C16 The Trick in the Fruit Juice

Ruan Ruan didn't have many friends in City A and often found herself alone when venturing out.

She had intended to take a stroll in the nearby park, but her plans were interrupted by a text from Yuh Jinnian, requesting a meeting. Ruan Ruan chose not to respond and promptly deleted the message. Ex-partners shouldn't meet, especially when one of them was about to be wed.

After that, Yuh Jinnian made no further calls. Instead, it was Shi Xuerong who reached out, demanding that Ruan Ruan reimburse her for medical expenses. Ruan Ruan had come across news of Shi Xuerong's hospitalization due to an on-set injury, earning her praise for her dedication. However, Ruan Ruan alone knew the truth: her injury was the result of Dan Hengmo's deliberate scratch to her face.

The gash Dan Hengmo inflicted was deep, and even after healing, a scar would remain, likely ending Shi Xuerong's career in show business.

With only a month until her marriage to Yuh Jinnian, Shi Xuerong must have been worried about her scarred face, given her penchant for perfection.

"Ruan Ruan, I think we need to have a serious conversation," Shi Xuerong suggested, her voice as soft as ever, though her past kindness to Ruan Ruan had been nothing but pretense.

"We have nothing to discuss. How's your face? Is the scar deep enough, or should I have him deepen it for you?" Ruan Ruan retorted, suspecting ulterior motives behind Shi Xuerong's seemingly gentle approach.

"Ruan Ruan, I thought we were friends," Shi Xuerong replied, her voice laced with tears.

Such was the skill of an actress, always ready to cry on cue.

"Why didn't you consider our friendship when you were moaning beneath my boyfriend?" Ruan Ruan shot back, her emotions flaring. Shi Xuerong had no right to invoke their friendship after betraying her with Yuh Jinnian.

Rendered speechless by Ruan Ruan's accusation, Shi Xuerong eventually managed to ask, "Don't you want to know when Yuh Jinnian and I started seeing each other?"

"I don't care," Ruan Ruan said, eager to end the call, convinced that Shi Xuerong was plotting something.

In a rush, Shi Xuerong blurted out, "You're aware of the incident where Ruan Xizhi attacked Yuh Jinnian, aren't you? Given the Yuh family's social standing, it wouldn't be hard to press charges against Ruan Xizhi for intentional injury."

Last time Ruan Xizhi attacked Yuh Jinnian, she was there, capturing the whole incident on video. Aware that she was recording, Yuh Jinnian refrained from striking first, instead allowing Ruan Xizhi to make the initial move.

"You try suing me and see what happens," Ruan Ruan warned. She would never stand by and let her family be harmed by anyone. Her family was her Achilles' heel.

Shi Xuerong was well aware of Ruan Ruan's vulnerability. Upon hearing Ruan Ruan's words, she couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Let's meet at our usual coffee shop." Then she abruptly ended the call.

Clutching her phone tightly, Ruan Ruan was tempted to inquire about Dan Hengmo's fees for committing murder.

Once she had composed herself, Ruan Ruan hailed a cab to their favorite coffee shop, a place with a vintage decor. The tables, all crafted from dark wood, exuded a medieval charm. Despite its elegance and nobility, the prices were surprisingly affordable, making it the perfect spot for someone like Ruan Ruan.

Upon arrival, Shi Xuerong, sitting in a corner, signaled to Ruan Ruan. Approaching, Ruan Ruan noticed that Shi Xuerong was wearing a mask to conceal a facial injury.

"Shi Xuerong, I've already broken up with Yuh Jinnian. Why can't you let me be?" Ruan Ruan confronted her.

Seething, Shi Xuerong could barely contain her rage. She had once been able to seduce Yuh Jinnian into her bed despite his love for Ruan Ruan. But now, all Yuh Jinnian could say was how repulsive he found her looks.

Shi Xuerong slid a cup of Cappuccino across the table towards Ruan Ruan, remarking, "I remember you always enjoyed Cappuccino and chocolate cake."

Ruan Ruan eyed the Cappuccino skeptically, suspecting it was laced with poison or a drug. She wasn't about to be deceived.

She summoned the waiter and ordered a fresh glass of orange juice instead. It was a clear message to Shi Xuerong that she wasn't the Cappuccino enthusiast she was presumed to be.

Shi Xuerong was unfazed. She had long been aware that Ruan Ruan didn't drink and had no intention of pressuring her to do so.

"What do you want from me?" Ruan Ruan inquired, certain that Shi Xuerong wasn't there to catch up on old times.

"It's nothing major. I just wanted to share when Yuh Jinnian and I started seeing each other," Shi Xuerong explained.

"I'm not interested," Ruan Ruan replied, taking a sip of her orange juice.

Shi Xuerong chuckled and said, "Do you know in what ways you don't measure up to me? Oh, that's right, in every way. You're not as beautiful, and your figure doesn't compare to mine."

Ruan Ruan gave her a dismissive glance and retorted, "At least my face is scar-free, and I'm still a virgin. Can you say the same?" She was deliberately provoking her.

Ruan Ruan would never stoop to such pettiness with anyone else.

"You..." Shi Xuerong stood up, her greatest pet peeve being any mention of the scar on her face.

"You're the one who wanted to meet. If you get insulted, you have only yourself to blame," Ruan Ruan said with a smile that was warm yet accompanied by a frosty gaze.

Shi Xuerong watched Ruan Ruan drink her orange juice, a sly smile playing on her lips, her eyes brimming with calculation. "Ruan Ruan, I'm going to make you feel my pain. You claim to be a virgin? Today, I'll tarnish you. Then we'll see if Yuh Jinnian can still love a woman who's been soiled."

After finishing her orange juice, Ruan Ruan attempted to leave but found her head was heavy, and she struggled to stand.

"What's wrong?" Shi Xuerong asked with feigned concern, reaching out to steady Ruan Ruan.

Ruan Ruan pushed Shi Xuerong away, puzzled by the sudden dizziness. She hadn't touched the cappuccino Shi Xuerong had offered; why would she feel this way?

"I forgot to mention, I've paid off the waiter," Shi Xuerong confessed, supporting Ruan Ruan while whispering in her ear.

"Shi Xuerong, you'd better hope you don't end up in my hands," Ruan Ruan said through gritted teeth.

Shi Xuerong's smile was full of triumph. "I've arranged for quite a few people to take care of you. You're in for a real treat this time," she said.

Shi Xuerong supported Ruan Ruan as they walked out. Ruan Ruan was completely drained of strength, unable to resist anyone, merely being led along by Shi Xuerong.

Ruan Ruan pinched her own thighs, desperately trying to maintain her alertness.

Shi Xuerong placed Ruan Ruan into a van and whispered something to the driver. The driver glanced back at Ruan Ruan, his smile sleazy and unsettling.

Ruan Ruan tried to scream for help, but no sound escaped her lips, and her body was utterly devoid of strength.

'It's all gone wrong. First, I was betrayed by my best friend and boyfriend, then I encountered a murderer living in my own home, and now I've been drugged by someone as vile as Shi Xuerong.'

'Shi Xuerong, today you either finish me off, or I swear I'll make you wish you had, leaving you disgraced and living a life worse than death.'

The driver brought the van to a halt in a desolate area. Ruan Ruan barely managed to pry her eyes open. The place was vast and open, the breeze wafting through the windows carried the earthy scent of soil, a fragrance absent in the confines of the city.

Having been taken out of City A, she was truly isolated, with no one to call to and no one to answer. Was she really going to meet her end here today?