After Teasing the Villain and Running Away - Chapter 18

The banquet was a welcome party specially hosted by the Xin family for Ruan Xin’s return to the country. The guest list comprised the city’s elite and influential figures, and the sheer grandeur of the occasion spoke volumes about Ruan Xin’s standing within the Xin family.

Jiang Ruosheng wore a qipao-style evening gown, its gauzy skirt in a deep, vintage lake-blue hue. The cinched waist was embroidered with a ring of vibrant red camellias, somewhat resembling the ones Ruan Xin had once tattooed on her back. Jiang Ruosheng’s fingertips brushed lightly over the embroidery, as if it were a lover’s tender caress. The texture was distinct and slightly rough, unlike the smooth silk she had expected.

She closed her eyes slightly, and before her floated the image of that world-famous painting—red and white intertwined, large, exuberant camellias blooming across a pristine “canvas” of skin. The red and green accents complemented each other perfectly along the spine, with green vines twisting and curling. Dewdrops clung to the petals, trembling and swaying at the slightest touch of her fingers.

The dewdrops slid down the petals, meandering and dissolving into the white sheets. Through a haze of soft pink, Jiang Ruosheng gazed into Ruan Xin’s increasingly mesmerizing eyes—now washed clean of all distance and indifference, as if polished by the warmth of spring water.

Ruan Xin crouched down to adjust the ribbon at the slit of Jiang Ruosheng’s left thigh, her nimble fingers weaving through the black gauze of the skirt. She looked up, noticing Jiang Ruosheng lost in thought as she traced the camellia embroidery, and her eyes darkened abruptly.

“Ouch—” Jiang Ruosheng winced as Ruan Xin pinched her thigh, frowning. “Why did you pinch me?”

Ruan Xin replied flatly, “Slipped.”

It was definitely going to bruise. Frustrated, Jiang Ruosheng sometimes couldn’t comprehend the reasons behind Ruan Xin’s sudden outbursts, leaving her to endure these unwarranted torments.

When Ruan Xin reached out again, Jiang Ruosheng instinctively stepped back. “I’ll do it myself. It’s not like we’re actually a couple—some things are too private for others to handle.”

The black ribbon slipped from Ruan Xin’s fingers, leaving her momentarily stunned before she slowly straightened up.

They wore the same style of evening gown in different colors—on Jiang Ruosheng, it exuded classical elegance, while on Ruan Xin, it carried an air of mystery.

Jiang Ruosheng crouched to tie the ribbon properly, then smoothed the golden frog clasp at her neck.

Ruan Xin asked, “What, does something not fit?”

Jiang Ruosheng countered, “That’s exactly what’s strange. How do you know my measurements?”

Over the past seven years, Jiang Ruosheng’s naturally tall frame had grown even more, now towering a full head above Ruan Xin’s 170 cm. Her proportions were flawless, as if she were born to model.

Ruan Xin answered nonchalantly, “I measured you myself when you fainted that night.”

Jiang Ruosheng’s hand stilled. The phrase “measured you myself” carried an unsettling implication. Considering she had been drenched and stripped naked at the time—how exactly had Ruan Xin taken her measurements? And how else could she have done it? Bare-skinned…

Forcing the inappropriate images from her mind, Jiang Ruosheng kept her expression cold. “Wait, so you already planned for us to attend this banquet together back then?”

Ruan Xin nodded, giving her a look that said, Isn’t that obvious?

So, all of this—perhaps even before Ruan Xin returned—had been meticulously arranged by her.

Finding an alpha was part of the plan. But was it really impossible for Ruan Xin to find another alpha to play this role with her?

Dismissing the unrealistic thought, Jiang Ruosheng refused to dwell on it any longer.

The banquet hadn’t officially begun yet, but the main hall was already filled with numerous guests engaged in lively conversations, all centered around the event’s main protagonist.

“Does the Xin family really need such a grand occasion for an illegitimate child? After staying abroad all these years, why return now of all times?”

“Her intentions are obvious, but does she really think she can compete with Xin Ran? Xin Ran has been groomed since childhood as the Xin family’s heir.”

“Xin Ran has been learning the ropes as second-in-command by her father’s side all these years. The group’s executives would naturally favor her. Ruan Xin is just arriving with no backing—what does she have to compete with? It’s pure delusion.”

“Exactly. Moreover, Xin Ran is a top-tier alpha while Ruan Xin is an omega—that’s already a disadvantage. I heard she used to pretend to be an alpha, but was exposed shortly after returning to the Xin family.”

“An omega pretending to be an alpha? That’s brutal to herself. Was it really necessary?”

“What do you think this banquet is for? Rumor has it the Xin family intends to find a suitable alpha from an influential family to marry Ruan Xin off through an arranged marriage. That way, how could she possibly compete for the inheritance?”

“Is this an alliance or creating enemies? Would Ruan Xin just comply obediently?”

When Jiang Ruosheng and Ruan Xin entered, this was the scene they encountered. As the protagonists appeared, the murmurs gradually quieted, replaced by scrutinizing, speculative, or doubtful gazes fixed on the two at the entrance.

Two exceptionally beautiful women walked side by side—wherever they went, they would turn heads without fail.

Jiang Ruosheng had resumed her role as the aloof young CEO Jiang, her every movement exuding an icy detachment that warned others to keep their distance. Meanwhile, Ruan Xin smiled politely at the crowd, though how much of that smile reached her eyes was another matter.

To demonstrate her professionalism, Jiang Ruosheng deliberately positioned herself slightly to shield Ruan Xin from some of the malicious stares, glaring back at the offenders—all of whom she recognized as local elites.

In her mind, she roughly categorized them into two lists based on their varying reactions:

“Those who favor Ruan Xin” and “those who don’t.”

Hmm… After this classification, the latter seemed to make up about nine-tenths of the crowd. The remaining one-tenth who “favored” her likely did so with ulterior motives, enjoying the spectacle.

After making the rounds, Ruan Xin went upstairs to visit the seriously ill Xin Chengguang, while Jiang Ruosheng found a quiet corner to leisurely sip her juice, listening attentively while remaining virtually invisible.

“That person walking with Ruan Xin… she looks so familiar.” The speaker hesitated, already forming a guess but finding the combination rather bizarre.

“It’s Jiang Ruosheng. I saw her at the tech conference before. She’s the only alpha in the entire circle with looks like that.”

“What circle? Even when the Jiang family was still around, they weren’t well-received by other influential families, let alone now with only Jiang Ruosheng left.”

“So it is her. After the Jiang family’s decline, only Jiang Ruosheng remained in the country to clean up the mess. She revived the already collapsed company before even graduating, and over the past few years gradually got it back on track. Now it’s one of the more rapidly developing companies. I heard she plans further expansion next year.”

“Surely Ruan Xin doesn’t think Jiang Ruosheng would help her? Wasn’t it the Xin family behind the scenes when the Jiang family went bankrupt during that lawsuit? I wonder if Jiang Ruosheng knows about this or not.”

“Of course she knows. Wasn’t she the one competing with Xin Ran for projects last year? So it’s no surprise she’s helping Ruan Xin against Xin Ran now. She’s probably secretly delighted to see the Xin family fighting among themselves.”

Jiang Ruosheng listened silently to their conversation as old memories flooded back.

Memories of the Jiang family going bankrupt overnight, left with nothing, forcing others to flee overseas in desperation; of the family sitting helplessly together after losing the lawsuit; and of that desolate moonlight streaming through the window as Ruan Xin coldly told her the Jiang family was finished, her distant gaze even icier than the cool moonlight.

Trust and affection had made the betrayal all too easy.

“Ruosheng, why are you sitting here alone? General Manager Jiang was just mentioning you. Aren’t you coming over to chat?”

A voice sounded from behind. Jiang Ruosheng rolled her eyes discreetly before turning to face Xin Ran, who stood with arms crossed and an amused expression.

The gossiping group looked embarrassed at being overheard by the subject of their discussion. Glancing at the two women now locking horns, they quickly dispersed.

Jiang Ruosheng ignored Xin Ran and moved to leave with her juice, only to find the woman sticking to her like glue.

“I never expected you’d reconnect with Ruan Xin the moment she returned to the country. After all these years, you can’t possibly still have feelings for her.” Xin Ran feigned pity, her tone dripping with distaste.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you—she’s a rose with thorns. You’ll get your hands bloodied before you can even grasp her. Surely you haven’t forgotten the lesson from seven years ago?”

Jiang Ruosheng replied coolly, “The banquet is about to start. Does President Xin really have time to stand here chatting with me?”

“This isn’t just idle chatter, but friendly advice.” Xin Ran shrugged. “Recently I discovered an extra capital injection saved your project from crisis. Was that Ruan Xin’s condition? How much could she possibly offer? If you’re looking for partners, why not consider me?”

Jiang Ruosheng refused bluntly, “Making pacts with tigers is unwise. I have no intention of getting involved with either side.”

Xin Ran sneered, displeased. “If you want to remain uninvolved, you should stay quietly in your own lane! By teaming up with Ruan Xin, you’ve already chosen to oppose me.”

“How amusing. When have I ever not been your opponent?”

Seeing Xin Ran’s expression darken, Jiang Ruosheng smirked. “Coming to me with these divisive words—are you scared? It seems Ruan Xin’s return has you quite rattled.”

Xin Ran’s face stiffened. “Why would I be scared? She’s the one who should be afraid. She should have stayed quietly abroad, but since she chose to return, don’t blame me for being a poor sister.”

Jiang Ruosheng remained noncommittal. “I couldn’t care less about your power struggles. But President Xin, you seem to be the one losing composure here. Let me offer some friendly advice too—the real winner laughs last. If you’re already faltering before the show begins, I might suspect you’ve learned nothing these years in the company.”

Under Jiang Ruosheng’s imperious gaze that commanded authority without anger, Xin Ran struggled to maintain her composure, nearly trembling with rage.

Over the years at the Xin Corporation, she had heard Jiang Ruosheng’s name mentioned countless times—the epitome of young entrepreneurs, renowned for reviving the Jiang family from the ashes. As part of the younger generation, they were often compared, but despite the prestige of the Xin family, she always found herself at a disadvantage against Jiang Ruosheng, who had already proven herself capable of standing alone.

In her past memories, Jiang Ruosheng had been nothing more than a spoiled rich kid—arrogant, willful, and reckless, with abysmal grades and a temperament that left much to be desired.

Yet, at some point, Jiang Ruosheng had changed, as if transformed overnight.

At first, she dismissed the shift. With the Jiang family in decline, such a threat seemed insignificant. But the flower that should have withered in obscurity bloomed once more, growing into something she could no longer ignore.

Xin Ran clenched her teeth, a dark thought taking root. The oppressive aura of a top-tier Alpha silently spread, the scent of burning liquor thick with aggression as it pressed toward Jiang Ruosheng.

She took a step closer, lowering her voice to a whisper by Jiang Ruosheng’s ear. “This is your final warning. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind repeating history for the Jiang family.”