Her Rose – Chapter 76

Regardless of how complicated Cheng Ying’s feelings were, she was indeed very close to the goal she had been planning for so long.

The next evening at eight o’clock, in the banquet hall of the Cheng’s main building.

Judging solely by the number and caliber of the guests lining up at the entrance, it was clear today’s event would be a grand affair.

Nearly every major corporation and family on the continent had sent a representative.

Cheng Ying held Jiang Hanguang’s hand and walked towards the banquet entrance.

Today, she had made the rare choice to wear a tailored, formal suit. Her hair was neatly styled, and she looked quite dapper.

After all, knowing Cheng Liang, if she had shown up in her usual attire, he would have likely “invited” her to leave.

“Ying, is it… really okay for me to come with you?”

Jiang Hanguang gazed at the queue at the entrance from afar, spotting several familiar faces.

They were all prominent figures in the business world. She felt that as a minor actress, her presence at such an event was somewhat inappropriate.

Cheng Ying arched an eyebrow, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “Have some confidence. You’re the girlfriend of the daughter of Cheng’s Group’s former president. And besides…”

She glanced at Jiang Hanguang, who was dressed in a long red gown, so beautiful that she made everything else seem dull in comparison. “Trust me, a beauty of your caliber won’t have any problems, no matter where you go.”

Typically, at banquets like this, it was perfectly normal for an invited guest to bring a partner.

And the person accompanying her would undoubtedly be someone she considered her beloved.

Cheng Ying didn’t want anyone to think she was just toying with Jiang Hanguang. For every moment she could still control her own destiny, she wanted her name to be bound to Jiang Hanguang’s.

Jiang Hanguang’s cheeks flushed at Cheng Ying’s unexpected compliment. To hide her shyness, she could only smooth down her already immaculate hair and straighten her posture.

At the very least, she didn’t want anyone to think she wasn’t worthy of Cheng Ying.

Their arrival in the banquet hall certainly turned a lot of heads.

Both had superb figures, and their faces stood out strikingly among the crowd of businesspeople. Setting aside Cheng Ying’s reputation and Jiang Hanguang’s past marriage, based on looks alone, they were truly a perfect, heaven-sent couple.

Unfortunately, however, they were not the main attraction of the evening.

Cheng Ying was, after all, a princess of the old regime, not the heir apparent of the new one. Lacking any real power, the admiring glances only lingered for a moment before people returned to their own affairs. No one approached them to make conversation.

Cheng Ying was glad for the peace. She and Jiang Hanguang found a quiet corner, where they enjoyed the exquisite, delicate pastries and surveyed their surroundings.

In the center of the hall, Cheng Liang had a beautiful omega on his arm and was chatting amiably with the guests, his face beaming with pride and success. It seemed her suspicions were correct.

As Cheng Ying was lost in thought, Jiang Hanguang nudged her arm gently.

She looked up, puzzled, only to see Jiang Hanguang staring at a particular spot with a complex gaze.

Cheng Ying looked over and couldn’t help but smile.

Looks like coming here tonight wasn’t a waste of time after all.

Not only would she get to see a corporate drama unfold, but she might also be treated to a soap opera.

Hua Ran stood amidst the crowd, her face ashen as she stared at the wretched pair in the center of the room.

She seemed even more haggard than the last time Cheng Ying saw her. Even heavy makeup couldn’t hide her gaunt cheeks and exhaustion.

Cheng Ying had no interest in Hua Ran’s mental state. She was more curious to see how this once arrogant and domineering young miss would handle the scumbag who had swindled her money and slept with her.

In truth, Hua Ran had snuck in tonight. Her company had designated a vice president to attend, but she had gone to great lengths to get the invitation from him.

She just wanted to see for herself whether Cheng Liang was genuinely smitten with that Miss Fan, or if Miss Fan was just another pawn to be used and discarded, just as she had been.

If he treated everyone the same, then her own tragedy wouldn’t feel so absolute.

And now, she had gotten the answer she didn’t want.

The fact that Cheng Liang had brought that woman to the banquet meant he had publicly acknowledged their relationship.

That was treatment she had never received.

Hua Ran had thought she would leave, her heart dead as ashes, but she wasn’t as magnanimous as she’d believed.

Watching the two of them murmur to each other with beaming smiles, she felt a painful fire of jealousy about to erupt from her throat.

Why? How could you do this to me?

So she walked forward and patted Cheng Liang’s shoulder.

Cheng Liang turned, a smile still on his face, only to be stunned by a full, swinging slap to the face.

Smack!

“Hiss!” Cheng Ying theatrically shuddered, her face full of amusement. “Miss Hua is really going all out, huh.”

Her words received no reply. Cheng Ying turned to see that Jiang Hanguang was no longer beside her.

She quickly scanned the room for her, only to see that elegant figure in red moving with the gawking crowd toward the center of the hall, though for what purpose, she couldn’t guess.

Cheng Ying quickly rose and followed, afraid Jiang Hanguang would get caught in the crossfire of this dog-eat-dog fight.

Stunned by the slap, Cheng Liang was dazed for a couple of seconds. Miss Fan’s shriek rang in his ears. He composed himself and finally took in the situation.

Hua Ran, a woman he had long since cast from his mind, was glaring at him, her bloodshot eyes wide with despair and fury.

He heard the whispers of the people around him.

He saw their scornful, prying eyes on him.

For a man as concerned with his public image as Cheng Liang, this was more agonizing than death by a thousand cuts.

Besides, in his mind, Cheng Liang had never felt he’d done anything wrong.

He had merely used a few tricks to advance his business interests. Who knew Hua Ran would be such a naive fool?

Fury instantly clouded his judgment. The tall alpha recklessly raised his hand, about to strike back.

Watching his hand rise high, Hua Ran calmly closed her eyes.

So be it. It’s already come to this. What dignity is there left to lose?

Just as the forceful slap descended, a hand gripped her shoulder and yanked her back. She stumbled, taking a step backward. Cheng Liang’s fingertips grazed her nose, leaving a thin, bloody scratch.

It was easy to imagine that if the slap had connected properly, Hua Ran would have been sent flying.

Hua Ran turned her head in a daze and saw the flawlessly beautiful profile of the woman she had once despised with all her being.

Jiang Hanguang didn’t look at her. She just gave her another tug, pushing her into the crowd.

His slap having missed its mark, Cheng Liang had yet to calm down. Seeing that someone had dared to save that ungrateful woman, he immediately moved to slap Jiang Hanguang as well.

Just then, an arm wrapped around his neck, and a hand pressed down on his shoulder, holding him in place. A low, flippant voice spoke. “Brother, calm down. You’re an alpha, chasing down your ex-girlfriend in public. Who knows what kind of stories these people will spin about you.”

Cheng Liang turned to see Cheng Ying giving him a shifty-eyed wink, the very picture of a cunning opportunist.

He finally calmed down, silently shook off Cheng Ying’s hand, and stood up straight.

He understood the logic even better than Cheng Ying did. If that slap had landed, there would be no point in continuing with this banquet, which was essentially a press conference.

No one would care about his great achievements anymore. Instead, his reputation as an alpha who publicly brutalized an omega would spread far and wide.

So, as much as he wanted to thrash Hua Ran, he had to restrain himself for the moment.

He snorted. “Security, escort this… unwell young lady out!”

As the security guards who had rushed over escorted her out by the arms, Hua Ran didn’t struggle. She just stared blankly in Jiang Hanguang’s direction.

By then, the woman’s graceful figure was obscured by the crowd, and she could see nothing.

But the image of Jiang Hanguang’s calm, gentle profile replayed in her mind.

Why did she save me?

Hua Ran couldn’t understand it. With her personality, she never would.

She was suddenly struck by the thought that the things she had done to Jiang Hanguang… were truly inhuman.

His successful-man facade violently shattered by his ex-girlfriend, his face now red and swollen, Cheng Liang didn’t want to remain there a second longer.

He skipped the nonessential pleasantries and picked up the waiting microphone.

“I’ve invited you all here today to make an announcement. Cheng’s Intelligent Brain was successfully developed some time ago. We didn’t announce it because it was undergoing testing. By next month at the latest, Cheng’s Intelligent Brain, ‘Chaos,’ will launch its first internal, invitation-only test. We welcome you all to participate and witness the future together!”

This explosive news instantly scattered the guests’ gossipy thoughts, and the banquet hall erupted in fervent applause and cheers.

Of course, the savvier guests had already pulled out their phones, ordering their subordinates to immediately sell off Blueprint’s stock and buy into Cheng’s.

After being suppressed by Blueprint for so many years, this was Cheng’s first successful counterattack.

As long as Cheng’s Intelligent Brain went online as scheduled, no one doubted it would maintain its dominant position in the market.

The guests’ cheers eased the embarrassment of his public humiliation. He resumed his suave, courteous demeanor, nodded to the crowd, and said, “I have some matters to attend to. Please, make yourselves at home.”

Then he hurried offstage to tend to his badly swollen cheek.

Cheng Ying stood amidst the clamoring crowd, her expression somber.

She had guessed as much from the start, but hearing the news confirmed, she didn’t know whether to feel relieved or sad.

One month, at most.

As she was deep in thought, a hand suddenly took hers.

The hand was slender and smooth. Cheng Ying knew its touch so well that she squeezed back without a second thought.

“I’m sorry,” Jiang Hanguang said, her voice tinged with unease.

Saving Hua Ran had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. Cheng Liang’s slap had been terrifying, and seeing how frail Hua Ran looked, she just couldn’t stand by and watch her get struck down right in front of her.

But she had involved Cheng Ying. Even if Cheng Liang let it go for now, he would surely cause trouble for Cheng Ying later.

Cheng Ying looked at her, puzzled. “You were just doing the right thing, weren’t you? What is there to apologize for?”

She hadn’t wanted Jiang Hanguang to save Hua Ran. In her opinion, Hua Ran was a case of arrested development who had brought this all on herself. If Cheng Liang had beaten her to death on the spot, Cheng Ying wouldn’t have batted an eye.

But she also knew exactly what kind of person Jiang Hanguang was. If Jiang Hanguang had been the type to hold a grudge and refuse to help someone in peril, she wouldn’t have fallen for her in the first place.

People fall in love with those who possess the very qualities they themselves lack.

You couldn’t be deliriously happy when she loved you, only to give her the cold shoulder when she showed compassion for others.

Of course, that could all be seen as an excuse. To put it simply, she just didn’t want to be angry with Jiang Hanguang.

Who was Hua Ran, anyway? Was she really worth getting angry at Jiang Hanguang over?

Jiang Hanguang was rendered speechless by Cheng Ying’s matter-of-fact praise. She was about to say something when she suddenly caught a scent.

It was the sweet scent of pheromones, like a cheap perfume. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it instantly gave Jiang Hanguang goosebumps.

“Still such a busybody.” A man’s low voice sounded from behind her. Jiang Hanguang spun around in alarm.

She saw the grim face that sometimes haunted her nightmares.

Feng Nan broke into a sinister smile. “Miss Jiang, long time no see.”

For a man at the center of a storm, who was likely about to be utterly destroyed, Feng Nan was still dressed respectably.

His suit was pressed, his hair neat, as if he were still the head of a major corporation and not a criminal on his way to prison.

But the dark circles under his eyes, which even makeup couldn’t conceal, betrayed his true state.

“You…” Just as Jiang Hanguang was about to speak, she was pulled behind Cheng Ying.

The alpha’s tall figure stood in front of her, blocking out the darkness of the past.

Cheng Ying smiled sweetly. “President Feng, what secrets are you whispering to my girlfriend?”

She was tall for a female alpha, and standing face-to-face with Feng Nan, she didn’t appear the least bit weak.

Feng Nan sized up the alpha in front of him and Jiang Hanguang behind her.

They were a perfect match—so perfect it made him want to tear them to shreds.

Feng Nan had never liked Jiang Hanguang. He disliked omegas, that fragile species, like porcelain vases.

But he had to bow to the pressures of society. He needed an omega.

And Jiang Hanguang was the most beautiful vase he could find, the one most worthy of him.

He didn’t like omegas, but what was his, was his. Even if he had no use for it, even if he smashed it to pieces, no one else was allowed to have it.

So what if that old bastard had forced him to let her go? All he had to do was drive Jiang Hanguang to a dead end.

She would either die or have no choice but to return to him.

This was Feng Nan’s original plan. If Cheng Ying hadn’t appeared, perhaps everything would have gone smoothly.

But what kind of logic was that? In what world could a vase fare better after leaving its owner?

He stared coldly at Cheng Ying. At that moment, his hatred for this interloper surpassed his hatred for Jiang Hanguang.

Because he found that in Cheng Ying’s care, Jiang Hanguang hadn’t withered. On the contrary, she had grown even more radiant and captivating, so much so that no one could look away.

A faint light now flickered in the woman’s once-still eyes, like a beautiful dried flower suddenly bursting with life.

This left him deeply unsettled. It was unacceptable.

Could it be that he, Feng Nan, was inferior to a good-for-nothing like Cheng Ying?

Or could it be that Cheng Ying, that notorious playgirl, had actually developed real feelings for Jiang Hanguang?

He smiled. “It’s nothing. I was just remarking that Miss Jiang is as kind as ever.”

He enunciated the word “kind” with such force that it sounded more like a curse.

The alpha before him smiled as if she hadn’t caught his sarcasm. “Thank you for the compliment, President Feng. Hanguang has always been that way, and it’s what I love about her.” Halfway through, her tone shifted abruptly, laced with mocking amusement. “Isn’t it good to be kind? At least she won’t be like some people—so wicked and evil that they’re just waiting to be struck by lightning.”

Without waiting for Feng Nan’s reply, she took Jiang Hanguang’s hand and led her back to the corner where they had been standing.

Feng Nan remained where he was, his venomous gaze fixed on their retreating, hand-in-hand figures.

Just a few days ago, Cheng Ying would never have dared to speak to him like that.

Feng Nan covered his face, but the corners of his mouth lifted in a crazed smile.

He might be at the end of his rope, but that didn’t mean they would get off easy.

He truly couldn’t wait to see the look on the ever-so-kind Miss Jiang’s face when she saw the “grand gift” he had prepared for her.