He Ting looked at An Ke, who had just said those words. He was a bit surprised but still nodded. He decided not to make things difficult for the Jiang family anymore, but he wouldn't let that woman, Jiang Man, off the hook.
"Let's go downstairs," An Ke said, looking at him.
"Okay."
He Ting took An Ke's hand and walked downstairs, helping her hold up her long dress along the way. While it was harmonious here, there was a heated argument on the other side.
"Xia Yijing, why didn't you tell them just now that it was the aphrodisiac - laced wine you intended for her, and then she switched it for me to drink!" Jiang Man glared at her angrily.
"Sister Manman, I wanted to say it, but if I did, He Ting wouldn't spare me," Xia Yijing murmured guiltily.
"So you just didn't care about my life and death? My innocence is gone! My father thinks I'm a disgrace, and Uncle He doesn't look at me the same way anymore! I'm also being threatened by that man, He Xian." Jiang Man was almost hysterical.
"I... I didn't expect things to turn out like this. I just wanted to help you get even. I didn't think it through," Xia Yijing's voice got softer and softer.
"So you're saying I deserve it?" Jiang Man walked up to Xia Yijing and grabbed her hand tightly.
"Jiang Man, that's enough!" Xie Ying slapped Jiang Man's hand away from Xia Yijing.
"Isn't all this your own doing? It was you who wanted to deal with An Ke, and you used Yijing. You deliberately acted pitiful in front of Yijing to make her go after An Ke. You say Yijing didn't care about your life and death, but have you ever thought about hers? Have you thought about what would happen to Yijing if that glass of wine was drunk by An Ke? Do you think she'd be better off than you are now? Would you feel sorry for her? You just didn't want to apologize to An Ke and were too scared to deal with her yourself. You just wanted Yijing to be your scapegoat. What right do you have to scold Yijing here?" Xie Ying was really fed up with Jiang Man's hypocrisy.
"She volunteered to help me. She was just too stupid. It's not anyone else's fault. But now she's dragged me into this mess. I'd be justified in ruining her entire Xia family!"
"What did you say? I thought about you, but this is how you think of me?" Xia Yijing was on the verge of a breakdown after hearing Jiang Man's words.
"Otherwise, what did you think? Your family's third - rate company has no right to be friends with me, Jiang Man," Jiang Man snorted coldly.
"I advise you to go and explain to He Ting right away that you tried to harm An Ke but failed, and then An Ke set me up. If you don't, I can make your family's company go bankrupt tomorrow. Do you believe me?"
"Jiang Man, don't push people too far," Xie Ying had thought Jiang Man was shameless, but she didn't expect her to be this shameless.
"How am I pushing people too far? She got me into this mess. She should pay the price she deserves!"
At this moment, Xia Yijing suddenly realized that her sincere friendship over the years had been treated as a joke. She felt like a clown, and even the moment she found out she was a clown was the moment when she was about to sacrifice herself. Thinking of this, Xia Yijing shed tears and stared blankly at Jiang Man.
"Yijing, don't cry. Don't believe her. If you tell He Ting, He Ting won't spare you either," Xie Ying walked up to Xia Yijing and wiped away her tears.
Looking at Xie Ying, Xia Yijing felt that she had really been blind. She hadn't made friends with the right people but had regarded a heartless person as her best friend.
Just as they were arguing, He Xian walked out of the room.
"It's okay. I'll protect you," He Xian smiled at Xia Yijing. He had given his shirt to Jiang Man, so he came out wearing only his suit jacket on top, looking a bit strange.
Xia Yijing looked up, shocked, not knowing how to respond.
"Miss Jiang, I think your Jiang family should take care of its own affairs first. If you insist on doing something that harms others but doesn't benefit you, I'll step in too," He Xian said with a sly smile.
"He Xian, damn it, you bastard. What the hell do you want?"
"Don't you know what I want, baby? I want to sleep with you," He Xian said, leaning over to bite Jiang Man's ear. Jiang Man was furious. Just as her hand was about to slap He Xian's face,
"Baby, think it through. I recorded a video of our passionate encounter just now. If you don't behave, I don't mind sharing it with others," He Xian "kindly reminded" Jiang Man.
"You... you bastard." Jiang Man was almost in tears.
"Baby, don't cry. I'll be waiting for you at home tomorrow. You know what will happen if you don't come," He Xian winked at Jiang Man, then turned to Xia Yijing and said thank you, and then left.
"Are you satisfied now?" Jiang Man looked at Xia Yijing and Xie Ying coldly.
To be honest, although Xie Ying really disliked Jiang Man, Jiang Man was really pitiful now. Xie Ying and Xia Yijing didn't say a word. They just stared at her for a while and then left.
"She's a bit pitiful," Xia Yijing said to Xie Ying as they walked downstairs.
"She is, but if you go and tell He Ting, you'll be even more pitiful," Xie Ying looked at Xia Yijing seriously.
So the two walked downstairs in a tacit silence.
Jiang Man sat on the ground alone, crying and laughing at the same time. But soon she pulled herself together and stood up. She walked downstairs step by step, each step firm and powerful. So many people wanted to see me make a fool of myself. I won't let them. I'll walk on with even more confidence.
She didn't plan to stay at the party anymore. She was afraid of seeing He Ting, and she had to go home quickly to explain this to her parents. She had to maintain her image as a good daughter.
She drove back to the Jiang family.
As soon as Jiang Man entered the house, she heard her father's angry roar.
"You still have the nerve to come back? You've disgraced me. I thought you really liked He Ting and wanted to be with him. So even though He Ting was married, I didn't stop you from pursuing him. But today you were having sex with another man. All my years of teaching you seem to have been in vain."
"Dad, please listen to me. It's really not what you think," Jiang Man burst into tears. Her face was covered in tears, and her eyes were full of grievance and sadness.
Jiang Zekai looked at his daughter like this and wondered if his daughter had her own difficulties. Had he wrongly accused her?
"Dad, someone drugged me. That's why I ended up like this. When I was in a daze, He Xian saw me and took me to a room and did that to me," Jiang Man said, tears streaming down her face, full of humiliation.