Chapter 161: Ill‑Intentioned Old Classmate

Su Xueyan saw that the newcomer was Lei Yan, and the smile on her face faded instantly.

"Lei Yan, long time no see."

In university, she and Lei Yan were both the school's campus beauties, but Su Xueyan was the cool, aloof type, while Lei Yan was the bright, glamorous type.

Since enrollment, the two had constantly competed; Lei Yan always liked to compare herself with her in secret and occasionally used petty tricks. Su Xueyan never liked her, and after graduation she cut off contact, keeping things pure, so she never expected to meet her Here.

Lei Yan seemed unaware of her coolness and walked straight up to the two of them.

Her gaze measured Jiang Feng from head to toe, with a barely perceptible hint of contempt, then she turned to Su Xueyan, smiling as she asked.

"Xue Yan, who is this? Your boyfriend?"

"Not a boyfriend."

Su Xueyan slipped her arm tightly around Jiang Feng, her face radiating happiness.

"This is my fiancé, Jiang Feng. We're here today to take engagement photos."

"Fiancé? No way, Xue Yan, are you getting married?"

Lei Yan pretended to be surprised, opening her mouth wide, but her eyes flicked toward Su Xueyan's complexion, as if she had uncovered a big secret.

"Xue Yan, hasn't your chronic cold condition never healed? Didn't the Doctor say your constitution is special and you can't marry or have children? Why are you suddenly getting married?"

Her voice was low, yet it was just loud enough for a few studio staff nearby to hear, and after speaking she pretended to look concerned at Jiang Feng.

"Mr. Jiang, right? I'm not trying to rain on your parade; it's just that Xue Yan's health condition is special, so you need to think this through. If something goes wrong after the wedding, it won't be a joke."

Anyone with eyes could tell she was undermining Su Xueyan, deliberately exposing her past.

Su Xueyan's cheeks flushed with anger, and her grip on Jiang Feng's hand tightened a few notches.

She hadn't expected that after all these years Lei Yan would still be so vicious, saying such things in a setting like this.

Jiang Feng could feel Su Xueyan's anger, gently patting the back of her hand to soothe her.

He pretended to be bewildered, looking at her and said, "Xue Yan, who is this ugly woman? Why is she speaking so harshly?"

"Ugly woman?"

Lei Yan's complexion darkened instantly as she pointed to her own face.

"Who did you say is the ugly woman?"

She had always prided herself on her beauty and status, being a famous beauty CEO of Jiangnan, where wherever she went she was surrounded by admirers, and no one had ever spoken to her that way.

"I'm talking about you."

Jiang Feng wore an innocent expression, surveyed her from top to bottom, and shook his head.

"Look at yourself—your makeup looks like a palette, your clothes are tacky, and standing next to Xue Yan, you're a whole 108,000 li away. Do you even deserve to be called a beauty?"

"You!"

Lei Yan trembled with anger, pointing at Jiang Feng.

"Do you know who I am? I'm the CEO of Lei Group, the renowned beauty CEO of Jiangnan! How dare an unknown kid like you speak to me like that? You have no sense of propriety!"

"Beauty CEO?"

Jiang Feng let out a snort.

"Just the way you are, compared to Xue Yan you're not even fit to lift a shoe, yet you dare call yourself a beauty CEO? I'd say you're just a narcissistic CEO."

The surrounding staff lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Though Lei Yan was decent-looking, her makeup was too heavy and she carried an overbearing air; she truly wasn't as cool and gentle as Su Xueyan, making her more pleasant to look at.

Lei Yan was so rebuked she couldn't speak, her chest heaving, eyes filled with venom as she glared at Jiang Feng and Su Xueyan.

"Su Xueyan, you really are something—can't find a good man and just settle for this uncultured kid? It seems you're in a hurry to marry, regardless of…"

Su Xueyan, unable to bear it any longer, coldly cut her off.

"Lei Yan, watch your words! Jiang Feng is the man I've chosen, far stronger than those playboy types you know!"

"Strong? I think you just haven't seen a truly outstanding man."

Lei Yan let out a cold laugh, as if she suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, Xue Yan, do you still remember that senior Jiang Gang you had a crush on in university? He's about to return from abroad, and this time he's coming back to take over Jiang Group's operations in Jiangcheng."

She paused briefly, her gaze laced with provocation.

"Come to think of it, Jiang Gang is hosting a reunion dinner for old classmates at Tianyue Hotel tonight; you didn't receive an invitation, did you?"

Su Xueyan was momentarily stunned, then nodded.

"I got it, but I already declined."

Jiang Gang was indeed her senior in university, and Su Xueyan doesn't deny she once had feelings for him, but they never dated, and after graduation they gradually lost contact.

This time Jiang Gang sent an invitation upon returning to the country, but she saw no need to attend and declined outright.

"Declined?"

Lei Yan pretended to be shocked, opening her mouth wide.

"Xue Yan, you're not kidding with me, right? Jiang Gang is now the Heir of Jiang Group, young and accomplished, handsome as well—so many people are scrambling to get on his good side, and you actually turned him down?"

She leaned close to Su Xueyan, lowering her voice, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"It can't be because you're getting married, fearing Jiang Gang would see the man you chose and mock you, right? After all, you liked him so much back then, and now you've married this unknown nobody—it's truly embarrassing."

"I declined because I'm not interested, it has nothing to do with others…"

Su Xueyan's expression remained calm, not wanting to get further entangled with her.

"Not interested?"

Lei Yan clearly didn't believe it, snorting.

"I think you just don't dare to go. Likewise, if it were me, I wouldn't feel comfortable either."

She turned her head toward Jiang Feng, her tone laced with contempt.

"Mr. Jiang, do you know who Jiang Gang is? He's a genuine aristocratic Heir, a hundred or a thousand times stronger than you! Xue Yan loved him so much back then, and now she's married to you—don't you feel inferior?"

Jiang Feng looked at Lei Yan's Jumping Foot and found it rather interesting.

He gently wrapped his arms around Su Xueyan's Shoulders, with a firm Tone, and said to Lei Yan.

"Inferiority? Why should I feel inferior? Xue Yan chose me, which shows I'm better than Jiang Gang. But since you say that, let's go to Tianyue Hotel tonight and see just how impressive the excellent man you speak of really is."

"You... you really want to go?"

Lei Yan was stunned for a moment; she had originally intended to provoke Su Xueyan, but didn't expect Jiang Feng to actually dare to agree.

Jiang Gang's banquet tonight invited only prominent figures; Jiang Feng, a nameless youngster, attending would surely be ridiculed.

"Of course."

Jiang Feng's Mouth corner lifted a Laughter, his gaze bearing a Provocative Smile.

"We not only will go, but also will let you see how correct Xue Yan's choice of me was."

Su Xueyan tugged Jiang Feng's arm, whispering.

"Jiang Feng, we don't need to go; holding a grudge against her isn't worth it."

"Since she wants us to go, we'll satisfy her."

Lei Yan watched the two's intimate manner, her teeth itching with anger, yet she was helpless.

She then let out a cold hum: "Fine, I actually want to see whether you can hold your head up at the banquet!"

After speaking, she ignored the two, turned and left the studio in a huff.

Watching Lei Yan's disheveled retreat, Su Xueyan felt relieved.

"Jiang Feng, are we really going to attend the banquet? I feel quite awkward."

"Of course we must go."

Jiang Feng said with Laughter.

"She's already being Provocative; if we don't go, wouldn't that make her think we're scared of her?"

Thus, after finishing their wedding photo shoot, the two set off for Tianyue Hotel.

Arriving at Tianyue Hotel's entrance, they could see the doorway filled with luxury cars from afar.

At the entrance, many people in formal attire came and went, confirming it was indeed a banquet of considerable scale.

Lei Yan happened to arrive as well; seeing the two, she deliberately approached, Tone laced with sarcasm.

"Jiang Feng, Su Xueyan, you finally made it. I thought you wouldn't dare to come."