Chapter 1349: Counterproductive and Infuriating

"In order to get that useless piece of trash to undergo plastic surgery to look like A Heng, I waited a full half year for him before I started my revenge on you. If I had known he would be this useless, I would have taken action myself long ago."

Black Widow was very arrogant.

But she was also very frank.

Shi Ran frowned: "You taking revenge on me is your choice; I have no opinion on that. I only want to know why you would do this, and if you are going to take revenge on me, come at me alone. Do not involve my family."

"Hahahahaha..."

Black Widow suddenly burst into loud laughter, as if she had heard a funny joke, laughing until tears came out.

"Shi Ran, everyone praises you for being smart, but I don't think you're very smart at all. Don't you have a saying in Jiangzhou about 'the loved ones suffer while the enemies rejoice'? Did you not learn that when you were in school?"

"Of course I want to take revenge on your family, because I want to make you suffer. Not a short pain, but a long pain—the kind of pain like a dull knife cutting into flesh! Every pain I have tasted, every wound I have suffered, and the feeling of my heart dripping blood, I want you to taste it all once!"

"Didn't you ask me why I wanted to do this? Fine, I'll tell you now: because I loved A Heng, yet he died at your hands!"

"You loved A Heng?"

Shi Ran felt surprised.

A woman like Black Widow is trained to sell her body, not her soul.

Love should be something long sealed away for her.

Or to put it another way, the most worthless thing!

But her expression did not look like she was lying, and there was no need to lie at this point; it would be meaningless.

"Yes, I loved him!"

Black Widow said it decisively.

"Surprised, aren't you?"

That's right, Shi Ran did feel surprised.

Although she maintained herself very well, she was no longer young.

The age gap between the two was not small... well, age is not the issue.

Black Widow was a bit smug, a bit haughty: "The man you spent so many years with and never fully possessed, I possessed."

"I originally thought I had something to rely on for the rest of my life and was preparing to wash my hands of this, to never again do these things where you could lose your head at any moment, but you took his life!"

A flash of ruthlessness appeared in her eyes, and she glared viciously at Shi Ran: "Your heart is truly cruel. He was deeply devoted to you; how could you bring yourself to do it?"

Shi Ran understood everything now.

She did not want to explain anything; you cannot explain anything clearly to a woman caught up in love.

"It's not too late for you to stop now. I can choose not to pursue what happened in the past." She intended to let Black Widow off the hook.

Black Widow did not appreciate the gesture.

She felt that Shi Ran was bluffing. How ridiculous; did Shi Ran think that she, Black Widow, only had Leng Feng as a card in her hand?

She also had the United States businessman.

Black Widow did not just come to deal with Shi Ran this time; she was also going to wipe out the several major families of Jiangzhou to avenge Qi Heng!

The conversation between the two ended.

Shi Ran wanted to let her off, but the other party thought Shi Ran was afraid.

Since they were not on the same page, then each would show their own prowess!

They returned to the banquet hall.

The two women acted as if they did not know each other, each occupying a corner.

Ten minutes later.

Black Widow held a glass of red wine and walked gracefully toward Shi Ran!

Shi Ran was chatting with the newly appointed Kang and did not notice her walking over.

She walked to a position not far from Shi Ran and lightly stepped on the hem of the dress of the woman in front.

The woman did not notice and turned to leave; her hem was stepped on, her body lost balance, and she lunged forward violently!

"Ahhhhh!"

The woman's face turned pale with fright.

The woman was also holding a glass of red wine; the wine tilted, drew a beautiful arc in the air, and poured entirely onto the hem of Shi Ran's dress, not a drop wasted.

This was not even the worst part.

The worst part was that the woman stumbled forward a few steps and fell right onto the hem of Shi Ran's dress!

And in the panic.

Shi Ran subconsciously wanted to dodge, and Kang pulled her.

"Rip—"

A piece of the back hem was torn off completely.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, someone behind me stepped on my dress..." The woman climbed up and apologized hurriedly.

Who else could she have stepped on?

She actually caused the eldest daughter of the Sheng Family to make a scene in public.

Now they were finished; the Sheng Family or the Yun Family could crush their family with a light touch. The strength gap was vast, not equal in the slightest!

The woman trembled with fear, unable to say anything, only able to apologize with a mournful face.

As for the culprit, Black Widow, she acted as if nothing had happened, holding her red wine, gently swirling it, and sipping it slowly.

Shi Ran was very embarrassed.

With such a large piece of the dress torn, it was definitely unwearable, but she had not brought a spare gown.

Kang took off his suit jacket, intending to wrap it around her like a gentleman.

Shi Ran refused without leaving a trace.

Although Kang is in a high and powerful position, he is too young and lacks experience.

If he really did that, by tomorrow, this video would be maliciously edited and appear on the news of all the major media outlets in Jiangzhou!

The Minister of Commerce is having an affair with Shi Ran.

This kind of matter can be big or small.

If it ferments into something big, Kang Qingru will have to be replaced as Minister of Commerce, and the newly appointed minister will certainly find trouble for the Sheng Family and the Yun Family to avoid suspicion.

If it is kept small, the most optimistic outcome is that everyone gossips for a few days, and this matter is covered up by a new hot topic!

But even in the most optimistic outcome, Kang will no longer be able to look after the businesses of the Sheng and Yun families in the future; he must avoid suspicion, and Black Widow and her wealthy tycoon will have an opportunity to take advantage and reap the benefits.

In a flash, Shi Ran understood Black Widow's entire plan.

She did not fall for it, and with one action, she prevented Black Widow's conspiracy from succeeding!

She did not vent her anger on that woman; it was none of her business.

From the moment she saw Black Widow standing behind the woman, she understood that it was all Black Widow's mischief.

"It's nothing."

She helped the woman up, lifted her skirt, and walked toward Black Widow!

Shi Ran and Black Widow locked eyes, neither willing to give way.

Just as a conflict was about to break out, music suddenly started playing, and the lights dimmed.

It was time for the dance.

Kang is the most distinguished guest today.

There is an unwritten rule at the Jiangzhou merchants' cocktail party: if you want to cooperate with someone, you dance with them.

Therefore, when merchants attend such occasions, they generally bring a female companion.

A female companion does not just serve the purpose of being pleasing to the eye; more importantly, she can socialize!

If there were no accidents.

Today's first dance would definitely be between Shi Ran and Kang Qingru.

But now... someone else will have to do it!

Black Widow walked gracefully toward Kang, full of charm, her eyes darting about.

She was very confident.

No one would refuse her invitation.

Originally, her "prey" today was Kang, and seeing that she was about to be "intercepted" by Shi Ran, she was naturally unwilling to give up.

Black Widow used this move very well, clearing the obstacles without a sound.

She was determined to win, and she was about to succeed.

But no one expected that Shi Ran would suddenly give a violent "rip," turning her long dress into a short skirt.

A floor-length dress was not suitable for dancing in the first place.

But a short skirt is different; it is just right for dancing!

Kang Qingru reached out his hand to Shi Ran and made a very gentlemanly invitation gesture: "Miss Shi, may I invite you to dance the first dance?"