I Married My Heartless Ex-Wife’s Black Lotus Sister - Chapter 15

The driver, who had worked for the Zheng family for many years, immediately floored the accelerator without hesitation upon hearing the instruction.

Song Qi’an refused to back down, trailing closely behind like a ghost. Zheng Yili frowned as she stared at Song Qi’an, unable to understand why she wasn’t accompanying Lin Xiaoxiao but instead choosing to pester her.

Annoyance flashed across Zheng Yili’s face. The driver stole a couple of glances before calling out, “Miss, hold on tight!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the car swerved sharply to the left, nearly sending Zheng Yili flying from the back seat. After slamming back into her seat, she tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear and looked up—only to find Song Qi’an’s figure already gone from view.

The sudden turn caught Song Qi’an off guard, and she drove straight past.

With no place to make a U-turn, Song Qi’an had no choice but to keep going. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she glanced at the rearview mirror, now devoid of any sign of the sedan, frustration bubbling inside her.

The driver kept his foot on the gas, the speedometer climbing as the roadside trees blurred past.

“Miss, are you alright?” he asked with concern once they had shaken off Song Qi’an. Zheng Yili shook her head. “I’m fine. Just keep driving.”

“If she catches up again, lose her.”

Zheng Yili had no intention of engaging with Song Qi’an. The driver nodded in acknowledgment.

By the time they arrived at the company after a high-speed drive, Zheng Yili saw no trace of Song Qi’an. She headed straight to the meeting room, interviewed a few new candidates, reluctantly kept two, and then rushed back to the CEO’s office to tackle the mountain of scripts piled on her desk.

The scripts weren’t overly lengthy, and Zheng Yili skimmed through them quickly.

After selecting the suitable ones and assigning them to the company’s actors, she rubbed her throbbing temples and instructed her secretary to distribute the work plans.

Meng Sulan was tied up filming a variety show, so Zheng Yili greenlit other projects to start first.

By the time everything was settled, the clock on the wall had struck midnight. Zheng Yili didn’t return home, opting to sleep at the company instead. It wasn’t until the short films began wrapping up one after another and entered the editing phase that she finally allowed herself a half-day break.

Ten days without returning home, and the roses in Song Yanqing’s neighboring garden had bloomed even more luxuriantly.

Their rich, oil-paint-like hues intertwined, creating an exceptionally pleasing sight. Zheng Yili couldn’t help but take a few steps forward. A breeze soon carried over their delicate fragrance, enveloping her senses.

Tilting her head, Zheng Yili scanned the garden but didn’t spot Song Yanqing.

Had her leg injury improved after all this time? Just as the thought crossed her mind, that elegant, cool figure slowly came into view.

Song Yanqing paused mid-step upon seeing her, then a faint smile graced her lips as she asked, “Finished with work?”

“Yeah,” Zheng Yili replied instinctively before adding, “I can catch my breath for now.” After answering, she changed the subject, her gaze dropping to Song Yanqing’s ankle. “Are you feeling better?”

“I can move around now, though I still can’t run or jump too vigorously.”

Song Yanqing’s complexion looked much healthier than before—peach-blossom cheeks, jade-like skin—and amidst the vibrant flowers, she exuded a breathtaking, radiant beauty.

Zheng Yili unconsciously held her breath, unable to tear her gaze away for a long while.

Song Yanqing didn’t mind and politely invited her, “Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? We’re planning to have barbecue.”

Zheng Yili refused without a second thought. She had just managed to shake off Song Qi’an without getting entangled—why would she willingly throw herself back into that situation?

If Song Qi’an weren’t around, she might have considered agreeing.

“Tonight, it’s just me and Aunt Wang at home,” Song Yanqing said with a soft smile, as if sensing her hesitation. “Come join us. Since Aunt Ji isn’t home, you’ll be alone anyway.”

Zheng Yili was skeptical. How did Song Yanqing know that Madam Ji wouldn’t be back tonight?

“Didn’t Aunt Ji tell you? She’s attending a class reunion in the neighboring city for the next few days and won’t be back until the day after tomorrow at the earliest,” Song Yanqing explained gently.

“…” Zheng Yili was momentarily speechless. Had Madam Ji completely forgotten about her own daughter?

The thought that Song Yanqing knew more about Madam Ji’s whereabouts than she did struck Zheng Yili as odd. Since when had the two of them grown so close?

In the end, Zheng Yili accepted the invitation. The house was cold and unwelcoming—hardly a place anyone would want to stay.

When she arrived, she had the butler bring some ingredients from the fridge and even grabbed two bottles of wine. Aunt Wang had already set up the grill in the yard and was meticulously brushing on the marinade.

Seeing Zheng Yili, she looked up and greeted her, “Yanqing’s in the living room. You can go ahead and sit inside, Miss Zheng.”

Song Yanqing was on the sofa in the living room, carefully wiping a photo frame. Zheng Yili paused and recognized it as an old picture from their kindergarten days. She was surprised. “You still have this?”

Her own copies had long been tossed into some forgotten corner. Back then, Zheng Yili had been an absolute troublemaker—the kind even dogs would avoid. She was often covered in dirt, looking like a little beggar.

But whenever she messed up and angered Madam Ji, Zheng Yili would widen her big, round, grape-like eyes with an innocent expression until Madam Ji sighed and let it go.

Madam Ji was soft-hearted and always forgave her, which only made Zheng Yili even more mischievous. She climbed walls and trees daily, showing none of the demureness expected of a girl.

Song Yanqing seemed to recall those amusing memories too, her smile deepening. “I’ve kept it stored in a box, so it’s still in decent condition.”

Zheng Yili walked over and sat down across from Song Yanqing, her gaze lingering on her younger self in the photo.

Sure enough, her twin ponytails were a tangled mess, and her clothes were filthy. Even now, she couldn’t help shaking her head at the sight.

“Huh.” After scanning the photo, Zheng Yili suddenly realized something. “Wait, you’re not in this picture.”

“I was sick back then and couldn’t make it to school.”

Zheng Yili hadn’t known that Song Yanqing had been frail as a child. She only remembered that Song Yanqing rarely attended kindergarten, appearing just once or twice on rare occasions.

But every time she did, all the children would jostle and crowd around just to catch a glimpse of her. It wasn’t for any particular reason—it was simply because Song Yanqing had been breathtakingly beautiful back then.

Unlike the cold and aloof little Song Qi’an, little Song Yanqing was born with delicate features like carved jade, always dressed in exquisite little dresses and leather shoes, resembling an elegant and noble princess from a castle.

For Zheng Yili and the other little troublemakers, such a neat and tidy Song Yanqing held an irresistible allure.

Zheng Yili had once fantasized about becoming friends with Song Yanqing and growing closer to her. Unfortunately, she never got the chance before graduating from kindergarten. Instead, she grew increasingly closer to Song Qi’an through countless noisy squabbles over the years.

Returning to the present, Zheng Yili looked at the photo with a genuinely warm smile: “If only you’d been there back then.”

“You have no idea—so many kids adored you and desperately wanted to play with you,” Zheng Yili shifted her gaze from the photo to meet Song Yanqing’s faintly smiling eyes.

Song Yanqing neither confirmed nor denied, her eyes gently crinkling at the corners. “What about you?”

Zheng Yili froze. “Huh?”

“Did you like me?”