi was stunned. She tugged at Jin Yuzhen’s crocheted cape. “Are you not afraid he will go back and complain to your grandmother?”

Jin Yuzhen’s mood had improved slightly, and her tone softened. “If he cannot even win an argument against me, how can he manage this entire family? If he actually complains to Grandmother, he is essentially admitting he is too old to handle things.”

Lu Wenqi was speechless. It made too much sense. If she had been like this earlier, Cen Shu would never have stood a chance.

Having first stifled Ning Fang and now angered the eldest uncle, the remaining people looked at each other and stayed silent. Those with nothing to lose fear nothing, and Jin Yuzhen was someone who could throw caution to the wind. They, however, were different. This was a victory banquet, after all, and there were procedures to follow; they could not let outsiders see them as a joke.

In the silence, Ning Fang caught a glimpse of the faint, indifferent coldness in Jin Yuzhen’s eyes, and a sudden chill filled her heart.

Once, this refined-looking girl had used that same harmless expression to cut off her own father’s path and cause the death of her third uncle. When Ning Fang had questioned her about it, Jin Yuzhen had replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world: “Without them, our lives are much better, are they not?”

She was truly thin-blooded to the point of disowning her own kin.

Her pursuit of Cen Shu over the last few years had softened her temperament, causing everyone to forget her true colors. Today, a slight display of sharpness brought all those old memories flooding back. No one at the table dared to provoke her further.

After the banquet officially started, the atmosphere warmed up slightly. Having vented some of her frustration, Jin Yuzhen lost interest in tangling with her relatives and went to socialize with Lu Wenqi.

Since this was an important occasion with many regular associates present, some asked why Cen Shu was not there. Jin Yuzhen simply said, “That is all in the past.”

This led everyone to speculate that the two had broken up. It was not surprising; Cen Shu’s tactics were not particularly sophisticated. It was only because Jin Yuzhen had been so blinded by love that she had not seen through them sooner.

Near the end of the banquet, Jin Yuzhen sat in a corner. There was a final performance on stage, but she had no interest in watching. Having met so many people today, she had not heard a single inner thought. After pondering it, she figured it did not matter; one did not necessarily need to hear thoughts to judge a person’s character.

The lights in the hall were bright and soft. She kept her head down, ignoring the world around her.

In the distance, Lu Wenqi’s expression was somber, carrying a trace of apology. “I did not have time to tell her.”

Xue Cheng was anxious, pointing at the girl behind her. “Our Ayin is a bit timid; she cannot handle a scare from the second Jin miss. You had better communicate with her first. Otherwise, if word gets out that our Ayin stole Cen Shu’s script and suffered some kind of retaliation, it would be bad.”

Lu Wenqi’s gaze fell upon the girl she was pointing at. The Ayin Xue Cheng spoke of.

She looked frail and quiet, a woman of few words. Even though she was wearing a striking red leather strap dress, she was like a flower radiating a quiet fragrance, lacking any hint of coldness.

Lu Wenqi promised, “There will be no retaliation. Putting aside the fact that Zhenzhen has already broken up with Cen Shu, even if she had not, she is a woman of principle. She does not do dirty work. She was busy cleaning house earlier, so I did not find it appropriate to bring this up.”

Nie Feiyin smiled gently. “It is no problem.”

Her smile was like encountering a spring orchid; the surrounding noise seemed to fade away.

Xue Cheng glared at her. “You, stay quiet. Director Lu, I am not trying to make things difficult for you, but our industry is unique. When you make money, you make it big, but the losses are just as heavy. My point is to eliminate all potential risks in advance. Besides, Miss Jin is your friend and an investor. It is only right that Ayin goes to meet her, is it not?”

Lu Wenqi turned to Nie Feiyin. “Ayin, do you want to meet Zhenzhen?”

Nie Feiyin looked at Xue Cheng and nodded gracefully. “Chengcheng has a point.”

Lu Wenqi felt nervous for her. Jin Yuzhen had been so formidable earlier that even the most cunning people could not get the better of her. Lu Wenqi did not have the heart to let such a gentle girl like Nie Feiyin face her.

“Fine, let us go over together. We just need to clarify the matter of signing for the drama.” Lu Wenqi looked at Nie Feiyin.

Nie Feiyin’s face was soft, a gentle smile lingering on her lips. “Yes. Thank you, Director Lu.”

As Lu Wenqi walked ahead, Nie Feiyin’s smile deepened significantly. Her gaze locked onto the figure in the corner with an obsessive intensity, as if she were looking at a most cherished treasure.

Xue Cheng quietly nudged her arm and whispered, “Practice a little restraint, I beg of you.”

Nie Feiyin arched an eyebrow and gave a faint, “Mm.”

Xue Cheng sighed heavily. She is a lost cause.

Jin Yuzhen sat under the light, enjoying a moment of peace until Lu Wenqi called her. Only then did she look up.

“You certainly know how to find a quiet spot,” Lu Wenqi said. “Let me introduce someone to you. This is the female lead of my new drama, Nie Feiyin. You have met Xue Cheng before.”

Jin Yuzhen sat up straighter, adjusted her shawl, and looked at Nie Feiyin.

The hall was filled with the aroma of wine and the clinking of glasses. Polite smiles served as masks for everyone present. Once the lights dimmed, the place would turn into a den of indulgence. Yet, amidst the heavy scent of alcohol, she caught a whiff of a pure fragrance.

Despite constantly feeding resources to Cen Shu, Jin Yuzhen did not actually have a clear concept of rivals in the industry. She had only occasionally heard Cen Shu complain about a “Miss Nie.”

It was a belated meeting, and she had not expected Miss Nie to be such a silent person. She nodded politely and invited them to sit.

Lu Wenqi said, “I have favored Ayin for a long time. Her acting is excellent. If you do not believe me, come to the set and see for yourself. I am not fooling you.”

Jin Yuzhen looked at Miss Nie again. Nie Feiyin wore a reserved, modest smile. Upon sensing her gaze, her eyes brightened. Those eyes were like polished jade, shimmering as if they might break.

Jin Yuzhen withdrew her gaze. “You professionals surely understand. As an outsider, I cannot give a random evaluation.”

Hearing this, Nie Feiyin seemed somewhat disappointed. She lowered her head slightly and pursed her lips.

Lu Wenqi said, “Do not be humble; your eye for talent is excellent.”

Jin Yuzhen said nothing more.

Before the banquet ended, the person in charge of the Jin Corporation’s hotel project took the stage to speak. Someone had decided to play background music that was so moving it was almost tear-inducing when the speaker discussed the difficulties of the project’s early stages.

Jin Yuzhen listened half-heartedly. Under the careful arrangement of light and shadow, Nie Feiyin’s features fell clearly into her sight.

Nie Feiyin’s hands, resting on her lap, curled silently.

Xue Cheng, sitting beside her, was anxious but could understand Nie Feiyin’s feelings. She had not seen Jin Yuzhen for quite a while either. Looking closely today, Jin Yuzhen’s complexion looked much better than before transparent and rosy with clear eyes. It seemed she no longer had anything weighing on her mind.

It made sense. After being played like that by Cen Shu, even the most broad-minded person would find it hard to remain calm. At this moment, Xue Cheng finally believed that Jin Yuzhen might have truly escaped Cen Shu’s clutches.

When she first signed for this drama with Lu Wenqi, she had been very worried. If Jin Yuzhen threw a tantrum and withdrew her investment, Nie Feiyin would surely be implicated. She had not expected things to go so smoothly.