Chapter 45: The Mysterious Video

Jian Qing still couldn't resist Li Jingche's seductive allure.

He lowered himself, kissing her with a delicacy and depth that never forced her into anything, yet in the tangle of their lips and teeth, everything was done. With her leg in a cast and unable to move, he took on all the exertion himself.

In the end, weighing everything, and to spare her any pain, Li Jingche devoted himself entirely to serving Jian Qing, finally retreating to the shower to take care of his own needs.

Her mind was awash with heat, her gaze dazed and hazy. She truly relished the exquisite pleasure Li Jingche brought her—especially watching that breathtakingly beautiful face so wholly devoted to her. Even Jian Qing found herself wanting to linger in that fleeting, unadulterated bliss.

Lying in bed, she drifted off without realizing it.

When she awoke, Li Jingche was already gone. The sky was darkening, and outside, she could hear the maids bustling about. Ren Tianchuan and Ren Yishan had returned, while Xiao Yunchen had gone to the Xiao family tonight—probably reconsidering his relationship with Ren Yishan after the diamond incident.

It simply wasn't worth it to lose favor with the Hao, Du, and even Li families over Ren Yishan.

Uncle Qian knocked at the door just as Jian Qing opened her eyes.

"Qingqing, I've brought your dinner up."

"Thank you, Uncle Qian. Just leave it here," Jian Qing replied, then curiously asked, "What's happening with Ren Yishan's jewelry theft?"

The incident had caused quite a stir today, and when Jian Qing returned home, Uncle Qian had been out handling the situation at Ren Tianchuan's request.

He had, through his network, found a Hao family employee to inquire. Hao Qing had indeed already called the police.

"Qingqing, you'd best steer clear of this. Miss Ren has really brought trouble on herself this time; the Hao family won't let it go easily."

Jian Qing nodded. This was exactly the outcome she wanted—if Hao Qing were so easy to appease, things would be far more difficult for her.

"So, what's Ren Yishan planning now?"

"Miss Ren, she..." They were still speaking when a commotion of hurried footsteps sounded in the hallway, and suddenly Ren Yishan and Ren Tianchuan burst into the room.

Ren Yishan, brimming with hostility, shoved the dinner cart away from Jian Qing's bedside and lifted her chin in a haughty gesture. "Jian Qing, you should just take the blame for this jewelry theft. I'd advise you not to be ungrateful."

Ren Tianchuan, seeing Jian Qing remain silent, pressed in with fatherly authority, "Jian Qing, this is your elder sister and the future heir of the Jian family. I suggest you know your place and don't force your father to do something he'll regret."

It was a naked threat. Lying in bed, Jian Qing could only rebel with her eyes.

But then, her expression softened; she neither agreed nor refused, instead pointing toward the walk-in wardrobe. "Uncle Qian, could you please fetch the bag on the top left corner of the first row in my wardrobe?"

Uncle Qian immediately complied. As Jian Qing rummaged through the bag, Ren Yishan frowned, suspecting mischief. "Jian Qing, I am your elder sister—soon you'll be relying on me for every little thing. You'd better—"

"Dad, if you want to help Ren Yishan clear her name, instead of making me take the fall for her, why not do it at this event?"

She pulled a delicate invitation from her bag and tossed it onto the bed. Ren Tianchuan and Ren Yishan’s eyes fell on the golden lettering: "Li Family Birthday Banquet Invitation." They exchanged a glance.

Ren Tianchuan's brow knitted, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You got an invitation to the Li family's birthday banquet?"

Jian Qing smiled and nodded. "Today, in front of all those rich heirs and heiresses, Ren Yishan was publicly humiliated by Hao Qing. Even if the police clear her, her reputation is already in tatters. But if she can speak for herself at the birthday banquet, perhaps not only can she clear up the misunderstanding, she might also win some favor from the Li family's young master."

Her words struck home for the father and daughter.

When Ren Tianchuan picked up the invitation, his hands trembled. He glanced at Ren Yishan, who gave him a slow nod.

"Very well. The fact that you could produce this shows you still have some conscience. At the banquet, your sister and I will represent you. You just focus on recovering at home."

Jian Qing shrugged, saying nothing. After the pair left, Uncle Qian, still unconvinced, said, "Qingqing, being acquainted with the Li family's young master would help you inherit the company in the future. Why help her?"

Jian Qing simply pulled the dinner cart closer, picking out the dishes she preferred for the maids to set on the bed tray. "Uncle Qian, if something as reliable as money can be fake, how much more so the words people say?"

Just as she finished, her phone rang.

She thought it might be Shen Yueli asking her to look at the gems cut for Miss Shuang, since the delivery date was near. But when Jian Qing checked her phone, she saw an unfamiliar number.

A multimedia message had arrived.

"Spam?" she wondered.

It was a video, accompanied by the words: "You're no better than the rest."

Jian Qing never considered herself a good person. The first time she learned hacking, she had "accidentally" siphoned off a considerable sum in digital currency from someone’s account, thereby severing any claim to moral innocence.

The video showed her pushing Ren Yishan.

She had indeed pushed Ren Yishan.

But now someone had caught it on film.

Jian Qing frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping in. Though Ren Yishan had deliberately provoked her, the fact remained—she was pregnant. If anything were to happen to that child, this video could very well become the final straw that broke the camel's back.