"She must be dissatisfied with you,"
Zhou Yukun squinted his eyes with a smile, the typical onlooker who relished the drama.
Suddenly, Di Jinye put down the document in his hand and asked with a half-smile, "Then tell me, what is she dissatisfied with about me?"
The spacious office behind him featured floor-to-ceiling windows with a panoramic view of the city.
Clad in a bespoke black suit that highlighted his tall and perfect physique, he exuded an air of regal authority with every movement.
"How would I know? I sought her out before, and she just said she was busy with private matters, but as soon as I mentioned the Di Family, she refused, without even discussing the price,"
Zhou Yukun guessed with feigned sincerity.
"I've heard that Yun Li is a very beautiful woman; maybe she is an old flame of yours, one you've hurt before."
"Is that so? Then I'll have to meet her in person and ask her about it."
Di Jinye half-closed his eyes lazily, his slender fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk.
"Finding her shouldn't be hard, right?"
"Calling on me, a doctor, to help you find someone, will cost extra,"
Zhou Yukun did not refuse. He stood up, ready to leave, but then something occurred to him, and he asked, "Ze Ran returned home after the competition, have you gone to see him?"
"No,"
Di Jinye's eyes narrowed as he looked at the document, his voice devoid of any emotion.
Zhou Yukun hesitated to speak further and remained silent.
As long as Yun Li agreed to work on the drug development, it could save the child Ze Ran. That was also why the young master of the Di Family was so eager to find her.
In the afternoon, Di Jinye received a message from Zhou Yukun.
"Yun Li will attend the charity banquet tonight."
At nightfall.
The charity banquet in C City was held at the Di Family Hotel.
Cheng Ruowei, in a lake-blue backless evening gown, wandered around the grand ballroom with a glass of red wine.
The negotiation last night failed, but the Cheng Family's crisis had not been lifted. She learned that President Dong would be in attendance tonight and decided to try her luck again.
However, she had never seen President Dong before and was searching based on photos from the news she had seen.
At that moment, she was oblivious to a figure suddenly bumping into her.
"Are you blind? You've dirtied my dress; can you afford to compensate?"
The sharp voice drew the attention of those around.
It was clearly she who had barged in rashly, yet she had the gall to blame others first.
Cheng Ruowei frowned, about to retort, but as she looked up, she realized that the woman in front of her was none other than her stepsister, Cheng Qing'er.
She couldn't let Cheng Qing'er discover her presence, or it would affect her plan to save the pharmaceutical factory.
Immediately after, Cheng Ruowei hurriedly walked away.
Cheng Qing'er, preoccupied with fussing over her dress, had not seen her face.
"You won't apologize and just walk away? Stop right there!"
Her domineering temper of a spoiled young lady was evident as she tenaciously chased after to settle the score.
The more Cheng Qing'er shouted from behind, the quicker Cheng Ruowei walked, not watching where she was going.
As a result, Cheng Qing'er was stopped by security guards in the resting area.
She was shocked to see that they were the Di Family's bodyguards. Could it be that the young Di Family master had arrived?
Cheng Ruowei looked back, but without pausing in her steps, she collided chest-first with a stranger.
"Sorry..."
"Ex-wife throwing herself into my arms; are you trying to seduce me?"
Next to her ear, a teasing and lazy comment laced with amusement fell.
Di Jinye took advantage of the moment to wrap his arms around her waist, his palm against her bare back, his fingers feeling the delicate touch of her skin.
Suddenly, Cheng Ruowei's expression turned to one of terrified shock as she stiffened in his embrace.
Indeed, it was a stroke of misfortune to run into a wolf after just escaping Cheng Qing'er.
"You've mistaken me for someone else,"
Cheng Ruowei lied through her teeth, desperately trying to struggle out of Di Jinye's embrace.
Her reaction brought a smile to Di Jinye's lips.
He had been frustrated about not being able to identify Yun Li at the banquet. He never expected his ex-wife to suddenly fall into his arms—another unexpected gain.
"Mistaken you? Perhaps there's too much clothing for a proper recognition."
Di Jinye's fingers hooked onto the strap of Cheng Ruowei's evening gown, and with a sudden powerful tug, he ripped it apart.
As the gown slid down, Cheng Ruowei let out a gasp, instinctively covering her chest and turning away.
Her attempt to flee was disrupted. Before she could react, Di Jinye pressed her into a corner.
Behind her was a wall, before her his burning chest; she was trapped in between.
"Now it's clear, indeed you are my ex-wife," he said.
Di Jinye lightly lifted her chin, watching her cheeks slowly turn red.
At that moment, Cheng Ruowei held her breath amidst the chaos of her racing heart.
Last night, when he called out to his ex-wife, it was with a sinister hatred, yet why was there a teasing frivolity today?
Especially now, as he pressed her against him, their difference in height making her almost cling to his chest, she could even smell the faint scent of his cologne.
"What exactly do you want, Mr. Di?"
"You used to call me 'husband'."
"..."
You didn't even touch me in the past!
A year of marriage without even holding hands, and now after the divorce, he's entangling her like this.
Cheng Ruowei said nothing as her flushed cheeks made her breathing erratic.
She couldn't distinguish whether it was the angry embarrassment of her exposed situation or because of his suggestive actions.
Knowing she couldn't escape, Cheng Ruowei took a deep breath, toning down her stance and said, "Mr. Di, with your esteemed status, you surely don't have time to waste on me. I apologize for anything that has upset you, and I promise I won't appear before you again."
Her greatest skill was to feign obedience and meekness, just as she had fooled him in the past.
"Don't be nervous, ex-wife. We haven't seen each other in years and tonight is a good opportunity to catch up," he replied, looking down at her with his towering stance, finding her blushing face quite charming.
"What if I don't want to catch up?"
"You think you can walk away?"
"..."
It was indeed a threat.
"Mr. Di, this is a public place, if I were to scream and cause a scene, it would damage the Di Family's reputation as well," she retorted, deciding to boldly threaten him back.
Watching the cunning defiance in her eyes, Di Jinye found his ex-wife increasingly interesting, something he had overlooked in the past.
"If you don't mind becoming the center of attention, you can leave. I won't stop you," he said.
Having said that, he even relaxed his grip on her, signaling that she could walk away.
Cheng Ruowei stood there, staring at him in disbelief.
It wasn't that she didn't want to walk away, but the precarious state of her dress was hooked in his hand.
She could walk, yes, but she would have to do it nude.
"I am giving you a chance; if you don't walk away, then you must stay," he said, lazily narrowing his eyes, forcing Cheng Ruowei to make her own choice in a dignified manner.
Cheng Ruowei was seething with anger but dared not speak; she had not expected Di Jinye to be such a pervert!
"Fine, I'll go with you," she relented.
Cheng Ruowei had to compromise; she truly worried that Di Jinye might use public exposure as a form of revenge.
This time, she obediently followed him, surrounded by the Di Family bodyguards signaling their silent warnings.
She had just left the resting area when she saw Cheng Qing'er, who was unexpectedly still waiting there.
"Mr. Di, I didn't realize you were here tonight," said Qing'er in a sweet voice.
Hearing her gentle tones, Cheng Ruowei suddenly hid behind Di Jinye, grasping his suit, concealing herself.
This small gesture inexplicably pleased Di Jinye.
Di Jinye paid no heed to Cheng Qing'er, as his bodyguards had already stopped her.
Cheng Qing'er stamped her foot in frustration, realizing that a woman was following behind Mr. Di, yet she couldn't see her face.
"If it hadn't been for Cheng Ruowei's scheming, the one married into the Di Family would have been me," she thought to herself.
She was determined to win over a perfect man like Mr. Di.
This was the Di Family Hotel.
The elevator went directly to the top-floor suite.
Cheng Ruowei clutched her dress tightly, starting to panic as she reached here.
Di Jinye surveyed the room and, pleased, he curved his lips upward, saying, "I have some matters to take care of first. Be good and wait for me, ex-wife. And don't try jumping out the window to escape again."
"..."
From this height, a jump would be fatal.
He was mockingly cautioning her.
Cheng Ruowei was locked in here by Di Jinye; the door couldn't be opened, equipped with a password lock.
The next instant, she dialed her son Cheng Yuheng's number and urgently said, "Yuheng, come save Mommy!"