"Is that so?" Di Mingjue asked with a look of doubt.
Seizing the moment his curiosity was piqued, Jiang Feifei moved closer to him, their bodies brushing. "Actually, it wasn't my sister who was supposed to marry you, but me."
Di Mingjue frowned, clearly unaware of this.
Growing bolder, Jiang Feifei placed her hand on his arm. "My sister used the Jiang family's debt to her as an excuse to insist on marrying you herself. She's also getting revenge on me. Sheng Yan wronged her. I didn't know they were in a relationship before."
"Wait," Di Mingjue interrupted, raising a hand. "I don't understand."
Realizing her explanation was muddled, Jiang Feifei wiped her tears and rephrased, "My sister marrying you is just her way of getting revenge on me. She doesn't love you; she loves Sheng Yan."
"Is that so?" Di Mingjue retorted.
Opening her phone, Jiang Feifei scrolled through some photos and showed them to Di Mingjue.
She had kept these photos on her phone all along – intimate pictures of Sheng Yan and Jiang Ziyu from back then.
Looking at the photos, Di Mingjue, though he knew they were fake, felt a pang of jealousy. He zoomed in on a picture and suddenly realized something was amiss.
"Is this Jiang Ziyu?" Di Mingjue asked.
The woman in the photo looked different from her current appearance. Her face was clear, bearing some resemblance to the woman from that year.
Jiang Feifei quickly turned off the screen, afraid Di Mingjue might develop feelings for Jiang Ziyu.
"These are all photos of my sister and Sheng Yan. She kept them at home. Even after they broke up, she couldn't bear to discard them."
Di Mingjue's heart was in turmoil. He began to connect the woman from that year with Jiang Ziyu again.
"Around when did she go abroad?"
"This? Three years ago."
The timing matched.
If she had gone abroad after giving birth, his men would have been unable to find her in Di Capital.
Sensing Di Mingjue's growing curiosity about Jiang Ziyu, Jiang Feifei grew uneasy.
While searching for a way to divert his attention, Di Mingjue dismissed her.
She was reluctant to leave, but Di Mingjue's suddenly indifferent gaze made her feel frightened. Fearing she would mess things up further, she complied and left.
Before she could get far, Shen Lin was called in by Di Mingjue. She deliberately slowed her steps, hoping to overhear something, but found Di Mingjue waiting for her to leave.
As the door closed, Jiang Feifei pondered deeply. She stared at the two doors before her, then bowed her head, pressing her ear against the crack.
"Investigate the hospital where that woman gave birth back then."
Shen Lin listened, a look of surprise on his face. "Mr. Di, are we still looking for her?"
"Yes, find her even if we have to turn the world upside down," Di Mingjue stated resolutely.
His intuition had always been accurate. If the woman from that year was indeed Jiang Ziyu, it would be a joyous occasion for all. If not, he would compensate her properly.
Shen Lin received his instructions and turned to leave.
As the door opened, he thought he caught a glimpse of a figure rapidly escaping.
Without dwelling on it, he turned and left.
Leaning back against the wall, Jiang Ziyu was still replaying the words in her mind.
Was the woman from back then Qianqian's biological mother?
No, one Jiang Ziyu was already enough to give her a headache. Now, another one?
Without waiting for the end of the workday, Jiang Feifei left the company, her mind preoccupied. She too had to search, and more importantly, find her before Di Mingjue did.
...
Di Residence.
After returning from the company, Jiang Ziyu remained in her room in a daze. Her phone lay in front of her, displaying a string of messages from Mu Liangchen, but she had no inclination to reply.
Just then, Mu Liangchen's call came through.
"Hello." After a long pause, Jiang Ziyu weakly answered.
Sensing her altered state, Mu Liangchen asked with concern, "What's wrong? Has Di Mingjue already become suspicious of you?"