Chapter 7: Your Substitute

Song Jinwei breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes instinctively searched for whom the bodyguards were following, and as they rounded a corner, she caught a clear view of the man in the lead.

It was Wei Xifeng. Beside him was a woman whose very silhouette exuded an exquisite grace, her long ink-black hair swaying with every step. Due to the shifting crowd, her face remained partially obscured.

Subconsciously, Song Jinwei felt it must be Qiao Yiran, even though she didn't believe the delicate and stubborn Qiao Yiran possessed such an aura. Still, the only woman Wei Xifeng would accompany on a shopping trip could be Qiao Yiran.

"Are you all right?" Fu Qinian walked over and gripped Song Jinwei’s shoulder.

Feeling his concern, a wave of sweetness washed over her. She shook her head. "I'm fine; I just ran into my best friend."

A significant part of why she and Qiao Yiran became such close friends was the similarity in their experiences, which allowed them to empathize with one another. Both were daughters of wealthy families. One had lost her parents and was fostered by the Fu family; the other had seen her family go bankrupt and was kept in captivity by the Wei family. One had to face a cold-hearted devil, while the other faced a bloodthirsty monster. Their freedom was equally restricted.

"Should we go join them?" Fu Qinian had also spotted Wei Xifeng, and his eyes glinted. The Wei family was no less powerful than the Fu family, and Wei Xifeng’s influence was complex and unfathomable; rumors even suggested he was the true master behind the underground city. If he could align himself with Wei Xifeng, his future path would undoubtedly be much smoother.

If Song Jinwei could be friends with Qiao Yiran, why couldn't he, Fu Qinian, become brothers with Wei Xifeng?

"I don't think so." She didn't want their lovely date to turn into a group outing. "Let's just go say hello." As she spoke, Song Jinwei pulled Fu Qinian forward excitedly. However, before they even got close, she noticed something was wrong.

Song Jinwei’s eyes widened. "How is it not Yiran?"

Realizing something was amiss, she ducked aside to observe the situation while frantically typing on her phone: *Yiran, guess who I saw? Wei Xifeng! There’s a strange woman with him! Do you know he’s out shopping with another woman right now?*

Qiao Yiran was shocked upon receiving the message. It was unbelievable. Xue Ling had told her that Wei Xifeng had gone out for something of extreme importance and wouldn't be back for a while. So, this "important matter" was actually accompanying another woman?

Biting her lip hard, Qiao Yiran typed back with a sense of humiliation and bitterness: *I don't know.*

Confirming that Wei Xifeng was indeed parading around with another woman behind her best friend's back, Song Jinwei was instantly incensed. "Where did this little vixen come from? She’s so shameless! And Wei Xifeng, that scumbag, he’s actually cheating!"

Fu Qinian asked, "Could there be a misunderstanding?"

Song Jinwei retorted, "How could there be? What kind of relationship allows a man to walk into a lingerie store to buy women's undergarments?" Such intimate items immediately brought to mind words like private, ambiguous, and suggestive.

***

After following Jiang Liwu into the store, Wei Xifeng found himself feeling awkward and unsure of where to place his hands or feet. His handsome face, from his ears to his neck, was visibly flushed. He had been so open while picking out casual clothes earlier, but now he was incredibly shy and introverted.

Jiang Liwu was amused by his crimson appearance. Although he had grown up, his tendency to blush remained unchanged—he was just as cute as he had been as a child. She didn't bother trying anything on; she simply gave her size to the clerk and had several sets packed up.

The moment she stepped out, Song Jinwei sent the candid photos she had taken to Qiao Yiran.

Qiao Yiran recognized Jiang Liwu instantly, as they had been at the same table for breakfast only a short while ago. From the servants, she had learned that Jiang Liwu was one of the "soothers." What surprised her was that Jiang Liwu hadn't been scared away when she saw the monster side of Wei Xifeng. In the past, those soothers usually wished they had extra legs just to run away faster.

*Yiran, don't you think this woman looks about thirty percent like you?*

Qiao Yiran zoomed in on the photo immediately. At first, she hadn't thought there was any resemblance, but with Song Jinwei pointing it out, she looked at Jiang Liwu’s features and actually found a few similarities.

*So, is she your replacement?!*

The word "replacement" struck her, and Qiao Yiran’s breath hitched. She immediately connected it to why Jiang Liwu had been able to successfully soothe Wei Xifeng and remain by his side. It was because of her face, which bore a slight resemblance to hers; during the soothing process, it was highly likely that Wei Xifeng had been thinking of her.

Qiao Yiran felt a sudden wave of disgust, her expression turning grim.

*Did you have a fight with Wei Xifeng, and now he’s deliberately finding a replacement to anger you? Is his underlying goal just to make you jealous?*

Reading this, Qiao Yiran felt as if she had been enlightened. The intimacy and familiarity between Wei Xifeng and Jiang Liwu suddenly made sense. How else could she explain why Wei Xifeng would value a woman who had appeared out of nowhere?

She had recently refused to let him feed her, refused to smile at him, refused to sit with him, refused to soothe him, and had even called him a madman, a devil, a violent maniac, and an inhuman monster...

Qiao Yiran felt a surge of annoyance. She decided that two more labels should be added to Wei Xifeng: unreasonable and super childish. But because of this, the panic in her heart inexplicably subsided, and she felt a sense of relief.

*How could Wei Xifeng treat you like this? Isn't he afraid of suffering the consequences later?*

Qiao Yiran replied, *Don't say that. My relationship with Wei Xifeng isn't what you think. He can find whoever he wants; it has nothing to do with me.*

Song Jinwei: *Yiran, do you really not care at all?*

Qiao Yiran: *I wish someone would replace me. That way, I could escape Wei Xifeng and never have to be coerced by him again.*

*But you can't just let a replacement climb over your head. Yiran, you might be generous and not care, but I can't stand it. You don't know how happily that woman was smiling. She's only standing next to such a big shot because she’s basking in your reflected glory—what’s there to be proud of?*

*Don't worry, Yiran, I will definitely get even for you. Just watch me tear that little bitch's face apart.*

Seeing this, Qiao Yiran knew Song Jinwei was going to cause trouble for Jiang Liwu, but she said nothing. She assumed Song Jinwei was just joking and wouldn't actually make things too difficult for her.

***

After Jiang Liwu finished the nuts in her snack bag, she bought a milk tea because she felt a bit parched. One sip was silky, cool, and refreshing; the fresh milk infused with pure, white jasmine bloomed into an alluring sweetness on her tongue—an ultimate treat.

Seeing Wei Xifeng staring blankly at the milk tea, Jiang Liwu smiled and said, "Want to try it?"

"Okay." Wei Xifeng took a sip through the straw. He had never drunk milk tea before, and he had to admit, the first experience was quite novel.