Jin Miaomiao had heard about last night's events from her cousin and found it utterly inexplicable. Seeing Su Ding's angry demeanor, she deliberately made a sarcastic remark, "Oh, the house caught fire, and you've come to frame me. Su Ding, this is the extent of your tricks!"
"Frame you? Jin Miaomiao, if you have any decency, just explain what happened honestly."
Su Ding was furious, but with the child present, she didn't want to make a scene.
Jin Miaomiao was equally indignant. She glanced at Jin Ye, slightly restraining her tone, "Let me tell you, don't wrong me. Don't pin things on me that I didn't do."
"The person last night clearly meant you!" Su Ding wished she could just hit her.
This Jin Miaomiao, from beginning to end, had actively provoked her and troubled her, endlessly!
Jin Miaomiao took a step back, "Just because you say it was me, does that make it so? You burned down your own house and are framing me, and I'm supposed to admit it?"
As she spoke, her mouth started to get the better of her, "If it really was me, why would I leave evidence? I would have just burned you to death!"
"Jin Miaomiao!" Jin Ye interrupted sternly, glaring at Jin Miaomiao coldly.
Jin Miaomiao snorted and shut her mouth.
Jin Ye walked towards Su Ding, his stern face conveying immense seriousness, "I've asked. It wasn't Miaomiao."
Su Ding didn't believe him at all. They were siblings, of course, they would cover for each other.
"Then let's wait for the police investigation," Su Ding said coldly.
"Fine, let's wait for the police to investigate. How amusing," Jin Miaomiao said dismissively, then ascended the stairs with feigned grace.
As she passed Su Ding, she even snorted.
Su Ding's face was extremely unpleasant. She suppressed her anger, determined to see how Jin Miaomiao would cry for her parents when the investigation results came out!
"I'm leaving now."
She turned to go, but Jin Ye caught her. "Where are you going?"
Su Ding replied with a cold face, "Nan Jing is vast. It won't be without a place for me to stay."
Jin Ye paused for a few seconds, his gaze falling on the two little ones beside him. Jin Xiao Xi understood instantly, while Tang Tang followed dazedly.
One on each side, they pulled on Su Ding's arm.
"Mommy, please don't go. Xiao Xi wants to see you every day."
"Auntie~"
Surrounded by the two adorable children, Su Ding couldn't even maintain her cold expression and found herself in a dilemma.
She frowned and looked at Jin Ye, seeing the man looking at her with a smug expression.
"Xiao Xi, call your mother over for breakfast."
Jin Ye said indifferently, then strode to the kitchen with his long legs and brought out the warm breakfast.
Su Ding was helpless, held by the two little hands, unable to break free.
She forced herself to finish breakfast, and under the expectant gazes of the two children, she said to Jin Ye, "I don't want to live here with Jin Miaomiao. Please arrange another room for me."
Jin Ye readily agreed, "Alright, I'll have the servants clean the small courtyard in the south right away."
"Daddy, I want to move there too~"
Jin Xiao Xi quickly said. After receiving Jin Ye's approval, he excitedly introduced to Su Ding, "Mom, Grandfather's house is huge. The small courtyard in the south also has a garden and a pond, and it's near the mountain."
Tang Tang revealed an expression of longing.
Jin Xiao Xi quickly squeezed Tang Tang's hand, "I'll take you to play later."
Tang Tang obediently nodded, "Okay."
Although Xiao Xi was half a head shorter than Tang Tang, Jin Xiao Xi already had the demeanor of a little man.
Su Ding shook her head, her mood also filled with emotion.
Unbeknownst to her, Jin Ye had already circled behind her and stroked her hair, "It's okay."
"Have you spoken to your grandfather?" Su Ding asked softly.
Jin Ye nodded and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, he also wants you to stay at home. Otherwise, Xiao Xi would have to run between two places."
"Mm."
Su Ding lowered her head and sighed softly in her heart.
Seeing his mother unhappy, Jin Xiao Xi pulled her along, "Mom, I'll show you Grandfather's house."
Su Ding was led around the Jin family's estate.
It was larger than a scenic spot. After walking for half an hour, they had only covered half of it, and each area had dedicated staff for maintenance.
There were even man-made hot springs and waterfalls.
A super-sized lawn, various precious flowers, and beautiful fish in the lake…
"It's so big."
Su Ding no longer knew what expression to wear, and couldn't help but sigh.
She looked at the tall, straight man beside her, once again feeling the sense of relying on a powerful figure; the business empire was substantial.
"What's wrong?" Jin Ye asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, nothing."
Su Ding shook her head, suppressing the chaotic thoughts in her mind, "Don't interfere with the police investigation. I want to know the truth. If Jin Miaomiao is the culprit, she must be brought to justice by law."
Jin Ye responded in a deep voice, "Alright, I promise you."
Only then did Su Ding let go of her inner turmoil. She played with Xiao Xi and Tang Tang on the fitness equipment for a while, then sat down to rest under a pavilion.
…
Meanwhile, Jin Miaomiao, after returning to her room, immediately called Tang Yiyi.
"Yiyi, Su Ding's house was burned down!"
Tang Yiyi had already anticipated this call and feigned surprise, "What? Burned down? What happened? Could it be you…"
Jin Miaomiao replied with displeasure, "Why does everyone think it's me?"
"Uh, no," Tang Yiyi chuckled, "Because you hate her the most~"
"I do hate her, that's true, but you know my guts. How could I dare to set a fire? My dad would definitely beat me to death if he found out," Jin Miaomiao said leisurely, leaning on the bed.
As she spoke, she chuckled with satisfaction, "You have no idea how pathetic Su Ding looked. It's truly satisfying!"
"She, she's at your house now?" Tang Yiyi asked softly.
"Yes, she's at my house. My cousin brought her over," Jin Miaomiao said, then quickly added, "Don't worry, I will never reconcile with her. You are forever the sister-in-law in my heart."
Tang Yiyi smiled, her eyes holding a deep scheme, "Miaomiao, you're so good. Have you prepared everything for what happened last time? Now she won't be able to refuse to come."
"I'm in the process of contacting them. Don't worry, this time she'll definitely be humiliated," Jin Miaomiao said proudly, with a look of confident determination on her face, "It starts the day after tomorrow. You must be on time."
Tang Yiyi agreed, "Okay, I have some other things to attend to, so I won't talk to you anymore."
"Mm-hmm, go ahead." Jin Miaomiao put down the phone and stood up to apply a face mask.
Impatiently, she picked up her phone again and sent a message to her close friends' group, "The day after tomorrow, see you there. Anyone who dares to back out will be kicked out of the group."
The group immediately became active:
Don't worry, we'll definitely show up~
I've wanted to see what a real celebrity looks like for a long time!
If we take pictures and post them, it's bound to attract Su Ding's rabid fans.
…
Jin Miaomiao looked at the messages in the group and closed her phone with satisfaction.
She also needed to prepare well, asking the servants to procure desserts, red wine, and other items needed for a party…
In the evening, Su Ding stayed in the house in the South Courtyard.
The South Courtyard was located closest to the foot of the mountain. The scenery here was better and more tranquil, rarely visited by anyone.
"You're not going to the main courtyard, and you're still staying here with me."
Su Ding looked at Jin Ye, who was standing on the open-air balcony, and couldn't help but speak.
Jin Ye gazed at the mountain range ahead, shrouded in darkness. a crescent moon hung high in the forest, casting a cold moonlight.
He felt a rare sense of peace.
"I actually wanted to bring you here a long time ago," he said softly. "I used to imagine bringing you and Xiao Xi and Xiao Rui home to visit Grandfather. We would live in this courtyard. After all this time, we've finally come, although Xiao Rui is still missing."
Su Ding listened to his words, her heart filled with a sourness.
She looked at the two little ones, who had collapsed on the bed, tired from playing, and her lips curved into a gentle arc. She slowly got up and walked to the balcony.
Standing beside Jin Ye, she said softly, "No one can predict what the future will hold."
She once thought that as long as two people loved each other, they could resist all the hardships in the world.
But she was too naive after all.
She was far from as strong as she imagined; she had her weaknesses, her principles.
Yes, no one can't live without anyone.
The reason Jin Ye still had feelings for her was merely a lingering attachment. The sudden end led to hatred, resentment, and unwillingness.
He still slept with Shao Lin, the woman he hated to the bone.
Therefore, love, while precious, was only a temporary surge of hormones; it couldn't last long.
"Su Ding."
Jin Ye turned around and looked down at her. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Su Ding avoid his gaze.