Endless Fall

“Then pick me up at nine o’clock.” She turned sideways and stared at that face that made one’s heart flutter.

Pei Zhi nodded. “Okay.” He drove in the direction of the market. “Have you prepared a gift?”

“No.” Lin Jiao took out a bottle of juice from the glove compartment and took two sips. “I’ll buy it tomorrow afternoon.”

!!

“So casual?”

“My relationship with Song Zhen isn’t that good anyway.”

Pei Zhi pinched her face and smiled. “But you represent the Lin family.”

Being reminded by him, she remembered that Lin Hongyuan and the Song couple knew each other. This time, she was not the only one invited.

“I’ll ask.” She called Lin Hongyuan. When she heard that they were not going, she said, “Dad, what do you think I should send?”

“Calligraphy, painting, or vase?” He always sent people these kinds of things as a gift. “Come back tomorrow and pick one. There’s still some left in the storeroom.”

“Sure.” It just so happened that she couldn’t be bothered to go and buy a gift.

The next day, Lin Jiao chose the cheapest calligraphy from the storeroom and went to the wedding venue.

She met up with Pei Yilan at the door and walked side by side to the elegant hall.

The palace-style chandelier hung in the hall, and everywhere one looked, there were petals of roses everywhere.

The guests who came together carried gifts to congratulate the Song and Yuan families. They either flattered or fawned on them, or chatted sincerely or hypocritically.

Lin Jiao had no intention of joining the crowd.

“Song Zhen.” Lin Jiao slowly walked up to him and gave him a congratulatory gift. “Happy engagement.”

“Thank you.” Song Zhen’s lips curled up slightly.

He was wearing a black suit and his hair was carefully styled. He looked mature. “Sister Jiao, aren’t Uncle Lin and the others here?”

“They can’t come because they have something on.” Lin Jiao smiled. “Where’s your fiancée?”

“I don’t know where she is.”

“Brother Zhen.” A fake cute voice came from his right. “Who are these two?”

Yuan Tong sized Lin Jiao and Pei Yilan up secretly, her gaze lingering on Lin Jiao’s face as if she was thinking about something.

Song Zhen, who was held by her, frowned slightly.

He suppressed his impatience as he introduced Lin Jiao and Pei Zhi.

“Your surname is Pei?” Yuan Tong shifted her gaze away as her eyes flickered. “The Pei family from the east of the city?”

Pei Yilan shook her head. “No.”

“I see.” Her expression changed slightly, and her tone was not as kind as before. “Brother Zhen, my friend is still waiting for us over there.”

Song Zhen understood what she meant.

He picked up a glass of red wine before being led away.

“Jiaojiao.” Pei Yilan lowered her voice. “His fiancée is too snobbish.”

“I can tell.” Lin Jiao found an empty sofa and sat down. “Fortunately, they don’t know you.”

The Pei family protected her very well.

Other than the aristocratic families and friends she was especially familiar with, no one else knew about her identity.

“They’re not qualified to know me either.” Pei Yilan hated snobbish people the most since she was young.

She glanced at the Song couple’s flattering smile and clicked her tongue. “No wonder the Song couple wants her to be their daughter-in-law. They are birds of a feather.”

Lin Jiao chuckled. “Indeed.”

She sat casually with her back against the sofa. No matter how noisy the surroundings were, she was not affected at all.

Perhaps because of this, she attracted the attention of many people.

Yuan Tong’s biological brother, Yuan Teng, was one of them.

He asked Yuan Tong about it. When he found out that she was the daughter of the Lin family, he revealed a smug smile.

“Miss Lin.” Before the other men could approach her, he approached the sofa. “Can we get to know each other?”

Lin Jiao rejected him bluntly. “No.” She couldn’t stand his gaze and frowned.

She was like a rose with thorns. Instead of feeling discouraged, Yuan Teng was more excited to get to know her.

He sat down on the other end. “I heard from Yuan Tong that you’ve known my brother-in-law for a long time?”

“Why?”

“Just asking. Do you have a boyfriend?”

Lin Jiao placed her left hand between her knees. “Yes.”

The diamond on her ring reflected a faint light, and Yuan Teng saw it clearly at a glance.

However, he had no intention of giving up. After all, this was not the first time he had attempted to break up a couple.

“Miss Lin, do you know how to dance?” He offered his hand and tried to close the distance between them.

“No.”

“Then I’ll teach you.”

Pei Yilan said, “Are you very free?” She put down her cup with a bang. “Young Master Yuan, I advise you not to ask for trouble.”

...

The way she emphasized the word ‘Young Master Yuan’ was mixed with mockery towards him, and it was especially ear-piercing.

Yuan Teng’s expression changed slightly.

Since they were friends, he couldn’t flare up. He said shamelessly, “If I can get into trouble for her, I’ll be happy to do it.”

“Do you know how to spell the word ‘shameless’?” Pei Yilan retorted bluntly.

The moment the atmosphere became tense, Gu Quan sat calmly beside Lin Jiao with a glass of wine.

He looked at Lin Jiao, pretending not to see Yuan Teng. “Jiaojiao, when did you arrive?”

“For a while.”

“Have you had dinner?”

“Yes.” Lin Jiao deliberately ignored Yuan Teng, not wanting to waste her breath. “Why aren’t you talking to Song Zhen?”

“Just had two drinks with him.”

“Brother Quan.” Yuan Teng swallowed his anger and tried to make his presence known. “You didn’t bring a girlfriend?”

...

“I’m single.”

“Do you want me to introduce you to someone?”

“No.” Gu Quan clinked glasses with Lin Jiao and Pei Yilan and chatted about something Yuan Teng couldn’t participate in. “I saw Xiao Hua in the afternoon.”

At the mention of Xiao Hua, Lin Jiao could clearly see its appearance in her mind.

She asked with concern, “How is it doing now?”

“She’s gained a lot of weight.” He smiled. “They were fighting when I passed by.”

“Did Xiao Bai get beaten up again?”

“Yes, it’s used to being beaten up.”

“Who is Xiao Hua and Xiao Bai?” Pei Yilan found the names familiar, but she could not remember.

Gu Quan said, “The cats we fed in the past.” His tone was very natural. “Jiaojiao should have told you.”

“You even bought them canned cat food,” Lin Jiao reminded Pei Yilan, trying to jog her memory. “Do you remember now?”

“I remember now!” Pei Yilan had fed them a few times when she went to Lu Fu Bay to accompany Lin Jiao. “Do they have kittens together?”

“I heard from the auntie next door that Xiao Bai is with the cat raised by the supermarket owner.”

“So Xiao Hua is abandoned?”

“Not necessarily.” Lin Jiao took two sips of the wine. “I think Xiao Bai likes Xiao Hua. She’s probably just a friend with the cat from the supermarket.”