She couldn't ignore the girl beside Fu Yinxiu.
Since Fu Yinxiu returned to the country, Ming Yutong hadn't seen any other woman openly standing by his side, claiming to be Fu Yinxiu's companion.
But this girl could.
Did that mean Fu Yinxiu... was serious about her?
Ming Yutong's limbs went cold, and she felt dizzy.
Fu Yinxiu had fallen in love with someone else and was building a family with them.
Little Jingshi now had a mother, to call someone else Mom.
So, what was she supposed to do?
Ming Yutong's fingertips turned cold.
She clenched her fists, the tips of her fingers wrapped in soft palms, but they couldn't warm up.
What should she do then?
She would be completely shut out from father and son.
They were a family of three.
And she was just an outsider who could never get close.
At some point, the elevator stopped, but Ming Yutong was still lost in thought.
Fu Yinxiu had already left the elevator with his companion.
When Ming Yutong snapped out of it, all she saw was the backs of Fu Yinxiu and He Ruoyi.
Their backs looked so harmonious.
Harmonious enough to cause her heartache.
"Yutong?" Jiang Lulian called out.
Ming Yutong gathered herself and followed Jiang Lulian into the banquet hall.
Fu Yinxiu and He Ruoyi had disappeared to who knows where in the vast banquet hall, now filled with people. It was difficult to spot anyone in particular.
Jiang Lulian regretted not being able to chat more with Fu Yinxiu.
He looked worriedly at Ming Yutong. "Yutong, you look really pale. Are you feeling okay?"
Ming Yutong shook her head. "It's nothing, just a headache."
"I'll go get some headache medicine from the hotel. Wait here," Jiang Lulian said, heading off to find a waiter.
Left alone, Ming Yutong glanced around and spotted Fu Yinxiu and He Ruoyi in a corner.
Fu Yinxiu's cold gaze fell on He Ruoyi's hand, and she immediately withdrew it as if pricked by a needle.
"You're being too nosy," Fu Yinxiu said coldly.
He Ruoyi immediately lowered her head, no longer displaying the bright and proud demeanor she had shown before. "I dare not."
"Go back and report to Alpha Guard 1 for punishment," Fu Yinxiu said icily.
He Ruoyi, also known as Alpha Guard 5, lips trembled and replied, "Yes."
Not all of the Dragon Thorn Guards were men.
Sometimes, when Fu Yinxiu attended such banquets, he didn't necessarily bring a female companion every time.
But sometimes, having a female companion was more convenient.
At those times, besides bringing Alpha Guard 1 and Alpha Guard 2, he would choose a female guard from among the Dragon Thorn Guards to act as his companion, also serving as a bodyguard.
He Ruoyi, who looked young and innocent, yet ranked fifth among the Alpha Guards with outstanding abilities and skills.
He Ruoyi followed Fu Yinxiu cautiously, not daring to even brush against him.
Several people came over to greet Fu Yinxiu, who responded with indifference.
Out of the corner of his eye, he continued to watch Ming Yutong, who was across from him.
Then he noticed Jiang Lulian leaving for some reason.
Ming Yutong was left alone.
She seemed to have spotted Ming family and was about to approach when a young man intercepted her.
Fu Yinxiu narrowed his eyes.
The young man was a playboy with no accomplishments to speak of.
His biggest claim to fame was playing around with women.
He particularly liked filming action videos that were disgustingly insensitive, showing women's faces without a care.
Women from all walks of life, even some third-rate minor celebrities, hoped he would invest in them.
Once he finished filming, he would flaunt it among his friends.
This inevitably led to escalating scandals that his family had to clean up.
But he never learned his lesson, enjoying the thrill of it all because he'd never suffered any consequences.
Now, this playboy was walking towards Ming Yutong with two drinks in hand, clearly headed her way.
Ming Yutong didn't know as much about Jia Mingkai as Fu Yinxiu did, but she had heard enough about him in passing.
She had a low opinion of him and naturally wasn't friends with him.
Nevertheless, she'd heard plenty about his antics.
In circles where Ming Yuqian knew about men with questionable habits and character flaws, she always made sure to relay it back to Ming Yutong, fearing her sister might get taken advantage of in business or friendships.
Ming Yutong had definitely heard about Jia Mingkai.
She and Jia Mingkai had never had much interaction, especially not on business matters.
After all, Jia Mingkai was an aimless playboy who had no interest in serious matters.
But inevitably, they had crossed paths at some events.
At another past event, Jia Mingkai had even followed behind his father like an obedient son and met Ming Yutong.
During their conversation, his father had whimsically suggested introducing Ming Yutong to Jia Mingkai to see if something might develop.
Afterward, Ming Yuqian was furious, his hair standing on end. "Does Jia Shenli have any shame? What kind of person is his son? He dares to think of introducing him to you? It's utterly shameless! Like a toad lusting after swan meat, it's pure fantasy! He has no self-awareness at all, living in his own delusions!"
Now, Ming Yutong's gaze passed over Jia Mingkai and settled on Ming Jingshui and Fang Qian'an not far away.
They were facing away from her, talking with Ming Silian.
But even with Ming Jingshui and Fang Qian'an in front of her, Ming Silian could still see Ming Yutong.