Sheng Qianchi lowered his head and glanced at Gu Jiayin, a hint of mockery in his eyes, but his words were calm, "What, scared?"
"Scared of what?"
"Scared that your first love boyfriend has long forgotten you."
"Ha!" Gu Jiayin gave a mocking laugh, turning to look at Sheng Qianchi's perfectly chiseled profile, "I think it's you, Young Master Chi, who's scared. If I really win Pei Nianchen back, your hundred million will go down the drain."
Yes, if she rekindled her relationship with Pei Nianchen, with the protection of the Pei Family, even someone as domineering as Sheng Qianchi would have to tread carefully.
The woman before him was exquisite, beautiful, and piercing; he could guess exactly what she was thinking. But since he had set his eyes on her, she was destined to be his and could never be close to another man, especially not Pei Nianchen.
Sheng Qianchi elegantly turned his gaze, looking at Gu Jiayin, his tone calm yet inexplicably carrying a hint of firmness, "Jiayin, you really don't understand me."
Gu Jiayin curled her lips, her disdainful gaze swept over Sheng Qianchi's face, then she lightly lifted her long, slender legs and walked towards the banquet hall with large strides. A waiter hurriedly opened the hall doors for her.
This woman stood with her back straight, walking with a commanding presence and strong aura.
Sheng Qianchi watched her back, his eyes growing deeper and darker, resembling a night stained with ink, as he stepped forward and followed her into the banquet hall.
...
In the banquet hall, the music abruptly stopped, and everyone turned to look at the doorway. How to describe the scene there?
The man wore a black suit, tall and straight, with cold and handsome features. The woman wore a red dress, slender and tall, charming and lovely. The two standing together exuded an indescribable picturesque harmony.
The focus wasn't here, but rather the fact that the woman was Gu Jiayin, who had been dead for seven years.
"Gu Jiayin?!" someone among the crowd exclaimed in shock, and immediately, everyone seemed to awaken from a dream, whispering and discussing animatedly.
Upon hearing the name, the groom, whose face had been stern and silent as ice, suddenly looked up towards the woman in the red dress at the door. At that moment, his heart pounded like a war drum, uncontrollably.
Pei Nianchen was so shocked that his whole body couldn't stop trembling.
Qin Xueyao, who had been nestled in Pei Nianchen's embrace, gaped in shock. This marriage was already uncertain, always teetering precariously. Now, with the sudden appearance of a resurrected Gu Jiayin, she was extremely anxious.
Like a thief caught in the act by the returning owner.
"Jiayin!"
Pei Nianchen seemed to suddenly awaken, shaking off Qin Xueyao's hand and striding to Gu Jiayin, clasping her shoulders with both hands.
His lips were trembling subtly, "Jiayin, is it really you?"
This man, at this moment, had eyes as deep as the sea, surging with overwhelming waves.
Gu Jiayin quietly looked at him for a few seconds, confirming that he still had a trace of the feelings from back then for Brother Nianchen.
But so what, he was still marrying her enemy.
If he had fallen in love with someone else and wanted to marry because she died, she would not have had any resentment, on the contrary, would have wished him well. But why did he have to marry her enemy?
Falling in love with her enemy made their childhood promise a joke.
In contrast to Pei Nianchen's excitement, Gu Jiayin appeared particularly indifferent. She slowly curled her lips, smiling faintly, "Brother Nianchen, long time no see."
The phrase "Brother Nianchen" evoked countless memories, making Pei Nianchen's eyes immediately redden as he pulled Gu Jiayin into his arms, "Jiayin, where have you been all these years?"
The once-familiar embrace indeed still carried the scent of an old friend, but it was mixed with too much vicissitude, lacking in the emotion that should have been there.
Gu Jiayin pressed her lips together silently, standing coldly—neither pushing him away nor returning the embrace.
Within three seconds, Pei Nianchen was forcefully pulled apart.
Qin Xueyao clung tightly to Pei Nianchen's arm, casting a hateful look at Gu Jiayin, her every word full of pride and capriciousness, "Gu Jiayin, regardless of how you came back to life, take a good look. Nianchen is mine, and we're getting married today."
Gu Jiayin remained calm, her lips always holding a trace of a smile, yet very thin. She looked at Qin Xueyao with eyes full of disdain and mockery. After all these years, this second Qin Family daughter was still so overbearing.
Qin Xueyao was a year younger than Gu Jiayin, and Qin Yishu was the same age as Gu Jiayin, only a month older. Qin Yishu had an older brother, Qin Yiheng, and a younger brother, Qin Mingxuan.
This truth was obvious. When Qin Zhennan married into the Gu Family as a live-in son-in-law, he had a wife and children, but to climb higher, he concealed the truth.
After marrying into the Gu Family, he secretly maintained his original wife and children outside and even had two more kids. Later, unwilling to remain a live-in son-in-law, he drove his father-in-law to death, causing his wife and children to die and embezzling all the wealth.
This was a conspiracy.
Pei Nianchen suddenly frowned, immediately trying to shake off Qin Xueyao, undisguised disgust in his eyes, but Qin Xueyao clung to his arm, "Nianchen, don't forget, I'm carrying your child."
This sentence successfully halted all of Pei Nianchen's actions. He seemed to bear immense pain, turning to look at Gu Jiayin, words unspoken.
Ha, the years of youth shared, the childhood friendship they once had—he vowed he wouldn't love anyone else but her, yet now he had a child with her enemy.
The promise of no pain couldn't suppress the layers of pain welling up from deep within.
At this moment, Gu Jiayin finally understood why Sheng Qianchi said he would ensure she was disillusioned—because Pei Nianchen and Qin Xueyao were now inextricably linked.
But so what, today she was here to ruin this wedding, to hurt the Qin Family. Pei Nianchen could marry anyone, but not Qin Xueyao.
The hall was extremely quiet, everyone waiting to witness a good show.
At this moment, a middle-aged man in a dark green military uniform came down from upstairs with a powerful demeanor, finally standing beside Pei Nianchen, looking at Gu Jiayin with sharp eyes.
He was none other than Pei Nianchen's father, Pei Keqian.
A man of heroic demeanor spoke calmly, "Jiayin, how were you saved seven years ago?"
Facing Pei Keqian, Gu Jiayin maintained three parts of respect, "Uncle Pei, I was rescued by a tourist boat back then."
"Hmm." Pei Keqian nodded slightly, glancing at Qin Zhennan, who had also squeezed to the front, and continued his inquiry without displaying any emotion, "After being rescued, why didn't you come home?"
Gu Jiayin was calm and unaffected, standing under the watchful eyes of everyone, like a stubborn lily.
She responded methodically, "The year the ship sank, I was bitten by a crocodile, then drifted to the estuary where I was rescued. My injuries were severe, and luckily I met a Suri couple who were traveling in Licheng City, who took me to Suri. I have lived there for the past seven years."
Pei Keqian's face showed a touch of concern, "Are your injuries all healed?"
"All healed."
"What about your mother and brother?"