Chapter 40: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes? He didn't wait for my response and got up to leave, his back figure a picture of desolation and loss. For a moment, I forgot everything and wanted to rush over and hug him, but I restrained myself. Is he also concerned about me? Otherwise, he wouldn't have revealed this wounded expression because of my few words, the heart-wrenching pain began to stimulate my nerves.

  After seeing through my own heart, I felt that the two hearts had been so close. Unconsciously fell into his trap, knowing he was poison, but I still fell involuntarily. Tonight, I must convey my intentions clearly, because I don't want to see his painful expression again, and I want to protect everything about him with all my heart. With a goal to strive for, my spirit is instantly boosted, and I feel invincible.

  Under the night sky, the neon lights just came on, and the wine that was once red and green, paper drunk and gold, changed its usual appearance. The soft music floated in the quiet summer night air, and passersby kept sticking their heads out to take a look at the sign, it was indeed wine; but when they looked inside, they couldn't make sense of it at all. Regular customers hesitated at the door, just like strangers, both inside and outside had expressions as if they were struck by lightning, terrified with surprise, could it really be that discordant?

  "Welcome! Welcome!" I, standing at the door and pretending to be a waiter, forced a smile on my face. "Don't miss out when you pass by!" The classic sales pitch.

  "Has this bar closed down? Is it a café now? Or is it a fast food joint?" A beautifully made-up and curvaceous woman loudly exclaimed, "Where am I supposed to pick up guys from now on!"

  I wiped the cold sweat, calmed down, and forced a smile, at least keeping my face calm. I patiently explained: "No, today our store is changing owners and we're holding a takeover celebration. Tonight, all drinks are on the house for guests who come to congratulate us! Don't hesitate, everyone! Hurry up!" The crowd outside was shouting and gesturing wildly.

  The beauty was taking out a round makeup mirror from her bright purple leather bag, checking her heavily made-up face left and right. After hearing my words, she seemed to relax, glanced at me unintentionally, and sneered with disdain in her tone: "Is Brother Yu blind? Where did he pick up such an inferior quality to stand at the door to greet guests? It's not as good as finding me! Does he like this tender mouth? The little mouth is quite talkative, hum!" She said, twisting her waist and walking into the house with her head held high.

  I glare at her back, killing you with my eyes, am I inferior goods? I'm not even tired of this demon yet! Snake demon! Bai Niangzi and Xiao Qing are much more beautiful than you, no matter how much makeup you put on, it can't make up for your inner ugliness! You say I'm a receptionist? Sorry, I don't like continuing to do this job! As a servant, who did I provoke, huh? Everyone takes out their anger on me, am I a punching bag?!

  In my heart, I silently greeted her family members, but still managed to hold back and didn't utter a single swear word. After all, I'm now representing the image of Yu's family, so I can endure it and not stoop to the level of such shallow people who judge by appearance.

  The men and women at the entrance also followed her into the house, and suddenly the crowd swarmed in. Behind the snake demon woman, the regular customers who were dressed in bright and beautiful clothes all cast sarcastic glances at me, while pedestrians A, B, C, and D showed sympathy for me.

  I was squeezed by a large crowd of people and kept retreating, with some people seemingly uncomfortable if they didn't step on me. I desperately dodged but still got trampled several times. Familiar faces appeared, surprisingly the women from the wine party who tried to hit on Yu but were rejected, with smug expressions on their faces and accompanied by provocative smiles. Damn it! Are you intentionally picking a fight? Do you think I'm easy to bully just because of my looks? If I hadn't been squeezed into a meat pie, I would have rushed up to return the favor with interest!

  Ah! How did I suddenly have such a powerful idea! Could it be that I was really assimilated by the universe?!

  It's not that bad, since we've decided to join forces with him, we should show some edge, take action when necessary, or else we'll end up hurting ourselves. Having been a pushover for so long, it's time to switch roles and be a hedgehog sometimes - whoever dares to mess with me will get pricked!

  "Wow! You're really a nine-lived cat demon? Still alive?" I was lowering my head to think, when a bright and sarcastic female voice entered my ears, and even with my toes, I knew who the newcomer was.

  I didn't provoke you, but you came to me with a hard-on, don't blame me for not being polite. The last bill hasn't been settled yet, and you're here again to provoke me, are you really brainless? Are you full of crap?

  Glaring in the direction of the sound, I was about to avenge myself, my hand raised, but it was firmly fixed in mid-air. To my surprise, there were four burly bodyguards surrounding Li Xiaoyan, dressed in standard professional attire - sunglasses, black suits, and black leather shoes. One of them was gripping my hand tightly, his glasses reflecting a faint, cold light.

  "Let go! What are you doing grabbing me? Pervert!"

  Li Xiao Ran smiled complacently and nodded to let him go: "No matter what kind of ghost idea you have, it won't hurt me, so spare yourself!" As she walked past me, she leaned in close to my ear and said in a low voice: "Do you still like the big gift I prepared for you last time? By the way, Su Yu's mother also has a share, why not say that she is the real mastermind! Hahaha..." Her piercing laughter gradually faded away.

  I was stunned on the spot, although I knew that Auntie disliked me and had warned me to leave Suyu, but I didn't expect that as a mother she could be so ruthless and cruel. Doesn't she treat her own daughter as human? And doesn't she treat other people's daughters with dignity? She actually used such despicable means, wanting me to give up in despair? But I'm even more determined to fight back!

  So, Yu should have known that his mother was secretly in charge, and as a filial son, he couldn't openly defy her. It seems that Ji Dong also knew, and his strong opposition to me and Yu being together was because he had long been aware of the danger involved?

  He slowly walked into the house, and Yu Wu had already changed into formal attire at some point. Xiao Ran was standing in front of him, intimately helping him adjust his tie, then gently stroking his shoulders and sliding down to his arms... I couldn't bear this scene, so I turned around angrily and stopped looking at them. More questions kept popping up - what was Yu Wu doing? Didn't he say they had already broken things off? Had he gotten tangled up with her again? Or was he still struggling to let go of old love? Maybe his aunt had put pressure on him... But his aunt hadn't appeared yet, and I thought she would arrive with Xiao Ran. Such a presence-filled person should have caught my attention if they were there.

  Under the dim blue light, the crowd surged forward, and before the two people who were being ambiguous noticed me, I quickly slipped in to find a foothold. The noise of playing and shouting in the wine had already covered up the soothing light music, and I struggled to drill through the gap to reach the staff passage on the other side. I should also be considered an employee? So I opened the door, patted my waist and walked in, I need to calm down for a while.

  As soon as I stepped inside, I found Ji Dong standing there with his hands clasped behind his back and leaning against the wall. My sudden appearance seemed to have interrupted him, and his expression changed in an instant, looking at me in surprise.

  My tense nerves relaxed, and I smiled slightly at him: "Winter melon, what are you doing here?"

  "What about you? Why didn't you follow Yuge? Are you not afraid of getting into trouble again by wandering around alone?" He said sternly, and it was still intimidating when he got angry.

  I let out a sigh and walked over to his side, leaning against the wall: "I've offended him, he's ignoring me, just focusing on being affectionate with his ex-girlfriend... And yet he says something about cutting off ties, a grown man who loves to deceive people..." Seeing his eyebrows furrowing deeper, I didn't dare continue complaining to him, and instead started comforting him: "That's okay! Tonight Mother isn't coming either, what can Li Xiaoran do to me by herself?"

  Perhaps it was also to hold down Xiao Ran, so that she wouldn't come looking for me again. I'd rather believe that's the case. I've already decided to stand together with Ye Yu, and I must trust him. But there are still misunderstandings between us that haven't been cleared up, and I haven't given him an answer yet. Does he really think I don't care about him at all?

  "Did Auntie Bao also do something to you?" Ji Dong's face turned iron-gray as he keenly sensed something.

  "Ah? No! Why would she want to deal with me? I don't have any grudges against her! You're thinking too much!"

  Auntie is Li Xiao Ran's strong backing, she also secretly wants to push me into the abyss, she wants to replace her son and Xiao Ran with a beautiful life, and actually comes up with a poisonous move to eliminate dissidents, how much does she like Li Xiao Ran? It seems that Ze Yu is not her child but Xiao Ran is, it's really hard to understand! Even if I'm furious in my heart, I can't tell Ji Dong, and drag him back into the water after he just escaped from his shackles.