Chapter Five

  Ye Haiwei and Yi Ling are already 19 years old, one year older than Luo Meiyue and three years older than Ji Xiaowan. They each drive to school and also drive back home after school.

  Yi Ling's car was carrying Lu Mei Yue and Tai Li, with Lu Mei Yue sitting in the front passenger seat and Tai Li sitting in the back. The three of them chatted and laughed, creating a lively atmosphere that was quite pleasant.

  Ye Haiwei's co-pilot seat was occupied by Ji Xiaowan, both of whom were silent and not speaking. Ji Xiaowan shifted her gaze to the window, as if admiring the scenery outside, but in fact she was looking at her own reflection in the window.

  Five people went into a hotel near the school, one after another. The hotel was not luxurious, but it was definitely not a place that ordinary students could afford to enter.

  They chose a table for five. Lu Mei Yue and Yi Ling sat together, Ye Hai Wei and Ji Xiao Wan sat together, while Tai Li sat alone on one side.

  Tai Li had never been to such a luxurious restaurant before. She was both amazed and excited by the knives, forks and other things in front of her.

  Ji Xiaowan had never been to a place like this before and had never used any dining utensils other than chopsticks and spoons.

  The small dishes were served before the meal, and Ji Xiaowan didn't move, while everyone else was tasting them with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

  Ye Haiwei glanced at Ji Xiaowan and said lightly, "Tonight's dinner is an apology banquet. I hope you can make amends with Xiao Jue. As long as you apologize, the previous matters will be forgotten. We won't hold it against you, and neither will Xiao Jue. It just so happens that Tai Li is also here, let her be a witness for you both. As long as you apologize, you and Xiao Jue can still be good friends."

  Ye Haiyuan finished speaking, and Ji Xiaowan's hand under the dinner table clenched tightly, her finger joints turning slightly white.

  He said that if she wanted to get the photos back, she had to listen obediently. Her precious photos were nothing compared to her insignificant self-esteem.

  She was eager to get her own photo back, so she could endure anything that humiliated her. Ye Haiyuan didn't make things difficult for her, he just wanted her to apologize, and she did as told.

  Ji Xiaowan remained silent for a moment before looking down and saying, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hit you. I apologize." As she said those words, her heart felt sour and painful, but she could bear it. This kind of humiliation was nothing new to her; it was something she had grown accustomed to, wasn't it?

  Tai Li's hand, which was eating a small bun, stopped, she still didn't know what had happened between Luo Mei Yue and Ji Xiao Wan, when she heard Ji Xiao Wan say this, her entire curiosity was piqued.

  Lu Mei Yue sat beside Yi Ling, maintaining a princess-like smile, with sweetness in her expression.

  Yi Ling's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if he didn't believe that Ji Xiaowan would obediently follow Ye Haiwei's words. Previously, when he had been rough with her, she hadn't backed down, but now, Ye Haiwei had only said one sentence and Ji Xiaowan was actually apologizing to their little Ge? What kind of leverage did Ye Haiwei have on her that made Ji Xiaowan so obedient to his arrangements?

  The main course steak was served. The etiquette of the Romany restaurant was perfect, and Teri followed suit with a learned air. Ji Xiaowan looked at the steak on the iron plate, clinking and clattering, but somehow it seemed to be deliberately opposing her, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't cut it into small pieces. In the end, she simply picked up the whole piece of steak with her fork and put it directly into her mouth. The action was not rough, nor was it pretentious, but this kind of impolite behavior was rarely seen in a restaurant.

  She took a bite, the sauce stained the corner of her mouth, she licked it sweetly, that tender little tongue didn't escape Ye Haoyi's eyes, this made him recall the scenes from that morning, Ye Haoyi's gaze became deep and profound.

  Ye Haiyi picked up his own handkerchief to wipe her mouth, with a gentle gesture that even he himself didn't notice.

  All of this was seen by Lu Mei Yue. In the past, Ye Hai Wei's actions were only for her alone, and Lu Mei Yue never thought that one day someone would share her exclusive pampering. No, it should be said that in Ye Hai Wei's eyes, there was not only pampering, but also a kind of gentleness that even she had never seen before.

  And she, the sixteen-year-old girl named Ji Xiaowan, who had enjoyed the treatment that was originally only hers to enjoy alone, did not have a smile of pride on her face, but rather one of disgust.

  Lu Mei Yue's hand gripping the knife tightened, and her exquisite and perfect doll-like face revealed a cold and sinister gaze.

  Yi Ling didn't notice the expression on Lu Mei Yue's face beside him, his gaze remained fixed on the man and woman opposite them. His face showed no emotion, but what he felt in his heart only he knew. The steak on his plate was a bit tasteless.

  Tai Li's jealousy was written all over her face, but she was a clever person. Luo Mei Yue didn't say anything, what qualifications did she have to speak? After all, being able to follow them to this hotel was already thanks to Luo Mei Yue's good fortune.

  Ye Hai Wei took away the iron plate of steak that Ji Xiao Wan had bitten, and handed his own plate to her. The steak in his plate looked untouched, but actually, he had cut it into small pieces, as long as Ji Xiao Wan picked up her fork and ate directly.

  Ji Xiaowan saw him take away her plate and frowned, "I've eaten from that plate."

  "It's nothing, I don't mind," Ye Haiwei said, cutting off the part that Ji Xiaowan had bitten and elegantly putting it into her mouth, as if she really didn't mind.

  Is this considered an indirect kiss?

  Ye Haiwei thought so too, so when he was chewing his food, he had a satisfied expression.

  The three people standing beside him were all silent.

  Ji Xiaowan also fell silent, she didn't want to make any more noise, so she lowered her head and started eating, finishing the food on her plate in just a few mouthfuls before waiting quietly for them.

  Lu Mei Yue ate a good steak and also ordered several ice cream and desserts. When she was full, she said, "I'm full, I want to go home and sleep."

  Lu Mei Yue rubbed her eyes, looking like she was really sleepy.

  "Then let Brother Yi send you back home, okay?"

  Luó Měi Yuè shook her head, "No! Can Brother Ye send me back instead?"

  Ye Haiwei was visibly hesitant for a moment, this was the first time he had shown such hesitation towards Xiao Jue's opinion. He himself also noticed it and was startled by his own hesitation. After thinking for a moment, he nodded and smiled, "Alright, I'll send you back."

  Yi Ling immediately responded, "Then send me and Xiao Wan back home."

  It seemed that neither of them had said who would take Terry, and Terry's expression began to stiffen. She didn't dare ask either, so she just stood there quietly waiting.

  After that, Ye Haiwei hugged Luo Mei Yue out of the hotel and drove away with her. Before leaving, he took a deep look at Ji Xiaowan.

  After they left, Yi Ling took Ji Xiaowan to his car and opened the passenger door for her. Tai Li followed behind Ji Xiaowan, but Yi Ling didn't notice her and forgot to open the door for her. He walked back to the driver's seat and started the car.

  Tai Li stood by the car door, too embarrassed to open it, and watched as Yi Ling drove away. After Yi Ling left, Tai Li squatted at the entrance and burst into tears.

  But her crying voice was something Yi Ling couldn't hear.

  Carrying Ji Xiaowan, Yi Ling drove with some distraction. He really wanted to ask her what kind of handle Ye Haiwei had on her that made her listen to him so much, but he knew it was impossible to get anything out of this girl's mouth.

  Ji Xiaowan asked him to stop at the entrance of her community, not letting her send it to her doorstep. Yi Ling insisted on sending, but Ji Xiaowan didn't let him. In the end, he couldn't persuade her, so Yi Ling watched as Ji Xiaowan walked into the community gate.

  Yi Ling's mind was bad, he parked the car on one side and then secretly followed her, being very careful not to let Ji Xiaowen discover that she was being trailed.

  Until Ji Xiaowan walked to the door of a one-room apartment, the woman standing at the door waiting for her for a long time was someone Yi Ling had seen before - she was Ji Xiaowan's mother.

  Yi Ling knew that Ji Xiao Wan's mother was a bit unreasonable and liked to hit her for no reason. Yi Ling thought, "This girl is late again, I'm sure her mother will beat her up." But unexpectedly, when the woman saw Ji Xiao Wan return, she only scolded her a few times and didn't lay a hand on her. Then, her mother took out a box of powder cakes from her bag and kept smearing them on Ji Xiao Wan's face. Ji Xiao Wan wanted to refuse, but after her mother scolded her a few times, she just let her do it.

  Her mother wiped her face clean and then applied some lip gloss, and also took out a pair of earrings from her bag. Ji Xiaowen's ears were not pierced, so the earrings were clip-on type, but they were very tight and pinched Ji Xiaowen's ears painfully.

  Ji Xiaowan's mother made her up and then carried her out directly.

  Yi Ling heard it, her mother seemed to be taking her to a hotel to meet someone.

  Can't help but say, Ji Xiaowan with makeup looks like a different person, with some romantic and alluring illusion. She's still wearing her school uniform, she's quite tall and slender, her chest isn't fully developed yet, but there are some subtle curves, this small waist is so thin it's weak, the sight of her makes Yi Ling dazed and infatuated.

  Yi Ling followed them to the hotel as if possessed by a ghost or driven by a god.

  This hotel is a high-end membership-based one, and only those who have the hotel's membership card can enter. It seems that this mother-daughter pair plans to meet some big shot today. Yi Ling happens to have the membership card of this hotel, so as soon as Ji Xiaowen and her companions walked in, he followed closely behind them. He found a seat for himself in a corner, sitting there without letting Ji Xiaowen notice him, but he could clearly see every move at Ji Xiaowen's table.

  Ji Xiaowan sat opposite a man, who he knew was the regional general manager of his father's company, named Xia He Dong. He usually looked quite elegant, but it was said that his reputation in high society was terrible. The hypocritical-looking man liked to play with underage girls and it was said that just a few days ago, he had played one to death, but he had used money to settle the matter.

  Ji Xiaowan's mother is Liu Fei. When Xia Dong saw Liu Fei appear with her daughter, his eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp and intimidating light.

  His gaze was terrifying, as if stripping Xiaowei's clothes off. Xiaowei deliberately ignored his line of sight, for the sake of her mother's face, and sat across from him.

  When Yi Ling saw Xia and Dong's gaze, a surge of anger suddenly ignited in his heart. The menu he was holding, which was originally used to cover himself up, had already been pinched into a pulp by him at this moment.

  Yi Ling's position was very close to Ji Xiaowan's side, so their conversation, he could hear clearly.

  Xia and Dong looked at Ji Xiaowan's face, nodded in satisfaction, and then said, "You're called Xiaowan, right? Your mother often mentions you to me."

  Ji Xiaowan didn't respond, and Liu Fei spoke up for her, "President Xia has a great memory!"

  "Hehe, Xiao Wan, how old are you now?"

  Ji Xiaowan still didn't speak, Liu Fei kicked her with her foot, and Ji Xiaowan slowly opened her mouth, "Sixteen."

  "Sixteen is great! Sixteen-year-old girls are the most innocent and lovely, I also have a sixteen-year-old niece abroad. When I see Xiaowen, I think of my dear niece, who is both cute and charming. In the past, when my niece saw me, her little uncle, she would be very affectionate and hug me tightly, which was very endearing. I would buy her many gifts, whatever she wanted, I would get for her. My niece is so obedient."

  Xia and Dong's meaning is already very clear, isn't it? Ji Xiaowan didn't hear it out, can Yi Ling still not hear it?

  Liu Fei wasn't a fool either, after hearing Xia He Dong's words, she laughed with great joy, "Being able to be Xia Zong's niece is truly blissful! Xiao Wan, don't you think so?"

  If Ji Xiaowan continued Liu Fei's words and said yes, then the following things would be easy to handle. Xia He Dong waited for her response with full expectation and eagerness in his eyes.

  Ji Xiaowan never looked at Xia He and Dong, and deliberately avoided looking at Liu Fei's signals to her. She just sat there like a fool. In fact, she was very clear in her heart that her mother wanted to use her body to make money for her own expenses.