No one knew how Qin Yi Ran managed to get in. Jiang Yang couldn't possibly have invited his ex-wife. The guests present hadn't imagined they'd see Qin Yi Ran here, so her sudden appearance left them all stunned.
Even Jiang Yang hadn't anticipated Qin Yi Ran sneaking in and threatening him with a knife. Caught off guard, both he and Meng Qian were momentarily frozen.
Qin Yi Ran had closed in on Jiang Yang when she shouted. In the final moments, she even took a few steps forward, the blade poised to draw blood, catching Jiang Yang completely off guard.
Jiang Zhaolin was receiving the esteemed guest, Huo Qing, alone on the second floor. After discussing recent matters briefly, Huo Qing was about to leave. Just as Jiang Zhaolin accompanied Huo Qing towards the door from the side hall, he witnessed the scene, his face turning pale with shock.
He was about to call the security when a tall, cold-eyed man beside him silently gestured to stop him.
Amidst the chaotic scene, in a deep, hoarse voice that cut through the tumultuous atmosphere, Huo Qing gazed indifferently toward the disturbance and ordered, "Silence."
Confused and agitated, Jiang Zhaolin was about to call for security. However, before he could act, he saw a figure in white swiftly move to shield Jiang Yang, or rather, intercept Qin Yi Ran.
Upon closer inspection, it was his stepson, Yan Su.
"Su Su!" An Na, standing nearby, was horrified at the sight. She was close enough to witness it vividly. Yan Su directly grabbed the hand wielding the folding knife held by Qin Yi Ran. He wasn't sure if the blade had grazed his son!
Nie Jia held the knife that Qin Yi Ran intended to use to harm Jiang Yang while restraining her by grabbing her neck, completely restricting her struggles.
"Do you want to go to jail?" Nie Jia whispered menacingly into Qin Yi Ran's ear, his voice carrying a chilling and indifferent tone.
He didn't intend to save Jiang Yang; he was saving Qin Yi Ran.
Originally, Qin Yi Ran's knife had plunged into Jiang Yang's shoulder, causing him only minor injuries. However, he was furious and immediately pressed charges against his former wife. Qin Yi Ran was sentenced to ten years for attempted murder, ruining her entire life, and dragging the Qin family into complete ruin.
"Why haven't you kicked her out yet?" Jiang Yang finally reacted, his anger evident in his furrowed brows as he angrily scolded the security.
Only then did the security, drenched in cold sweat, rush forward. The head of security quickly apologized to Jiang Yang, then moved to restrain Qin Yi Ran. However, upon contact with Nie Jia's icy stare, they were momentarily stunned, unsure of what to do next.
"Jiang Yang, you heartless creature!" After releasing her grip, Qin Yi Ran, tears streaming down her face despite the discomfort in her throat, cursed at Jiang Yang, "You threatened me to sign the divorce papers or you'd withdraw investments from the Gu Family. I signed, divorced, so why did you still withdraw from the Gu Family? You caused Grandma's death, and I'll never let you off!"
In the previous moment, Qin Yi Ran had been perceived as a troublemaker. But upon hearing her accusations, the expressions of the onlookers changed. No one expected such underlying truths. In their minds, Jiang Yang had now gained a shade of disdain and contempt. After all, shortly after divorcing Qin Yi Ran, Jiang Yang indeed withdrew from a significant project involving the Gu Family. Their marriage was a business alliance, but who would have thought that shortly after their divorce, Qin Yi Ran's father would pass away in a car accident, leading to the rapid downfall of the Qin family? With Jiang Yang's withdrawal, the Gu Family lost the alliance with the Qin Family, caught off guard and unable to gather funds, leading to immediate bankruptcy.
As a result of Jiang Yang's threat to withdraw investments from the Gu Family if Qin Yi Ran didn't sign the divorce papers, coupled with the actual withdrawal, he appeared utterly heartless, especially for putting such deceitful tactics on his ex-wife, leaving her life in shambles.
"Miss Qin, Jiang Yang doesn't have an obligation to support the Gu Family, right?" Meng Qian furrowed his brow. "Moreover, after Jiang Yang divorced you, there's no emotional attachment between him and the Gu Family. The majority of Gu Family's downfall is due to their inability to manage their affairs. How can you entirely blame Jiang Yang?"
"Qin Yi Ran, leave immediately. Considering our past relationship, I won't pursue your intrusion with a knife," Jiang Yang said, displeased.
Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, Jiang Yang wished to throw Qin Yi Ran out immediately. However, in front of numerous distinguished guests, he had to maintain a composed demeanor. He had just noticed Mr. Huo standing near the staircase on the second floor.
He could kick Qin Yi Ran out, disregarding the other guests' opinions, but he absolutely did not want to leave a negative impression on Mr. Huo.
At this moment, Nie Jia calmly stated, "Do you have the face to pursue this?"
The previously lively scene had now quieted down. The guests were observing the situation with varied expressions, but no one felt sorry for the disrupted banquet. Jiang He, noticing Yan Su seemingly about to speak up for Qin Yi Ran, discreetly put down his glass and slipped out.
"Yan Su, don't get yourself into trouble," Jiang Yang warned through gritted teeth.
Nie Jia's stomach pain persisted, rendering his usually handsome face devoid of any color. Already pale, his complexion appeared even more out of place amidst the opulent setting. Wearing an open-necked embroidered shirt, revealing a chest slightly glistening with sweat, he had an unusual air of elegance amid his frailty at the luxurious gathering.
Nie Jia might be experiencing stomach pain, but his face showed no signs of distress. He looked at Jiang Yang, and behind the lenses, his shallow gaze resembled distant stars.
"You deceive in marriage, play dirty tricks afterward, and now you want to pursue the victim? Moreover, although you've divorced Qin Yi Ran, she's still my mother's goddaughter. She has the right and qualification to be here. Who are you to tell anyone to leave?" Nie Jia's lips curled into a sudden, mocking smile.
"Deceit in marriage?" As soon as these words were uttered, the guests erupted into murmurs, whispering among themselves.
"Yan Su!" Jiang Yang reprimanded angrily.
Jiang Zhaolin's eyes sparked with fire. He knew his stepson wouldn't say anything good, and he was about to intervene, but a displeased look from Huo Qing stopped him in his tracks. Huo Qing's eyes were filled with coldness and impatience. Jiang Zhaolin's steps froze instantly.
Qin Yi Ran glared at Jiang Yang, her eyes red.
Meng Qian's face flushed with anger as he said, "Yan Su, don't speak nonsense! Jiang Yang only got together with me after the divorce. We're in a legitimate relationship. How could it be deceitful? Don't make baseless accusations!"
Nie Jia glanced
at him indifferently. "Isn't it a coincidence? The moment the Qin Family fell, Jiang Yang divorced Qin Yi Ran. It's quite convenient, isn't it? Right after divorcing her, he's ready to marry you. Tell me, isn't this deceitful? If the Qin Family were still standing, would you have anything to do with this?"
Meng Qian's breath hastened, unable to come up with a retort.
With his revelation, the guests immediately began discussing the relationship between Jiang Yang and Meng Qian. From a positive perspective, Jiang Yang left his wife for Meng Qian, but negatively, Meng Qian was seen as a homewrecker.
"Jiang Yang, I've never done anything to harm you. Why are you doing this to me?" Qin Yi Ran's anguish was beyond anyone's understanding. She struggled to hold back tears, her entire body trembling.
Bathed in the strange gazes around him, Jiang Yang's face turned ashen.
At this moment, An Na approached, checking Nie Jia's hand to ensure it hadn't been cut. Once assured, she let out a breath and gently wiped Qin Yi Ran's tears with a handkerchief, comforting her, "Don't cry, dear."
With the care from an elder, Qin Yi Ran's tears couldn't be contained any longer, and she sobbed in pain and despair.
"Mom, please take her to the room first," Nie Jia said.
Qin Yi Ran had lived in the Jiang residence for two years, and her relationship with An Na was excellent. When Jiang Yang divorced her, An Na had shown tremendous care for Qin Yi Ran and disregarded Jiang Zhaolin's objections, adopting Qin Yi Ran as her goddaughter. An Na wiped Qin Yi Ran's tears, completely unconcerned about Jiang Yang and Meng Qian's expressions, leading the woman away.
"Yan Su, what are you trying to do?" With his engagement banquet ruined, Jiang Yang's face lost its last traces of joy.
"I saved you, don't you want to thank me?" Nie Jia chuckled.
"You!" Jiang Yang's anger surged. Yan Su's earlier words felt like a series of slaps to his face. At this moment, he was sure that many of the guests were silently cursing him. If not for Meng Qian restraining him, Jiang Yang would have punched Yan Su on the spot!
Suddenly, Nie Jia felt a stabbing pain in his stomach. He instantly became visibly irritated, a hint of ferocity surfacing in his features. Placing his hand on his stomach, he turned to leave, the crowd hastily making way for him.
Jiang He, who had slipped out earlier, returned without notice. Leaning in close to Jiang Yang, he maliciously whispered, "Cousin, get ready for the show."
Jiang Yang, already feeling annoyed, was about to dismiss him when he suddenly saw a figure rushing in, kneeling in front of Yan Su with a crisp crack, clasping Yan Su's legs and wailing miserably, "Yan Su, please save Dad! Dad doesn't have any money left. Can you give me some money? I promise this will be the last time. Otherwise, those people will chop off my hands!"
The figure was an extremely thin middle-aged man, his face sporting a vague, almost concealed aura of distress—a typical appearance of an addict. He knelt before the renowned Dr. Yan, disregarding his dignity, pleading for money to clear his gambling debts.
This was Yan Su's biological father, Yan Yu. His appearance immediately drew the attention of everyone present, shocking them. Nobody expected Dr. Yan to have such a disreputable and unsavory father... Well, calling him disreputable was an understatement; he was a criminal addicted to drugs and gambling!
Observing Yan Su's frozen stance, Jiang Yang let out a cold chuckle inside. Despite this being his engagement banquet, he had no intention of intervening. Let Yan Su taste the humiliation of a public spectacle!
Did Nie Jia feel embarrassed? Not at all. He stood still because he hadn't anticipated Yan Yu's sudden appearance. Yan Yu should have shown up only after the passing of Meng Qian's grandfather. Why was he here now?
This uncontrollable detail unsettled Nie Jia, and he clenched his fists tightly, a dangerous gravity forming in his eyes.
The system shockingly reminded him, "Mr. Nie, your emotions are gradually escalating. Please calm down!" Regardless of the system's warnings, Nie Jia's negative emotions continued to skyrocket, surpassing the threshold of anger and veering toward a dangerous aura. It didn't doubt for a moment that Nie Jia might draw a blade and attack in the next instant.
His master once described Nie Jia as an extremely gentle person, at this moment, it found Nie Jia incredibly terrifying.