Chapter 131 Shattered Glass Beads (7)

Chapter 131 Broken Glass Beads (7)

Without the benefit of a god's-eye view, Lu Jingtang found Ji Yunyin's obsession with Fu Nanyu utterly baffling. Was it truly worth making such a spectacle of oneself over one man, in a world not lacking in them?

Some whispered that her love came too easily; she didn't have to lift a finger to make someone like Fu Nanyu fall head over heels. Who wouldn't be jealous? In this light, Ji Yunyin's actions seemed almost understandable, the plight of a woman deeply, perhaps foolishly, in love.

When Lu Jingtang overheard this, her jaw dropped in shock. Her wide, innocent eyes brimmed with genuine confusion, and she nearly blurted out, "Are you serious?"

Just because her own love life was smooth sailing, did that justify trying to intervene and usurp her place? By that logic, since *she* was so wealthy, once the weather turned cold, anyone could just slip their hands into her pockets to warm them.

The frequency of Fu Nanyu's "chance" encounters with Ji Yunyin was alarmingly high, yet nine times out of ten, Fu Nanyu was accompanied by someone else.

Despite Fu Nanyu's unwavering loyalty, these coincidences fueled a torrent of baseless rumors within their social circle regarding Ji Yunyin's obsession and resentment.

In the mouths of some, Fu Nanyu became a hypocrite, adept at playing both sides.

The capital's playboys assumed that Fu Nanyu, that unattainable paragon, had finally fallen from grace, just like them. Only by dragging all their peers down could they justify their own decadence. "See?" they'd rationalize, "All men are the same."

The trio crossed paths again at the 30th wedding anniversary celebration of a prominent financial magnate and his wife. Ji Yunyin, whose exceptional talent at the piano had caught the eye of Madame Rong, an internationally renowned pianist, was invited to perform at the anniversary banquet.

It must be said that Ji Yunyin was utterly captivating at the piano. Lu Jingtang, no connoisseur of music, simply found it enchanting—a soothing balm for her ears.

Suddenly, a gentle squeeze on her palm. She looked up to see Fu Nanyu, his expression composed and cool, leaning in slightly to speak to her in a serious, low voice. Anyone observing might have thought they were discussing a multi-billion-dollar deal.

"There's cake, but you were coughing yesterday. You can't have too much sugar. How about just one, strawberry or mango?"

Lu Jingtang paused, then her eyes curved into a radiant smile. "Then I'll have the strawberry one."

Fu Nanyu's slender fingers gently tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. His dark, ink-like eyes fixed intently on hers as he spoke in a hushed, deliberate tone, "Just keep your eyes on me. I won't let you down."

Lu Jingtang replied with equal solemnity, "You too. Don't be afraid. Just keep your eyes on me."

Hand in hand, they stood under the gaze of the crowd, impervious to the outside world's doubts and skepticism.

Throughout the banquet, every time Ji Yunyin glanced at Fu Nanyu, her eyes were filled with a profound resentment, giving off an aura of tangled love and hate. Anyone unaware might have thought Fu Nanyu had truly wronged her.

It made Lu Jingtang's cheeks burn with secondhand embarrassment. Watching another woman resort to such tactics filled her with an inexplicable sense of shame.

While Fu Nanyu turned to speak with Li Chen, an incident occurred.

Someone called out Lu Jingtang’s name. She instinctively turned toward the voice, only to feel a hand shove her from behind. Losing her balance, she stumbled forward. Ji Yunyin stood directly in front of her, and ahead was a towering pyramid of wine glasses. A fall like that would certainly lead to disfigurement.

Lu Jingtang’s pupils contracted sharply. She clearly saw a flicker of hesitation in Ji Yunyin’s eyes, followed by ruthless determination. Just as Ji Yunyin grabbed Lu Jingtang’s arm to redirect her toward the wine tower, another hand firmly seized Ji Yunyin’s arm.

“Let’s die together!”

Ji Yunyin’s eyes widened. Lu Jingtang looked sweet and innocent, but who knew she was so unhinged?

Unable to shake her off, Ji Yunyin had to lean backward. Lu Jingtang, pulled along, tumbled toward her. In this situation, both were bound to get hurt.

A strong arm wrapped around Lu Jingtang’s waist. For a moment, she was lifted into the air, and the next second, she was safely cradled in Fu Nanyu’s embrace.

The wine tower shuddered from the impact, glasses shattering and wine splashing down. Fu Nanyu’s back took the brunt of it, shielding Lu Jingtang completely—not even the hem of her dress was wet.

Fu Nanyu seemed oblivious. His dark eyes remained fixed on Lu Jingtang, and even though she was safely in his arms, his hands trembled uncontrollably…

“I’m fine,” Lu Jingtang said, her chest aching. Her deer-like eyes glistened as she tenderly tried to wipe the wine from his neck with the back of her hand.

Fu Nanyu caught her wrist, his voice hoarse and trembling. “Don’t touch it. It’s dirty.” He was still terrified, his heart pounding as if it might explode. He felt useless—if only he had been more ruthless, this accident would never have happened.

Lu Jingtang smiled softly and, shielded by his embrace, tilted her head to plant a light kiss on his neck. “It’s not dirty.”

Ji Yunyin lay sprawled on the floor in disarray, her ankle twisted and her clothes drenched in wine. Her meticulously applied makeup couldn’t conceal her contorted expression—she was a picture of utter wretchedness.

Whispers and laughter rippled through the crowd. Ji Yunyin’s gaze swept across the room toward Lu Jingtang, but she saw no trace of smugness on her face. Instead, Lu Jingtang frowned slightly at the mockery around her and averted her eyes.

In that moment, all of Ji Yunyin’s schemes and fantasies turned into the pathetic performance of a clown.