"Zhan Bei Jue?"
Did she misread?
After six years of not returning to Nan Cheng, within twenty-four hours of her arrival, she ran into her damned ex-husband?
And in such a cramped, inescapable place?!
Jiang Nanfang couldn't believe her eyes. She closed them, then opened them again.
It was still him.
Zhan Bei Jue, dressed in a custom black suit, tall with long legs, his brow furrowed and his gaze stern, already possessed an imposing aura that commanded respect.
Now, upon seeing the "enemy" he had painstakingly searched for six years, a storm quickly brewed in his eyes, and his aura turned chillingly cold.
Their eyes met. After just two seconds, he strode forward and grabbed Jiang Nanfang's wrist.
"Jiang Nanfang, you still have the nerve to come back?"
As he lunged forward, a familiar scent filled her nostrils, and familiar features met her eyes. Jiang Nanfang almost felt as if she had never left the Zhan family.
Zhan Bei Jue was still the same Zhan Bei Jue as before. His voice, his brows, his hair, his features – every part was etched into her bones, so clear, so unforgettable…
This was the first time he had ever been so close to her. Their bodies touched, their breaths intertwined, everything felt so foreign yet so familiar…
Zhan Bei Jue, looking at her face, so clean and flawless, so identical to his daughter's, a hint of unreadable emotion flickered within his surging anger.
Six years had passed, yet she hadn't changed a bit. In fact, she seemed more alluring and…
She had never been like this when she was Mrs. Zhan!
This calculating woman who dared to toy with him, embarrass him, and was so ignorant of her own limits!
"Speak, where did you run off to all these years? Since you went to such great lengths to escape, why have you returned today? What scheme are you cooking up now?"
His words were so harsh, so cutting.
He was still the same cold, detestable Zhan Bei Jue.
Jiang Nanfang's momentarily lost rationality returned. She boldly tilted her head to look at him, her eyes like calm water.
"Sir, I think you've mistaken me for someone else. Let go. If you continue to be rude, I'll call for help."
Call for help? Rude?
For a woman who first stole his seed and then sold her child, didn't he find that ironic?
Zhan Bei Jue yanked her into his arms, his large hand clamping onto her chin.
Their gazes locked, he lightly parted his lips: "Don't think you've truly transformed just because you shed that skin. I can recognize a calculating woman like you even if you turned to ash."
"..."
Was it so wrong for her to sleep with him once on the day of their divorce! As husband and wife, wasn't it just fulfilling a marital duty once every three years?
She didn't let you conceive, didn't let you raise the child, and you still weren't at a disadvantage. What's with the endless resentment?
Jiang Nanfang forcefully pushed his hand away, took a step back, her expression cold: "I don't know you. If you want to pick someone up, go find someone else. Go away!"
With that, she saw the elevator was still stopped on the first floor. She reached out to press the open door button to leave.
Zhan Jingrui and Zhan Jingge, the siblings, watched the scene unfold on the monitor.
"Oh no! Daddy and Mommy are arguing, Mommy's leaving! Quick, activate Plan B!"
Jiang Nanfang pressed the button once, but the elevator door didn't respond. She pressed it a second time, still no response.
On the third press, Zhan Bei Jue, standing behind her, rubbed his fingertips, still feeling the smooth, fragrant residue of her skin. A cold smile curved his lips.
"Trying the same trick again? Playing hard to get? Is this your goal today?"
"Pretending on the surface that you no longer want any ties with the Zhan family, but secretly trying to attract my attention?"
"..."
What a terrible elevator! The doors were shut and wouldn't open, making her a laughingstock.
She didn't need to turn around to guess Zhan Bei Jue's expression.
The assistant glanced at the two of them, then at the time, and couldn't help but say, "Mr. Zhan, the banquet is about to begin."
Zhan Bei Jue glanced expressionlessly at Jiang Nanfang, who was wearing only a black strapless long dress, revealing over half of her smooth, fair back. He unconsciously rubbed his fingers again.
"Upstairs."
A Zhong walked over and pressed button 8. The elevator immediately started moving.
"?"
Jiang Nanfang looked at the elevator.
The 8th floor? Could it be that they were attending the same event?
They soon reached the 8th floor.
The elevator door opened, and a row of hotel staff stood at attention in the corridor, bowing ninety degrees. "Mr. Zhan!"
Zhan Bei Jue resumed his stern, somber demeanor. As he passed her, he deliberately brushed against her shoulder.
"I'm busy now. We'll settle this account later. I'll let you off for today. We'll meet again."
"..."
We'll meet again? Settle the account later?
Wait, why was he going this way too?
The celebration banquet for the 5th Nan Cheng Electrical Star Competition. Was he also invited?
Talk about running into an enemy!
After receiving her award, Jiang Nanfang had no intention of attending these boring gatherings. Now, with Zhan Bei Jue present, she was completely out of the question.
In the lounge, Zhan Jingrui looked worriedly at the computer screen: "Mommy hasn't come in. It seems she's not planning to enter."
Zhan Jingge: "Then what should we do? She hasn't clarified things with Daddy yet!"
Zhan Jingrui frowned and thought for two seconds. "I'll distract Uncle Acheng and the others. You find a way to bring her here."
Jiang Nanfang stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, about to call the vice president who had invited her to decline the banquet.
Suddenly, a shiny toy ball rolled to her feet.
"Brother, my ball is gone!"
This voice…
It sounded just like her daughter's!
Jiang Nanfang picked up the ball curiously and followed the sound.
In the spacious, bright lounge, stood two children, as lovely as porcelain dolls.
One wore a white shirt and a black tailcoat, the other a wine-red princess dress and a crown.
Her two children, dressed so elegantly, had appeared before her out of nowhere!
Jiang Nanfang looked at them, paused for a moment, then, filled with shock and anger, she ran to the children with the ball and squatted down.
"Jiang Jingyu, why are you two back?"
"When did you get back? With your godmother, or just the two of you?"
"Who told you to come here? Do you know how dangerous it is!"
Opposite her, Zhan Jingrui and Jingge, who had just been temporarily arranged by their father, Zhan Bei Jue, to wait there to go home, exchanged a quiet glance. A maturity beyond their years flickered in their eyes.
Sure enough, Jiang Nanfang was their mother. Blood relations wouldn't lie. Even though it was their first meeting, look, hadn't she recognized them as siblings?
But who was Jiang Jingyu? And who was this godmother?
After he learned computer programming a year ago, he had hacked into the hospital system and clearly saw that their mother had only given birth to the two of them!
Could it be that during the years they were separated from their father, their mother had completely abandoned them and married someone else and had more children?
Around Jiang Nanfang's neck was a necklace, and inside the pendant was a photo of the three of them.
In the photo, a boy and a girl, their heads leaning against hers, looked exactly like the siblings!
They had never met before, how could she have photos of them?
Could it be…
Zhan Jingge reached out and touched the photo in her necklace, asking, "Mommy, is this the only photo you have? Do you have any others?"