Chapter Twenty-Six: She Was the One Who Betrayed

When Jiang Yunzhu and Sang Bai stepped out of the private room, a casual glance caught a familiar silhouette.

Zhou Qingpei?

What was she doing here?

Sang Bai sensed something was off. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Jiang Yunzhu replied. “Come on. Wait for me outside; I’ll settle the bill.”

Sang Bai nodded and obediently left.

Jiang Yunzhu went to pay. As she took the receipt, someone bumped into her from behind.

She turned to look.

Zhao Mingjie, cigarette dangling from his lips, wore a fierce expression. “What are you staring at?”

Jiang Yunzhu never argued in public with someone who looked so menacing. She stepped aside slightly. “Sorry.”

“That’s better.” Zhao Mingjie flicked imaginary ash and walked off.

Jiang Yunzhu felt he looked somewhat familiar, but couldn’t recall where she’d seen him.

Three days later.

The cruise banquet.

Jiang Yunzhu and Sang Bai confirmed their rooms with the attendant, then went to put their things away. Their rooms were at opposite ends of the ship—one at the bow, one at the stern.

“See you on the deck,” Jiang Yunzhu told Sang Bai. “I’ll be a bit late. Remember to present your best self to the media.”

Sang Bai gave her an ok sign.

Jiang Yunzhu, carrying her small suitcase, headed to her room. She changed into a crisp, clean suit—after all, as a manager, there was no need to compete with the artists for attention.

Dressed and with her makeup refreshed, she stepped out. As she closed the door, she saw a figure rush by—the back looked familiar.

She’d intended to go to the deck, but after two steps, it struck her. That hurried figure resembled the one she’d seen three days ago in the café.

It seemed to be...

Yes! Zhou Qingpei’s ex-husband!

She remembered Zhou Qingpei had been married once, to a famous screenwriter in their circle, whose career had faded since.

What was Zhou Qingpei’s ex-husband doing here?

Jiang Yunzhu frowned slightly. It wasn’t her business, but she couldn’t help caring. Quietly, she followed him.

Zhao Mingjie hadn’t been invited to the banquet; he’d snuck aboard, his manner furtive. He found a workroom, changed clothes, then called Zhou Qingpei.

“Give me the room number.”

Zhou Qingpei had just boarded and hadn’t received the information yet. “What’s the rush? Wait a moment.”

Zhao Mingjie bit down on his cigarette, not bothering to hang up. “Hurry up!”

Zhou Qingpei finally offered a room number. “357.”

“Fine.” Zhao Mingjie threatened, his tone vicious. “If you dare play me, you’ll regret it!”

Zhou Qingpei laughed lightly. “If I’m ruined, you won’t get the money either.”

She hung up.

Zhao Mingjie cursed under his breath, pushed open the door, and strode out—only to see someone standing nearby.

“Idiot,” he spat at Jiang Yunzhu.

He had business to attend to and didn’t bother with her, quickly moving on.

Jiang Yunzhu’s expression chilled. The workroom door barely muffled sound; she’d heard every word.

357 was her room.

Zhao Mingjie was headed straight there, just a few steps away.

With so little time, she couldn’t do much—but she could do something.

Jiang Yunzhu took out her phone, connected to the ship’s network, opened an app, found her room number, and her fingers flew over the keyboard.

After a few swift actions, she reinforced her smart lock with an additional security code. If anyone forced entry, the lock would automatically alert security.

As she exited, she glanced and noticed the neighboring room, 358, belonged to Zhou Qingpei.

Coincidence, or deliberate arrangement?

With this done, Jiang Yunzhu headed for the deck.

Zhao Mingjie arrived at room 357, pulled out the stolen keycard, tried repeatedly, but the door wouldn’t open.

Damn, that woman played him again!

A staff member happened to pass by and noticed something odd. “Are you responsible for this area? What are you doing?”

“I…” Zhao Mingjie tugged his cap lower, head down. “Miss Zhou Qingpei asked me to fetch something for her, gave me her card, but I can’t open the door.”

The staff checked their tablet. “This isn’t Zhou Qingpei’s room. 358 next door is.”

So she’d lied to him.

Zhao Mingjie told the staff, “Thank you, I’ll go get it now.”

The staff, uneasy, watched him. “Open the door, I’ll be here.”

Zhao Mingjie moved to 358, placed the card, and with a beep, the door opened.

Keycards were only given to guests or their assistants. Since Zhao Mingjie opened it, there was nothing amiss.

The staff had other duties and urged, “Take what you need and remember to lock the door.”

“Got it,” Zhao Mingjie muttered. Once alone, he slipped inside and shut the door.

The banquet lasted late into the night.

Throughout, Zhou Qingpei kept glancing at Jiang Yunzhu, which Shen Ruizhang noticed.

“Qingpei, does something seem off with Yunzhu? You keep looking her way,” he asked quietly.

Zhou Qingpei bit her lip. “I just think she looks tired. I want to remind her to rest, but I’m afraid she’ll take offense…”

Shen Ruizhang’s heart softened. “It’s alright.”

He looked over at Jiang Yunzhu. She did seem a bit pale.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Ruizhang walked toward Jiang Yunzhu, spoke a few words, and she put down her glass and headed toward the guest rooms.

Zhou Qingpei tightened her grip on her wine glass. When Shen Ruizhang returned, she suggested, “I’m tired, too. Shall we rest together?”

It was indeed late.

“Alright.”

Zhou Qingpei set her glass down, gathered her skirt, and walked toward the guest rooms, giving a subtle glance to a junior reporter among the nearby journalists.

The reporter caught the signal and nudged a friend. “It’s so late, nothing more to shoot. Let’s head to the rooms and rest.”

“Sure.” Her friend agreed.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Zhou Qingpei deliberately slowed her pace, waiting for the journalists to draw closer before attempting to open room 357.

No matter how she tried, the door wouldn’t budge.

Her smile stiffened.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Ruizhang asked, concerned. “Can’t open the door? Let’s have the staff check.”

“Alright,” Zhou Qingpei replied, thinking swiftly. “Then…”

Before she finished, the door opened from inside.

Jiang Yunzhu stood half-hidden behind it. “Is something the matter?”

“This is your room?” Zhou Qingpei craned her neck to peer inside. “My assistant told me this was my room, and my things were put in here.”

Jiang Yunzhu understood a bit now. She deliberately opened the door wide. “Your room is next door.”

Zhou Qingpei scanned the room, finding no sign of Zhao Mingjie. Her heart dropped.

Where was he?

Useless man—never capable of anything.

Suddenly, the adjacent door opened.

Zhao Mingjie, having heard the commotion in 358, realized Zhou Qingpei had tricked him.

Furious, he stormed out and shouted at her, “You bitch, you played me again!”

Zhou Qingpei’s face went pale, and she rushed into Shen Ruizhang’s arms. “A-Rui, he’s that stalker fan—he followed me here again!”

Shen Ruizhang’s expression darkened; he was about to call someone to throw Zhao Mingjie out.

“Stalker fan?” Zhao Mingjie looked at Shen Ruizhang, his face twisted. “I’m her legal husband! We’re not even divorced, and she’s with you. She’s cheating!”

The journalists behind raised their cameras, flashes going off incessantly.

With such a scandal, the banquet couldn’t continue.

The ship’s staff escorted the reporters away. Shen Ruizhang left with Zhou Qingpei, and Zhao Mingjie was removed as well.

Jiang Yunzhu didn’t leave until the next day.

When she returned to the company, Zhou Qingpei’s marital affair was already headline news in the entertainment circle.

Every time they managed to suppress the trending topic, within ten minutes it would resurface.

Again and again.

The assistant sitting beside her muttered, “So strange, even with our company stepping in, it’s not working this time?”

Jiang Yunzhu watched the trending search list, her gaze growing colder.

Last night’s yacht banquet was private—paparazzi shouldn’t have been able to get photos, unless someone deliberately leaked them.