Chapter Twenty-One: Dealing with Jiang Wuyang Later

Hearing Lin Jiachi’s words, Ruan Anan’s eyes reddened instantly. Ever since she was chosen by the system, this was the first time someone had been so fierce with her.

Tears welled up, hanging precariously in her eyes, making her look incredibly delicate and pitiful. Yet, Lin Jiachi seemed completely blind to it. He rolled his eyes at her and turned away to leave.

Ruan Anan bit her lower lip hard, watching his retreating figure. "Lin Jiachi, you’d better not fall into my hands. If you do, I will make you pay back everything you’ve done today a thousand times over!"

Once she had farmed enough favorability from them, the first thing she would strip away was everything Lin Jiachi cared about. Wiping away her tears, she ignored his departure and headed back to the private room.

Duan Jinyan was the first to notice Ruan Anan’s red-rimmed eyes. As soon as she entered, he spotted them. Given that Lin Jiachi hadn't returned, he could guess what had happened, though he didn't know the specifics.

"What’s wrong, Anan? Did Lin Jiachi upset you?"

Ruan Anan shook her head, her voice choked with sobs. "No, it has nothing to do with Jiachi. Please, don't blame him."

Duan Jinyan frowned, pulled out a tissue, and gently wiped her tears. "Alright, don't cry, Anan. Tell your brothers, what happened? Why were you wronged?" His voice grew increasingly tender, filled with genuine concern.

Ruan Anan sniffled. "I just... ran into my sister."

"But she didn't make me cry! You mustn't misunderstand! It’s just that I’m too sensitive!" She spoke quickly, emphasizing her words.

When Jiang Yiran heard the name Jiang Wuyang, a sense of unease inexplicably welled up in his chest. "What’s wrong, Anan? How did Jiang Wuyang bully you? Tell us, and we will get revenge for you."

It was truly ironic—a biological brother offering to teach his own sister a lesson to avenge an outsider.

"No, really, it has nothing to do with Sister Wuyang. I saw her outside and thought she might want to join us for dinner, so I invited her in." Ruan Anan shook her head like a rattle, her speech halting between sobs.

"Then where is she?" Jiang Yiran frowned and pressed.

He wondered if Jiang Wuyang even knew that their father's membership card was with him. Why would she show up so coincidentally? Could it be that she found out they were hosting a celebration banquet for Lin Yan and was shamelessly trying to tag along? A dozen thoughts flashed through Jiang Yiran's mind in a second.

"She brought two friends. Jiachi said he would only let Sister Wuyang come in alone, but she refused."

A flicker of mockery crossed Wen Mubai’s eyes. Refusing such a golden opportunity to interact with them? Jiang Wuyang was truly dim-witted.

Lin Yan heard this and furrowed his brows as well, his eyes filled with confusion and subconscious disgust.

"So, did Jiang Wuyang just go back?" Jiang Yiran asked instinctively.

Ruan Anan shook her head and continued timidly, "One of my sister's friends had a membership card for the Heaven-tier room, so they went to the Heaven-tier area."

*Clatter.* A glass was knocked over. All eyes turned to Wen Mubai.

He sat bolt upright, a flash of panic crossing his face as he scrambled to steady the glass. "Sorry, my hand slipped," he apologized.

The others turned their gazes away, not paying much mind, each lost in their own thoughts. Wen Mubai lowered his eyes, his indifferent expression masking sheer disbelief. Jiang Wuyang’s friend actually had a card for the Heaven-tier rooms? Just who were her friends?

Jiang Yiran sneered, "So that’s why she wouldn't come to us. Turns out she’s latched onto someone wealthy."

Ruan Anan blinked, saying nothing and looking pitiful, while inwardly mocking the situation. Jiang Yiran was just like that; he could say such things about his own sister. He was truly heartless.

"No! I have to go find her!" Jiang Yiran stood up abruptly, intending to head toward the door.

Lin Yan watched him but didn't stop him, only speaking in a slow, measured tone. "You can't get there."

The words were slow and soft, yet they made Jiang Yiran stop in his tracks. After a few seconds, he slumped back into his chair. Lin Yan was right. The Heaven-tier and Earth-tier rooms were in different sections, separated by walls and guarded by staff. Yipin Pavilion was a symbol of power and status; those in the Heaven-tier rooms could descend easily, but those below could not overstep their bounds.

Jiang Yiran burned with anger. Did Jiang Wuyang really think she was something special just because of this? When he got home, he would show her!

***

Inside the Heaven-tier room, a spacious chamber occupied by only three people.

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect this to happen. I'll treat you to dinner another time," Jiang Wuyang said apologetically. She had been the one to suggest dinner, yet they had run into all this trouble.

However, she hadn't expected Gu Peizhi to have a Heaven-tier membership card. After all, while Gu Peizhi had been powerful in her past life, he was currently just a student.

*That being said, Gu Peizhi’s family background must be quite impressive, and Sang Wan... she shouldn't be ordinary either.*

*But why had I never heard Sang Wan’s name in my past life? And Gu Peizhi’s background, I seemed to know nothing about that either...*

*The Sang family...*

There seemed to be a Sang family in the capital, but she wondered if Sang Wan had any connection to them. Sensing Jiang Wuyang’s regret, Sang Wan told her kindly that it didn't matter. She had already realized that the people Jiang Wuyang had surrounded herself with in the past were nothing but trash.

"Yangyang, which events are you planning to sign up for in the school sports meet?" Sang Wan asked, shifting the topic.

Jiang Wuyang rested her chin in her hand, feeling conflicted. "I’m not sure. Maybe the 800 and 1500 meters, and maybe high jump."

"You can do the high jump?"

"Yeah, I learned a little bit."

Back then, Jiang Yiran had been the one to start high jumping first, and she had watched him. She thought the Fosbury Flop looked incredibly cool, so she had pestered him to teach her. Back then, Ruan Anan wasn't in their lives yet, and Jiang Yiran had been very patient with her. Plus, she was smart and picked it up instantly.

"That’s great! Our class is short on people for field events. With you, at least we can fill in the numbers."

Gu Peizhi listened quietly to the two girls, not interrupting, only responding when Sang Wan addressed him, occasionally helping her pick up food she liked.

Jiang Wuyang noticed this and couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. This atmosphere was exactly how Jiang Yiran used to treat her. The bond between the two siblings had once been genuinely good; they had relied on each other since they were small.

Their mother had died in childbirth, so she had grown up without a mother, and their father had been too busy with work to pay much attention to them. She had been raised by Jiang Yiran, who was only three years older than her, yet he had been incredibly clever and would always let her have her way.

Truth be told, Jiang Yiran had treated her very well in the past. That was the only reason she had kept trying to get close to them in her previous life.

It was just a pity that people change.