For some reason, hiding behind the trees, Jin Xueli could clearly feel that the atmosphere among the bodyguards outside the cabin was different from before.
Her cell phone vibrated at that moment.
Jin Xueli picked up her phone, staring blankly at the messages about the stock market crash flooding the family group chat.
She had no idea why this problem was occurring at this particular moment.
She had no head for business. On a normal day, she was just an ordinary rich second-generation who coasted through life collecting dividends from the family shares.
Jin Xueli’s gaze shifted to the cabin in front of her, wondering whether today’s incident had anything to do with Su Li.
Too coincidental.
Everything was too coincidental.
For such a long stretch of time, nothing had gone wrong.
Yet now, of all times—if someone told her this had nothing to do with Su Li, Jin Xueli herself wouldn’t believe it.
But she knew her elder sister would definitely be buried in the Jin Family crisis right now, with no time at all to deal with Su Li.
And this moment was exactly her opportunity.
She cleared her throat, forcing a cold expression onto her face.
Taking advantage of the bodyguards’ distraction, she slowly stepped out from behind the trees.
She walked toward the cabin with a perfectly calm demeanor.
“Elder Sister sent me to check on the current situation.”
Jin Xueli said in an icy tone, a trace of disgust showing on her expression.
It was the same look she used to give the bottom layer of society.
Now her gaze was no different from before.
Sure enough, after she displayed this attitude, the bodyguards who had been gathered suddenly fell silent.
No one spoke.
They just watched quietly as she walked up to the cabin door.
Jin Xueli looked at the locked room and felt a headache coming on.
Just moments ago, she could still vaguely make out the scene inside.
“Open the cabin door.”
Jin Xueli said coldly.
“Miss, we don’t have the key either.”
The bodyguards exchanged glances, feeling like something was off.
But no one wanted to be the first bird.
Everyone was just earning a fixed salary.
And she was the Jin Family Heiress.
Her sudden appearance here was strange, sure.
But Jin Ke’er was more familiar with Jin Xueli, not with them.
“Did you not hear what I said?
I said… open the cabin door.”
Jin Xueli’s heart pounded. She was a little nervous, but she quickly calmed herself down.
She was a Jin Family Miss now.
As long as she hypnotized herself, convinced herself she was sent by her sister to check on Su Li, then that’s who she was.
She just had to speak firmly.
“Yes.”
Under Jin Xueli’s icy gaze, they eventually compromised.
The lead bodyguard slammed his body hard against the door.
The sound of metal colliding was especially harsh in the silence.
Faster.
Just a little faster.
Jin Xueli thought anxiously to herself.
She was terrified that her elder sister would suddenly set aside the family business, appear behind her, and ask what she was doing.
Fortunately, even after the door was battered open and left hanging loose, Jin Ke’er still hadn’t shown up.
She didn’t know who her opponent was this time, but clearly, they had bought her quite a bit of time.
The air from inside the room rushed out to meet her, and Jin Xueli’s gaze immediately landed on the figure sitting on the chair not far away.
The person’s eyes and mouth were covered with stockings.
She walked over to Su Li and pulled the stockings off.
Their eyes met.
Su Li’s expression was completely calm, without the slightest change.
Jin Xueli wanted to explain something to Su Li.
But she glanced at the bodyguards behind her and held back.
Su Li didn’t ask anything.
She acted as if the two of them didn’t know each other at all.
Jin Xueli felt both relieved and disappointed at the same time.
She thought Su Li should have asked her something.
Like why she was here.
Or what her relationship with Jin Ke’er really was.
But Su Li didn’t say a single word.
“Help me untie the rope behind her. Elder Sister wants to see her.”
Jin Xueli said, and the bodyguards didn’t refuse.
Only one bodyguard looked at Jin Xueli with some confusion, seeming to want to say something.
But he was quickly stopped by a look from his companion beside him.
As the ropes came loose, Su Li stretched her body.
Originally, her plan had been to slap Jin Ke’er a few times when she finally met her.
Then get up and leave.
But she hadn’t expected someone to come rescue her.
Jin Ke’er’s younger sister?
When she first saw Jin Xueli, Su Li had thought she looked familiar.
Especially her blonde hair.
But she hadn’t paid much attention to it.
Jin Xueli was Jin Xueli. Jin Ke’er was Jin Ke’er.
Even if they were sisters, they weren’t the same person.
Just like Shen Cishu and Bai Huizi.
Or Chi Qingyao and Chi Qingya.
Su Li judged people by their actions, not by association.
Her transaction with Jin Ke’er had ended—it didn’t have much to do with Jin Xueli.
“Follow me.”
Jin Xueli said coldly.
Of course, this was all deliberate, just to fool her sister’s dogs.
Clearly, her act successfully deceived all of them.
Long after Jin Xueli had left, the young bodyguard who had wanted to speak earlier finally said:
“Boss, why didn’t we confirm with Ms. Jin?
I have a feeling something’s off about this Jin Family Miss.”
“Confirm what? So she can think you’re a waste who can’t do anything?
Or do you think you can afford to offend a Jin Family Miss on your own?
Even if the Big Miss wanted to protect you, do you think you’d have any way out once a Jin Family Miss holds a grudge against you?
Or do you think the Jin Family Heiress can protect you forever, no matter what you do, she’ll always have time to clean up after you?”
The young bodyguard who had spoken fell silent.
He felt his boss was right.
Even if she was willing to protect him this time, what about the second time, the third?
These misses and young masters who hadn’t taken over the Jin Family Business had nothing but time on their hands.
They had all the time in the world to grind him down at no cost, but he couldn’t afford the same.
The young bodyguard lowered his head and didn’t say anything more.
The Estate Guard Leader looked at him and patted his shoulder.
“Work hard. You’ll have plenty to study in the future.”
He had already decided—when Jin Ke’er came down on them for this, he’d just dump the blame on the young guy’s head.
……
Jin Xueli held Su Li’s hand, her expression a little anxious.
She had to get Su Li out of the estate quickly.
Because once her sister caught on, neither of them would escape.
Although…
Jin Xueli had so many things she wanted to say to Su Li.
But this might be the last time the two of them ever spoke.
After all, their entire relationship had been built on lies from the very beginning.
And the reason Su Li hadn’t spoken to her all this time was definitely because Su Li was angry with her.
While Jin Xueli was nervously leaving the Jin Family Estate, she quickly noticed an unfamiliar sports car parked at the estate’s entrance.
Jin Xueli’s gaze landed on the woman inside the sports car.
She was instantly struck by the woman’s sharp, intimidating aura.
Her slender fingers tapped on the steering wheel, her eyes sharp as a knife.
Seeming to notice Jin Xueli’s stare, she curved her lips into an unreadable smile.
The pressure radiating from her made Jin Xueli’s breath catch, and she couldn’t find the words to speak.