Rich Woman, But Got Dumped By A Jerk Three Times. - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: My Gift Will Arrive Momentarily

“What did you say?”

Natsuki’s voice suddenly shot up, the angry questioning echoing in the car: “You saw A-Ci pinned against a wall with someone choking her neck? Why didn’t you say anything earlier? Do you remember what that person looked like?”

“Ay, my dear girl, quiet down a bit.”

Box, who always got sleepy the moment she got into a car, was successfully startled awake by the shout. She rubbed her head and muttered, “I said it was just what I saw, but A-Ci said the person was just asking for directions, so I didn’t press it.”

They had left late and been delayed several times. By the time they were all in the cab heading home, it was already three in the morning.

Tangtang, sitting in the front, was past her exhaustion and turned to ask: “Did you check A-Ci? Is she hurt? What about the hearing aid? Did she get it back?”

The question successfully focused all attention on the person leaning against the left car door, who had closed her eyes early on.

“A-Ci gets carsick anyway,” Natsuki sighed with concern. “Let’s wait until we get home to ask her.”

The voices of the others softened, and Box, afraid of being scolded, quickly changed the subject.

The car was not quiet, and the person leaning against the window was definitely not carsick.

Yi Chengsong, the premise of executing the mission is to ensure your own safety. What were you doing just now?

The moment the taxi door was closed, the familiar furious voice had already come through the earpiece, which looked identical to a hearing aid.

The person who had been called by her real name was momentarily stunned, subconsciously scanning her surroundings.

Fortunately, the other three band members hadn’t noticed anything unusual and were still animatedly complaining about irrational fans.

“Sister Jiang? Why the sudden use of my real name?” Her fingers tapped the responder. The encrypted code sign language had minimal movement, tucked inconspicuously in her pocket.

Answer the question, Yi Chengsong, what were you doing just now?

“Reporting, I was drawing out the target.” After tapping the reply, Yi Chengsong asked persistently: “Report, can you answer why this target is still her?

“I checked this woman; there are no traces of ‘Three Waters’ on her. We found nothing when we first locked onto her in Yeyu. Why are we targeting her again?

“Is the target truly accurate?”

The memories from three years ago were already a bit blurry.

But when Yi Chengsong clearly saw that face again, many deliberately suppressed emotions resurfaced.

[You do not have the right to question. You only need to successfully complete the mission while ensuring your personal safety. The consequences of failing again are ones neither of us can bear.]

The mission was relayed commandingly. Yi Chengsong had no right to object and could only gently tap her fingers, replying: “Understood.”

A slight static sound came from the other end of the earpiece. Communication was unilaterally cut off again, and the device clenched in her hand became a mere trinket.

Yi Chengsong buried her face deeper into her raised collar, letting out a nearly inaudible sigh.

The gentle swaying of the slowly moving vehicle induced drowsiness. Her thoughts scattered in the night.

Six years ago, a hallucinogenic addictive substance called ‘Three Waters’ began circulating and being sold on the market.

Under the organization’s control, the largest seller was broken up after a crackdown. But three years ago, the remnants resurfaced, and the new activities of the escaped ringleader were tracked to Yeyu.

At that time, Yi Chengsong, having just graduated from the military academy, was dispatched to undertake her first undercover mission.

She was only twenty-two that year.

The target was the owner of Yun Ji Restaurant, Yun Jiushu, who was two years younger than her. Records indicated she was the largest ‘Three Waters’ supplier in Yeyu, cunning, and deeply meticulous.

However, aside from her appearance matching the description perfectly, everything else was vastly different.

Yun Jiushu was not scheming; she was perhaps even excessively… frivolous?

Upon their first meeting, the supposed prey looked at her like a hunter, her gaze full of a strong desire to conquer that made her very uncomfortable.

By their second encounter, Yun Jiushu had already feigned drunkenness, standing at Yi Chengsong’s door with a drink, inviting her to talk and drink.

The mission spiraled out of control from then on, and failure became inevitable.

It was Yi Chengsong’s first taste of defeat in her life.

During the post-mission review, her superior pointed out that the aggressive gaze was not because Yun Jiushu had seen through her identity, but because she wanted to develop a closer, intimate relationship. Logically, playing along would have allowed the mission to proceed.

Unfortunately, Yi Chengsong hadn’t understood at the time.

So, when Yun Jiushu forcefully barged in, Yi Chengsong thought her cover was blown and, in a panic, made a move.

The woman’s neck was pinned by her thumb and forefinger; the cup in her hand dropped, shattering on the floor, spilling the liquor.

When she forcefully and contemptuously cleared the woman out, a more intense desire for conquest burned in the other’s eyes.

Touching on the memory, Yi Chengsong sighed barely audibly.

The feelings she hadn’t understood back then now seemed like a prologue to failure at every turn.

The residual choking sensation on her neck dispersed its initial pain, morphing into a strange feeling that lingered and wound around her heart.

“A-Ci?”

Her thoughts were interrupted. Yi Chengsong slowly opened her eyes, noticing that the taxi had stopped below her apartment building.

“We’re home, A-Ci,” Natsuki’s voice was very gentle, even coaxing: “Go home and sleep. Is there anywhere on your body that still hurts?”

Hearing the sound, Yi Chengsong gently shook her head, her eyes full of weariness.

Natsuki was still worried: “Let me check your injuries when we get back. If it’s serious, we’ll go to the hospital tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Box, dragging out her long sleepy tone: “Your health comes first.”

Sensing the concern from her friends, Yi Chengsong closed her eyes and opened them again, forcing a slight smile and signing: “Okay, thank you.”

The mission failure three years ago resulted in the promising young lieutenant, Yi Chengsong, being forcibly recalled to the capital.

Her honors were revoked, her name was erased, and after a year of official closed-door training as an undercover agent, she received the ‘Three Waters’ mission again and was dispatched to Chuncheng to go undercover.

Up until receiving the mission tonight.

Yi Chengsong had been living in Chuncheng for two years under the name A-Ci, and this band had been formed for a year and a half.

Stepping out of the taxi, the sight that greeted them was a dilapidated block of apartments.

To rent a convenient location for the least amount of money, one had to choose between old, rundown residential areas or urban villages.

The place Yi Chengsong and her band currently lived was a stubborn, old apartment complex. The plaster on the four walls was old and peeling. Perennial dampness created a pervasive moldy smell on the ceiling. It took significant force to trigger the sound-activated lights, and vulgar advertisements were scattered everywhere.

A cross-breeze swept through the open-air stairwell. The last faint stars in the sky were fading. Yi Chengsong instinctively tore down a newly posted egg donation advertisement on the crumbling wall.

“Everyone, let’s go to sleep quickly. We have a big opening celebration the day after tomorrow,” Tangtang was too tired to bear it and suggested: “So let’s rest up tomorrow and then get up to shower. No making any noise tonight, okay?”

The exhausted group waved their hands in agreement, went into their rooms, and immediately fell asleep.

Quietly closing her room door, Yi Chengsong opened her phone and entered the name she remembered into the social media platform.

Yun Ji Restaurant.

However, what popped up was a completely different, new name for a restaurant, with a location less than 5 kilometers from her current position.

Momentarily stunned, Yi Chengsong clicked in as if possessed.

…

My Gift Will Arrive Momentarily

Bang—

“Yun Ji Private Cuisine officially opens today.”

As the ascending fireworks froze and burst, the red silk draped over the sign was smoothly unveiled.

The three-story building with white walls and black tiles, its flying eaves and upturned corners shaped like dragon ridges. Pure gold, antique bells hung from the dragon’s mouth.

The thousand square meters of space had been perfectly crafted into a replica of the ‘Humble Administrator’s Garden’. With a man-made lake at the center, pavilions and buildings were scattered gracefully. Exquisite wood carvings, rockeries, and colorful paintings were everywhere, creating a grand, majestic atmosphere that felt “man-made, yet appearing to be divinely crafted.”

Not only was the decoration lavish, but the opening ceremony was also deliberately high-profile.

For Yun Ji’s new branch opening, a constant stream of well-wishers arrived, with some bosses even rushing over specifically from Yeyu.

One expensive gold-foil gift cannon after another was placed along the avenue, sounding off without pause.

Golden ribbons fluttered everywhere. The woman standing on the steps smiled radiantly. A scarlet Qipao accentuated her graceful figure, exuding a captivating allure that flowed from her enchanting, almost bewitching fox eyes.

“Congratulations on your grand opening, Boss Jiu,” Nuo Ye looked at the flower baskets almost spilling onto the street and sincerely exclaimed: “This scene today is truly magnificent. I’m afraid my gift might be too modest.”

“Boss Nuo!”

Spotting her from afar, Yun Jiushu personally descended the steps to greet her: “Nonsense. Boss Nuo’s presence here is the greatest gift.”

Accepting the floral hand tag that Yun Xiao handed her, Nuo Ye chuckled teasingly: “I don’t know, I’m starting to think you didn’t leave Yeyu because you got bored, but because you thought the place was too small for your ambitions.”

Although Yun Ji in Yeyu had already established a name, it was initially a commoner-route restaurant serving individual customers.

It wasn’t until three years ago, when Yun Jiushu suddenly announced a half-year closure, that the entire operating model of Yun Ji changed dramatically upon reopening.

Seeing the magnificent sight before her today, Nuo Ye finally fully realized the ambition and capability of this woman.

“I’m merely trying to keep up with Boss Nuo’s footsteps,” Yun Jiushu smiled wantonly, her eyes and brows filled with undisguised vigor and determination.

“So, have Deputy He and Boss Ling arrived yet?” Nuo Ye lowered her voice and asked: “Why did you leave for so long that night? You abandoned them at the table. Their messages to me have been extremely cold these past few days.”

Yun Jiushu maintained her smile and blinked, only answering the first half of the question: “They arrived early and are already in the private room, arranged next to yours.”

“That’s good, then. Looks like they weren’t angry.” Nuo Ye nodded. Just as she responded, a new group of guests arrived.

She could only watch as Yun Jiushu flitted away like a butterfly, diving back into the crowd, the flow of smiling congratulations and pleasantries ceaseless.

“I was worried the scene wouldn’t be lively enough.” Nuo Ye looked at the ‘Arrival’ notification that popped up on her phone, then yelled upward: “Boss Jiu, clear a spot! My gift will arrive momentarily.”

Hearing the shout, Yun Jiushu was still smiling. She looked up, confused, her gaze following Nuo Ye’s distant point.

A taxi was parked far across the street. The door opened, and four girls with different hair colors stepped out.

Among them, that familiar streak of black was especially glaring.