Casually Discarding the Ring, The Plot Reverts?

She looked deeply at the exquisite ring in her hand, realizing that this was more than just a piece of jewelry. It was a test, a ploy.

She took a moment, then slowly raised her eyes to meet Su Chen's expectant gaze. The entire room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for her reaction.

With a calm and composed expression, Lin Qingyan spoke, "Su Chen, do you think a mere ring can change my mind? Or perhaps, are you trying to buy my affection?"

Murmurs spread across the room. People were taken aback by her directness. Su Chen, however, looked slightly rattled.

"I just thought... it was a suitable gift for our engagement," he stammered, attempting to maintain his composure.

The fact that Lin Qingyan, who was previously perceived as quiet and submissive, was now taking control of the narrative made the situation all the more intriguing for the audience.

"Well, then," she continued with a faint smile, "Why don't we make things interesting? If your intention is sincere, then throw this ring into the fountain outside. If it's truly about us, and not about flaunting wealth or playing games, prove it."

The room was silent, eyes darting between the two protagonists. The stage was set for Su Chen's next move. Would he choose pride or love?

"What do you think Ms. Lin will do next?"

"Who knows? But I bet it won't be anything pleasant."

"With the Lin family stabilizing, if they join forces with other families, they might be a match for the Su family. The annulment seems certain."

The murmurs grew louder.

Su Chen heard every word. The harsher the comments, the more it pleased him. He had anticipated Lin Qingyan's actions – grabbing the expensive-looking ring and tossing it in front of everyone, displaying her disdain, and then bringing up the subject of annulment.

But, having been through so much, there were things about Su Chen that had changed.

For instance, this ring wasn't the much-discussed 5 billion yuan gemstone but a mere toy he had purchased from a street vendor. He had known Lin Qingyan would toss it anyway. Why waste 5 billion yuan?

He brought out a fake one, knowing that to these people, anything he presented would appear to be an invaluable treasure.

As everyone watched, Lin Qingyan picked up the ring. She knew it was a fake, just a prop for Su Chen's act of playing the spoiled rich kid. A hint of amusement flashed across her face, betraying her inner thoughts.

Without a word, she threw the ring onto the ground. The silence was palpable. But soon, the quiet gave way to a storm of gossip.

While everyone had anticipated Lin Qingyan's reluctance to agree to the marriage, no one had expected such a forceful refusal.

It was a slap in the face for the Su family.

"Look at that! The future business queen certainly lives up to her name. Such audacity isn't ordinary."

"Queen indeed! So domineering."

"The marriage is off! Which means I still have a chance."

"But from another perspective, is the Lin family declaring war on the Su family?"

The excitement was evident in everyone's faces; people always enjoyed a good spectacle.

At this moment, Su Chen, sticking to the script, wore a face of dark fury.

In the original story, Su Chen was obsessed with Lin Qingyan, viewing her as his possession. He'd go to any lengths to keep other men away from her.

This situation called for rage.

So, Su Chen's face twisted in anger, his fists clenched, teeth gritted, shaking with fury.

Everyone waited with bated breath, curious to see what the infamous playboy Su Chen would do next.

What they didn't know was that inside, Su Chen felt even more delighted.

He felt like a real winner in life. It was indeed the right move. All that had just happened was a mere interlude. The ring was discarded, thrown away ruthlessly. Everything was playing out according to the plot from his past life.

It's no wonder she was the best female lead; her love for the male lead didn't wane, and neither did her animosity towards me, the villainous second lead.

Such a fearless heroine, who defies authority!

Regardless of the prestigious Su family or any other influential clan, she had no intention of honoring the marriage agreement.

Now he understood. All of Lin Qingyan's earlier words were sarcasm, all leading up to this climactic moment.

Even though there were some differences from the original story, the ultimate outcome remained unchanged. It was eerily identical to his past life. All he had to do was stick to this script.

"Lin Qingyan, what do you mean by this? Don't you want to honor our marriage agreement?"

"You dare to discard the ring I gifted you. I won't let the Lin family off the hook."

Su Chen's fists were clenched so tight they turned white, and his eyes blazed with anger. It was an intimidating sight.

Being the Su family's primary heir, his words carried a lot of weight. As he spoke, many at the venue were silenced, clearly fearful.

Yet, there were also a few elite individuals who found the situation amusing. Su Chen was so naive. Over the years, his father had used countless resources to assist the Lin family.

And with the rise of Lin Qingyan, the new business queen now firmly in charge of the Lin household,

The dynamics had shifted. Threatening a strong woman like Lin Qingyan was a proven way to court disaster. Everyone now looked at Su Chen with mocking eyes, curious to see how this young master of the Su family would handle the situation.

But amid all this, they failed to notice the subtle smile that graced Lin Qingyan's face.